On this day in 1981: Hall & Oates started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Private Eyes’. This single was the band’s third of six number one hits (the first two being ‘Rich Girl’ and ‘Kiss On My List’), and their second #1 hit of the 1980s at the time. It was succeeded in the #1 position by Olivia Newton John’s ‘Physical’ which was coincidentally succeeded by another #1 single from Hall and Oates, ‘I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do)’.

The single carries a similar rhythm to the duo’s #1 hit from earlier that year, ‘Kiss On My List’ with the difference being a handclap chorus that has made the song an audience-participation favorite at live Hall and Oates shows. It was one of the duo’s first songs to appear in heavy rotation on MTV.

Here’s a look at the complete Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1981:

1 3 PRIVATE EYES –•– Daryl Hall and John Oates (RCA)-11 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 2 START ME UP –•– The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones)-12 (2)
3 1 ARTHUR’S THEME (Best That You Can Do) –•– Christopher Cross (Warner Brothers)-13 (1)
4 4 FOR YOUR EYES ONLY –•– Sheena Easton (Liberty)-16 (4)
5 6 TRYIN’ TO LIVE MY LIFE WITHOUT YOU –•– Bob Seger (Capitol)-9 (5)
6 8 THE NIGHT OWLS –•– Little River Band (Capitol)-12 (6)
7 7 HARD TO SAY –•– Dan Fogelberg (Epic / Full Moon)-11 (7)
8 9 I’VE DONE EVERYTHING FOR YOU –•– Rick Springfield (RCA)-12 (8)
9 11 HERE I AM (Just When I Thought I Was Over You) –•– Air Supply (Arista)-7 (9)
10 15 WAITING FOR A GIRL LIKE YOU –•– Foreigner (Atlantic)-5 (10)

11 12 WHEN SHE WAS MY GIRL –•– The Four Tops (Casablanca)-13 (11)
12 13 THE THEME FROM “HILL STREET BLUES” –•– Mike Post (Featuring Larry Carlton) (Elektra)-12 (12)
13 5 ENDLESS LOVE –•– Diana Ross and Lionel Richie (Motown)-18 (1)
14 23 PHYSICAL –•– Olivia Newton-John (MCA)-6 (14)
15 17 WE’RE IN THIS LOVE TOGETHER Al Jarreau (Warner Brothers)-15 (15)
16 20 OH NO –•– The Commodores (Motown)-7 (16)
17 18 SAY GOODBYE TO HOLLYWOOD –•– Billy Joel (Columbia)-9 (17)
18 19 JUST ONCE –•– Quincy Jones Featuring James Ingram (A&M)-13 (18)
19 21 EVERY LITTLE THING SHE DOES IS MAGIC –•– The Police (A&M)-7 (19)
20 26 THE OLD SONGS –•– Barry Manilow (Arista)-5 (20)

On this day in 1987: Bruce Springsteen went to #1 on the U.S. album chart with ‘Tunnel Of Love.’ His eighth studio album went triple platinum in the U.S., with ‘Brilliant Disguise’ being one of his biggest hit singles, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Also on this day in 1987: Tiffany started a two week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’. The song was written by Ritchie Cordell and was initially a 1967 (#4) hit for Tommy James & the Shondells. At age 15, Tiffany became the youngest act to score a U.S. #1 hit since Michael Jackson’s ‘Ben’, in 1972.

Tiffany’s manager and producer George Tobin gave her the cassette of the original version by Tommy James & the Shondells, Tiffany hated the idea of recording a version of her own for her album, mostly because she thought the song was neither modern enough nor hip enough. According to Tiffany, she also did not know that the song is about the prohibition of teenage sex. The producers then remade the song as a dance track, and when Tiffany played this for her friends, they started to dance to it. Tiffany returned the next day to record the song in around four takes.

“I Think We’re Alone Now” proved to be Tiffany’s biggest hit once she did record and release it. Her version of the song spent two weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (coincidentally, another Tommy James & the Shondells cover, Billy Idol’s version of ‘Mony Mony’) followed it on the top spot). The music video was directed entirely by Tobin and shot in numerous shopping malls in Utah, which echoed the way her early career had been promoted. Fashion Place Mall (Murray, Utah), Crossroads Mall (Salt Lake City, Utah), 49th Street Galleria (Murray, Utah) and Ogden City Mall (Ogden, Utah). 

Here’s a look at the complete Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1987:

1 3 I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW –•– Tiffany (MCA)-11 (1) (1 Week at #1)
2 2 CAUSING A COMMOTION –•– Madonna (Sire)-9 (2)
3 4 MONY MONY –•– Billy Idol (Chrysalis)-10 (3)
4 6 LITTLE LIES –•– Fleetwood Mac (Warner Brothers)-11 (4)
5 1 BAD –•– Michael Jackson (Epic)-8 (1)
6 12 (I’ve Had) THE TIME OF MY LIFE –Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (RCA)-7 (6)
7 9 BREAKOUT –•– Swing Out Sister (Mercury)-13 (7)
8 10 BRILLIANT DISGUISE –•– Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)-6 (8)
9 7 LET ME BE THE ONE –•– Expose (Arista)-13 (7)
10 11 IT’S A SIN –•– Pet Shop Boys (EMI-America)-10 (10)

11 15 HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH –•– Belinda Carlisle (MCA)-7 (11)
12 5 CASANOVA –•– Levert (Atlantic)-13 (5)
13 14 WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME –•– U2 (Island)-9 (13)
14 17 SHOULD’VE KNOWN BETTER –•– Richard Marx (Manhattan)-7 (14)
15 16 DON’T MAKE ME WAIT FOR LOVE –•– Kenny G (Arista)-11 (15)
16 21 I’VE BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE –•– Cutting Crew (Virgin)-10 (16)
17 8 U GOT THE LOOK –•– Prince with Sheena Easton (Paisley Park)-15 (2)
18 24 THE ONE I LOVE –•– R.E.M. (I.R.S.)-8 (18)
19 25 I WON’T FORGET YOU –•– Poison (Enigma)-10 (19)
20 28 WE’LL BE TOGETHER –•– Sting (A&M)-5 (20)