These 40 year old countdowns are going to start highlighting key songs of my childhood and this is one of those songs. I used to listen to this song many times when I was just a toddler, and like two other artists on this countdown, this tune is also the first of two to enter the list. Coming in at #12 is Kiss On My List by Daryl Hall & John Oates.
The slowest song on this countdown is one of Bette Midler’s best songs. The movie of the same name is a tragic story of a rock star’s self-destructive descent into loneliness and alcoholism. The song plays during the 1979 movie’s closing credits but it wasn’t officially released until 1980, thus making it to this countdown. When Family Guy covers your tune, you know it’s a classic. The #13 song on this countdown is The Rose by Bette Midler.
This was a song that would have been high on my wife’s countdown, but it only reach this spot because of the other songs that pushed it down. So this was Jon Bon Jovi’s attempt to write something better or just as good as Wanted Dead or Alive for the movie Young Guns 2, and it proved to be a big hit and showed that he could do just as well solo as with his group. This really good song comes in at #13, Blaze of Glory by Jon Bon Jovi.
The End of the Innocence sparked four hits for Don Henley. This one was his second best, behind the title track which hit #2 in 1989’s countdown. It’s hard to listen to this song and not feel the least bit emotional. That’s the true genius of Henley, who is able to master great, straight-forward lyrics with equally heart-tugging melodies. Coming in at #14 is The Heart of the Matter by Don Henley.
It’s hard not to understate the cultural impact of Caddyshack, from phrases like Cinderella Boy and It’s In The Hole, to Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and of course Ted Baxter. But the track behind it all is just another great song in a litany amazing songs by Kenny Loggins. And of course, the dancing gopher, haha. Coming in at #14 is I’m Alright by Kenny Loggins.
When Bon Scott died, people thought that was the end of AC/DC. Who could top that vocal style that seemed to be as indelible to the band’s sound as the guitar riffs? The funny thing is, I only knew the Brian Johnson AC/DC, that’s how good he was, and the band’s answer to their future is the first of two tracks appearing on this countdown. This rock anthem is one of the band’s best songs and it showed they were not done yet. Coming in at #15 is You Shook Me All Night Long by AC/DC.