Category: 80s Songs

80s Songs, Australian Artists, New Wave, Synth Rock, Upbeat Songs

SONG OF THE DAY – “DON’T CHANGE” by INXS

August 28, 2014

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It’s Throwback Thursday! Today’s #tbt song is from the 1982 album Shabooh Shoobah by INXS.

I am posting a song today which brings back many memories from the 1980s.

I was inspired to post a song by INXS today because I just watched the Australian television mini-series called “Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS.” It was an incredibly well done show and I found it mesmerizing. It reminded me of so many things that happened during that time. I was also struck again at how many great songs the band put out during their run and how very talented they were. Their album, Kick, has to be one of the best albums of its time.

INXS was a tremendously popular band in the mid 80s to early 90s and at one point was even hailed to be the next U2. Michael Hutchence, lead singer, frontman, and lyricist, was absolutely a rock star and a heart-throb. They had a very unique sound to the time, bordering on New Wave, but certainly with a more edgy rock sound. This has always been one of my favorite songs from INXS, but there are certainly plenty to choose from. For those of you who grew up in the 80s, I hope you enjoy the throwback.

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80s Songs, Alternative, Punk, Rock Music, UK Artists, Upbeat Songs

SONG OF THE DAY – “SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO” by The Clash

June 5, 2014

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It’s Throwback Thursday! Today we are going back to the 80s for the #tbt song. 

Over the last few weeks, I have seen many photos of old high school friends with their children graduating from high school. Seeing all of these photos has really brought back many memories of my high school years and so I decided to post one of the most memorable songs from my high school days.

In 1982, I was just starting my sophomore year in high school and The Clash were getting tremendously popular in the US after their most successful US album, Combat Rock, had just been released in May. By that summer (and certainly by the time school started that fall), the album was huge. I can still picture the cover of the album sitting on the shelf near my turntable in my bedroom.

When I hear this song, it is just a flood of memories. I have been listening to the album today and it has been fun to remember that whole punk rock period. The 80s was an incredible time for music – so many genres during those years. I can vividly recall the way that kids danced to this song. First, there was normal (well 80s style) dancing and then … when the tempo increased … the “slamming“ ensued. I always felt like slam dancing was just a way for guys to get their aggression out, as it just looked like they were all out there beating each other up. I am certain there were girls who slam danced, but I never dared get anywhere near that pile of flailing bodies.

The Clash imploded shortly after the release of this album and their big US breakthrough, but they had already defined themselves as the “definitive British punk rockers” and became widely referred to as “The Only Band That Matters.” They were idealistic and rebellious (listen to “Know Your Rights“) and not only wrote about it, but were involved in many causes as well. They were also incredibly talented and musically adventurous. It was funny to read their story and to hear that several of their first albums and songs, which were very well received in the UK, were not released by the record company in the US because they were considered “too vulgar” for the US market. The Clash were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003 and Rolling Stone ranked them #28 on the list of Top 100 Greatest Artists in 2004.

My favorite songs by The Clash are probably “London Calling” and “Train in Vain” (both from London Calling, 1979), but today’s song is probably the most memorable and “Rock the Casbah” (both from Combat Rock, 1982) was certainly the most successful.

Enjoy the #tbt walk down memory lane. 🙂 Anyone else have memories sparked by this song?

 
80s Songs, Celtic Rock, Rock Music, UK Artists

SONG OF THE DAY – “IN A BIG COUNTRY” by Big Country

May 8, 2014

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It’s Throwback Thursday! Today we are going back to the 80s for the #tbt song. I also originally posted this as my daughter’s Song of the Day on January 1, 2010.

Today is my sister in-law’s birthday – she is also a teenager of the 80s, along with me – and this song makes me think of her. She and my brother in-law have always been, and still are, big fans of 80s music and I remember that this band was among her favorites. So to celebrate her birthday today and getting older in general, I am posting a song to remind us of our younger days. It is a great song and just makes you feel alive! I have always loved how they made the guitars sound like bagpipes … just so cool!

