Song · Suzanne Vega
“Left of Center” by Suzanne Vega
Released 1986
“Left of Center” by Suzanne Vega appears on 10 radio countdowns from 3 stations between 1999 and 2023. It was first released in 1986. Its best result is #515 on The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s. In the combined RockLists rankings it is #1,812 alternative song of all time.
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"Left of Center" was Suzanne Vega's contribution to the soundtrack of Pretty in Pink in 1986, a song she wrote with Steve Addabbo that slips into a teen romance like a well-worn cardigan. Addabbo produced it with Arthur Baker, and Joe Jackson sits in on piano, hammering out a jaunty, off-kilter part that keeps the whole thing skipping along under Vega's cool, conversational voice.
It went out as a single that May and reached number 32 in the UK. It also has a small spot in the history books: in September 1986 it became the first CD single A&M Records ever issued, with "Undertow" and "Cracking" riding along as B-sides.
Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.
RockLists rankings
Alternative & Modern Rock
Indie & Adult Alternative
All Rock Formats
All-time and decade countdowns
| Year | # | Station | Countdown | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 833 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) | 2000 |
| 2000 | 884 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) | 2001 |
| 2001 | 889 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) | 2002 |
| 2002 | 889 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) | 2003 |
| 2002 | 999 | Fred (XM 44) | Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) | 2002 |
| 2003 | 885 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) | 2004 |
| 2003 | 685 | Fred (XM 44) | Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) | 2044 |
| 2004 | 885 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) | 2005 |
| 2005 | 885 | CD101 | CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) | 1994 |
| 2023 | 515 | The Colorado Sound | The Colorado Sound Top 850 Songs of the 1980s | 850 |
Also listed as: Left Of Center.
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