Billboard Hot 100 — December 5, 1981
The Billboard Hot 100 for the week of December 5, 1981. "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John held #1 for a 3rd straight week, on its way to 10 weeks on top. 9 songs entered the chart this week; the highest new entry was "Waiting On A Friend" by The Rolling Stones at #70, which would go on to peak at #13. The biggest climber was "Shake It Up" by The Cars, up 15 places from #58 to #43.
Chart highlights
- At #1: "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John — 3 weeks at the top so far, 10 weeks on the chart since debuting October 3, 1981.
- New in the top 10: "Let's Groove" by Earth, Wind & Fire (up from #11 to #7); "Young Turks" by Rod Stewart (up from #12 to #8).
- Biggest fall: "Bet Your Heart On Me" by Johnny Lee, down 25 places from #69 to #94.
- Longest run on this week's chart: "Urgent" by Foreigner, 23 weeks and counting (peak #4).
- Gone from the chart: "Queen Of Hearts" by Juice Newton after 27 weeks (peak #2); "Hold On Tight" by Electric Light Orchestra after 19 weeks (peak #10).
TW = this week, LW = last week (NEW = first week on the chart), Peak = highest position reached up to this week, Wks = weeks on the chart up to this week.
| TW | LW | Peak | Wks | Song / Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | Physical Olivia Newton-John |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | Waiting For A Girl Like You Foreigner |
| 3 | 4 | 3 | 11 | Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic The Police |
| 4 | 6 | 4 | 11 | Oh No Commodores |
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 11 | Here I Am (Just When I Thought I Was Over You) Air Supply |
| 6 | 3 | 1 | 15 | Private Eyes Daryl Hall John Oates |
| 7 | 11 | 7 | 10 | Let's Groove Earth, Wind & Fire |
| 8 | 12 | 8 | 8 | Young Turks Rod Stewart |
| 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | Why Do Fools Fall In Love Diana Ross |
| 10 | 7 | 2 | 16 | Start Me Up The Rolling Stones |
| 11 | 20 | 11 | 6 | Don't Stop Believin' Journey |
| 12 | 18 | 12 | 7 | Leather And Lace Stevie Nicks With Don Henley |
| 13 | 16 | 13 | 7 | Trouble Lindsey Buckingham |
| 14 | 17 | 14 | 8 | Harden My Heart Quarterflash |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | 9 | The Old Songs Barry Manilow |
| 16 | 19 | 16 | 5 | Yesterday's Songs Neil Diamond |
| 17 | 9 | 1 | 17 | Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do) Christopher Cross |
| 18 | 22 | 18 | 4 | I Can't Go For That (No Can Do) Daryl Hall John Oates |
| 19 | 30 | 19 | 4 | Comin' In And Out Of Your Life Barbra Streisand |
| 20 | 25 | 20 | 8 | The Sweetest Thing (I've Ever Known) Juice Newton |
| 21 | 23 | 21 | 15 | Our Lips Are Sealed Go-Go's |
| 22 | 24 | 22 | 8 | Take My Heart (You Can Have It If You Want It) Kool & The Gang |
| 23 | 27 | 23 | 7 | Turn Your Love Around George Benson |
| 24 | 26 | 24 | 11 | My Girl (Gone, Gone, Gone) Chilliwack |
| 25 | 34 | 25 | 5 | Cool Night Paul Davis |
| 26 | 28 | 26 | 6 | Heart Like A Wheel The Steve Miller Band |
| 27 | 32 | 27 | 6 | Hooked On Classics Royal Philharmonic Orchestra |
| 28 | 31 | 28 | 13 | Steal The Night Stevie Woods |
| 29 | 29 | 29 | 11 | No Reply At All Genesis |
| 30 | 35 | 30 | 5 | Centerfold The J. Geils Band |
| 31 | 8 | 5 | 13 | Tryin' To Live My Life Without You Bob Seger |
| 32 | 44 | 32 | 4 | Someone Could Lose A Heart Tonight Eddie Rabbitt |
| 33 | 33 | 33 | 9 | Never Too Much Luther Vandross |
| 34 | 36 | 34 | 8 | Poor Man's Son Survivor |
| 35 | 13 | 6 | 16 | The Night Owls Little River Band |
| 36 | 40 | 36 | 7 | I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World Ronnie Milsap |
