As everybody should know now, I have always been a 38 Special fan. We begin the top 1982 songs countdown with year another one from this group, but this one is actually a song my wife likes and thinks is better than the song on the 1981 countdown. This tune shows you can do a love song and have it still rock. We kick off the top 10 of this countdown with this rock classic at #10 – Caught Up In You by 38 Special.
So many songs are synonymous with this artist, but this one almost always is heard or referenced. The track was sampled by Warren G (gaining new life and notoriety as a result), and remains as fresh today as it was back in 1982. Amazingly this song is 40 years old, and is the top song in the bottom half of this countdown. It’s I Keep Forgettin’ by Michael McDonald.
Sometimes a song has as much if not more cultural significance in its title and melody riff than the song itself, and this is one of those songs. Still, the song is a great tune by two incredible songwriters and remains a classic and very relevant to this day. Our #12 1982 song is Ebony and Ivory by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder.
Our next song in the top 20 countdown of songs turning 40 years old is a song that would have sounded fresh by in the 1950s, sounded fresh the 1980s, and would still sound fresh today. Were it not for the success of this track, the Brian Seltzer Orchestra might not have been made, and it’s still one of my favorites of this era. Coming in at #13 is Rock This Town by The Stray Cats.
If people didn’t know who Prince was by 1982, they surely would now. Never had a song made people so anticipate a future year like this one did, and for someone like me who discovered Prince at this time and made him one of my favorite artists ever, this track was the starting point of that fandom. Entering the top songs turning 40 years old countdown is 1999 by Prince.
It’s amazing to think that after this year, with two of the biggest songs of the early 80s, Men at Work would be no more. Still, they have left us with indelible tunes that are still played today in many places. This one is no exception, as it’s both a Yacht Rock and 80s tribute staple. Arriving at #15 is Who Can it Be Now by Men at Work.