Hello everybody,
So, what are the songs that scream out the '80's to you and why? Is it the sound? Is it the look of the band? Is it a combination of all these factors?
In my respectful submission, music from INXS or VanHalen, sound as though they could be from any decade. Whilst these bands have great songs, it does not seem too '80's to me. Even the Pet Shop Boys sound does not appear especially '80's. Maybe it is the "fuller" synth sound...
So, what do I say? Well Your Honour, I would submit to you, that to me, A Flock Of Seagulls' track, 'I Ran' is the '80's to me. The sound of the track particularly. The reverb (echo) effect on Mike Score's vocals ; the middle synth drum sequence ; the keyboard sounds. Even the "spacey" sounding lyrics - '...meet a girl like yoooooooouuuuu, meet a girl like yooooooouuuu...'The video clip, doesn't advance my case much, though the women are heavily made up. In fact one does not see the Mike Score that we are used to. His hair appears realitively normal!
AFOS next track 'Space Age Love Song' is a good image of the '80's. Here we see Mike Scores 'reverse mullet' haircut. Thoes ridiculous hair wings over his ears, and the blonde locks in his face. The black 'futuristic' costume...
Now, Your Honour, my learned friend may say that I am picking a new romantic band, cos that's what I am into, but I do have some other idear about '80's sounding tracks that are not from the new romantic period.
To me, the Time Bandits track ' Endless Love' and indeed the Starship track 'We Buitl This City' , have that very mid '80's American sound to them as opposed to Frankie Goes To Hollywood, who, we say Your Honour sound English.
The Madonna "look" from 1985 (think 'Desperately Seeking Susan')is a great '80's look. Like A Virgin is another obvious '80's track to me
So unless there is anything further Your Honour, those are my submissions.

(So what is your opinion? Sorry for the strange "court talk"! I am a court reporter and I was just talking shop, though in the Workers Compensation court, there is not much talk about Mike Scores hair, much to my surprise!!! Sorry ppl!!! it won't happen again! Tell me your ideas...)

Later All,
NewRomantic

Well, my learned colleague, I shall certainly give you that undertaking. I hereby relate my views:

If I have to pick one (and only one) song to sum up the 80s for me, I will defer to my signature and choose "Da, Da, Da" by Trio.

It was the most direct representation of all things Sprockets (that's Mike Myers playing Dieter on SNL in case you don't know). Painfully simple music, absurd lyrics that probably don't even make sense in German. BUT, other than "Mexican Radio" by Wall of Voodoo I cannot think of another song that quite encapsulates the feel of the 80s for me.

You can go here http://207.194.220.241/media/
for a refesher. Half way down the page is a .wav file of the whole song or you can watch the much smaller video clip from the 1997 Volkswagen commercial that resurrected the song. I love the floppy guy.

Thanks Bogie!
I will indeed check out the site you posted for the refresher. Thanks for your ideas...(did you like this idea?)
NewRomantic.

Originally posted by NewRomantic:
<STRONG>Thanks Bogie!
I will indeed check out the site you posted for the refresher. Thanks for your ideas...(did you like this idea?)
NewRomantic.</STRONG>

Do you mean this topic NewRomantic? If so, I very much like it. It'll be interesting to see what the others post in here over the next couple of days. We should see great variety.

I expect to see some glamrock and Michael Jackson in here before we are through.

Cheers!

Here's a few off of the top of my head that scream 80's:

Oh Yeah - Yello
Whip It - Devo
Cruel Summer - Bananarama
In A Big Country - Big Country
Town Called Malice - The Jam

Originally posted by Iluv80s:
<STRONG>Here's a few off of the top of my head that scream 80's:

Oh Yeah - Yello
Whip It - Devo
Cruel Summer - Bananarama
In A Big Country - Big Country
Town Called Malice - The Jam</STRONG>

Wow, excellent choices.

"Would you like to touch my monkey?"

i loved Deiter. He was one of my fav characters. I remember the dancing and music, but not those lyrics..
Mike Myers was prob the best one on there. Besides 'P. Bush' and those two women singing Christmas carols in the lounge,,
oh, and "So I married an ax murderer",
loved it..!
their version of "There she goes again" is better than the girl singing it now.
that to me is the 80's. that song.
and the Pogues
New Order
Love and Rockets, Bauhaus, Siouxsie..

Originally posted by Vilji:
<STRONG>"Would you like to touch my monkey?"

that to me is the 80's. that song.
and the Pogues
New Order
Love and Rockets, Bauhaus, Siouxsie..</STRONG>

The Pogues? Vilji, you are slaying me.

I couldn't tell from your pic. Do you have "A Pair of Brown Eyes"?

it's prob the Scotish in me.. but I love the Pogues. that song they did,
"And I can't help falling in love with you.." was always one of my absolute favorites. their music and voices are incredible.

I heard this song lastnight, and I remember how I always loved it, and it was a part of the 'theme' for the way the 80's felt to me..Blancmange
"I climb the mountain
reacing for the stars
and all too soon I jump the moon
and find I'm losing my mind.
Don't tell me I'm the howling wind.
don't tell me you're the
moon and stars.
don't tell me i'm the devil's
friend.
don't tell me, don't tell me I've
gone too far.."
OMD ("Secret", "Tesla Girls",,etc...
is Extremely 80's.
Echo and the Bunnyman
"Sugar Kisses" "Bring on the dancing horses.."
the singer's voice from the Bangles--
80's all the way
and can't forget this one:
"Punk Rock girl" Dead Milkman
"they played "calif. dreaming"
on the juke box,
so we started screaming.."

oh, sorry Bogie, my eyes are green..

I always thought that "Telegraph" by OMD was terrific. That's a really 80s "New Wave" song.

Blancmange, Echo. Great choices.

BTW. "Fools Rush in" cover of the old Elvis tune. Are you thinking of the one that was on the Some Kind of Wonderful soundtrack? That was done by a band called Lick the Tin. The singer does sound like Cait O'Riordain and the style is definitely Pogueish. I love that version too, if that's the one you're thinking of.

Hey, where's everybody else? I know that not everyone listened to the same stuff we did. Where are you hiding folks? Someone has to have a Bon Jovi, Madonna, Twisted Sister, etc., track that screams out 80s for them.

These songs scream 80's to me
Take on me-a-ha
Tainted love-Soft Cell
Girls just wanna have fun-Cyndi Lauper
If you leave-OMD
Don't you (forget about me)-Simple Minds
Material Girl-Madonna

Too many to think of.

you're right, Bogie. I remember now it was some other band that sang "fools rush in".
I think I wanted it to be the Pogues. Oh well. That movie was excellent. Great soundtrack. Charlie's Sexton song is on there, as well..(know which one?)
"Some kind of Wonderful" (made in the 90's, i know) & "Benny and Joon".. to me those were pure 80's.
he's from this miserable town, too.
though he prob tries to forget..lol
(Johnny Depp)

<FONT COLOR="#6699cc" SIZE="1">[ June 15, 2001 10:37 AM: Message edited by: Vilji ]</font>

Originally posted by Vilji:
<STRONG>you're right, Bogie. I remember now it was some other band that sang "fools rush in".
I think I wanted it to be the Pogues. Oh well. That movie was excellent. Great soundtrack. Charlie's Sexton song is on there, as well..(know which one?)
"Some kind of Wonderful" (made in the 90's, i know) & "Benny and Joon".. to me those were pure 80's.
he's from this miserable town, too.
though he prob tries to forget..lol
(Johnny Depp)

&lt;FONT COLOR="#6699cc" SIZE="1"&gt;[ June 15, 2001 10:37 AM: Message edited by: Vilji ]&lt;/font&gt;</STRONG>

I must confess that I don't know Charlie Sexton too well. Didn't he tour with David Bowie quite a bit? I think he's the one that did "White Light, White Heat" with Mr. Bowie, No?

