Songs that define the 80's

Boz Scaggs is on the list of good 80's acts that almost never get mentioned when people start reminiscing about the 80's - but should be.

Boz was more of a 70's act, as far as when his best music came out. Anyway here is a list of songs that defile the 80's!

https://www.ranker.com/list/worst-songs-of-the-80s/ranker-music

George Strait
Does Fort Worth Ever Cross Your Mind
1984



Written by Whitey Schafer and Darlene Schafer

The best Toto song was Rosanna, because Cynthia Rhodes was in the video.

Winwood: "Back in the High Life"

Kind of my theme song at the time. Don't know how I forgot it...

I was thinking more along how you'd mentioned being a fan of The Clash and the revelation that you know Madness was more than one hit (hell, they were in a Colgate commercial with Baggy Trousers) implying you likely have a few ska records in the playlists.

asked and answered

two more
one you likely know,



the other, maybe not.

a bit of this...

I do currently have some ska on my USB for in my car. Toots and The Maytals! You probably already know about them, but just in case you don't they predate reggae by a few years. Yes, they did the original Clash hit "Pressure Drop" and "Monkey Man" covered by the Specials (I think or some TwoTone record label band). "Sweet & Dandy" is another one of my favorites depending on which version since I think they recorded it a couple of different ways.

But if you really want to piss me off call the Clash just a "punk band." They could do it all! London Calling is the best (all killer no filler) double album ever made, full stop.
Every-single-song is good to great. And so many styles but the whole thing just works. And sadly but typically (here in the US in 1978) what was the big radio hit?
Fucking "Train In Vain." Not a bad song, but come on! The music business is full of clueless, soulless morons! That song isn't even close to being the best on that album.
And realistically not many people heard of them until "Rock The Casbah" and "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" but thanks for nothing folks, that was the end of their career and they went off to do solo projects. Okay now I'm getting pissed off thinking about it. BTW the best Clash song (if I had to pick one) is "Tommy Gun" or maybe "Safe European Home."

They weren't "a" punk band.

the were "the" punk band.

yes they did "punk" I guess but they were much more. When I think of punk I think of minimally talented musicians and shouted, incomprehensible lyrics and unmitigated aggression. The Clash had the hooks, the melodies and the musical means to get their songs across to a broad audience.

I've heard of Pigbag because when I was stationed in England I heard them mentioned on Top Of The Pops and other shows. For some reason I just I remembered Bad Manners (lead by Buster Bloodvessel) was quite popular when I was there too and they do have quite a few good songs.

That "class of '77" punk was pretty diverse musically speaking, but I think you're getting ahead of yourself on the timeline with the more hardcore. when I think of their cohort, it'd be this compilation.. well, at least maybe the first 3/4 of it. By the time you get to the end of the third, you're into early hardcore.








A1–BuzzcocksBoredom
A2–The FallBingo Masters Breakout
A3–Wire1, 2 X U
A4–ATV*Life
A5–101'ers*Keys To Your Heart
A6–999I'm Alive
A7–Adverts*Gary Gilmore's Eyes
A8–Dave Goodman And FriendsJustifiable Homicide
A9–Slaughter And The DogsWhere Have All The Boot Boys Gone
B1–Stranglers*(Get A) Grip On (Yourself)
B2–Generation X (4)Your Generation
B3–Vibrators*Baby, Baby
B4–X Ray Spex*Identity
B5–Swell MapsRead About Seymour
B6–The Saints (2)I'm Stranded
B7–Heartbreakers*Chinese Rocks
B8–Eater (2)Lock It Up
B9–Lurkers*Ain't Got A Clue
C1–Adam And The AntsLady
C2–The DamnedLove Song
C3–Boomtown Rats*Looking After No. 1
C4–Spizz Energi*Where's Captain Kirk
C5–The RutsIn A Rut
C6–Sham 69Angels With Dirty Faces
C7–UK SubsStranglehold
C8–Cockney RejectsFlares And Slippers
C9–Killing JokeThe Wait
C10–Anti-PastiNo Goverment
D1–Dead Kennedy's*Holiday In Cambodia
D2–The ExploitedDead Cities
D3–Vice SquadLast Rockers
D4–The BusinessHarry May
D5–Partisans*Police Story
D6–Blitz (3)Someone's Gonna Die
D7–GBH*City Baby Attacked By Rats
D8–Disorder (3)Complete Disorder
D9–Attila The StockbrokerRussians In The DHSS
D10–Angelic UpstartsLust For Glory

I've heard some of the bands on the list. I'm quite familiar with The Dead Kennedys and had a few of their albums and I think my son does too.

Randy Travis
On the Other Hand
1985



Written by Paul Overstreet and Don Schlitz

The Tochi song at the end is fire

there's several actual GOOD songs on that list. Some folks ain't got no taste.

like "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin" for example.

Also, the list reminded me of another very 80's act...



Speaking of which, given how much Hollywood likes reviving-rebooting old movies, where's my revival of Romancing the Stone?

Probably prefer Amarillo by Morning personally.

Country in the 80's, like pop, was a mix of absolute schlock and also memorable stuff that sticks with you.

Some of my faves:

Alabama's album Feels So Right is near perfect for the genre and there were a dozen or so other great songs of theirs in the decade
I like this one both for the song and the fun video

at least half a dozen by The Judds during the 80's, maybe my favorite?

Rosanne Cash - Seven Year Ache and My Baby Thinks He's a Train
Steve Earle - Copperhead Road
Willie Nelson (whom i don't love like most but this one...) - My Heroes have Always Been Cowboys
Willie & Merle - Poncho and Lefty
I could name over a dozen Oak Ridge Boy's songs, my favorite may be this one but it's so hard to choose



And the best act, IMO, of the 90's released his first album in '89 from which came this one of my favorites

by the way, I reminded myself of one song that no one ever brings up on these conversations that i purely LOVED in '85 and was certain this band was the next big thing before it blew apart

I remember *really* liking "Shelter" by Lone Justice.

I just listened to it on YouTube, and saw there was a related video: an interview with Maria McKee about the breakup of the band. In the course of the interview, McKee picks up a guitar and belts out a song...HOLY MOTHER OF FUCK CAN THIS GIRL SING! (Go to 0:36)

No wonder I can't stand so many of you....
Your musical tastes are somewhere between uninspired and suck.

yes a great song! A little musical history - this is a song written by (or maybe selected to be used on) the Tom Petty album "Damn The Torpedoes" but never was.
I would like to hear Tom's version of it!

keep in mind - these songs might not be our personal favorites. This thread is based on popular 80's songs that most people would be familiar with. Radio friendly songs for lack of a better term.

I do not know that one. There is many I keep learning about even today. Thanks for posting this one.

defining the 80's.....consider yourselves Rick-rolled!

Here is a few more:

oh well if we're doing the goofy stuff, there's a ton of those to choose from in the 80's





and I'll see your Talking Heads and raise you Peter Gabriel