Showing posts with label 1985. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1985. Show all posts

Friday, March 1, 2019

#37. "Don’t You Forget (About Me)" - Simple Minds (1985)

"Don’t You Forget (About Me)" is one of the key anthems for those of us in Generation X.

Surprisingly, The Fixx, Bryan Ferry and Billy Idol all refused to perform the song for The Breakfast Club before Jim Kerr and The Simple Minds were approached. Their loss. The soundtracks of John Hughes' movies are the stuff of legends. 

The track oozes that slightly cheesy, seriously catchy synth-pop new wave vibe that dominated the charts the middle part of the decade. That part from the bridge to the end is the best and I can't help myself playing air drums.

Saturday, February 23, 2019

#44. "In Between Days" - The Cure (1985)

So these blokes aren't all doom and gloom as some might say.

"In Between Days" by The Cure is classic new wave and a staple at 80s parties. 

And one of the finest examples showing off the cardinal rules of new wave alt rock: melancholic lyrics and upbeat music. 

It's also one of the tightest songs of the decade at an economical 02:55.  

The intro is outstanding, immediately grabbing your attention with a wall of melodic guitars...and then come the synths. 

The lyrics allude to some sort of bizarre love triangle -- no, I'm not confusing this with New Order's tune although this song does have a New Order mid-80s kind of vibe...

In 1985, The Cure was still 'Indie pop' in North America where the mainstream wasn't ready for the likes of The Cure until a few years later...

Friday, February 22, 2019

#45. "She Sells Sanctuary" - The Cult (1985)

First things first: turn up the volume before clicking on the clip. 

Need an ice-breaker to liven up your house party / dance club / road trip? 

It's a rare sighting when headbangers, new wavers, preppies and rockers can all get down to the same groove. 

"She Sells Sanctuary" is one such song that crosses all the genres: an 80s "Kumbaya" for the feet if you will...

And how about that intro?

A ten-second tease and then lower the BOOM! A real rocker with a killer guitar riff that makes you wanna cut a rug.

Wednesday, February 20, 2019

#47. "You Spin Me Round" - Dead Or Alive (1985)

I may not have been actually clubbing at the time but I was enamored with this club song. 

From the opening beats, "You Spin Me Round" by Dead or Alive is a relentless assault on the senses. The dance inferno didn't sound like anything else charting in the spring of '85. 

The "You spin me round like a record, baby" chorus is equally inane and brilliant, the groove catchy and cheesy, and the whole production over the top. No wonder The Wedding Singer embraced it. 

I'll never forget Mom coming into the TV room while catching a glimpse of lead singer Pete Burns only to ask "What the hell is that?". 

I'll also always think of Corey Mock from our Dartmouth High days when I hear this iconic dance track. Corey absolutely loved this tune, the only guy I knew who enjoyed it more than I did! I can still see him grooving on the dance floor to it. RIP buddy.

Tuesday, February 19, 2019

#48. "How Soon is Now" - The Smiths (1985)


Full disclosure: The Smiths were a band I never got into during the 80s. It wasn't until I moved to Vancouver in the early-90s when I'd been properly introduced to them.  

But what a discovery. 

The chemistry between lead singer/songwriter/king of pain Morrissey and the genius of guitar wizard Johnny Marr is out of this world.

The majesty of the unique reverb guitar intro (best experienced on good headphones) in the opening to "How Soon Is Now" is enough alone for this track to make the list. 

Once Morrissey's lyrics of self-doubt kick in, you begin to understand why this has become the anthem of teenage angst and a big part of the trademark sound of The Smiths.

Fave lyrics: "I am the son and heir / Of nothing in particular" 

This 'alternative' sound in the 80s, now labelled as 'Classic Alternative' eventually became mainstream in the 90s thanks to Nirvana and the like.

Saturday, February 16, 2019

#52. "(Every Day is) Halloween" - Ministry (1985)

Although Ministry is more known as an industrial/metal sort of outfit, the group went through a synth phase in the mid-80s.

"(Every Day is) Halloween" is an underground dance floor anthem made for misfits.

The lyrics detail a rejection of those looking or acting differently from everyone else, “People seem to stop and stare they say/Why are you dressed like it’s Halloween/You look so absurd, you look so obscene.” 

Highlights include heavy beats, samples galore and a bouncing bass line. I love the "bop beep bop bop" that weaves in and out among the verses before the glorious chorus “Why can’t I live a life for me?/Why should I take the abuse that’s served?”

An instrumental bridge featuring deep scratching is a darker take on Herbie Hancock's "Rock It".

I've always wondered if Daft Punk got its inspiration for the innovative "Around the World" video from the cartoon characters from "Everyday is Halloween".

Saturday, February 9, 2019

#59. "Shout" - Tears For Fears (1985)

The first of four to appear on this list from Tears For Fears, you could always count on them to release strong singles. 

Following the success of a trio of synth-pop songs from their debut album The Hurting, the release of "Shout" showed the band could rock it as well. 

"Shout" embraces the big production of the 80s with a six minute build that progressively adds more instruments, more singers, and more passion. 

The iconic guitar riff and the big fat, final chorus could have lasted another minute or two with no complaints here. 

