James Brown - Living In America (1985)

Living in America was composed by Dan Hartman and Charlie Midnight and performed by James Brown; it was released as a single in 1985 and reached no. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song entered the Billboard Top 40 on January 11, 1986, and remained on the chart for 11 weeks. It also became a top five hit in the UK, peaking at no. 5 on the UK Singles Chart; his only top 10 single in the UK. It was his first Top 40 hit in ten years in the US, and it would also be his last. In 1986, it was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song and won Brown a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

The song was of course prominently featured in the film Rocky IV. In the film, Brown sings the song before Apollo Creed enters the boxing ring, in reference to the character's patriotism. The single version appeared on the Rocky IV soundtrack album, with the full 5 minute 58 second version of the song being included on Brown's 1986 album, Gravity, and on various compilations throughout the 1990s. Live performances of the song appear on the albums Soul Session Live and Live at the Apollo 1995. 

- FVHK5K

Freddie Jackson - Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake) (1985)

Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake) is the début single for Harlem-born R&B/soul singer Freddie Jackson. Taken from the namesake début title album, Rock Me Tonight, the popular ballad was written and produced by Paul Laurence. It was the top-selling R&B single for 1985 and was Jackson's first of ten entries to hit the no.1 spot on the R&B chart. The song was number one for six weeks on the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart and reached no.18 on the Hot 100 singles chart. It also reached no.18 in the UK Singles Chart.

The success of the album garnered Jackson a Grammy Award nomination in 1986 for Best New Artist, losing out to Sade. Rock Me Tonight went on to top the R&B Albums chart for 14 nonconsecutive weeks, and peaked inside the Top 10 on the Billboard 200.

- Mr Fabulous

Geroge Benson - 20/20 (1985)

20/20 was the title track of the Gold-certified studio album of the same name by George Benson in 1985. Released on the Warner Bros record label, the lead single by the same name reached no.48 on the Billboard Hot 100 & no.29 over here in the UK.
The song features the vocals Patti Austin and James 'JT' Taylor of Kool and The Gang. You can especially hear Austin's voice when when they sing the word "Visionnnnnn" and the tight scat duet with George at the outro.
20/20 as an album might be a little bubblegum for some soul fan's tastes, but to my mind there isn't one bad song; it just goes to show that an artist who is at heart a Jazz guitarist can cross over while not selling out.


The John 'Jellybean' Benitez remix: