This week in music: 1980 Paul McCartney

Updated: Jul. 12, 2018 at 6:16 AM CDT
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(KFVS) - Let's step into the Breakfast Show's musical time machine and set the dials to this week in 1980.

Thirty-eight years ago, Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 had The Spinners at number five with a medley of Cupid and I've Loved You for a Long Time. It was the Detroit group's final top ten hit.

Elton John was on the comeback trail with Little Jeannie at number four. It was his biggest hit since Don't Go Breaking My Heart back in 1976.  Despite it's impressive performance on the charts, John has rarely performed it in concert.  Little Jeannie was only included on his 1980 tour and 2000's One Night Only concerts.

Checking in at number three was Bette Midler with The Rose. The song was featured on the soundtrack of the movie The Rose, but was written in 1977 way before the movie was released. The song went on to win Midler a Grammy Award.   It was her first major hit since 1972's Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.  The Devine Miss M would score another top ten hit until 1989's Wind Beneath My Wings.

Holding down the number two position was Billy Joel with It's Still Rock and Roll to Me.  Later in July, it would become the Piano Man's very first number one hit.  The song was from his album Glass Houses and looks at the changing public tastes in music at the time including punk, funk and new wave.

But in the number on position for this week in '80 was Paul McCartney with Coming Up (Live at Glasgow).  The original version of the song was included on the McCartney 2 album and featured Paul playing all the instruments.  That version was released as a single and became a hit in Europe. But in the U.S. and Canada, a live version on the b-side became the hit.  The recording was taken from a concert Paul and his band Wings performed in Glasgow, Scotland.  It was one of John Lennon's favorite recordings by his former band-mate.  It prompted Lennon to return to the recording studio to begin work on his album Double Fantasy.

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