Hits of ‘86: Nu Shooz, Sad Songs, Bad Proms

Dave and Milt hop into the Past 10s time machine and travel back to the Billboard Top 10 for the week ending June 14, 1986. But before they even hit the charts, they celebrate the emotional madness of the Knicks’ incredible Finals comeback, debate why sports are better when you suffer and celebrate with others, and give some love to the loyal Past 10s listeners.

Once the time machine lands in 1986, Dave and Milt set the scene: the nation is still processing the Challenger disaster report, a roller coaster called Mindbender makes terrifying headlines, Diego Maradona’s infamous “Hand of God” moment is just days away, and future stars Shia LaBeouf and the Olsen twins are entering the world. Meanwhile, Back to School rules the box office and The... ahem... Cosby Show sits atop television.

The countdown kicks off with Level 42’s “Something About You,” a song that instantly becomes a contender for the crown. The discussion of Mike + The Mechanics’ “All I Need Is a Miracle” turns into a deep dive on Mike Rutherford’s post-Genesis success, Paul Carrack’s unforgettable voice, and the age-old question: Is this actually a miracle of a song? The answer depends on which host you ask. The debate somehow spirals into a passionate rant about Miracle Whip, because this is Past Tense.

Howard Jones’ “No One Is to Blame” brings up Phil Collins’ production magic and embarrassing high-school dance memories, while George Michael’s beautiful “A Different Corner” launches a wildly entertaining George-themed riddle contest and a rapid-fire celebration of famous Georges from throughout pop culture.

Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All” creates a debate about the George Benson original and inspires a trip to the world of Randy Watson and Sexual Chocolate from Coming to America. The crew then tackles The Jets’ “Crush on You,” Billy Ocean’s “There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry)” — which receives one of Dave’s classic passionate critiques — and Nu Shooz’ “I Can’t Wait,” including the fascinating story of how a remix transformed a little-known demo into a massive dance hit.

A quick detour into celebrity Knicks fans leads into Madonna’s haunting “Live to Tell,” a discussion of Christopher Walken and the dark movie At Close Range, before the chart reaches the #1 song: Patti LaBelle and Michael McDonald’s “On My Own.”

Throughout the episode, intern Jason provides fresh ears, song grades, and a younger perspective, including his own Substitution pick. When the final votes are tallied, Dave and Jason crown Level 42’s “Something About You” as the champion of the week, while Milt goes with Madonna’s “Live to Tell.” The Substitution songs also spark debate, with Dave bringing in Art of Noise’s “Peter Gunn” and Jason adding Simple Minds’ “All the Things She Said.”

Throw in cold-open jokes, music snobbery, random tangents, nostalgia, and a little Miracle Whip controversy, and you have another unforgettable ride in the Past Tense time machine.

Topics

00:18 Knicks Finals Chaos

04:30 Shared Experience Talk

06:56 Listener Shoutouts

08:11 Time Machine Setup

09:53 June 1986 Context

16:12 Birthdays Movies TV

20:24 Top 10 Begins Level 42

30:48 Mike Plus Mechanics

33:59 Mike Rutherford Reboot

35:16 Carrack Live Memory Lane

36:57 Miracle Song Debate

40:34 Miracle Whip Rant

41:44 Intern Jason Rates The Track

43:20 HoJo, PhilCo

49:18 Prom Night Stories

52:01 George Michael Deep Cut

58:17 Famous Georges Riddle Game

01:07:09 George Trivia Mashup

01:11:27 Whitney Song Debate

01:16:54 Randy Watson Parody

01:21:01 Jets Family Hit

01:29:11 Billy Ocean Rant

01:35:38 Nu Shooz Club Remix

01:39:24 Demo Breakdown

01:40:05 New Shoes Backstory

01:41:05 Song Ratings Debate

01:41:48 Knicks Celeb Tangent

01:44:19 Madonna Live to Tell

01:47:53 Walken Movie Talk

01:52:21 Number One On My Own

01:56:52 Recap and Birthdays

01:58:24 Winner and Substitution

02:06:15 Interns Song Swap

02:08:36 Wrap Up and Farewell