My sister in-law and I share quite a history. We have known each other for a very long time. She went to a different high school than I did, and is a year younger than me, but the two of us dated brothers in high school. Interestingly, when we all ended up getting married years later, it just happens that we got engaged at about the same time and got married only two weeks apart! Our lives have been very different, but we do share a unique bond and I think she is a pretty amazing and strong woman. Happy Birthday!

Big Country, a Scottish rock band formed in 1981 by Stuart Adamson and his friend (and fellow guitarist) Bruce Watson.  Drummer, Mark Brzezicki, and Bass Player, Tony Butler, were then added. The band was incredibly popular in the early 1980s. In doing a little research about the band, I discovered something new to me. Adamson also founded the punk rock band, Skids, in 1977. The song “The Saints Are Coming,” which U2 and Green Day covered in 2006 after Hurricane Katrina, was from the Skids 1979 debut album, Scared to Dance. Although I always knew the song was a cover, I did not realize that Stuart Adamson from the Skids, was also Stuart Adamson from Big Country. Anyway, just a little factoid that I found interesting and thought I would pass along.

 

80s Songs, New York Artists, World Music

SONG OF THE DAY – “THE BOY IN THE BUBBLE” by Paul Simon

March 6, 2013

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It’s Throwback Thursday! Today’s #tbt song is from Paul Simon’s 1986 album, Graceland.

I had a fabulous concert experience on Tuesday night and wanted to share that with you today. Paul Simon and Sting were incredible! The show brought back so many memories as these two musicians are legends, and absolute favorites of mine.

Paul Simon spoke first when he welcomed the crowd “to our little experiment.” The concert ran for nearly three hours, alternating between the two artists on stage performing together, and then each one alternately performing on their own. I could not believe how quickly the time passed and how flawlessly each transition segmented into the next. When they first took the stage, it was absolutely incredible to see the two of them standing up there together with 15 backup musicians behind them. It was quite a spectacle! What brought the two artists together? Well, I think they are two of the greatest singer-songwriters in history, they both have had extremely successful solo careers after breakups with their original bands, they both have a love of world music, and they both have a tremendous amount of mutual respect and admiration for each other. Of course the experiment worked!

So many amazing moments in those three hours, but here are a few favorites from the show:

  • Sting and Paul Simon performing “Bridge Over Troubled Water” together, alternating verses. Wow! One of my favorite songs made even better than the original. Sting hit the high notes and it was amazing … in fact, Paul Simon even applauded.
  • At one point during the show Sting sent Simon off the stage so that he could “have a private conversation about you” with the audience. He then told us that “Paul has been my teacher and mentor for many, many years” and then he recalled his first trip to America with The Police and said that this song reminded him of that time, at which point he broke into a stripped down version of the Simon & Garfunkel classic, “America.” Beautiful!
  • So many songs that Paul Simon performed just brought that feeling of nostalgia, reminding me of my childhood and my dad playing the album at home. One of these moments came when he sang “50 Ways To Leave Your Lover.” While my friend and I were dancing and singing along, I looked down two rows at a group of older teenage girls and one of them was holding up her phone to Shazam the song. I laughed out loud! Not sure if that made me feel old or if I was just astounded she didn’t know the song.
  • I was commenting to my friend about how amazing Sting looked (And he really did!). He doesn’t appear to have aged a day and when he took off his jacket, his arms were “ripped!” Her reply, and the funniest line of the evening, … “He looks like Mr. Clean!”
  • “Roxanne” … enough said. The song always reminds me of my husband as he used to sing it at the top of his lungs when we rode up the chairlift at Snowbird as teenagers.
  • I hate it when I find myself in the deadbeat section at a concert, but we found ourselves there on this particular evening. I loved having a friend there with me who was not afraid to get up and sing & dance along with me, even though we were the only two in our section. Lame! How do you sit down during a performance of “You Can Call Me Al,” Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” or “Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard?” Answer: You don’t!

