3 favorite songs from the 1980s

[Dan Gould]

I've not even scanned this thread-I do not wish to know what 80s songs my friends actually think were good.

[Brandon Burke]

I've not even scanned this thread-I do not wish to know what 80s songs my friends actually think were good.

No shit. I felt dirty even leaving a post at all.

[maren]

My favorites probably were already mentioned: "Burning Down the House", many things Prince and Michael Jackson ("Billie Jean").

But taking a cue from Rachel's bravery, how about:

The Fall -- "Totally Wired", "How I Wrote Elastic Man"

and also, two things I (over)heard on everyone else's radio (and didn't even know who the artists were at the time -- or I might have thought I "shouldn't" have liked them!):

"Everything She Wants" (Wham!)

"Holding Back the Years" (Simply Red)

[AmirBagachelles]

All I Want for Christmas - Timbuk 3

Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears

Jokerman - Bob Dylan

[Brandon Burke]

The Fall -- "Totally Wired", "How I Wrote Elastic Man"

Hey....that's not fair. You're cheating. B)

[maren]

The Fall -- "Totally Wired", "How I Wrote Elastic Man"

Hey....that's not fair. You're cheating. B)

You mean I'm saying too many???

Or they weren't POPULAR? They were big on MY radar screen, though...

Edited April 22, 2004 by maren

[Brandon Burke]

The Fall -- "Totally Wired", "How I Wrote Elastic Man"

Hey....that's not fair. You're cheating. B)

You mean I'm saying too many???

No. I mean you mentioned songs that are actually legitimately good, as opposed to "popular". That's all.

[DrJ]

Well coming from someone who was a huge Game Theory, The Fall, Jam, Throwing Muses, etc fan - LOSE THE ATTITUDE ABOUT 80'S POP, you elitists!

Jeez, lighten up, really. It wasn't that bad an era, and in fact it was a really good singles, "one hit wonder" era. There's hundreds of good examples - one I just remembered off the top of my head was "Send Me an Angel," by the Aussie band Real Life - good tune, one hit, over and out!

Take 5 seconds to listen to pop radio NOW and you'll begin to appreciate just how many decent singles made it to the airwaves in the 80's. For that matter, listen to singles from ANY era...you simply get a skewed view of stuff from the 50's and 60's because they play the same 20 or 30 classic singles over and over again, but there were hundreds and hundreds of drecky things that have justly faded into obscurity. Many of us here are just too young to have ever heard them, but when you do, you'll realize pop has always been a hit and mostly miss proposition.

But man, when people are so "embarrassed" to admit they like humming along with a stupid pop song in the car that they can't muster the guts to list actual popular songs (rather than the usual "legit" critic's choice bands - and hey, I loved 'em too) and write off an entire decade of music wholesale, it's a sure sign they either care WAY too much about what other people think, or need a good long vacation, or both.

So throw on your skinny tie and go call your travel agent, and remember - NO PARKING ON THE DANCE FLOOR!

[DrJ]

BTW that last song reference got me thinking about all those great 80s R&B dance club things - "Let it Whip" by the Dazz Band, for example. That's a whole other thing, love hearing those tunes on the car radio.

Not so much a dance club tune but Marvin's "Sexual Healing" is still a favorite, maybe not up with the stuff from his prime but still remarkably powerful pop music.

[Alexander]

Here are some good 80s songs by 60s artists:

"Watching the Wheels" - John Lennon

"Sexual Healing" - Marvin Gaye

"You Can Call Me Al" - Paul Simon

"Sweetheart Like You" - Bob Dylan

Edited April 23, 2004 by Alexander

[Alexander]

These three songs were the defining songs from the summer of 86 (all of which I liked at the time):

Papa Don't Preach - Madonna

Nasty Boys - Janet Jackson

Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel

I still like the Gabriel song, and recently picked up the new edition of "So." Great album!

