Which song best defines the 80's?

[elegant20]

I remember Dead or Alive's hit song. Wow....was 1985 really that old? LOL. That shows my age.

Have you seen Pete Burns lately? The guy is a cosmetic mess recently. He sort of morphing into a male version of the Cat Woman. If you think those big lips were the worst, just wait for the face. It looked like a powdered up Drag Queen with a surgery fetish.

 

[Mr. Snakey]

One could have this outlook about most decades:
30's - Great Depression
40's - World War II
50's - Cold War and real fear of nuclear war with people building bomb shelters
60's - Vietnam and Civil Rights
70's - Bad Economy, Gas Shortages, Nixon, Ford, Carter and Disco...

I did not mean to imply all was doom and gloom in the 80's. The economy was booming. You could find a job. Good times and good music. Our economy now is in the worst shape since the great depression. One of my favorite bands from the 80's was Ultravox.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9WdUgn0XkU
Ultravox - Vienna

 

[Nottswanker]

Blue Monday is a good one.
Also "Don't you want me?" by the Human League.

 

[superbot]

...also,'Fade to Grey'-Visage.

 

[D_Natalie Attired]

under the milky way - the church

 

[nudeyorker]

I loved this whole album, but this song was the one that was the hit... there was a period of time after this when all the woman I knew looked very much like these gals...Addicted To Love

 

[Xcuze]

Have you seen Pete Burns lately? The guy is a cosmetic mess recently.

Saw him on TV the other day and was horrified. He was OTT enough a few years ago(yet bearable and intriguing) but now he is in Bride of Wildenstein territory for sure;

Pete 2010
2005/1985

still love his personality though.

and..

Don't you want me - Human league.

 

[Mem]

Let's Go to Bed by The Cure is very 80's.

 

[nudeyorker]

I had such a crush on Huey Lewis in the 80's. I met him on an elevator in 1985 and almost jizzed in my jeans. This is still one of my favorites...
If This Is It

 

[Hotrocker]

Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis and the News LOL

No, really... I'd have to say... hmmmm: Billie Jean - Michael Jackson

 

[Hotrocker]

Damnit nude, you beat me to huey lewis

 

[nudeyorker]

Damnit nude, you beat me to huey lewis

There is plenty of Huey to share! Last thought on 80's music for the night. I remember listening to this Sunglasses At Night
Wearing these...Porsche Wraps
And feeling too cool for school!

 

[Empathizer]

What? No Tears For Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule the World," yet?

And no Pet Shop Boys -- "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)"?

 

[nudeyorker]

I completely forgot that this was from the 80's! It is still one of my favorite songs of all time and sadly summed up the 80's for me so this is my final contribution. (I think)
But It's A Nice Dream
Written by Peter Allen for Dusty Springfield for the movie Kiss Me Goodbye

 

[Mr. Snakey]

I loved this whole album, but this song was the one that was the hit... there was a period of time after this when all the woman I knew looked very much like these gals...Addicted To Love

The late great Robert Palmer. He is sadly missed. May i add a few of my favorites of his songs from the 80's? Such a gifted singer and songwriter.

Simply Irresistible

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrGw_cOgwa8

John and Mary
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkIfMfWKYBA

 

[D_Chaumbrelayne_Copprehead]

Best defines the 80s? Dunno ... but absolutely one of my favorite songs from the 80s: Thompson Twins, "Hold Me Now"

 

[Mickactual]

Also "Don't you want me?" by the Human League.

Great choice. So many great songs:
TOMMY TUTONE - 867-5309 (Jenny)
A FLOCK OF SEAGULLS - I Ran
MR. MISTER - Broken Wings
ZZ TOP - Gimme All Your Lovin’
DURAN DURAN - Hungry Like The Wolf
MEN AT WORK - Who Can It Be Now?
THE B-52’s - Roam

I could go on and on. I think if I had to choose one song, it would be THE BUGGLES - Video Killed The Radio Star because it launched both the decade and MTV.

 

[nudeyorker]

Here is another one I liked and oddly summed up the 80'sLawyers In Love

 

[Ethyl]

The late great Robert Palmer. He is sadly missed. May i add a few of my favorites of his songs from the 80's? Such a gifted singer and songwriter.

This one is from Heavy Nova. Not as popular as others but it makes me smile when I hear it:

She makes my day

I'm surprised I haven't seen this yet:

Nena - 99 Luft Balloons

But i'd have to say this song embodies the 80's for me:

The Police - Every Breath You Take


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[Bbucko]

And no Pet Shop Boys -- "Opportunities (Let's Make Lots Of Money)"?

Great choice, as would be Rent.

When I'm feeling wistful about the scores (I stopped counting at 60) of friends lost to HIV/AIDS, Electric Dreams can still push out an involuntary tear.

The 80s were really divided into the earlier part (up until about '84) which was a difficult, recessionary time fraught with fear of Ronny Ray-Gun's finger on the button of Armageddon. This was followed by a nihilistic impulse to consume as conspicuously as possible, but always with a touch of regret and mourning and an overlay of irony. As such, there really can be no one definitive song for all of it.

Other good choices for the earlier phase might include:

VooDoo Economics

99 Red Balloons

Echo Beach

Send Me An Angel

Electricity

Never Say Never

...and, of course, the ultimate excessive gay sex song:

So Many Men, So Little Time :wink:

Later 80s were much more like these:

One Night In Bangkok

Been Around The Word

Only A Memory

Missing

Teardrops

Boy Blue

ETA: This post took so long that Ethyl and I had the same idea regarding Nena. Great minds post alike