| 37 | 14 | 10 | 16 | The Theme From Hill Street Blues Mike Post featuring Larry Carlton |
| 38 | 38 | 38 | 7 | Twilight Electric Light Orchestra |
| 39 | 43 | 39 | 5 | Wrack My Brain Ringo Starr |
| 40 | 46 | 40 | 5 | Under Pressure Queen & David Bowie |
| 41 | 21 | 8 | 16 | I've Done Everything For You Rick Springfield |
| 42 | 41 | 17 | 17 | Just Once Quincy Jones Featuring James Ingram |
| 43 | 58 | 43 | 3 | Shake It Up The Cars |
| 44 | 49 | 44 | 6 | Castles In The Air Don McLean |
| 45 | 51 | 45 | 5 | Living Eyes Bee Gees |
| 46 | 52 | 46 | 6 | More Than Just The Two Of Us Sneaker |
| 47 | 37 | 37 | 10 | I Want You, I Need You Chris Christian |
| 48 | 39 | 11 | 17 | When She Was My Girl Four Tops |
| 49 | 42 | 15 | 19 | We're In This Love Together Al Jarreau |
| 50 | 45 | 25 | 13 | Sausalito Summernight Diesel |
| 51 | 47 | 4 | 20 | For Your Eyes Only Sheena Easton |
| 52 | 64 | 52 | 3 | She's Got A Way Billy Joel |
| 53 | 48 | 7 | 15 | Hard To Say Dan Fogelberg |
| 54 | 50 | 1 | 22 | Endless Love Diana Ross & Lionel Richie |
| 55 | 61 | 55 | 4 | Working For The Weekend Loverboy |
| 56 | 55 | 16 | 18 | Super Freak (Part I) Rick James |
| 57 | 53 | 17 | 13 | Say Goodbye To Hollywood Billy Joel |
| 58 | 56 | 22 | 16 | She's A Bad Mama Jama (She's Built, She's Stacked) Carl Carlton |
| 59 | 54 | 5 | 20 | Step By Step Eddie Rabbitt |
| 60 | 57 | 27 | 12 | Atlanta Lady (Something About Your Love) Marty Balin |
| 61 | 60 | 60 | 6 | I'm Just Too Shy Jermaine Jackson |
| 62 | 77 | 62 | 3 | Come Go With Me The Beach Boys |
| 63 | 71 | 63 | 4 | Love In The First Degree Alabama |
| 64 | 72 | 64 | 4 | Key Largo Bertie Higgins |
| 65 | 65 | 65 | 5 | Talking Out Of Turn The Moody Blues |
| 66 | 73 | 66 | 3 | Let Me Love You Once Greg Lake |
| 67 | 75 | 67 | 3 | If I Were You Lulu |
| 68 | 76 | 68 | 3 | Blaze Of Glory Kenny Rogers |
| 69 | 78 | 69 | 2 | You Could Have Been With Me Sheena Easton |
| 70 | NEW | 70 | 1 | Waiting On A Friend The Rolling Stones |
| 71 | 81 | 71 | 2 | Leader Of The Band Dan Fogelberg |
| 72 | 80 | 72 | 3 | Falling In Love Balance |
| 73 | 82 | 73 | 2 | My Kinda Lover Billy Squier |
| 74 | 62 | 38 | 10 | Promises In The Dark Pat Benatar |
| 75 | 63 | 14 | 14 | Share Your Love With Me Kenny Rogers |
| 76 | 70 | 70 | 7 | Controversy Prince |
| 77 | 59 | 3 | 20 | Stop Draggin' My Heart Around Stevie Nicks With Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers |
| 78 | 66 | 66 | 6 | The Cowboy And The Lady John Denver |
| 79 | 79 | 79 | 5 | I Heard It Through The Grapevine (Part 1) Roger |
| 80 | 90 | 80 | 2 | Anyone Can See Irene Cara |
| 81 | NEW | 81 | 1 | Breakin' Away Al Jarreau |
| 82 | NEW | 82 | 1 | Take It Easy On Me Little River Band |
| 83 | 67 | 51 | 10 | Magic Power Triumph |
| 84 | NEW | 84 | 1 | Love Is Alright Tonite Rick Springfield |
| 85 | 85 | 85 | 3 | Wkrp In Cincinnati Steve Carlisle |
| 86 | 86 | 86 | 4 | Walking Into Sunshine Central Line |
| 87 | NEW | 87 | 1 | The Woman In Me Crystal Gayle |
| 88 | NEW | 88 | 1 | Could It Be Love Jennifer Warnes |
| 89 | NEW | 89 | 1 | Little Darlin' Sheila |
| 90 | NEW | 90 | 1 | Runaway Rita Leif Garrett |
| 91 | 68 | 4 | 21 | Who's Crying Now Journey |
| 92 | NEW | 92 | 1 | Sharing The Love Rufus With Chaka Khan |
| 93 | 94 | 93 | 2 | I'm Your Superman All Sports Band |
| 94 | 69 | 54 | 9 | Bet Your Heart On Me Johnny Lee |
| 95 | 84 | 29 | 15 | Alien Atlanta Rhythm Section |
| 96 | 87 | 4 | 23 | Urgent Foreigner |
| 97 | 98 | 97 | 2 | Better Things The Kinks |
| 98 | 91 | 91 | 7 | Snap Shot Slave |
| 99 | 74 | 49 | 9 | When She Dances Joey Scarbury |
| 100 | 83 | 80 | 6 | Sweet Merilee Donnie Iris |
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