Guitarist Mick Jones wrote Foreigner’s “I Want to Know What Love Is,” a №1 hit in 1985. “I always worked late at night, when everybody left and the phone stopped ringing,” Jones recalled in Classic Rock.

“It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” was included on R.E.M.’s 1987 album Document and reached №69. Its lyrics were written by R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe in the stream-of-consciousness tradition of Chuck Berry’s “Too Much Monkey Business” and Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues.”

In May 1981, the Clash — Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, and Paul Simonon — were in New York City to promote their album Sandinista! The British punk rockers were too popular for a small club like CBGB but were not yet ready to headline an arena like Shea Stadium, where they would open for The Who in 1982. Bond International Casino, which held 3,500 people, was ideal. Eight shows were originally scheduled.

Perry included “Foolish Heart” on his 1984 album Street Talk, and it reached №18. “The feeling was just basically one of being confused about falling back in love again,” Perry explained to Dick Clark, “because your heart wants to so bad, but your head says, ‘Wait a minute, you’ve done that before and it doesn’t feel good.’

“Missing You” is the №1 single from John Waite’s 1984 album No Brakes. The former frontman of the British band The Babys explained its inspiration in American Songwriting. “I was getting divorced. I was trying to get home because my marriage was in genuine trouble — everything was wrong, and it had been wrong for a while."

“Back in Black” is the title cut of AC/DC’s 1980 album, one of the best-selling LPs in history. “Back in Black” is a tribute to lead singer Bon Scott, who died suddenly in February 1980 at age 33. The song was primarily written by Brian Johnson, Scott’s replacement, and credited to co-writers Angus and Malcolm Young. In 1981, “Back in Black” reached №37.

Sisters Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson are the basis of Heart, whose 1986 “These Dreams” became the band’s first №1 hit. With music by Martin Page and lyrics by Bernie Taupin, who was taking time off from working with Elton John, “These Dreams” was turned down by Stevie Nicks and Kim Carnes before it was offered to Heart.

Some groups work together for years, honing and refining their sound until they develop a formula that yields a hit record. Then there are the Traveling Wilburys, a happy accident that brought together five superstars in April 1988: George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, and Roy Orbison. The Wilburys produced two albums; the first, Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1, led off with their biggest hit, “Handle with Care.”

“She Works Hard for the Money” is the title track of Donna Summer’s 1983 album. Released as the lead single, it was a №1 R&B hit that year. Summer wrote the song with producer Michael Omartian. Its inspiration came after the February 1983 Grammy Awards ceremony when Summer attended a party at Chasen’s restaurant in West Hollywood. Summer and manager Susan Muneo encountered an exhausted restroom attendant named Onetta Johnson.