On this day in 1980: John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s Double Fantasy album started an eight-week run at #1 on the U.S. album chart and ‘Just Like Starting Over’ started a five-week run at #1 on the U.S. singles chart. “(Just Like) Starting Over” was released as a single on October 24, 1980 in the United Kingdom and three days later in the United States. It was Lennon’s last single released in his lifetime. Lennon recorded “(Just Like) Starting Over” on August 9, 1980 at The Hit Factory. The track was mixed at the Record Plant on the 25–26th of September 1980.

“(Just Like) Starting Over” was the first single released from ‘Double Fantasy’ and the first new recording Lennon had released since he left the music industry in 1975. It was chosen by Lennon not because he felt it was the best track on the album, but because it was the most appropriate following his five-year absence from the recording industry. He referred to it during production as the “Elvis/Orbison” track, as he “tongue in cheek” impersonated their vocal styles.

The song is Lennon’s biggest solo hit in the United States, staying at #1 for five weeks. Before Lennon was shot in New York City on December 8, 1980, the single had reached #8 on the U.S. charts. It reached #1 on December 27th, 1980. Billboard ranked it at the #4 song for 1981.

Here’s a look at the complete Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1980:

1 3 (Just Like) STARTING OVER –•– John Lennon (Geffen)-9 (1 week at #1) (1)
2 2 MORE THAN I CAN SAY –•– Leo Sayer (Warner Brothers)-14 (2)
3 4 LOVE ON THE ROCKS –•– Neil Diamond (Capitol)-9 (3)
4 1 LADY –•– Kenny Rogers (Liberty)-13 (1)
5 6 HUNGRY HEART –•– Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)-8 (5)
6 10 EVERY WOMAN IN THE WORLD –•– Air Supply (Arista)-10 (6)
7 8 GUILTY –•– Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb (Columbia)-9 (7)
8 11 THE TIDE IS HIGH –•– Blondie (Chrysalis)-7 (8)
9 9 HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SHOT –•– Pat Benatar (Chrysalis)-13 (9)
10 12 TELL IT LIKE IT IS –•– Heart (Epic)-6 (10)

11 16 PASSION –•– Rod Stewart (Warner Brothers)-6 (11)
12 14 DE DO DO DO, DE DA DA DA –•– The Police (A&M)-10 (12)
13 5 MASTER BLASTER (Jammin’) –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-15 (5)
14 7 ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST –•– Queen (Elektra)-20 (1)
15 17 IT’S MY TURN –•– Diana Ross (Motown)-10 (15)
16 22 I MADE IT THROUGH THE RAIN –•– Barry Manilow (Arista)-6 (16)
17 20 CELEBRATION –•– Kool and the Gang (De-Lite)-10 (17)
18 19 EVERYBODY’S GOT TO LEARN SOMETIME The Korgis (Asylum)-12 (18)
19 26 I LOVE A RAINY NIGHT –•– Eddie Rabbitt (Elektra)-8 (19)
20 27 HEY NINETEEN –•– Steely Dan (MCA)-5 (20)