“Pittsburgh’s No. 1” was apparently released shortly after the 1985 edition of Places Rated Almanac named the city America’s best place to live out of 329 metropolitan areas. As the above WTAE flashback video shows, the song, in trying to show Pittsburgh pride while attempting the heights of an ’80s power ballad (but also a twangy country tune?) goes hard, even as it goes awry.
“We always knew we had it / We’ve always felt inside / We’re the city with heart / Proud to be a part / of America’s national pride,” the schmaltzy lyrics go, played over sweeping shots of the Point, rivers, and Downtown skyline.
Mention is made of the city's postindustrial renaissance (40 years later, the more things change, the more they stay the same), the Immaculate Reception, and even Renaissance II, a Downtown redevelopment effort kicked off in the late 1970s.
“They thought of us as a smoky old town many years ago / thanks to me and you and Renaissance II, we can let ‘em know / Pittsburgh’s No. 1 in 1985 / Pittsburgh's no. 1 / We’re no. 1!” the chorus cheers.
Despite being intrigued and icked out by another 1985 relic (in addition to the Rand McNally book itself), I couldn’t find any more information about the song or its origins; even the WTAE video doesn’t list an artist.
Though Pittsburgh’s Rand McNally win made national news in 1985, the coverage doesn't include the victory song. It seems only a few Pittsburgh Redditors with long memories know about it.
When one Reddit poster made a similar inquiry about the “story” behind the “amazing and confusing” song last September, another jokingly suggested, “Art Institute student project.”
So we’re asking Pittsburgh City Paper readers: do you know anything about this singular 1985 song? Did you help shoot the b-roll for the "Pittsburgh's No. 1" music video (in a helicopter? How did they even do that before drone shots?) Did you or someone you know pen (or sing!) the bursting-with-pride Pittsburgh power ballad lyrics? If so, we want to hear about it!
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