Matt OsbornEvery week, we’ll take a step back to this week 33 years ago to remember just how great it was as we review the top music and movie charts, as well as anything else that happened in TV, sports, the news, you name it.
As we enter the first full week of 1987 (technically the second week but whatever), we dive into the music charts for the first time. If you missed last week, go read it first! We’ll start with the singles charts this week and then roll into the albums chart next week. Don’t worry – in the interest of keeping this a reasonable length, we’ll only discuss 5 of the 10. We’ll chat about the other five next week (I promise they’ll still be in the Top 10.)
On to the charts and other news around the world . . . 33 years ago.
Music
Singles Chart – Top 10
- Walk Like An Egyptian – Bangles
- Starting off with a bang right here – “Walk Like An Egyptian” here is in its 4th week at #1 on the Billboard chart and comes on the heels of their mega-hit from ’86, “Manic Monday,” which peaked at #2. Later in the year, the video will win Best Group Video at the mTV Video Music Awards. The video is also responsible for the go-to gif anytime Susanna Hoffs or the Bangles are mentioned:
- Notorious – Duran Duran
- Up one spot from last week, “Notorious” peaks at #2 this week. The title cut from Duran Duran’s 4th studio album, it really marked the end of the ’80s run for Duran Duran on the charts. They’d have another Top-5 hit in ’88 with “I Don’t Want Your Love” and then a mini-comeback in ’93 with “Come Undone” and “Ordinary World,” but nothing would approach their early-to-mid ’80s success with “Hungry Like the Wolf,” “Rio,” “New Moon on Monday,” “The Reflex,” “Wild Boys,” “Union of the Snake,” “Is There Something I Should Know,” and “A View to a Kill.” All but two of those were Top 5 hits. A great run! Oh, and of course, the Notorious B.I.G. sampled this one in the ’90s.
- Shake You Down – Gregory Abbott
- Ohhhhhh Brother! The Quiet Storm on 92.9 WTUG was kickin’ with this one. Just a beautiful song, a beautiful voice, my goodness this song in ’80’s R&B perfection. Well oh well! Click below and listen or sing along to this right now, preferably with your better half nearby.
- Everybody Have Fun Tonight – Wang Chung
- It’s strange but this song seems about two or three years too late – it’s the last vestige I think of the early-to-mid ’80s sound. Still fantastic and still wore this ’45 out once upon a time – I still fondly remember this cover art. Peaking at #2 last week, this would be Wang Chung’s last major hit, coming off the heels of #1’s “Don’t Let Go” and “Dance Hall Days.”
- C’est La Vie – Robbie Nevil
- Control – Janet Jackson
- The Way It Is – Bruce Hornsby & The Range
- Coming off the heels of “Every Little Kiss,” “The Way It Is” peaked at #1 late in ’86. This will be its last week in the Top 10. A great song in every kind of way – tackling racial and social equality, civil rights, and fighting the belief that “some things will never change” because “that’s just the way it is.” And straight to #1 it went. Tupac would even sample it less than a decade later on “Changes.”
- War – Bruce Springsteen
- OK, confession time. When I saw this song title, I had NO idea how it went at all. Surely it wasn’t a cover of the former #1 Edwin Starr hit from 1970. Turns out it was. How about that?
- At This Moment – Billy Vera and the Beaters
- Is This Love – Survivor
Not a bad Top-10 to get us rolling in ’87 at all! As for other news in music this week, well how about this:
More in music next week as we add in the Top 5 album charts.
Movies
At the box office, we say goodbye to The Color of Money and welcome a newcomer, Wisdom, all while Eddie and The Golden Child hold onto the top spot.
Box Office Top 10
- The Golden Child
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
- Crocodile Dundee – ⬆ 2
- Lady and the Tramp – ⬇ 1
- Little Shop of Horrors – ⬆ 2
- Three Amigos – ⬇ 2
- The Morning After – ⬇ 1
- Heartbreak Ridge – ⬆ 1
- Wisdom
- So I didn’t know what Wisdom was and certainly have never seen it, but, like most movies of this era (because I used to scour the video store shelves when I was 9 – that’s a whole other story), I recognize the poster of Emilio and Demi:
- An American Tail
So a little slow with movie releases this week. Sadly, looking ahead, it’s gonna be a little bleak for a while.
US News
In US news, the Dow Jones closed over 2,000 for the first time on January 8th, 1987. For perspective, the Dow is now nearing 29,000.
Overall, a pretty slow week back in 1987. Stay tuned for next week where we add in the album music chart, update the singles and movie charts, and see what else is rocking during This Week . . . 33 Years Ago.
Past This Week . . . 30 Years Ago Reviews:
1987: Week One
Duck Newton
