The Grammys - Song of the Year - 1980s

[RRA]

Back to the 80s! Below are the winners for each year, followed by their credited songwriters and recording artist in parentheses. If no parentheses, then songwriter(s)/artist(s) are one and the same. People might nitpick about the technicality in one winner, but I'm going by Wikipedia.

1980 - "What a Fool Believes" - Kenny Loggins & Michael McDonald (The Doobie Brothers)
1981 - "Sailing" - Christopher Cross
1982 - "Bette Davis Eyes" - Donna Weiss & Jackie DeShannon (Kim Carnes)
1983 - "Always On My Mind" - Johnny Christopher, Mark James, & Wayne Carson (Willie Nelson)
1984 - "Every Breath You Take" - Sting (The Police)
1985 - "What's Love Got to Do with It" - Graham Lyle & Terry Britten (Tina Turner)
1986 - "We Are The World" - Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie (USA For Africa)
1987 - "That's What Friends Are For" - Burt Bacharach & Carole Bayer Sager (Dionne Warwick & Friends)
1988 - "Somewhere Out There" - James Horner, Barry Mann & Cynthia Weil (Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram)
1989 - "Don't Worry, Be Happy" - Bobby McFerrin

Looking at these, I'm going to bet 500 Internet imaginary dollars and say I think I know who's going to win this one, overplayed as it is on classic rock stations. Color me surprised if its actually outvoted. But I won't post that music video. Instead I'll post the parody that Sting recorded for SPITTING IMAGE back in the day.

[Blasty]

I'm a bit confused how "Always On My Mind" won song of the year in 1983 for a song that was actually released by a slew of other artists beginning in 1972, such as Elvis. Perhaps I don't understand how this category works - I thought it was stricter than Record of the Year and the song had to be original.

Also, it's the best song on the list by far, but I'm not sure I feel like voting for it because I most definitely wouldn't be voting for the Willy Nelson version. Elvis and The Pet Shop Boys for me are who did it best.

[dyedred19]

Tina!

[Bremen]

Wow, I had no idea how terrible some of these were.

We Are the World
That's What Friends Are For
Sailing
What A Fool Believes

I mean, abominations, what else can you say?

Bette Davis Eyes has a cool vibe, I'll always have a soft spot for the sweet, if perhaps overly sweet Somewhere Out There, and Every Breath You Take is dark, disturbing and sexy. Don't Worry, Be Happy is harmless. Turner's song is great but it's not something I'd list among my personal faves. Always On My Mind is a beautiful beautiful song and while it feels weird to vote for it here because it's most definitely not an 80s song, I can't not pick a timeless classic.

[RRA]

I'm a bit confused how "Always On My Mind" won song of the year in 1983 for a song that was actually released by a slew of other artists beginning in 1972, such as Elvis. Perhaps I don't understand how this category works - I thought it was stricter than Record of the Year and the song had to be original.

Also, it's the best song on the list by far, but I'm not sure I feel like voting for it because I most definitely wouldn't be voting for the Willy Nelson version. Elvis and The Pet Shop Boys for me are who did it best.

The same way Natalie Cole's "Unforgettable" won in '92 despite being originally written 41 years earlier.

EDIT - Oh no my 500 imaginary dollars are going to be lost at this voting rate.

[Bremen]

I'm a bit confused how "Always On My Mind" won song of the year in 1983 for a song that was actually released by a slew of other artists beginning in 1972, such as Elvis. Perhaps I don't understand how this category works - I thought it was stricter than Record of the Year and the song had to be original.

Also, it's the best song on the list by far, but I'm not sure I feel like voting for it because I most definitely wouldn't be voting for the Willy Nelson version. Elvis and The Pet Shop Boys for me are who did it best.

I've always loved Willie's version but I think it's too good a song to really be able to mess up.

[Blasty]

Also, why didn't Billie Jean win this category? It was nominated and Beat It won in Record of the Year. Seems like a no brainer that Billie Jean should have won the other category.

[MrJeffery]

1. Bette Davis Eyes
2. Every Breath You Take
3. What's Love Got to Do With It
4. What A Fool Believes
5. That's What Friends Are For
6. Sailing
7. We Are the World
8. Don't Worry Be Happy
9. Always On My Mind
10. Somewhere Out There

[makemeameteor]

Jesus Christ, these are some terrible choices.

[LeonardShelby]

Have a soft spot for Sailing but Every Breath You Take gets my vote.

[Vincent Blanchett]

"Every Breath You Take", with "Bette Davis Eyes" as my runner-up.

[RRA]

Some of the nominees:

[Kgirl]

Ok ... Sailing and Whats Love Got to Do With It are songs I don't mind ... but really these are fucking awful

How "Don't Worry, Be Happy" ever became anything is beyond me