1980 was a strong year musically, but 1981 is just bad. I’ve been struggling to understand what happened. I asked myself the same question a half-dozen times before a friend offered a theory that made sense: the music industry adapted to change by manufacturing lighter hits for established artists.
That sounds about right. Record executives saw the shifting landscape and responded by churning out pop fluff for the masses. New bands and songs struggled to compete and were pushed to the margins. The result is a largely forgotten legacy of safe, shallow pop.
Out of the Billboard Hot 100, I genuinely liked 22 songs. When I say I “like” a song, I mean I’d put it into rotation on a playlist, something I might revisit a few times a year. Of those 22, only three were marked as favorites, songs I play at least once a month, sometimes weekly.
My Top 3 Picks from 1981
“Don’t Stand So Close to Me” – The Police
This classic still gets regular play on my ’80s playlists. I loved the song and really enjoyed Zenyatta Mondatta, the band’s first album. Over time, I soured on The Police, maybe Sting’s antics had something to do with it. The song leans toward the pop side of rock and is often categorized under “new wave” or “pop rock.” A sad place for such a solid track to land. I distinctly remember Sting wearing an English Beat T-shirt in the video. At the time, I thought that was cool.
“Watching the Wheels” – John Lennon
This one’s a regular on my Beatles and post-Beatles playlists. I don’t seek it out, mostly because it makes me sad, but I always enjoy it when it plays. In a strange way, I’m usually happier by the time it ends.
“Hey Nineteen” – Steely Dan
This was easily my favorite track of 1981, even though it ranked only No. 72 on the charts. It’s far superior to that year’s No. 1 hit, “Bette Davis Eyes.” Both the song and the album it came from, Gaucho, are beautiful. I listen to them often, they appear on several of my most-played playlists.
The Forgettables and the “Mehs”
I gave a rating of “2” (or “meh”) to 28 songs. I remember them, but rarely hear them anymore. Some are okay, but most fall into that category of “I remember this, but I don’t care if I ever hear it again.” I often struggle to recall the band or song title, even though the lyrics linger just out of reach.
For example:
- “The Best of Times” – Styx
- “Urgent” – Foreigner
If you catch me in the right mood, and I’ve had a few drinks, I might even sing along.
Then there were 38 completely forgettable songs, including two I don’t remember at all:
- “Somebody’s Knockin’” – Terri Gibbs
- “Giving It Up for Love” – Delbert McClinton
There was also a medley by The Beach Boys that somehow charted but seems to have vanished entirely. I’ve never been able to find it since.
The Cuervo Gold, the Fine Colombian
Steely Dan’s “Hey Nineteen” contains one of those unforgettable lines. I still love singing along to it and the rest of the tracks on Gaucho. It was the band’s last album for 20 years. After that, I had to get my Steely Dan fix elsewhere.
- Donald Fagen’s solo work? Outstanding.
- Walter Becker’s solo work? Not exactly built for radio. (Try listening to 11 Tracks of Whack.)
My Favorite Gaucho Tracks
Like all Steely Dan albums, Gaucho is best listened to as a complete work. Still, I have favorites:
- Babylon Sisters
- Time Out of Mind
- Hey Nineteen
- Glamour Profession
Music, Poverty, and a Worn-Out Couch
I used to play Gaucho for my wife and newborn son during the second half of 1981. We didn’t have much. Aside from reading, watching TV, and listening to music, there weren’t a lot of options.
I think of Gaucho as our “love-in-Sunnymead” reference. We must have played it hundreds of times in a small, one-room apartment just off the 60 freeway. I can still picture myself on that worn-out couch, my wife on one arm, my baby boy on the other, and Steely Dan filling the room.
Those were good times, even as we lived on the edge of poverty.
Peanuts In My Pocket 
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