After cramming my iPod full of “Cosmic Americana,” alt-country, singer-songwriter, and classic rock, I’ve recently begun retracing my musical roots and loading up on the music I was listening to in the mid-to-late eighties: Modern English, The Church, Plimsouls, Echo and the Bunnymen, Chameleons, Love and Rockets, The Motels, U2 (of “Wide Awake in America” vintage), Squeeze, Indigo Girls, etc.
Which got me to thinking: what am I missing? What are your favorite 80s tunes? I’ll admit to having a soft spot for groups like Asia and Loverboy, and I’ve got the parachute pants to prove my loyalty to Billy Squier, so your choices aren’t limited to what we used to call “progressive” music (which, in retrospect, I really wish we hadn’t).
For instance, I recently added both the Chameleons’ “Up the Down Escalator” and Alphaville’s “Forever Young” in the same sync that I added Def Leppard’s “Bringing on the Heartache” and “Tender Years,” from the Eddie and the Cruisers sountrack.
Note: any mention of Aha!’s “Take On Me” or Eddie Murphy’s “My Girl Likes to Party All the Time” should be accompanied by a letter of resignation from your testicles. Unless you happen to be a woman.
In which case, please carry on as configured.
Pat Benatar! Joan Jett!
Maybe Aztec Camera and some Cure and Lloyd Cole and Smithereens. I could do this better from home.
The Fixx!
Give my your favorite song titles, if you wouldn’t mind.
I remember having Aztec Camera on the flipside of Love and Rockets, but for the life of me I can’t remember the album title.
I’m going to add Joan Jett’s version of “Crimson and Clover” (and maybe her take on the MTM theme) and Pat Benetar’s version of “Wuthering Heights” when I have a chance.
Don’t forget THE THE, Bryan Ferry, Peter Murphy
Driver 8 from REM, Echo and The Bunnymen, this list could get long…….
What about Aha’s “The Living Daylights”? Terrible, terrible movie, but not a bad tune.
I’ll spin up Yahoo’s 1980s Rock station to pick out some titles. I was always a bit fond of the “Hair/Arena” bands – Poison, Winger, Motley Crue, etc.
Jett: I Love Rock n Roll.
Pat: Treat Me Right
Hall & Oates: Kiss On My List, Private Eyes, Maneater.
If you ask really nice I’ll tell you about the time my friend Dirty Dave threw a cup of urine on the singer from Loverboy.
I’ll ‘fess up to having quite a few by The Cars in my playlist. Also a few Benatar and The Pretenders. I have a couple of ‘80s-vintage Genesis CDs, and a couple of tunes by The Romantics.
I can also earworm myself with The Go-Go’s, The Bangles, Duran Duran and even Culture Club, which means I don’t have to own (or even pirate) any of their stuff. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not.
Dancing midgets seemed progressive at the time .
Men Without Hats .
Aztec Camera had just the one album – they were just a guy. It was called High Land Hard Rain. The single that drove it was called Oblivious, but all the songs sort of flowed from there. He was like 16, which makes it a charming prodigy thing. If you want singles you should get that Big Country song. In a Big Country. I think one of them killed himself, which makes the song ironic. That Charlie Sexton one too. Beat’s So Lonely.
And you have to have Style Council. Shout to the Top. And like everything by Tears For Fears.
I think I am going to start crying so I will stop now.
Gail Davies: Jagged Edge Of A Broken Heart (country, one of the best songs from 1983)
Golden Earring: Twilight Zone
Shit! Stevie Ray’s first album!
Dire Straits: Brothers In Arms
Flock of Seagulls: I Ran
Men At Work: Down Under
KISS: Loud
Genesis: Mama, First Home By The Sea, Second Home By the Sea
Lindsey Buckingham: Trouble
I dated a girl who, just before we dated, was dating a guy in Ratt (or was it the guy whose band did “18 and Life,” I forget).
I can only conclude that I had better hair.
You can’t go wrong with New Order. “The Perfect Kiss,” “Blue Monday,” “Subculture,” and “Touched by the Hand of God” are some of my favorites.
If you’re looking for cheesy but fun, how about Haircut 100? “Love Plus One” and “Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl)” are both good pop tunes.
You were looking for Aztec Camera titles? “Oblivious” and “The Crying Scene” are a couple that I remember.
This site is a great resource, by the way. Like IMDB for music.
Romeo Void – Never Say Never – one of the best line ever.
