EVERY Billboard #1 country hit discussion thread 1985-1989

I agree with you on Now and Forever. It is one of my favorites she has recorded, and the others mentioned are usually great.

 

Gary is simply one of the best singers that the era has ever had, and one of the best singers, ever.

 

Great song

 

Now comes forth . . .
"Once In A Blue Moon" by Earl Thomas Conley
(#1 for 1 week - May 3, 1986)


Wikipedia entry

 

And once again, an RCA artist passes the #1 torch to another . . .
"Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout The Good Old Days)" by The Judds (Wynonna And Naomi)
(#1 for 1 week - May 10, 1986)


Wikipedia entry

 

Quite simply one of the best songs ever. God, I love the Judds.

 

Next up . . .
"Ain't Misbehavin' " by Hank Williams, Jr.
(#1 for 1 week - May 17, 1986)


Wikipedia entry

 

Jamie O’Hara just passed away. He wrote many great songs, but this one netted him a Grammy and preceded his briefly successful career as half of the O’Kanes.

What I’ve always loved about this song is that the granddaughter is asking for the fantasy, in my view. I don’t think that she really thinks things were like that in the good old days, but she is enthralled by the romanticism of it.

With Naomi being a single mother and both Wynonna and Ashley having seen her struggle, the idea of a daddy who never really goes away has an extra sadness to it.

It’s hard to argue against any of their singles from this era, but this one might be the best out of all of them.

 

Regarding the Earl Thomas Conley and Hank Williams Jr. entries, all I can say is the rotating door at #1 elevated some forgettable records and performances.

 

Playing catch up:

“She and I” is one of the coolest sounding Alabama #1’s, and a preview of their more aggressive sound that they’d use to keep up with the new acts at the turn of the decade.

“Think About Love” was Dolly’s last #1 for RCA. The nadir of her creative control, she just went into the studio and did what the producer asked. It’s a charming record that Dolly elevates with her vocal talent - her plaintive delivery on the bridge is gorgeous- but this didn’t need Dolly Parton to be a hit, and it doesn’t have the resonance of her self-penned work, which has always been more important than whatever the flavor of production was.

“Never Be You” is one of my most played Rosanne Cash songs, from an album she has largely disowned but that I happen to love: Rhythm & Romance. Same synthesizer sound as the Parton record - David Molloy at the soundboard for both - but it works, and part of the credit goes to Rodney Crowell. He did some post production work that brightened up the record. Two decades later, the original production without his finishing touches was released on a Cash best-of, and it was listless compared to the hit version.

 

Finally, two of the best records from core new traditionalists, and the finest singles at the point from either of them.

George Strait, “The Chair.” Dean Dillon’s unconventional song structures and offbeat humor immediately differentiated Strait from his peers. He is the closest thing to a country Frank Sinatra that we ever got. A true stylist that was copied but never effectively emulated.

Reba McEntire, “Somebody Should Leave.” When looking for material for her My Kind of Country album, she met with Harlan Howard the legendary songwriter best known for “I Fall to Pieces.” This is when Reba becomes Reba, the Everywoman of the 80s who listeners identified with as one of their own.

He played her a few songs. She passed on all of them. Satisfied that she was holding him to a higher standard, he played her “Somebody Should Leave.” Howard later recalled, “She sat bolt-upright in that chair like she’d been pinned by a Sumo wrestler.”

McEntire believed that “He was testin’ me the whole time. If I’d have liked the other ones, he wouldn’t have played me ‘Somebody Should Leave.’ That was his cherished baby. He was very protective of it.”

(Source: Billboard Book of #1 Country Hits.)

 

Going back to the chart . . .
"Tomb Of The Unknown Love" by Kenny Rogers
(#1 for 1 week - May 24, 1986)


Wikipedia entry

 

Then for one of the "new blood" in country music . . .
"Whoever's In New England" by Reba McEntire
(#1 for 1 week - May 31, 1986)


Wikipedia entry - the song that firmly established her at the top.

 

My mom had this 45 and played it endlessly. “Whoever’s in New England” was definitely the superstar maker for Reba, and it was her signature song until “Fancy” overtook it. A fantastic pop record with complete country instrumentation.

 

Now for another oldie, done new-style . . .
"Happy, Happy Birthday Baby" by Ronnie Milsap
(#1 for 1 week - June 7, 1986)


Wikipedia entry

 

And now we go traveling along . . .
"Life's Highway" by Steve Wariner
(#1 for 1 week - June 14, 1986)


Wikipedia entry

 

And then coming up next . . .
"Mama's Never Seen Those Eyes" by The Forester Sisters
(#1 for 1 week - June 21, 1986)


Wikipedia entry

 

Now passing through . . .
"Living In The Promiseland" by Willie Nelson
(#1 for 1 week - June 28, 1986)


Wikipedia entry

 

And following it at the station . . .
"Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold)" by Dan Seals
(#1 for 1 week - July 5, 1986)


Wikipedia entry

 

Many great names here in the 80’s. May seem like a forgotten era, but the Judds, Forester Sisters, Steve Wariner and Keith Whitley are among the best.

 

I would guess That most here know Dan Seals brother Jimmy better. Seals and Crofts

 

And in Dan's case, once one-half of England Dan And John Ford Coley. (Whose big hits were produced by Kyle Lehning who would go on to work with Dan solo, as here.)

 

Most people didn't know England Dan's last name. Can't imagine Seals and Coley would have flown in any case.

 

And to go even further down the obscurity trail, once a member of Southwest F.O.B., whose cover of The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band's psych classic "The Smell of Incense" got a little bit of Top 40 radio airplay (and whose album cover featured nekkid hippie chicks!).

 

Now taking Mr. Seals' place at the revolving door known as the top . . .
"Hearts Aren't Made To Break (They're Made To Love)" by Lee Greenwood
(#1 for 1 week - July 12, 1986)


Wikipedia entry