I remember everyone at least liked this song, or was it that no one hated it.

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

#62. "Everything She Wants" - Wham! (1985)

Although Wham! is often perceived as a sort of throwback 60s / teeny bopper band, George Michael was bang on when he said that "Everything She Wants" was the group's most "80s sounding" song. I also agree with him that it's Wham!'s finest.

The track has a killer groove thanks to its synth foundation and a very catchy bass line.

But it's much more than another throwaway hit: the lyrics describing disillusionment with his partner's material demands are surprisingly moving. 

Despite later bemoaning much of Wham!'s earlier material, George Michael continued to play "Everything She Wants" live when he became a solo artist.

Watch this performance from 1996's MTV Unplugged (above) and you'll hear and feel a totally different vibe from one of pop's most talented vocalists.

For comparison, check out the six-and-a-half minute original video, a version with two bridges:

Tuesday, February 5, 2019

#63. "Secret" - OMD (1985)




OMD had been around the block a few times before their smash hit "If You Leave" from Pretty in Pink made them household names in North America.

In fact, OMD (short for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) experimented with samplers and synthesizers since the mid-70s, one of the early pioneers of electronic music in the UK. I only 'discovered' them in 1985 when their singles "Secret" and "So In Love" cracked the charts in Canada on Video Hits.

"Secret" is light and fluffy slice of dreamy synth: a heartfelt tale of a secret youthful crush. 

But it's the soaring bridge that pushes "Secret" in front of the other superb single from OMD's Crush album.

From the same album, "So In Love" is another great track with a catchy bass line and some timely sax. 

Monday, January 28, 2019

#71. "19" - Paul Hardcastle (1985)


This ironic dance floor hit from the spring/summer of 1985 had a very political message.

Lyrically, Paul Hardcastle's anti-war song "19" had two main takeaways: 1. the obvious being 19 as the average age of an American combat soldier in the Vietnam War, and 2. the harsh reality of PTSD.

Musically, "19" introduced many electronica innovations to the mainstream: sampling haunting sound bites from a Vietnam War documentary, re-dubbing bugle calls and synthesizing the classic "nineteen" stutter. 

Combined with a captivating video clip, the single reached #1 on the UK and US charts (and #2 in Canada). 

I'm always conflicted when I hear "19": my mind wants to pay attention to the message while the body wants to move. 

I read somewhere on the internet that when the song was played in the clubs people would stop dancing and listen to the lyrics. Now that's powerful.

Fave lyric: not really a favourite per se, more insightful: "Eight to ten years after coming home / Almost eight-hundred-thousand men Are still fighting the Vietnam War"

Monday, January 21, 2019

#78. "Bring on the Dancing Horses" - Echo & The Bunnymen (1985)


The soaring intro on "Bring on the Dancing Horses" is an easy sell. Ian McCulloch's smooth vocals seal the deal. 

This is one of those songs where I prefer the verses to the chorus; the bass just so effortlessly glides along. It shimmers.

Often compared to U2, Echo and the Bunnymen didn't sell nearly as many albums to match their critical acclaim. Influenced by Bowie and Iggy Pop, Echo & the Bunnymen were still a popular UK post-punk band that didn't quite reach the same level of popularity of groups like Depeche Mode and The Cure.

Before "Bring on the Dancing Horses" appeared on the Pretty in Pink soundtrack (1 of 3 on this countdown), Echo & co. had success with "The Killing Moon" in '84 and later in '87 with a cover of the Doors' "People Are Strange" on The Lost Boys soundtrack. 

My second fave Echo tune is a toss up between the rocker "Lips Like Sugar" and "Bedbugs & Ballyhoo". Since I still can't decide, here are both of them:


Wednesday, January 9, 2019

#89. "Love Like Blood" - Killing Joke (1985)

"Love Like Blood" by Killing Joke sounded more like the future than an 80s song, heavily influencing the early 90s 'Nirvana' sound. It could also be what you'd expect to get from a jam between The Cure and Motley Crue.  

The tune is so tight: the driving bass and powerful drumming lead the way with an intense rhythm supported by sparse guitars and synth to produce a moody, industrial vibe. 

This is not background music and must be cranked to fully appreciate. A great track for your playlist for a road trip at night.

Sunday, December 30, 2018

#98. "Cloudbusting" - Kate Bush (1985)


"Cloudbusting" by Kate Bush is a brilliant piece of art and a risky single to release; it was so noticeably different from the standard fare on tap in 1985. 

The track also had one of the more innovative storylines in an 80s music video. In fact, it was more of a 'mini-movie'. Starring Donald Sutherland as Kate's father, he invents a machine that makes it rain. After the men in suits take Sutherland away, the 'cloud buster' only works when Kate gives it a go. 

The song itself is spellbinding, dramatic and melodic. 

The instrumentation is off the charts: the dreamy strings and the marching effect at the end are spectacular. It's a nicely-textured soft song I prefer to crank up loud on headphones to hear all the nuances like the ambient drum rolls.

A few years later while in in Vancouver record shop I remember recognizing a sample from "Cloudbusting". Turns out it was from the now classic techno club anthem "Something Good" by Utah Saints.