Dire Straits – Sultans of Swing
Bon Jovi – Wanted Dead or Alive
ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man
Scorpions – Rock You Like A Hurricane (!)
Frank Zappa – – Valley Girl!
Journey, Smiths, Fine Young Cannibals/English Beat/General Public (just check out any John Hughes movie soundtrack), Mojo Nixon, Dead Milkmen, Styx (gotta have Mr. Roboto just for the camp), Rick Springfield (yes, I’m writing this publicly) and there’s plenty more.
Quarterflash – – Harden My Heart
Laura Branigan – sorry, can’t remember her titles.
Since the topic appears to be limited to kinda bad music, I’ll leave out the good stuff I like (early REM, late Talking Heads, DK’s & Black Flag, Stevie Ray, Thorogood, early Metallica, The Rainmakers (best band evah)) and stick to Pop Pap.
Tommy Tutone, 867-5309
Benny Mardones, Into the Night (a favorite in Syracuse, and Louisiana. Don’t ask me why, I can’t explain it).
The Hooters – All You Zombies.
J. Geils Band – Freeze Frame, Centerfold, Rage in the Cage (great hoops anthem, probably inadvertantly)
Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Come on Eileen (Surely, there was a porn film with this name…)
Soft Cell – Tainted Love
Good God! I’m looking at that and wondering if Jeff is having us write comedy for him. It’s funny that we liked that s417 back then, funnier now that I still like that stuff.
Second on the Scorpions. I found myself listening to some of their stuff a while back. It’s held up a lot better than most 80s metal.
Probably because they could, you know, actually sing and play their instruments.
I always thought “So” by Peter Gabriel was the consummate 80’s sound. Why he was ever in a band with that assmunch Phil Collins is beyond me.
“Combat Rock” by The Clash, and almost anything by The Pretenders pretty much rock the Al Frankin decade as well.
Cheers.
– BobM.
The Outfield – Play Deep
Jesus Jones
I am now truly embarassed.
Herb Alpert – – Rise
Foreigner – Juke Box Hero
Van Halen – Hot For Teacher (I’ll see your embarassment and raise you to near humiliation)
Hey, BobM? Blow me.
Hell, I was doing this exact thing just the other week, and my wife thought my version of “80s music” was totally unlike hers! Me, I think Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Duran Duran, Motley Crue, Squeeze, U2, The Hooters, INXS and the best band to ever take a stage, The Police; she thinks crappy pop she heard on the radio.
But life with me has changed her.
It was New Wave, then “alternative” then progressive, as I recall, wasn’t it?
BobM: He was in a band with Phil because Phil could smack them skins. Now that twat Michael Rutherford is still a mystery to me.
Clash
B52s
Martha and the Muffins (that’s right, very good)
Brothers in Arms
George Thorogood
3 count em 3 King Crimson albums WITH THE SAME LINEUP.
Pretty shitty decade though
comes91 it didn’t get much better either
Pretty much everything by The Cars. Also, the complete output of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, particularly the entirety of Damn the Torpedoes.
“Cars” by Gary Newman, “Pocket Calculator” and “Computer World” by Kraftwerk and “Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League, because the ‘80’s was just so marvelously beepy.
Peter Gabriel: Sledgehammer, In Your Eyes
Billy Idol: Cradle of Love, Dancing with myself, Mony Mony, White Wedding, Rebel Yell.
The Go Go’s: We got the beat, Our Lips Are Sealed
Gosh, I forgot how much I really did enjoy some of the 80’s music. Go figure.
That assmunch Phil Collins was a pretty decent drummer, is why.
Tears for Fears
Plimsouls, seconded and thirded
Some of the Robert Plant solo efforts were pretty outstanding.
Romeo Void
INXS
Simple Minds
The Clash
I could go on for paragraphs, but I could do it better with my music collection at hand.
But seriously folks, don’t make me get snippy about snobs who look down their nose at Phil Collins’ work with Genesis. Hate on his solo stuff all you like (although you are letting yourself right out of some finely crafted pop goodness) but most of his work with Genesis is top drawer.
Peter Gabriel is an awesome solo artiste, but for my money, a lot of his work with the band is turgid, pretentious and overwrought.
On this, there can be no debate.
The Pop Group
The Birthday Party
Trouble Funk
The Embarrassment
Grand Master Flash
Oh, crap. Should have read upthread.
Well.
Red Rockers
Red Rider
Big Country
Screaming Blue Messiahs!
