Mr. Plow's Top 100 Songs of the 80's

Want some flashback material made up of a lot of (mostly) not-so-top-100 songs?

(apparently the guy who came up with these included some stuff that was more popular in other countries than the U.S.)

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(there are actually a few scattered among those that I liked)


Dude's youtube channel...

http://www.youtube.com/user/meliberty

Big Bang

Big Show 2011

February 25th. Seoul, Korea.

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10. The Living Years - Mike & the Mechanics / 1989 (best song of the year, it's odd that I like it so much given how little regard I have for my own dad)

9. Centerfold - J. Geils Band / 1982 (I'm a bit surprised that this turned out to be my top song from '82, but when i look back at the list, I don't see one I like better. These two provide a nice contrast, a "message" song - which in many cases I like back-to-back with utter feel-good fluff...but irresistible fluff)

8. Ways to be Wicked - Lone Justice / 1985 (one of the great tragedies of the decade is that they couldn't keep this crowd together making songs like this.My favorite "one hit wonder" of the decade)

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7. All Over the World - ELO / 1980 (There's a pretty obvious clue in this thread what my all time favorite soundtrack album is, donchathink?)

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6. Billy Jean - Michael Jackson / 1983 (arrangement, production, performance...this is just about as technically perfect song as I've ever heard. I can't really conceive that anyone might remix it or alter it in any way and do anything but the musical equivilant of wiping snot on the Mona Lisa)

5. With or Without You - U2 / 1987 (I'll argue The Joshua Tree deserves to be in the conversation about the best albums ever)

4. Urgent - Foreigner / 1981 (probably the very peak of their career, the sax puts it way over the top)

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3. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around - Tom Petty & Stevie Nicks / 1981 (I couldn't help but chuckle when Mr. Plow commented that "Leather and lace" was much better than "that one with Stevie Nicks" - it would see we disagree!)

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2. Against the Wind - Bob Seger / 1980 (I can't help but notice that a lot of the songs that were all-time classics to me were not ever the #1 song in any given week, let alone among the top songs for the year. I'm not sure what the lesson is when the charts so often completely fail to reflect what is actually the best music available - and i say "best" in the sense of how we look back 10 or 20 years later as a culture and value this song and not that one)


1. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2 / 1987 (I could have, on pure musical artistry, not felt too very bad about ranking these last three songs offf the same album as 1,2,3, on this list. This one edges out for me because i have a strong emotional connection to the lyrics. Surely in my Top 10 all time songs)

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Thanks to Mr. Plow and Nova for posting these really interesting lists.

To see the video of Nova's #1 song, open the YouTube box,
then click on the blue bar.

Here are the songs that made both lists:

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
With or Without You - U2
Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
Man in the Mirror - Michael Jackson
Another One Bites the Dust - Queen
Don't Do Me Like That - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds
Magic - Olivia Newton-John
Jungle Love - The Time
Our House - Madness
Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears for Fears
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns 'n' Roses

The Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News,
was on the list Mr. Plow posted after the countdown.

Mr. Plow and Nova each selected a song by U2 as their #1 song of the 1980's.

It's finally here!

Cobalt's Twelve Timeless Songs of the 1980's.

A look at the '80's from a different direction.

Let's get started!


#12 - The Loco-Motion - Kylie Minogue - 1987

A performance of this song, at a charity event,
led to Kylie Mingoue's first recording contract.

The Loco-Motion was #1 in Australia for seven weeks, in 1987.

Released internationally in 1988, it went to #2 in the U.K.,
and #3 in the U.S.A.

The original version of this song, by Little Eva, hit #1 in the U.S., in 1962;
and was #350 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Songs of All Time.


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written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King.

Twelve Timeless Songs

#11 - Love Shack - The B-52's - 1989

The B-52's were from Athens, Georgia.

They had developed a following, as a touring band,
but this was their first Top 40 hit.

Love Shack peaked at #3 in the U.S., #2 in the U.K.;
and held the #1 spot, for eight weeks, in Australia.

Rolling Stone Magazine named this song "Best Single of 1989",
and it was #243 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Songs of All Time.


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Written by Fred Schneider, Kate Pierson,
Cindy Wilson and Keith Strickland. (The B-52's.)

Twelve Timeless Songs


#10 - I Just Called to Say I Love You - Steve Wonder - 1984

Stevie Wonder wrote and recorded this song for the movie "The Woman in Red".

The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

"I Just Called to Say I Love You" was a #1 hit in the U.S. and in the U.K..
The seventh of eight #1 songs for Stevie Wonder, covering the period from 1963 to 1985.


The video takes us to Hokkaido, Japan's northern island.


