On this day in 1980: The Police were at #1 on the U.K. singles chart with ‘Don’t Stand So Close To Me’ the group’s third #1 in the U.K. The song is off their album ‘Zenyatta Mondatta’ and was the best selling single of 1980 in England.
Also on this day in 1980: Here in the U.S., Diana Ross was enjoying her fourth and final week at #1 with ‘Upside Down’.
It was written and produced by Chic members Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards. The song was issued as a single through the Motown label in 1980, as the lead single from her tenth studio album, ‘Diana.’ “Upside Down” hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and held the top spot for 4 weeks. It also hit number one on the Billboard Disco and Soul charts. The single was released a full four weeks after the album was released.
“Upside Down” was also a big hit internationally, topping the singles charts in Sweden, Italy, Norway, and Switzerland, while reaching number five in Canada. It also rose to number two on the U.K. singles chart. “Upside Down” is listed at #77 on Billboard‘s “Greatest Hot 100 Songs of All Time”
Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic wrote the song. In a 2011 interview, Nile Rodgers said “Diana Ross was the first big star we ever worked with and we took it very seriously.” Rodgers and Edwards interviewed her for several days. “This was the first time in her life somebody cared about who she was; what she was — everyone previously had got her in and said ‘Sing this’. We took a more personal approach.”
1 1 UPSIDE DOWN –•– Diana Ross (Motown)-12 (4 weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 ALL OUT OF LOVE –•– Air Supply (Arista)-16 (2)
3 3 ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST –•– Queen (Elektra)-7 (3)
4 6 GIVE ME THE NIGHT –•–George Benson (Warner Brothers / Qwest)-13 (4)
5 5 LOOKIN’ FOR LOVE –•– Johnny Lee (Full Moon)-12 (5)
6 7 LATE IN THE EVENING –•– Paul Simon (Warner Brothers)-8 (6)
7 8 DRIVIN’ MY LIFE AWAY –•– Eddie Rabbitt (Elektra)-15 (7)
8 4 FAME –•– Irene Cara (RSO)-16 (4)
9 9 ONE IN A MILLION YOU –•– Larry Graham (Warner Brothers)-14 (9)
10 11 I’M ALRIGHT –•– Kenny Loggins (Columbia)-12 (10)
11 12 XANADU –•–Olivia Newton-John / Electric Light Orchestra (MCA)-8 (11)
12 25 WOMAN IN LOVE –•– Barbra Streisand (Columbia)-4 (12)
13 13 YOU’RE THE ONLY WOMAN (You & I) –•– Ambrosia (Warner Brothers)-12 (13)
14 14 YOU’LL ACCOMP’NY ME –•– Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (Capitol)-10 (14)
15 16 ALL OVER THE WORLD –•– Electric Light Orchestra (MCA)-9 (15)
16 17 REAL LOVE –•– The Doobie Brothers (Warner Brothers)-4 (16)
17 18 HOT ROD HEARTS –•– Robbie Dupree (Elektra)-11 (17)
18 20 HE’S SO SHY –•– The Pointer Sisters (Planet)-10 (18)
19 19 DON’T ASK ME WHY –•– Billy Joel (Columbia)-9 (19)
20 22 NEVER KNEW LOVE LIKE THIS BEFORE –•– Stephanie Mills (20th Century)-8 (20)