I’m sorry, but did someone type “Tears for Fears” in an ironic and/or sarcastic sense?
And you homos dare question the percussive and musical genius that is Phil Collins?
It is to laugh.
should read “unironic or nonsarcastic”, above.
Ugh.
The Colour Field – Pushing Up The Daisies
I’ve always heard “Progressive” associated with artists like King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Rush and a few others. Usually artists that are willing to push the boundaries of “studio” recordings. “Shine on You Crazy Diamond”, “2112” and “In the Court of Crimson King”, for instance.
New Wave is that gawd-awful Wham kind of Pop.
Alternative is anything that doesn’t really sell.
Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper
The Nails – 88 Lines About 44 Women
Sorry. Can’t. That work is reserved for Phil Collins’ “Hot Tub Club”. Union regs and all.
You’re right of course. But the entire decade was turgid, pretentious and overwrought.
– BobM.
James Chance and the Contortions
Pere Ubu
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Red Over White
Neil Young. But only with Crazy Horse. And none of that ballad shit.
Dude,
Let It Be/Pleased to Meet Me – the Replacements
Zen Arcade and New Day Rising – Husker Du
Double Nickels on the Dime – Minutemen
Chronic Town/Murmur/Reckoning/Tales of the Reconstruction – REM
Chris Isaak – Wicked Game and Blue Spanish Sky
Forgot Some –
Under the Big Black Sun and More Fun in the New World – X
The Blasters output on Slash
and probably my favorite album of all time:
Dream Syndicate – The Days of Wine and Roses.
If you haven’t figured it out yet, iTunes has a lot of “Best of the ‘80’s” compilations by both the iTunes folks and submitted by others. You can search through these lists to find tunes you had forgotten you liked. Especially useful if you can’t quite remember the tune and need a short snippet to bring the memories flooding back.
Husker Du – New Day Rising (Everyhthing the did)
REM – Anything off the first 2 albums
U2 – Boy
Talking Heads – Remain in Light
Phil Collins – Don’t Care Anymore
Wall of Voodoo – Blackboard Sky
King Sunny Ade – Anything
Neil Young – Computer Love
Smithereens – Green Thoughts
Replacements – Here Comes the Regular
Bruce Springsteen – Tunnel of Love
Yes – Aim High Shoot Low
Bob Mould – Hoover Dam
Smiths – William it was Nothing
Cure – Hanging Garden
Shit I loved the 80’s
::checks iTunes::
Supertramp: “Breakfast in America,” “Take the Long Way Home”
Alan Parsons Project: Eye in the Sky, Pyramania
Da Police: Synchronicity
Peter Gabriel: Shaking the Tree
Sting: Dream of the Blue Turtles, Nothing Like the Sun
Toto: “Manuela Run,” “Georgy Porgy,” “Girl Goodbye”
Paul Simon: Graceland, Rhythm of the Saints
Fela
The Jazz Butcher Conspiracy – Holiday or Caroline Wheeler’s Birthday Present
Ministry – Dream Song
Free Bird–Lynryd Skynrd
She’s Got Legs–ZZ Top
Rebel Yell–Billy Idol
Rainbow in the Dark–Dio
Holy Diver–Dio
We’re not Gonna Take It–Twisted Sister
Crazy Train–Ozzy Osbourne
Fortunately, the Peter Gabriel stint with Genesis and the 1980s have zero overlap.
But: Peter Gabriel was Genesis. After he left, Genesis unravelled into suckdom, although they didn’t necessarily immediately transition into the level of suck exhibited in Sudio, or however that’s spelled.
Blue Oyster Cult
Ornette Coleman (In All Languages, Virgin Beauty)
Miles Davis (Tutu)
John Zorn (Spy vs Spy)
Sly and Robbie
Heh. I was going through the exact same thing last nite as I was preparing to head out to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor for a long weekend.
I even dug out my old albums to see what I might have missed. Like others I found Hall and Oates, The Fixx and Alan Parsons.
But how about these, Frankie and the Knockouts (Sweetheart) and Michael Stanley Band (Lover “Thank God for the man who put the white lines on the highway—classic).
Anyway, OT, as I was leaving the hotel, a very Muslim looking man got out of his car to check in followed by a burqa-clad woman. As I walked around behind the car, he had bumper stickers saying “Allahu Akbar” and “Allah will Protect Us”.
Should I be concerned?