I just checked a couple of web sites and they show Some Kind of Wonderful as a 1987 movie. I think you're still correctly in period with that one.

It reminds me though of another great 80s band that was on that soundtrack - The Jesus and Mary Chain.

"Listen to the girl
as she takes on half the world
moving up and so alive..."

i can't believe you mentioned them.
I love them. I've been wanting to get that cd again as my music collection got lost through the years. i don't remember them on the soundtrack though.
I meant "benny and Joon" were 90's. lol
oh, and I was referring to C. Sexton's song,"beat's so lonely, i bet it's lonely at the top.."
that's all i know from him anyway.. <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">
i have so much to do, but this is a more fun escape.
Roem needs to make some t-shirts that say:
"the 80sxchange- more addictive than heroin...or sex" haha
not that heroin sounds like fun...
<img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

Originally posted by Vilji:
<STRONG>"Listen to the girl
as she takes on half the world
moving up and so alive..."
<img src="tongue.gif" border="0"></STRONG>

"In her honey-dripping bee hive".

I always liked,

"...eating up the scum
was the hardest thing for,
me to do."

Didn't they put a radio-friendly version of the Hardest Walk on Some Kind Of Wonderful?

dude,
i think we're getting off topic a bit here.

they're going to just tell us to get
a room if we don't stop

actually, I always thought he was saying,
"Walking out to you is the hardest thing for me to do..
i'll be your plastic toy.."

I thought of a few more today to add:

Wouldn't It Be Good - Nik Kershaw
Close (To The Edit) - Art Of Noise
Mickey - Toni Basil
Forever Young - Alphaville
99 Red Balloons - Nena

These are sooooo 80's!

I'll toss a few songs in. These exemplify the decade as seen through the eyes of a tail-end Generation-Xer (that would be me).

-"Can't Slow Down"-Lionel Richie
-"Hazy Shade Of Winter"-The Bangles
-"Curiousity"-The Jets
-All of the James Brown album "Gravity"
-"Every Little Step"-Bobby Brown
-Anything by Pat Benatar
-The works of Poison
-The Guns 'N' Roses oeuvre
-The aggregates of Michael Jackson, Prince and Madonna
-The litany of works by Huey Lewis & The News
-"Axel F"-Harold Faltermeyer
-"Back To The Future"-Alan Silvestri
-"Edge Of Seventeen" and "Stand Back"-Stevie Nicks
-Um...Well, altogether, I feel that...If it was produced from 1980 to 1990, it is orgasmically screaming 80s to me. I love it all. I just...love all 80s music. Hell, even artists whose work I don't like have at least one or 2 good 80s songs.

Sincerely,

John "outofplacechild" Kilduff

Oh, I loved Bobbie Brown's music. Though he had that ego thing going..but some of his songs were so sweet.
'every little step i take, you will be there.. i can't sleep at night, i toss and turn, listening for the telephone.'
i can see why Whitney married him.
and 'it's my perogative. i can do what i want to do.'
oh wow! this song just came on the net, and this definitely sets the theme for my 80's college days:
"I touch roses.."
'if you think I'm magical, because roses
bloom with my touch..
(name that group)

Some of the songs that remind me the most of the 80s are:

A-ha - Take on me
Baltimora - Tarzan boy
Van Halen - Jump
Bon Jovi - Livin' on a prayer
F.R.David - Words
Icehouse - Electric Blue
Rick Springfield - Jesse's girl
Sandra - Maria Magdalena
Eddie Money - Take me home tonight
And, of course my fave girl, Tiffany - I think we're alone now! <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

Originally posted by outofplacechild:
<STRONG>-Um...Well, altogether, I feel that...If it was produced from 1980 to 1990, it is orgasmically screaming 80s to me. I love it all. I just...love all 80s music. Hell, even artists whose work I don't like have at least one or 2 good 80s songs.
</STRONG>

I feel the same as outofplacechild even though there are some songs of the 80's that are remakes of 60's songs like "I Think We're Alone Now" by Tiffany, and "Mony Mony" by Billy Idol. Both songs originally done by Tommy James and the Shondells. Still, they were all great songs.