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Written by Stevie Wonder

Twelve Timeless Songs

#9 - It's Just a Matter of Time - Randy Travis - 1989


One of 16 #1 Country hits for Randy Travis.

Brook Benton's recording of this song peaked at #3 in the U.S., in 1959.


To watch this video, open the YouTube box, and click on the blue bar.

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Written by Brook Benton, Clyde Otis and Belford Hendricks.

Twelve Timeless Songs

#8 - The Power of Love - Huey Lewis and the News - 1985


Is it the song, or is it the movie?

The movie is great, but the song is very good;
and so is our video.

The first #1 hit for Huey Lewis and the News.


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Written by Huey Lewis, Chris Hayes and Johnny Colla.

#7 - What's Love Got to Do With It - Tina Turner - 1984


Ike and Tina Turner broke into the Billboard Top 40 with
"A Fool in Love", in 1960.

Tina Turner made her last appearence in the Top Ten with
"I Don't Want to Fight", in 1993.

"What's Love Got to Do With It" hit #1 in the U.S., in September of "84.

It won Grammy Awards for Song of the Year, and Record of the Year;
and was #309 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Songs of All Time.


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Written by Terry Britten and Lyle Graham

#6 - If Tomorrow Never Comes - Garth Brooks -1989


Garth Brooks brought the idea for this song to songwriter Kent Blazy,
and it was included in Brooks' first album.

The single was released in September,
and it topped the country chart on December 9, 1989.

The first of 20 #1 country hits for Garth Brooks.


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Written by Garth Brooks and Kent Blazy

Twelve Timeless Songs


#5 - Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen - 1985


Glory Days was included in Springsteen's most successful album, "Born in the USA".

This was the best selling album of 1985, and it produced seven Top Ten singles.

Glory Days was released in the summer, and rose to #5 on the U.S. chart.


Here are Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, and the E Street Band
performing in Glastonbury, Scotland, in 2009.

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Written by Bruce Springsteen

"Cover Me" was the best song on BITUSA.

BTW though it came out ten years prior, "Thunder Road" is the best BS song ever, end of story.

#4 - Billie Jean - Michael Jackson - 1983


Motown 25, a concert to honor the 25th anniversary of Motown Records,
was held on March 25, 1983, and televisied on May 16.

Featured performers included The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Supremes,
Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gay and Lionel Richie.

Following a reunion with the Jackson 5,
Michael Jackson delivered this stunning performance:

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Written by Michael Jackson
Produced by Quincy Jones

Billie Jean was #1 in the U.S. for seven weeks beginning in March of '83,
and was #58 on Rolling Stone's Greatest Songs of All time.

Twelve Timeless Songs


#3 - Lost in the Fifties Tonight - Ronnie Milsap - 1985


For the chorus of this song, Mike Reid and Troy Seals borrowed lines from "In the Still of the Night",
which was written by Fred Parris.

"Lost in the Fifties Tonight" was the best selling country song of 1985.
It won two Grammy Awards, and was named Song of the Year by the Academy of Country Music.

This is one of 37 #1 country songs for Ronnie Milsap.


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Written by Fred Parris, Mike Ried and Troy Seals.

Twelve Timeless Songs


#2 - Money for Nothing - Dire Straits - 1985


The 10th annual Prince's Trust Concert was held on June 20, 1986, in Wembley Arena.

The charity event was hosted by Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

Performers that night included Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, and Brian Adams.

The artists teamed up with each other, creating all-star combinations, including this one:

Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits,
with Sting, Elton John, Eric Clapton and Phil Collins.


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Written by Mark Knopfler and Sting

Twelve Timeless Songs


#1 - We Are the World - USA for Africa - 1985


"We Are the World" was recorded at A&M studios, in Hollywood.

The artists came directly from the American Music Awards,
which were held at the Shrine Auditorium, in downtown Los Angeles.

Recording began at 10:30, on the night of Janaury 28,
and finished at 8:00, the next morning.

The quality of the contrasting vocal performances,
makes this project a tremendous achievement.

The single has sold 20 million copies,
and raised $63 million for humanitarian aid in Africa and the U.S..


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Written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie
Arranged and Produced by Quincy Jones


Soloists in order of appearance

Lionel Richie
Stevie Wonder
Paul Simon
Kenny Rodgers
James Ingram
Tina Turner
Billy Joel
Michael Jackson
Diana Ross
Dionne Warwick
Willie Nelson
Al Jarreau
Bruce Springsteen
Kenny Loggins
Steve Perry
Darrell Hall
Huey Lewis
Cyndi Lauper
Kim Carnes
Bob Dylan
Ray Charles


That's our show.
Thanks for your support and comments.
Please drive safely.