"Room at the Top," Adam Ant (1990)

A surprisingly funky song from a punky British new waver

This song was requested by TLSP reader Dan J. Paid subscribers can request songs on this post right here!

Peak: #3 on the dance chart, #17 on the modern rock chart, #17 on the Hot 100
Streams: 482,000

For most Americans, Adam Ant’s entire legacy can be summed up with the following question: “You don’t drink, don’t smoke… what do you do?”

That refrain, from his #12-peaking hit “Good Two Shoes,” is certainly burned into my brain. When I was roller skating in the early 80s, this song’s jumpy, 60s-adjacent energy made it perfect for anyone who was on the rink, young or old.

But there’s so much more to Adam Ant. For one thing: Have you noticed that his stage is the word “adamant” split in two?