"Cruel Summer" or "Jessie's Girl" were always a favorite in the 80's for me, but then I also liked "Broken Wings" and "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister.

<FONT COLOR="#6699cc" SIZE="1">[ June 16, 2001 04:46 PM: Message edited by: Sarg ]</font>

Originally posted by Vilji:
<STRONG>
"I touch roses.."
'if you think I'm magical, because roses
bloom with my touch..
(name that group)</STRONG>

Wasn't that Book of Love? Did they ever have another hit?

Originally posted by Sarg:
[QB]"Cruel Summer" or "Jessie's Girl" were always a favorite in the 80's for me, but then I also liked "Broken Wings" and "Kyrie" by Mr. Mister.
QB]

Can't belive I forgot Mr. Mister... <img src="rolleyes.gif" border="0">

60s cover are mostly bound to be good, whatever shape they come in! <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> A piece of my heart belongs to that decade...

Originally posted by Bogie:
<STRONG>[QUOTE]Originally posted by Vilji:
[qb]
"I touch roses.."
'if you think I'm magical, because roses
bloom with my touch..
(name that group)</STRONG>

Wasn't that Book of Love? Did they ever have another hit?

"I want to be where the boys are,
but I'm not allowed.
On the other side of the boys bar,
with them"...(don't know this part)
I'm not a ....boy.."

(not sure exactly what she means by that. i'm sure they wouldnt mind her hanging out with them..lol)
i guess i'm not surprised it was you who knew the 'roses' song.
<img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

<FONT COLOR="#6699cc" SIZE="1">[ June 17, 2001 08:33 AM: Message edited by: Vilji ]</font>

Originally posted by Vilji:
Wasn't that Book of Love? Did they ever have another hit?


They had "Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls" which reached #90 in 88. The only song of theirs to crack the Hot 100. I also liked there song "Boy."

<FONT COLOR="#6699cc" SIZE="1">[ June 17, 2001 10:21 PM: Message edited by: TJ ]</font>

"Don't Put Another Dime In The Jukebox" by The Flirts, from the Valley Girl soundtrack, simply screams the 80s to me!!! <img src="biggrin.gif" border="0">

Raiders of the Lost 80s (http://www.SwiftSite.com/80sdude)

Some songs that Scream 80's

Club Tropicana - Wham
Come on Eileen - Dexys Midnite Runners
Ask - The Smiths
Happy Hour - The Housemartins
Flashdance - Irene Cara
Relax - FGTH
Purple Rain - Prince
The Power of Love - Jennifer Rush

Hmm..let me think. I could name only about 500 songs right off the bat! LOL!

Sunglasses at night.... Corey Hart.

Miami Vice theme song...

Footloose(Big Time)
Fame
Wake me up be for you go-go
Walking on sunshine
Safety Dance

Pretty much anything off an 80's movie soundtrack...it takes you back double time...

(Don't You) Forget About Me - Simple Minds
If You Were Here - Thompson Twins
If You Leave - OMD
The Power of Love - Huey Lewis & The News
Who's Johnny? - El DeBarge

Just to name a few...remembering the film and music just bring back the atmosphere...new wave/romantic in general tends to do that as well :verycool: Of course, that's just from one perspective...;)

I'll try to go with three that, whenever I hear them, I can see, hear. and taste the '80s.

Master and Servant - Depeche Mode.
West End Girls - Pet Shop Boys
Relax - Frankie Goes to Hollywood.

They may or may not have been my all-time favourites, and I may hear some other one tomorrow that would bump one of 'em off the list but off the top of my ass, those are the three songs that scream the '80s to me.

