4 Surprising Songs That Barely Scraped by Into the Top 40 in 1989

Changes were roiling the pop music scene at the end of the 80s. Some genres that had been reliable in the first half of the decade were struggling. Others, like hip-hop and heavy metal, were muscling their way into contention.

That’s reflected in this list of four songs. Each of them managed to squeak into the Top 40 in 1989. Their timing was ideal, because who knows if they’d have made it to that level had they been released years before?

“Hey Ladies” by Beastie Boys

The Beastie Boys nearly called it quits when the public image they formed for their 1986 debut album, Licensed To Ill, started to bother them. After taking some time away and relocating their base of operations to Los Angeles, they returned in 1989 with an album that featured innovative, sample-heavy production from The Dust Brothers. “Hey Ladies” introduced the world to their funkier, slightly more laid-back sound. One thing that didn’t change was the rapid-fire microphone passing of the three MCs. And the hilarious references come as fast and furious as ever on this No. 36 hit. References to Sadaharu Oh, Magilla Gorilla, and Chuck Woolery typify the wonderful bedlam of it all.

“One” by Metallica

The metal that dominated the charts in the late 80s was epitomized by hair bands like Poison and Motley Crue. Metallica saw themselves as far separate from that movement. Yet they still managed to sneak into the Top 40 (at No. 35 with this single). While there are elements of speed metal that were the band’s stock in trade on “One”, there are also quieter, elegant patches of music to make the song a tad more pop-friendly. The song also benefited from a striking video that received a ton of MTV airplay. As anti-war songs go, this one refuses to pull any punches. By telling a personal story within the narrative instead of going for a sweeping statement, the band managed to deliver something bruising and haunting all at once.

“Me Myself And I” by De La Soul

Like Beastie Boys, De La Soul took advantage of the fact that you could still sample widely in 1989 without strict guidelines on crediting. But it’s also wrong to say that it was simple to piggyback your way to a rap hit at that time. Only a few outfits managed to be as inventive as this trio when it came to constructing a sound. Their producer, Prince Paul, certainly helped. It’s best to listen to their 3 Feet High And Rising, their masterpiece of a debut, as a whole, skits and all. But in terms of bite-sized chunks of it, you can’t go wrong with “Me Myself And I”, a No. 34 hit in 1989. Over a thumping Funkadelic sample, Posdnuos and Trugoy wittily but pointedly call out those who would judge them by media-fed notions.

“Kiss” by Tom Jones And Art Of Noise

Prince took this song all the way to No. 1 in 1986, caressing the shivery beat with his seductive falsetto at every turn. Normally, you’d be fighting a losing battle trying to cover one of his iconic songs. But the merry chaos-makers in Art Of Noise had a knack for completely revamping familiar songs without having them lose their essence. They also wisely chose Tom Jones as their conduit. Jones had already been doing a version of the song in his stage show. His ability to vocally wink at the more tongue-in-cheek elements of the production and lyrics goes a long way here. The cover made it to No. 31 in 1989, Jones’ first time on the American charts in 11 years.

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)

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