Today’s song was the first track off Paul Simon’s groundbreaking 1986 Graceland album. I loved the performance of this song on stage Tuesday night and thought that it needed to be shared. I love the rhythm and sounds of the music. Simon wrote the lyrics to the song in American after he returned home from South Africa where he immersed himself in the music and recorded this song with South African musicians whose original song he based it on. Simon gave songwriting credits to the two South African musicians – Simon and Forere Motloheloa. It is an amazing song with a unique and beautiful sound – I love the accordion. I have been listening to it on repeat since Tuesday night. I hope you enjoy it.

80s Songs, Rock Music, Singer/Songwriter, UK Artists

SONG OF THE DAY – “FOREVER YOUNG” by Rod Stewart

February 21, 2014

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Well, today is my birthday so that explains the song choice for the day. 🙂

Yes, I am still that 40-something mom, but I am now 40-something plus one. My kids are lovely and both keep telling me that I look and act much younger than my age. haha! I keep saying that I am “OLD” and they keep telling me that I am not old! I must remember to thank them.

Seriously, I do not feel my age … well, some days I do, but I am fighting that. What is the alternative of not growing older? I will happily take another year. I actually enjoy growing older and gaining wisdom, appreciation, and perspective. Life is good and I am happy to have my 40 plus years of memories and experiences to reflect on and look forward to making many more.

This has always been one of my favorite songs. I love the lyrics and the message, and the music just makes me feel good – it has a melancholy and reflective feeling to it.

Growing up I was a huge Rod Stewart fan. I actually still love him – it is something to do with that voice and that hair, plus he is an amazing soccer (football) player. I saw him live in concert in 1996 when I lived in Phoenix and was 9 months pregnant with my first child. I could sing along with every word to every single song, unfortunately Rod could not. My husband and I went to the concert with my sister and her husband and about halfway through the concert he forgot the words to the song he was singing. He was singing “Hot Legs” – a classic! – and most of the audience just kept singing the words for him. It was hilarious, but a little pathetic. He disappeared from the stage for a minute and came back with a piece of paper and then pretended to act like he just wanted to be on his knees to sing, although we all knew he was really just looking at the lyrics on that paper. Hilarious! Anyway, that was a first and only for me in all my concert experiences, but it does make a great story.

Have a great day! I know that I will enjoy my birthday in the beautiful sunshine of Arizona – taking a trip back to one of my “homes” which also makes this song a perfect choice. 🙂

80s Songs, Electronic Music, New Wave, UK Artists

SONG OF THE DAY – “VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR” by The Buggles

January 23, 2014

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It’s Throwback Thursday! Today’s TBT song was originally posted as my daughter’s Song of the Day on January 23, 2010!

Today I am really using TBT. Yes, I originally posted this song on my daughter’s page in 2010, but this song is from 1979! I grew up on New Wave music and it is fun to post an old song from my early teenage days.

This song just came up in our house a few weeks ago when we were playing the game, Wits and Wagers. One of the questions was “In what year was the first MTV video aired on TV?” The answer also provided a little trivia by giving the name of the video. So, for those of you that are interested … “Video Killed the Radio Star” was the first video to be shown on MTV in the US at 12:01 am on August 1, 1981!

The Buggles are best known for this song which was debuted in 1979 and was Number One on the singes charts of sixteen countries! The Buggles were only together from 1977-1981, but they certainly produced a timeless classic during that short time. Enjoy a little 80s today! 🙂

80s Songs, Oldies, Singer/Songwriter, Upbeat Songs

SONG OF THE DAY – “YOU CAN CALL ME AL” by Paul Simon

November 6, 2013

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I am so excited!  I just purchased my tickets today for an incredible conert.  If you have not yet heard, Paul Simon and Sting are teaming up to go on tour together early next year.  I just got my tickets for the show at Madison Square Garden in NYC.  The best part of this show is that they will both perform individually with their own bands, and then they will perform together on stage as well.  I love both of these artists; loved them when they were with their previous groups (Simon & Garfunkel and The Police) and as soloists.  I wanted to use one of their songs today and I chose this one because it is truthfully one of my favorite music videos of all time. Enjoy!