[jazzypaul]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Wang Chung yet. They were truly underrated, and To Live and Die in L.A., besides being the theme song to a truly excellent movie, is one hell of a song. "In the dark of the night/every time I turn the light/I fear that God is not in Heaven..." that's some good lyric writing right there.

I will avoid the seconding of songs, so Break My Stride and Church of the Poison Mind are both out, I reckon.

I always thought Der Kommisar was a great tune though.

And let us not forget one of Stevie's best tunes, which is an 80's tune: Overjoyed.

[kulu se mama]

if we're talking, roll down the windows, step on the gas, great on the radio singles, here's 3:

missionary man - eurythmics

venus - bananarama

just got lucky - the jo boxers

[Noj]

- Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie, 1980)

- Once in a lifetime (Talking Heads, 1980)

- Golden Brown (The Stranglers, 1983)

Nice picks Claude! I especially like that Stranglers tune--I bought the Snatch Soundtrack with that in mind...

How 'bout:

- How Soon Is Now? (The Smiths)

- Bedbugs & Ballyhoo (Echo & The Bunnymen)

- Ghost Town (The Specials)

[Chrome]

BTW that last song reference got me thinking about all those great 80s R&B dance club things - "Let it Whip" by the Dazz Band, for example.

I forgot all about that stuff! How about the Gap Band's "Burn rubber" and "You dropped a bomb on me" ... man could those guys groove.

[ADR]

"Once In a Lifetime" - The Talking Heads

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" - U2

"It's the End of the World As We Know It" - REM

"Diamonds on the Souls of Her Shoes" - Paul Simon

"Pink Houses" - John Cougar Mellancamp

"Blister in the Sun" - Violent Femmes

"The Boys of Summer" - Don Henley

I could go on and on and on.........

I graduated from high school in '88 - so the 80's music is my music.

Edited April 23, 2004 by ADR

[ADR]

if we're talking, roll down the windows, step on the gas, great on the radio singles, here's 3:

missionary man - eurythmics

venus - bananarama

just got lucky - the jo boxers

- Good call on "Missionary Man" by the Eurythmics. That's a great song.

[BERIGAN]

Dr. J is right! (And I forgot about Send me an Angel, great song!)

so, as Johnny Cougar(He loves to be called that) once said...Let it all Hang Out!

I Eat Cannibals by Toto Coello

Tainted Love by Soft Cell

Kids in America by Kim Wilde

Cool Places by the Sparks and Jane Wiedlin

Edited April 23, 2004 by BERIGAN

[David Williams]

Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles

[tonym]

This is killing me.

Easy choice for No. 1 though; Marvin's 'Sexual Healing'

Second, something by Terence Trent D'Arby, of that first album of his.

Third.......

'Unforgettable Fire' by U2.

If I think long and hard there would be some long forgotten faves I'm sure.

[tonym]

Oh, can I change my mind and put Kraftwerk's Tour de France in there, and 'Kiss Them For Me' by Siouxsie & The Banshees.

Blimey, there was some decent stuff during the '80's.

[The Mule]

Atomic Dog - George Clinton

Should I Stay or Should I Go? - The Clash

1999 - Prince

Edited April 23, 2004 by The Mule

[rachel]

BTW that last song reference got me thinking about all those great 80s R&B dance club things ...

If you wanna ride..... don't ride the white horse.

Now that was when my hair was BIG...

[Joe G]

"The Boys of Summer" - Don Henley

I graduated from high school in '88 - so the 80's music is my music.

I graduated the same year, but I was a metalhead, so most of this stuff was on my hate list. But I always did like that Henley tune, and still sing along whenever I hear it. Also:

I need you tonight, INXS

Time after Time, Cindy Lauper has gotten a lot of mileage

Sweet Dreams, Eurythmics

[Uncle Skid]

Three songs from The Cure's Disintegration (1989): Fascination Street, Pictures of You, Love Song, Lullaby.

Well, OK, four songs. I don't remember if any of these truly qualifed as "popular", but they are all great tunes.