BTW, there are fireworks scheduled for tonite (I bet…)
“
The Jean-Paul Sartre Experience – Flex
This song is extraordinary.
The Smiths – How Soon Is Now?
The Pixies
I’ll second that! And not just one song neither.
The Rainmakers–pretty much their entire catalog.
Royal Crescent Mob–Nanana
R.E.M.–Up to Life’s Rich Pageant, they didn’t do much for me after that.
Was not Was–Walk the Dinosaur
Bollock Brothers–Harley David Son of a Bitch
The Beat Farmers–Van Go was a great album
Cocteau Twins – Pale Clouded White
The Meat Puppets
The Meatmen
Slade: Run Runaway
With a midget guitarist and bagpipes, how can you possibly go wrong?
(I don’t comment, but I’m a very loyal reader.)
Billy Idol – White Wedding
Judas Priest – You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’
Peter Gabriel – sledgehammer
Good taste Patrick.
Foreigner
– Juke Box Hero (mentioned above)
– Urgent
(“Waiting on a girl like you” if you wish to turn in the afformentioned testicals)
INXS (too many to list really)
– Original Sin
– What you need
– Need you tonight
– Mystify
– Devil Inside
– Never tear us apart
Oingo Boingo (Elfman is a really fansinating dude if you’re so interested. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_Elfman)
– Dead Man’s Party
The Cult
– Sweet Soul Sister
– Fire Woman
Queen (granted, a lot of late 70s stuff I’m sure you know already but shit man, it’s Queen and they technically still released great songs in the early 80s)
– Another one bites the dust
– Crazy little thing called love
There are just so freeking many. The 80s had a lot of that effiminating influence on male singers but there is a true gritty hard rock that still made it through.
Oh, there’s a ton of unintential comedy in the 80s, there’s no doubt. However, you simply cannot go wrong by tossing 99 Luftballons by Nena. Seriously, I giggle just thinking about it. Blast that at your neighbors.
Hey, I like “Take On Me”. And I have to carry my sack around in a wheelbarrow, I’ll have you know.
How about the Vapors? They only had two albums, ‘New Clear Days,’ and ‘Magnets’ and only two hits, ‘Turning Japanese’ and ‘Jimmie Jones,’ but they were a great band and both albums rocked.
The biggies (in no particular order): The Smiths, The Replacements, Husker Du, Red Hot Chili Peppers, X, Circle Jerks, Dead Kennedys, Germs, Fear, Siouxie & the Banshees, The Fixx (original lineup still touring, saw & met them last year), Soft Cell, The Cure, Gang of Four, Joy Division, Black Flag, Catholic Discpline.
Need to replace The Decline of Western Civilization, (get him a flea bath quick.)
Others include: Banarama, Adam Ant, Elvis Costello, The GoGo’s, ABC, Oingo Boingo, Quaterflash, The Plimsouls, Josie Cotton, Psychedelic Furs, Modern English.
tw made71, no, but I probably could if I tried.
The Misfits
The Cramps
BoDeans
Will NO one post an opposing opinion? The 80’s sucked.
Ignore ye not the Moody Blues. Early 80s: Long Distance Voyager. Mid 80s: The Other Side of Life. Late 80s: Sur La Mer.
Good stuff.
Saga: On the Loose
The Tubes: She’s a Beauty
White Lion
White Snake
Great White
Cult
Scorpions
Van Halen (not Haggar)
INXS
Level 42
John Waite
Big Country
Dokken
Cyndi Lauper
(we call this train wreck radio at home…)
I’m amazed at how many “bands” I’ve never heard of. Damn. If I did have any iPod the below is a starter list of what I would upload:
AC/DC – Whole Lotta Rosie
Cinderella – Shake Me
Cult – Sweet Soul Sista
Metallica – Fade to Black
Accept – Anything off the Russian Roullette Album
The Priest – Diamonds and Rust
Ozzy – Mr Crowley/Momma I’m Coming Home
Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell (entire album)
Fog Hat – Fool For the City (entire album)
Lynryd Skynrd – Best Of (entire album)
Golden Earing – Twilight Zone
Who could forget “Electric Avenue” by Eddie Grant ?! Or Kyrie by Mr. Mister ?! Forever Young by Alphaville ?!
Yeah. Oh yeah. Got those too.
