#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"

#72. "Monkey Gone To Heaven" - Pixies (1989)

Lyrically, "Monkey Gone to Heaven" by the Pixies tackles serious subjects like God and the growing environment issues of the day e.g. pollution, ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect.

Musically, the tune sounds breezy and cool with a folky chorus, although it does have a somewhat menacing bassline.

The alternating loud-soft verses preceded and influenced Kirk Cobain and Nirvana's sound from their 1991 album Nevermind. 

The breakdown could possibly be the first time that the alt-rock talk-scream trademark vocal was delivered: 

"If man is 5 / Then the devil is 6 / And if the devil is six / Then god is 7"

So in summary, the Pixies were creating grunge before the official grunge era kicked in.

Another equally popular single from the 80s had been resurrected in the 2009 (500) Days of Summer film soundtrack:

#73. "Big Time" - Peter Gabriel (1986)

I've always preferred "Big Time to "Sledgehammer".

The song kicks off with Gabriel's "Higher" vocal then takes us on a relentless ride into his vivid imagination.

"Big Time" is the 80s in a nutshell: a brash and bold sound with bombastic lyrics that satirize the 'American dream'. Watching the creative claymation video provided a natural trip back in 1986. It still captivates today. 

And the track grooves with a driving, even funky, bass. In fact, the bass was played by two band members to achieve the unique percussion sound using funk fingers. A more detailed explanation can be found on Wikipedia: 

"Using one of Levin's fretless basses, Levin handled the fingerings while Marotta hit his drumsticks on the strings, which is why the bass part sounds percussive. Inspired by this sound, Levin later invented funk fingers, which were little drumstick ends that could be attached to the fingers to achieve a similar bass guitar effect in concert."

And for good measure, The Police's Stewart Coupland plays the drums. So much larger than life. Big Time.

#74. "Bust a Move" - Young MC (1989)

We take it for granted today, but tracks like "Bust a Move" by Young MC (along with "Funky Cold Medina" by Tone Loc) vaulted hip hop to the mainstream in the late 80s.

Rumpshakin' tomfoolery is guaranteed by this old school club tune that will fill the floor with a motley crew of party animals from all the sociodemographics. 

If you ain't bustin' a move to this groove then you're  probably doing it wrong. But since my name appears in the lyrics, I may be a little overprotective about this catchy number.

Fun fact: Flea from the Chili Peppers is responsible for that peppy bass line.

Move it boi!

#75. "Synchronicity II" - The Police (1983)

"Synchronicity II" is a tune where the guys let loose and rock. 

It also star's Sting on the soapbox to share an important message.

While teetering and swinging amid a futuristic apocalyptic garbage heap, an especially  intense Sting describes in the verses how our so-called modern society, in the pursuit of material possessions and hellish suburban commutes, ultimately destroys our relationships and the natural world.

One of my fave lyrics of all time, "packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes", really drives the message home. By the end of the clip, a Loch Ness monster has been awakened "many miles away" and apparently on its way to settle the score.

I used to think a lot about "Synchronicity II" when I moved back to Clare from Halifax in spring 2003. My alternative interpretation of the lyrics made me appreciate the serene lake view that symbolized the Scottish loch “many miles away” from soul-sapping suburbia. 

Not to be confused with Synchronicity the album, "Synchronicity I" the song is another high energy offering from a group that ended up disbanding soon after, arguably still in their prime years.