#56. "Eurasian Eyes" - Corey Hart (1986)

Did you always notice Corey Hart is running away in his videos?

Let’s take a moment to flashback and reflect on the essential elements of the quintessential Corey Hart video from the heydays circa 1985-86:

1. Running away from home, work, girlfriend, power outage. Check.

2. Alone and troubled, hands planted on face. Uh-huh.

3. Cold and lonely, and all dressed up with nowhere to go. Yep.  

Usually by the time a 4th single from an album rolls around it's often a questionable number tossed out there in an attempt to keep the artist in the limelight. But this time it isn't a sappy ballad about never giving up: this time he's missing a woman.

I'd argue that "Eurasian Eyes" is not only the best song on the prolific Boy in the Box album, it's his top song period.

It's also long been one of my favourite songs to play in the winter. 

The atmospheric music is outstanding, a moody mid-tempo track with an exotic vibe (no wonder it made the 9 1/2 weeks soundtrack) that accompanies Corey's passionate ruminations perfectly.

Fave lyrics: "Now I'm the one that lacks the eloquence to say".

"Sunglasses at Night" had made an earlier version of the top 100. And on some days it probably would, so here it is for those of you that may feel cheated about this glaring omission: 

#57. "Kiss You (When it's Dangerous)" - Eight Seconds (1986)

I've always been mega-fond of this one-hit wonder from the Ottawa area and thought it deserved a higher ranking.

Looking back we may have gotten it wrong a few times. While sappier songs like "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" by Glass Tiger topped the charts, underrated melancholic gems like "Kiss You (When it's Dangerous)" barely cracked the top 20.

The keyboard-driven tune has an irresistible chorus and a fall vibe. Now over thirty years since its release, it's accurate to say that "Kiss You (When it's Dangerous)" is one of Canada's best contributions to the timeless new wave sound from the 80s.  

Fave lyric: "Of all things the thing that I want most, to catch you at the point where you don't have a clue."

#58. "Don’t Walk On Past" - Blue Peter (1983)

This is the first of three Canadian songs in a row on this chart (yeah, Canada's music scene kinda boomed in the 80s). 

Let's make a blender shall we... 

Toss in a slice of Duran Duran groove (think "Rio"), mix in the suave sound of ABC, a dash of Roxy Music for inspiration, and a suit from a Spandau Ballet member and you get Toronto's Blue Peter one-hit wonder "Don't Walk Past".

Yeah, it may be borderline cheese but it's iconic at the same time. 

The tune has an immaculate arrangement and I always get a kick out of the blinking timed perfectly with the drums early in the clip. 

"Don't Walk Past" has an equally epic and unquestionably dated video featuring several period conventions: 
- a typewriter
- smoking in the office (albeit after hours)
- martini glasses: I counted 5 empty glasses and I ain't judging 
- fog (yes!)
- henchmen appearing from thin air aka the magic of video, 
- and the highlight: some of the slickest dance moves ever performed in a suit...plus bonus moves at 3:05 from former MuchMusic VJ Rick the Temp in the lower inset. 

It's too bad the tune never got any traction in the US or UK markets. 

#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.

#60. "White Wedding" - Billy Idol (1982)

Hey little sister...oh how I loved this tune! 

"White Wedding" may not have been a 'punk' song in the purest sense, but it was the high-water mark for what constituted the concept of "cool" to me in 1982 as a 13-year-old growing up in the safe confines of suburbia. 

A rare track we both liked, my brother and I used to emulate Billy Idol's iconic move of unwrapping his head scarf with improvised towels while singing along to the first verse.  

"White Wedding" was an anthem of attitude with all the fixings: epic opening, ladies in leather, fist-shaking, growling, cult-like proceedings, great guitar solo, smashed windows, exploding toasters and screaming bordering on caterwauling. 

Who cares what the lyrics mean, "White Wedding" is all about the delivery.