I melt with you-Modern English
Billie Jean-Michael Jackson
Physical-Olivia Newton-John
Shout-Tears for Fears
Steppin' out-Joe Jackson
Sweet dreams (are made of this)-Eurythmics
Come on Eileen-Dexy's Midnight Runners
Don't stop believin'-Journey
Rock the casbah-Clash
Celebration-Kool and the Gang
I feel for you-Chaka Khan

The main ones for me are Valley Girl, Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Rio, Like A Virgin and Blue Monday.

All new wave from the early 80's

Girls just wanna have fun
comeon Eileen
Talkin in your sleep
six months in a leaky boat
i ran
99 red balloons
all stand out

For me, it's Axel F. :D

"Pop Muzik" - M
(Even though it was a 1979 hit, it was a sign of things to come.)

"Turning Japanese" - The Vapors

"Bette Davis Eyes" - Kim Carnes

"Don't You Want Me" - The Human League

"Africa" - Toto

"Hungry Like The Wolf" - Duran Duran

"Der Kommisaar" - After The Fire

"Photograph" - Def Leppard

"Burning Down The House" - Talking Heads

"The Politics Of Dancing" - Reflex

"Ghostbusters" - Ray Parker Jr.

"Sunglasses At Night" - Corey Hart

"One More Night" - Phil Collins

"Don't You (Forget About Me)" - Simple Minds

"Rock Me Amadeus" - Falco

"Let's Go All The Way" - Sly Fox

"West End Girls" - Pet Shop Boys

"The Rain" - Oran "Juice" Jones

"Control" - Janet Jackson

"The Honeythief" - Hipsway

"Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You" - Glenn Medeiros

"Let Me Be The One" - Expose

"Need You Tonight" - INXS

"Wishing Well" - Terence Trent D'Arby

"Electric Blue" - Icehouse

"Nite And Day" - Al B. Sure!

"Every Rose Has Its Thorn" - Poison

"Armageddon It" - Def Leppard

"Girl You Know It's True" - Milli Vanilli

"Cold Hearted" - Paula Abdul

"Hangin' Tough" - New Kids On The Block

:hammer:

I might also add...the two years that scream 80's the most to me were 1983 and 1984. :)

"Send me an angel" by Real Life always puts me back in the '80's.
As well as "Promises Promises" by Naked Eyes
and "She's a beauty" by The Tubes

"Hold Me Now" by The Thompson Twins

"Don't You Want Me" and "(Keep Feeling) Fascination" - Human League
"Our House" - Madness
"Tarzan Boy" - Baltimora
"You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)" - Dead Or Alive
"Don't You (Forget About Me)" - Simple Minds
"Rio" - Duran Duran
"Relax" - Frankie Goes To Hollywood

lol I just remembered one that I had to add:

"(My girl wants to) Party all the time" by Eddie Murphy (Rick James made a special appearance in this as well)

Can't hear this and not think of the 80's

Ultravox - Vienna
Visage - Damned don't cry
Stranglers - Golden Brown
Spandau Ballet - Cut a long story short

Duran Duran - Hungry like the wolf
New Order - Blue Monday
Landscape - Einstein-a-go-go
Toni Basil - Mickey
Frankie goes to Hollywood - Relax
Madness - It must be love
Diana Ross - Chain Reaction
Pete Godwin - Images of Heaven
Soft Cell - What
B-Movie - Remembrance day
Joy Division - Love will tear us apart
Paul Young - Love of the common people
O.M.D. - Enola Gay

It's hard to know what to leave out there's so many more that scream out the 80's to me. :yesnod:

State of the Nation by Industry screams out 80's to me!

I would say Kajagoogoo's Too Shy, because it has such 80s sounds, like that weird sound in the beginning that goes something like a race car going by really fast somewhere in the distance and that part between the verses and the chorus. That is really 80s to me, those weird synth hooks. Mr. Mister's Broken Wings has this sound also a bit. And Corey Hart's Sunglasses At Night. Don Henley's Boys Of Summer. Kim Carnes' Bette Davis Eyes. And there are probably more, but i keep it with these.

