#43 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! "Hypnotize Me" (1986) by Wang Chung

Ok, so #43 of our Countdown is....Hypnotize Me by British 80's new-wave group Wang Chung. According to wikipedia the name of the band came from the Chinese word 'Huang Chung,' which literally means "yellow bell" in Chinese but the band surmised their translation of it as meaning the sound that a guitar made. In fact it wasn't until 1983 that they changed their name from Huang Chung to Wang Chung because apparently english speaking people kept referring to them as Hung Chung.They originally formed in 1979 and consisted of core members Jack Hues (vocals/guitar) (real name is Jeremy Ryder), and bassist Nick Feldman, and like so many other 80's acts they split up in the 90's only to reconvene in the 00's and are still playing concerts to this day. Wang Chung had their greatest musical successes in the US markets, producing 5 top 40 hits there between the years of 1984-87. Hypnotize Me first appeared on the their 1986 Mosaic album, where it peaked at #36 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at #13 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. I first encountered this track watching the 1987 movie Innerspace as it was on the soundtrack and featured in a dance club scene in the movie itself. Wang Chung were famous mainly for Dance Hall Days and Everybody Have Fun Tonight but I personally think that Hypnotize Me was their best song, and that there a few others of theirs that were also better than the two most popular ones. Anyways, moving on to #42....

#55 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: "The Reflex" by Duran Duran (1983)

Welcome back to the Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! Today is Friday, September 17th, 2010 and we are at #55, and the song is....The Reflex, by the all-to-famous, (and not to mention my favourite band of all time) English synth-pop-rock band Duran Duran. The Reflex appeared on their Novemeber of 1983 release album Seven and the Ragged Tiger, it was their 3rd full length release studio album. A direct quote from wikipedia states the following:

"Simon Le Bon said the album "is an adventure story about a little commando team. 'The Seven' is for us — the five band members and the two managers — and 'the Ragged Tiger' is success. Seven people running after success. It's ambition. That's what it's about."

The Reflex was later released as a remixed single in April of 1984, and it would become Duran Duran's most successful single, which I find surprising as they had so many other songs I would have guessed to have been bigger hits. In fact, it would prove to be their last UK #1 hit, and it was their first single to peak at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. All of that said, this has been the second Duran Duran song to appear on this countdown and be forewarned, there will be more to come....Don't miss them live if you get the chance to see them whilst on tour.

#56 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: "Dancing in the Sheets (Extended 12'' Mix)" by Shalamar (1984)

Here we are already at #56 of VJ Samosonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hit Countdown! And the song is....Dancing in the Sheets (Extended 12" Mix), by American soul-pop-disco group Shalamar. Shalamar formed back in 1975 and were active as a group up until 1991. This dance hit first appeared on the scene in November of 1984 on their Heartbreak album, and it also appeared on the 80's hit movie soundtrack for Footloose (1984), which incidentally hit the screens in 1984. In fact, their is a long dance scene involving the local teeny-boppers, dancing and getting loose to this tune at their local diner/arcade/hang-out, so go rent the movie if you don't remember or know what I am talking about, it is a truly classic scene. Another interesting fact about the Footloose (1984) soundtrack is that it from April 21st-June 30th, 1984, it was was ranked at Number One on the Billboard 200 Pop Album chart, while the song Dancing in the Sheets would peak at #17 on the Billboard Hot 100. Shalamar consisted of Howard Hewett, Jeffrey Daniel, and Carolyn Griffey primarily, but over the years it included other members such as the Grammy Award winning guitarist/singer Micki Free. Shalamar began originally as a disco-driven group created by Soul Train booking agent Dick Griffey, but they developed into an influential dance and fashion-setting trio. Well there you have it, #56 in all its glory, now make sure you go out and watch Footloose sometime soon, as I hear they are remaking a new version of the movie which is going to feature country music??? Sounds lame to me, sometimes they should just leave old creations be in their original form, and create something brand new, but alas they are remaking all of my old 80's favorites left and right. I suppose that means one is finally over the hill when Hollywood has remade a newer version of all the childhood movies, shows, and cartoons??

#57 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: "Summer of '69" by Bryan Adams (1985)

Aloha all, we are now presenting #57 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits, and #57 is.....Summer of '69, by Canadian singer/songwriter Bryan Adams. Bryan Adams was born on November 5th, 1959 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and has become the bestselling Canadian male recording artist of all time! Over the years he has won 15 Grammy Awards, 18 Juno Awards, as well as MTV Awards, ASCAP Awards, and American Music Awards. I would also mention that his music done for films have been nominated for Golden Globes and Academy Awards as well. Quite the talent, and I would guess that most Americans don't realize that he is actually a Canadian, in fact I have discovered that many actors, musicians, bands, and performers that people think are home-grown Americans are often from Canada, Britain, or Australia, which is quite interesting and not to mention a tangent, so allow me to digress. In April 2006 Adams was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, and in 2008 he was ranked #38 on the list of All-Time top artists by the Billboard Hot 100 50th Anniversary Charts. He is no doubt a big player in the music biz, and he got his start there in 1977. Adams has sold somewhere around the vicinity of 100 million records worldwide. Summer of '69 came off of his 4th studio album titled Reckless, which was released in June 1985. According to wikipedia, the reference to '69 in the song is actually a sexual reference as opposed to the common perception that he is singing about 1969, which actually surprises me a little bit, as I was one of those people up til now that thought he was referring to the year. Later on down the same wikipedia page it states that Adams revealed in an interview with In the Studio that the song indeed is a reference to the year 1969 and the cultural revolutions and social movements that were taking place at that time, so pick your own interpretation or even both. Upon its release in 1985, Summer of '69 peaked at #5 on the US Billboard Top 100 chart, and it remains an 80's staple for pub cover-bands the world round. So, there is #57, and off we go to discover #56 and onwards....

