On this day in 1987: Billy Idol was enjoying his first and only week at #1 on the U.S. singles chart with ‘Mony Mony.’ Billy Idol knocked Tiffany from the #1 spot on the U.S. singles chart with his version of the Tommy James song. Tiffany had been at #1 for two weeks with another Tommy James song ‘ I Think We’re Alone Now.’

“Mony Mony” is a 1968 single by American pop rock band Tommy James and the Shondells which reached #1 in the U.K. and #3 in the U.S. The song’s title was inspired by Tommy James’ view of the “M.O.N.Y.” sign atop the Mutual of New York building on the New York City skyline from his Manhattan apartment.

British rocker Billy Idol released a cover version of ‘Mony Mony’ in 1981 (on the Don’t Stop EP). Along with the track “Baby Talk”, Idol’s version of “Mony Mony” went to #7 on the Billboard dance chart. A live recording of the song became a hit for Idol in 1987 as well, while promoting his then-forthcoming compilation work ‘Vital Idol’. The live version was released as a single and went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, coincidentally displacing Tiffany’s cover of another Tommy James song, “I Think We’re Alone Now” from the top spot. It also finished directly behind the Tiffany song at #19 on the 1987 year-end Billboard Chart.

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

1 2 MONY MONY –•– Billy Idol (Chrysalis)-12 (1) (1 Week at #1)
2 3 (I’ve Had) THE TIME OF MY LIFE –•– Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes (RCA)-9 (2)
3 5 HEAVEN IS A PLACE ON EARTH –•– Belinda Carlisle (MCA)-9 (3)
4 1 I THINK WE’RE ALONE NOW –•– Tiffany (MCA)-13 (1)
5 7 BRILLIANT DISGUISE –•– Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)-8 (5)
6 6 BREAKOUT –•– Swing Out Sister (Mercury)-15 (6)
7 10 SHOULD’VE KNOWN BETTER –•– Richard Marx (Manhattan)-9 (7)
8 4 LITTLE LIES –•– Fleetwood Mac (Warner Brothers)-13 (4)
9 12 I’VE BEEN IN LOVE BEFORE –•– Cutting Crew (Virgin)-12 (9)
10 19 FAITH –•– George Michael (Columbia)-5 (10)

11 17 WE’LL BE TOGETHER –•– Sting (A&M)-7 (11)
12 14 THE ONE I LOVE –•– R.E.M. (I.R.S.)-10 (12)
13 15 I WON’T FORGET YOU –•– Poison (Enigma)-12 (13)
14 18 SHAKE YOUR LOVE –•– Debbie Gibson (Atlantic)-8 (14)
15 9 IT’S A SIN –•– Pet Shop Boys (EMI-America)-12 (9)
16 25 IS THIS LOVE –•– Whitesnake (Geffen)-5 (16)
17 23 DON’T YOU WANT ME –•– Jody Watley (MCA)-8 (17)
18 22 HOURGLASS –•– Squeeze (A&M)-10 (18)
19 29 SO EMOTIONAL –•– Whitney Houston (Arista)-4 (19)
20 8 CAUSING A COMMOTION –•– Madonna (Sire)-11 (2)