For me, these SCREAM the 80s! :D
1. Pour Some Sugar on Me -Def Leppard
2. Wanted Dead or Alive -Bon Jovi
3. Home Sweet Home -Motley Crue
4. Little Suzy -Tesla
5. Wait :lol: -White Lion
6. Last in Line -Dio
7. Bark at the Moon -Ozzy
8. Shake Me -Cinderella
9. Lay it Down -Ratt
10. Cum on Feel the Noize -Quiet Riot
11. It's Not Love -Dokken
12. The Reflex -Duran Duran
13. Twilight Zone -Golden Earring
14. Rock Me -Great White
15. Lick it Up -Kiss
16. Talk Dirty to Me -Poison
17. 10, 000 Lovers -TNT
18. Panama -Van Halen

Love Plus One by Haircut One Hundred. You'd never hear a song like that these days :lol:

how about me now, going, "Aaarrgh!! Take me back to the 80's!!"

Two songs that just Scream 80's to me are:

Cyndi Lauper - Girl's Just Wanna Have Fun
Devo - Whip It

I think it is the sound of them and of course the videos!

Peter Schilling- Major Tom(Coming Home)
David Bowie - Lets Dance
Wham! - Wake Me Up Before you Go Go
Pat Benatar - Love is a Battlefield
Information Society - Whats on Your Mind (Pure Energy)
Real Life - Send Me an Angel

I think you take a dash of True Blue by Madonna, add some Vital Signs by Survivor, stir in Toto IV and some Songs From the Big Chair, and finish it off with a little bit of Slippery When Wet and you will get a very 80's flavor.

"Hold Me Now" - Thompson Twins

and some song that goes, "we're only human after all..."
thought it was Tears For Fears but it's not. Who sings that song???

Also...."Love Bites" or "Pour Some Sugar On Me" is very 1987.

Njs4ever.com

Trans-X - Living on Video screams 80's Dance to me

MERRY XMAS EVERY ONE-- SHAKIN STEVENS, WHEN I SEE IT ON TELLY IT JUST TAKES ME BACK TO WHEN I WAS LITTLE. :mwaha:

"Hold Me Now" - Thompson Twins

and some song that goes, "we're only human after all..."
thought it was Tears For Fears but it's not. Who sings that song???

Njs4ever.com


I think it was Animotion who did that song, the same group that did that song, "Don't you want me baby? Don't you want me ohhhhh?" (another awesome song)

and some song that goes, "we're only human after all..."
thought it was Tears For Fears but it's not. Who sings that song???

Something About You by Level 42

"If ever our love was concealed
No one can say that we didn’t feel
A million things
And a perfect dream of life ... gone
Fragile but free
We remain tender together
If not so in love
And it’s not so wrong
We’re only human after all"

Here are my songs that scream the 80's to me : :D

Photograph - Def Leppard
Bringing On The Heartbreak - Def Leppard
Whip It - Devo
In A Big Country - Big Country
Cruel Summer - Bananarama
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
Don't You Want Me - Human League
967 - 5309 ( Jenny )- Tommy Tutone
I Love Rock- n- Roll - Joan Jett
Take Me On - A -Ha
Physical - Olivia Newton - John
She's A Beauty - Tubes
Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran
Too Shy - Kajagoogoo
Cum On Feel The Noise - Quiet Riot
Breaking The Chains - Dokken
99 Luft Balloons - Nena
Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield ( I am Jesse's girl :love: )
Sunglasses At Night - Corey Hart
Missing You - John Waite

Here are a few things that reminds me very well of the 80's everytime I hear or see them:

Music
Tina Turner:What's love got to do with it?
Madonna:Like a virgin
Cindy Lauper:Girls just want to have fun
Bruce Springsteen:Born in the U.S.A.

Movies
Purple Rain...still watching the VHS from time to time
Raging Bull...DeNiro's best movie in MHO

and when I think of the eighties,I remember the rise to fame of Hulk Hogan and the WWF...t'was something very big at the time.