.38 Special
Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet
Soundtrax to Breakin’ and #reakin’ II – The Electric Bugaloo
Any New Edition
Al B. Sure
Simple Minds-Don’t you(forget about me)
John Parr-St Elmo’s Fire
When In Rome-The Promise
The Police-Every Breath You Take
Peter Gabriel-In Your Eyes
Cutting Crew-I just Died In Your Arms Tonight
Asia-Heat Of The Moment
……..I could go on for hours.
I have now moved well beyond embatassed into being absolutely mortified.
How to crap away your rock and roll cred in three and a half minutes:
Billy Squier’s video for “Rock Me Tonite”. The prancing. The ripped shirt. The satin sheets.
Why, Billy? WHY?
Angry Samoans
Butthole Surfers
Early Bad religion
Red Kross
OMD
The Motels
And screw all those Loverboy fans
Killing Joke—Love like Blood
The Specials
The 80’s were a blur of U2, Smiths, and REM for me, most of which has been mentioned. To dig deeper …
I kinda dug Prefab Sprout (When Love Breaks Down) and Dream Academy -“Edge of Forever” and there was an acoustic version of “Life in a Northern Town” that was awesome.
As for A-ha – I happened to have loved “Hunting High and Low.” Since I’m a chick, no one can call me a fag.
Adrian Belew (Great Solo stuff)
Frank Zappa
Black Sabbath
Blue Oyster Cult
Devo
Eric Johnson (One of the finest guitar players ever)
Ilkka Rantamaki (“Cat House”: Finnish Jazz Rock.. weird but very original)
John Hiatt (Amazing songwriter.. See “Bring the Family”
Mojo Nixon
Neil Young
Steve Earle (Socialist bastard, but the man can write a song!)
The Cars
The Knack (Power Pop masters… More than just “My Sharona”)
Tom Waits (Gravel voiced singer of Pirate songs)
Yes
Rush
ZZ Top
Has noone mentioned XTC?
Barbarians.
West Roxbury (Boston) 80’s soundtrack of the mind & live at the Paradise, Rat, TT’s or Orpheum (pick-em):
DelFuegos, “I Still Want You”
Mighty Mighty Bosstones (On the deck at the Beachcomber, Wellfleet, MA)
Tribe, “Abort”
The Feelies, “Deep Fascination”
JONATHON RICHMAN (!!!) & the Modern Lovers, “Roadrunner” (Late ‘70s but forever locked into an ‘81, um, incident in Ipswich)
Aimee Mann (yummy)
& JD: the BoDeans. Sweet, thanks for the memories.
tw: List15. Nah, I was 26.
Bad Brains
Big Black
I didn’t see Guns and Roses: Appetite for Destruction, the whole album, mentioned, but I did skim a bit.
Otherwise, everyone else has already hit the good stuff.
Tackhead
Mark Stewart and the Mafia
African Head Charge
Lee Scratch Perry
Voice of Authority
David and David – Boomtown
Yaz – Upstairs at Erics
I saw the BoDeans in Champaign, opening for Blues Traveler (before their popular albums) several times. They really fell off the face of the earth since. At the time, they were the prototypical college band.
Pigbag
Quarterflash- Find Another Fool
Pat Benetar- Hell is for Children, Promises in the Dark
John Waite- Change
Joan Jett- Do You Wanna Touch Me (Oh Yea)
Jethro Tull- Slow Marching Band
Foreigner- Long, Long Way From Home
Frida- Something Going On
Great White- Rock Me
Sammy Hagar- Heavy Metal, Remember The Heroes, Three Lock Box, Dick in the Dirt, Fast Times at Ridgemont High
J. Giles Band- Freeze Frame
Kansas- Chasing Shadows, Play the Game Tonight
Kenny Loggins- I’m Alright (Theme From Caddyshack)
M- Pop Music
Moving Pictures- What About Me
Night Ranger- (You Can Still) Rock In America
Pete Townshend- Let My Love Open The Door
Prince- Erotic City
Queen- Who Wants To Live Forever (Highlander Soundtrack)
Styx- Snowblind
The Alan Parsons Project- Games People Play, The Raven
Triumph- ANYTHING… these dudes ROCKED!
Vandenberg- Burning Heart
Yaz- Don’t Go
Yes- Changes
Dire Straits: (Your) Latest Trick
Asia: Sole Survivor
Styx: Snow Blind (from Paradise Theater)
Los Lobos: I Got Loaded
Wall of Voodoo: Mexican Radio
Saccharine Trust
Universal Congress Of
Negativland
Ummm….
He’s ghey?