Our Leap Day Best Songs List
Today is a day that only comes around once every four years – Leap Day!
February 29 is truly a bonus day so we thought we’d give YOU a bonus, too, by looking back at the #1 songs on Leap Day in the ’80s and ’90s! We’re rewinding, reminiscing, and ranking them! Check it out!
#5 “One Sweet Day” by Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men (1996)
This is a big R&B ballad and spent 16 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Mariah Carey co-wrote the song with Boyz II Men, wanting to honor people they have loved and lost. The song speaks about death, taking their presence for granted, and about seeing them later in heaven. The artists were said to have also been inspired by the AIDS epidemic, which was prevalent at the time.
#4 “Father Figure” by George Michael (1988)
This was the fourth single from George Michael’s album “Faith” in 1987. He originally envisioned “Father Figure” as a dance track, but during the songwriting and music-making process, he took out the snare drum and liked how it sounded. He kept going and later said that “it ended up, in my mind, being the most original-sounding thing on the album.”
#3 “To Be With You” by Mr. Big (1992)
Eric Martin of Mr. Big said the song was inspired by a girl he knew growing up. “This girl had a lot of boyfriends… I wanted to be the knight in shining armor, wanted to be with her. She wasn’t having it. It never came to play.” The band also never intended for “To Be With You” to be released as a single. A radio DJ in Lincoln, Nebraska started playing it and it just caught on!
#2 “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen (1980)
This song was Queen’s first #1 single in the U.S. Freddie Mercury reportedly wrote and composed the song in just ten minutes, while taking a bath!
#1 “Jump” by Van Halen (1984)
“Jump” is Van Halen’s most successful single, and Rolling Stone ranked it at #177 on its list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time.” The lyrics were reportedly written as an invitation to life and love.
