Ten Great Songs From One Great Year

1982

In January, the biggest news was the breakup of AT&T, forcing it into a network of smaller companies - known as "Baby Bells." This shake up allowed competition of telephone services to flourish, including MCI and Sprint. In April, Argentina invades the British Falkland Islands. While the war officially ended in June, with the Argentine military surrender, the conflict continues to this day. Also in April, under the agreement signed with the late Anwar Sadat, Israel completes it's withdrawal from the Sinai peninsula. Although peace was forged by the treaty, it was at best a cold peace that is today threatened by the fall of Mubabrak. However, in April, forces under Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon invade southern Lebanon in their "Operation Peace for the Galilee," eventually reaching as far north as the capital Beirut.

There were two notable plane crashes in 1982. In January, shortly after takeoff, Air Florida Flight 90 crashes into Washington, D.C.'s 14th Street Bridge and falls into the Potomac River, killing 78. Ironically, on the same day, a Washington Metro train derails to the north, killing 3 (the system's first fatal accident). And in July, Pan Am Flight 759 (Boeing 727) crashes in Kenner, Louisiana, killing all 146 on board and 8 on the ground. Furthermore, in the same month,on a movie set, the Twilight Zone actor Vic Morrow and 2 child actors die in a helicopter stunt accident.

In October, tragedy strikes Chicago when when 7 people in the area die after ingesting Tylenol capsules laced with potassium cyanide. Now, almost 40 years later, the case has not yet been solved. In better news, the year also brought the first permanent artificial transplantation when 61-year Barney Clark receives one at the University of Utah. Clark lived an additional 112 days, but set the stage for major advances in transplantation (of which I benefit from greatly).

Did it in a Minute -- Hall & Oates



Going Down -- Greg Guidry



Making Love -- Roberta Flack



Eye of the Tiger -- Survivor



You Can Do Magic -- America



Somebody's Baby -- Jackson Browne



Talking to the Moon -- Don Henley



Steppin' Out -- Joe Jackson



I Ran -- A Flock of Seagulls



Hold on -- Santana



BONUS TRACK

Welcome to Heartlight -- Kenny Loggins