'80s songs - one a day

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Ah, New Wave (Puddles - you can do your thing now!). I'm not quite sure what 'New Wave' actually means given that everything in the '80s that wasn't Rick Astley was referred to as 'New Wave'. Here, I'm going to differentiate this sub-genre from the bands that came before in this thread by referring to the 'nearly-mainstream' bands - they became well-known and charted, but were not straight-laced like Rick Astley (they had a bit of a twist, e.g., Gary Numan). I don't think the audience quite realise what greatness they are witnessing here.

My time has come :woo:

Reply 61

Medrat

If I come back as a Rock God, I'm coming back as Phil Oakey (I'll alternate with Ian Astbury). What a dude! This song appears on a few compilations but is not that well-known, but, as the comments below it indicate, has been heralded as kick-starting the New Wave '80s sound (it was first released in the late '70s). I think that there may be several others for that title but it's definitely a contender. The song was produced before THE GIRLS joined the band (despite the accompanying video).

Reply 62

Medrat

Not a well-known song on account of the fact that it was banned by the BBC for being anti-American (anti-Reagan). I don't think that the song is particularly anti-American, apart from the line about gun owneship, but is more anti-global-masculinity. I hope I'm right...

Reply 63

Medrat

A fabulous song and video, for all sorts of reasons (the music, the sleek performance, the clothes, the mad keyboard player, the deadpan audience; Roger Daltrey, apparently, in the audience, according to the comments).

Reply 64

Medrat

I like '80s music for many reasons but one big one is because the songs such as this one saw people have conversations like this :biggrin:

(from the comments section following this song):

I think the song is supposed to be about Antonio Gramsci, an Italian Marxist who was imprisoned by Mussolini (with his hammer and his popsicle, they put him in a hospital for good). I think the Jerusalem is referring to Blake’s Jerusalem in "England’s pleasant land". For further info, Green was a Marxist when he wrote this and the current thinking at the time was centred around Jacques Derrida, the French critic, French situationists and the writings of Gramsci.

No - it is a reference to a section early in Nietzche's 'Daybreak', when N. claims that early Christians were so disturbed that they had to build 'asylums in Jerusalem'. A fiction, I think. The song is either about these saints, or Nietzsche himself ... or both.

Reply 65

Medrat

This band is not usually associated with the 'New Wave' genre (this tends to be seen as synth-dominated, image-focused, 'gender-bender' music) that is currently being explored here (I don't think the previous one is either) but they did a) represent a break from the mainstream by being part of the 'Madchester' sub-genre so in that sense are 'New Wave', and b) this song definitely does not get enough attention!

Reply 66

Puddles the Monkey

Can I post Ultravox? :biggrin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4FT7BKr8GE

Reply 67

Medrat

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

Can I post Ultravox? :biggrin:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4FT7BKr8GE

So, so brilliant. I can't believe how many sub-genres and how rich, not to mention musically amazing, '80s music was. Begs the question that I am not going to ask...

Reply 68

Puddles the Monkey

Also, what about this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88sARuFu-tc

:holmes:

Reply 69

Puddles the Monkey

Original post by Medrat

So, so brilliant. I can't believe how many sub-genres and how rich, not to mention musically amazing, '80s music was.

I like listening to the instrumental versions of songs... super intricate and beautifully produced :biggrin:

Reply 70

Medrat

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

Also, what about this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88sARuFu-tc

:holmes:

That is just a top tune and will remain so. But then, lots and lots were. You don't have to wade through piles of rubbish to find one single gem every now and again. I'm currently watching the original series of Miami Vice - back to back episodes.This is in it ( I know it's not quite what you meant re instrumental versions but...it is an instrumental and beautifully produced :biggrin:

Hope you like it).

Reply 71

Medrat

New category - 'Ladies of the '80s' (haha. Thanks, PP). I've noticed that women haven't featured much in the previous selections. Not sure why that is (Not good enough? Kept down? Don't want to do it? Want to do it differently? Too overworked with everything else? Lower aspirations and self-confidence? Will we ever know?). So, let's include some bands where women either wrote, performed, or were otherwise involved with the song. Starting with this excellent song (warning: you won't be able to get it out of your head for the rest of the day).

Reply 72

Puddles the Monkey

[video="youtube;Ud6sU3AclT4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud6sU3AclT4[/video]

:rave:

Reply 73

Medrat

Original post by Puddles the Monkey

[video="youtube;Ud6sU3AclT4"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud6sU3AclT4[/video]

:rave:

LOVE this one. An early dance track.

Reply 74

Medrat

I don't know much about this band but this one song is really good (don't know about their other material).

Reply 75

TheMcSame

The memories of playing GTA VC...

[video="youtube;HInA9jKyoKE"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HInA9jKyoKE[/video]

Reply 76

Medrat

Original post by TheMcSame

The memories of playing GTA VC...

[video="youtube;HInA9jKyoKE"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HInA9jKyoKE[/video]

Nice! Don't hear this next one much, which is a shame.

Reply 77

Medrat

Banal and pointless - but I can't get it out of my head!

Reply 78

Medrat

More pointless pappy drivel from a mediocre band despite some people professing this group to be the inspiration for all things feminist and the second coming of christ rolled into one (if you read the comments). Pah. At best, mediocre, as far as I can see. Now, this artiste is on another level entirely, who genuinely can be credited with inspiring electronic dance music and who probably did more for feminism while at it. Stunning song. A fitting end to the 'Ladies of the '80s' category. A new sub-genre next.

Reply 79

Medrat

New sub-genre - '80s Rock. You can't have a thread like this without Rock. It's ubiquitous and, without a shadow of a doubt, the best genre of all. But, herein lies the problem. The spirit of this thread is to post off-centre, less well known tracks. '80s rock is so well known that we might struggle. No matter how brilliant, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, etc. are so frequently played that everybody knows their songs already (or, should). So, we might struggle...let's kick off with this monster of a song.