Soon after I made it public that I was listening to music from the 80s and 90s, I got a stack of CDs as a gift. I still haven’t finished going through them, but I’ve also gone online, in an attempt to be systematic about this. I’m looking at Billboard’s year-end top hits.

I started with 100 songs from 1981, looking at the lyrics for all of them. I listened to most of them again too. It was really quite enjoyable, and sometimes it was hilarious. Listening to Don Maclean singing “Crying” was SO funny!

A lot of the lyrics were quite problematic, but I didn’t take notes, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. Yeah – they were pretty bad.

I was looking for inspired songs released that year, and I’ve found a handful. I write the good ones in alphabetical order by performer (using first names):

1. Christopher Cross: Arthur’s Theme
2. Joey Scarbury: Believe it or Not
3. John Lennon: Watching the Wheels
4. Queen: Another One Bites the Dust

Arthur’s Theme – Christopher Cross
(Lyrics: Christopher Cross, Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager and Peter Allen)

Once in your life you find her
Someone that turns your heart around
And next thing you know you’re closing down the town
Wake up and it’s still with you
Even though you left her way across town
Wondering to yourself, “Hey, what’ve I found?”

When you get caught between the moon and New York City
I know it’s crazy, but it’s true
If you get caught between the moon and New York City
The best that you can do,
The best that you can do is fall in love

Arthur he does as he pleases
All of his life, he’s mastered choice
Deep in his heart, he’s just — he’s just a boy
Living his life one day at a time
And showing himself a really good time
Laughing about the way they want him to be

When you get caught between the moon and New York City
I know it’s crazy, but it’s true
If you get caught between the moon and New York City
The best that you can do
The best that you can do is fall in love . . .

Believe it or Not – Joe Scarbury
(Lyrics: Stephen Geyer)

Look at what’s happened to me
I can’t believe it myself
Suddenly I’m up on top of the world
It should have been somebody else

Believe it or not, I’m walkin’ on air
I never thought I could feel so free
Flyin’ away on a wing and a prayer
Who could it be?
Believe it or not, it’s just me

Just like the light of a new day
It hit me from out of the blue
Breaking me out of the spell I was in
Making all of my wishes come true

Believe it or not, I’m walkin’ on air
I never thought I could feel so free
Flyin’ away on a wing and a prayer
Who could it be?
Believe it or not, it’s just me

This is too good to be true
Look at me falling for you

Believe it or not,
Believe it or not,
Believe it or not,

Believe it or not, I’m walkin’ on air
I never thought I could feel so free
Flyin’ away on a wing and a prayer
Who could it be?
Believe it or not, it’s just me . . .

Watching the Wheels – John Lennon
(Lyrics: John Lennon)

People say I’m crazy
Doin’ what I’m doin’
Well they give me all kinds of warnings
To save me from ruin

When I say that I’m okay, well
They look at me kind of strange
Surely you’re not happy now
You no longer play the game

People say I’m lazy
Dreamin’ my life away
Well they give me all kinds of advice
Designed to enlighten me

When I tell them I’m doing fine
Watching shadows on the wall
“Don’t you miss the big time boy?
You’re no longer on the ball”

I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go ’round and ’round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go

People asking questions – lost in confusion
Well I tell them there’s no problem – only solutions
Well they shake their heads and they look at me
As if I’ve lost my mind
I tell them there’s no hurry
I’m just sitting here doing time

I’m just sitting here watching the wheels go ’round and ’round
I really love to watch them roll
No longer riding on the merry-go-round
I just had to let it go

I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go
I just had to let it go

Another One Bites the Dust – Queen
(Lyrics: John Richard Deacon)

Steve walks warily down the street
With his brim pulled way down low
Ain’t no sound but the sound of his feet
Machine guns ready to go

Are you ready? Hey are you ready for this?
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat, yeah

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey – I’m gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust

How do you think I’m going to get along
Without you when you’re gone?
You took me for everything that I had
And kicked me out on my own

Are you happy? Are you satisfied?
How long can you stand the heat?
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat look out

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey – I’m gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust

Hey!
Oh take it
Bite the dust
Bite the dust
Hey – another one bites the dust

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
Shoot out

There are plenty of ways that you can hurt a man
And bring him to the ground
You can beat him
You can cheat him
You can treat him bad and leave him
When he’s down

But I’m ready
Yes I’m ready for you
I’m standing on my own two feet
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
Repeating to the sound of the beat

Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone and another one gone
Another one bites the dust, yeah

Hey – I’m gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
Shoot out