#60 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: "And We Danced" by The Hooters (1985)

Welcome back once again and here we are at #60! The countdown has been slow, but there is a method to the madness, so keep checking back for updates, we will be done with the Top 100 at some point, and then I will begin to create some other more focused 80's posts, but for #60 the song is....And We Danced, by American rock band The Hooters. The Hooters come out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they formed back in 1980, and consist of members Eric Bazilian (1980–1995, 2001–present), Rob Hyman (1980–1995, 2001–present), David Uosikkinen (1980–1995, 2001–present) John Lilley (1983–1995, 2001–present), Fran Smith Jr. (1987–1995, 2001–present), and they have a few past members not mentioned here. According to wikipedia the band took its name from a nickname for a German keyboard made by the Hohner brand. This song came off of their 1985 Columbia records release album titled Nervous Night, which would later achieve platinum status around the world selling around 2 million copies and contained 3 Billboard Top 40 hits (including this song naturally). Like so many other 80's era bands, they broke up the band at some point in the 1990's and then reunited at some point in the 2000's, which seems to be a very common occurence, maybe they start to run out of money, or they miss being on stage in front of crowds, or the 80's fashion and music revival that sort of happened in the 2000's sparks it but the Hooters are certainly not alone in this phenomenon. Well, that's it for the 60's of the top 100, but now we are entering the 50's, so as always, stay tuned my 80's fans!

#62 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: Wake Me Up Before You Go Go (1984), by Wham!

We are back again, to the 80's of course, and #62 of the countdown is none other than the stellar 80's pop-hit Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by English new-wave-pop duo Wham! Wham! was originally formed in 1981 by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, and according to wikipedia there was a conflict of band-names in the beginning, and so they were originally known as Wham! UK, but was later just changed back to Wham! as they were madly more successful than the other band of the same name in the USA. Wham! sold over 25 million certified albums worldwide between the years of 1982-1986, and the duo split and went their separate ways in 1986 as well (at which time George Michael began his solo career). Wikipedia states that George Michael was the composer, singer, producer, and occasional instrumentalist of the duo, whilst Ridgeley was more the businessman. An interesting wikipedia direct quote about the duo is as follows:

"Still teenagers, they promoted themselves as hedonistic youngsters, proud to live a carefree life without work or commitment. This was reflected in their earliest singles which, part-parody, part-social comment, briefly earned Wham! a reputation as a dance protest group."

"Wake Me Up Before You Go Go" was appeared as the first track off of their October 1984 release album titled "Make It Big," which would become their first #1 UK Chart hit. Once again, according to their wikipedia page, the song was inspired by a note written by Andrew Ridgeley to his parents that read "Wake Me Up Before You Go" but with the word "up" accidentally written twice, so Ridgeley then wrote "go" twice, one of those divine accidents that leads to the creation of an all time classic 80's pop-song. This song was obviously quite well known, and very fitting for it's very title as being "definitively 80's" and it regained popularity amongst a much younger generation (many who seem to have the false idea that the song was new in 2001) with its appearance in the 2001 Ben Stiller comedy film "Zoolander." On to the next!

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#63 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" by Michael Jackson

We are not worthy, we are not worthy...all hail the late-great King of Pop once again, I told you he would be making a few appearances on this countdown, naturally, and so #63 is.....Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough by the King of Pop himself, Michael Jackson. I definitely would have mentioned this before, but I must continue with the discussion on what is to be done about this empty throne??? Who will be the next?? Madonna is no doubt still the Queen of Pop, although I know that Lady Gaga fancies herself to be next in line, yet, she will have to produce a minimum of 4 or 5 more top 20 full studio length albums before she can even be considered I would say. Both MJ and Madonna were so insanely prolific that it will be hard for anyone to fill their royal shoes. I suppose that sports are like that too, the new masters just keep raising the bar higher and higher, but someone will come along eventually, no doubt about that. Back to the song, it comes off of MJ's 1982 release album "Thriller." Now, many of you may already know that Thriller still remains the best-selling album worldwide of all time, having sold around 110 million copies worldwide. In the United States Thriller is tied at #1 best-selling album of all time with the Eagles' Their Greatest Hits (1971-1975) but that is just in the USA, globally (which really is what matters most) Thriller is still #1 bar-none. Stay tuned for more...