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1,001 songs to listen to before you die...


Liam

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3 hours ago, Curt McGirt said:

 

As far as "Rock the Casbah" goes? Eh, it's okay. Perfect example of "pop Clash" and I think a better radio single than "Should I Stay Or Should I Go". 

Disagree, my friend, but it is merely a matter of degrees. Both are great tunes, I prefer the latter because there was a cover band that used to play at Murphy's Pub that would play it and bring the house down. Great band, it's been many years and I forget their name, but they used to play "Bad to the Bone" when I approached the dart pit, which I found hysterical.

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1982

In many ways, the 80s picks have been the most interesting part of the book. You never know what they're going to pick next. Personally, I think the 80s is a fascinating decade. A lot of people think it's a terrible decade for music, but those folks are only interested in a handful of genres or hate synthesizers. 

1982 was a great year for music. Now here are a few talking points:

The best song of the year is In Shreds by The Chameleons:

Still no XTC? One of their biggest hits was from this year:

How can there be no Flock of Seagulls?

 

And now that we have Kate Bush and Peter Gabriel represented, where is Grace Jones?

I unashamedly, unabashedly love jangle pop. Don't click on these spoilers if you don't feel the same:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The best punk in '82 was UK82 with that crossover metal sound:

Some other shit:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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1982 Cont. 

Of course, we can't forget Maiden. Run to the Hills is one of their best and still works for me:

A few other metal tracks:

 

 

Hip hop in '82 was all about Afrika Bambaataa to me:

 

Dance music was so great in '82:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Best R&B/dance crossover of the year:

 

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595.      

‘A New England’, Billy Bragg (1983)

I’m always a sucker for a good singer/songwriter tune, and that is what I think ‘A New England’ offers. I went and saw Frank Turner at Wembley Stadium and Billy Bragg supported him with a good set. However, it was telling to me that it was this song that was the only one I really took away from it. The main chorus lyric begs to be sung aloud, the song doesn’t overstay its welcome, and the driving guitar throughout helps to add that sense of pace. The only thing I’ve always been a little confused about is the production – it sound like he was recording it in an aircraft carrier or something.

596.      

‘Blister in the Sun’, Violent Femmes (1983)

This is not only a perfect example of a song that I knew but had no idea as to who created it, but it is a band that I remember being mentioned on….Clarissa Explains It All? Maybe Sabrina? I just remember Melissa Joan Hart talking them up in a television show multiple times. Though not a successful song when it was released, the angsty lyrics (covering failed relationships and masturbation) and catchy tune made it popular amongst teens and college students. It speaks to that age more so than some of the rose tinted love songs out there, while there is an alternativeness to the whole proceedings that I believe must have made fans of the band/song feel like they were into something beyond the poppy rubbish that was on the radio.

597.      

‘Let’s Dance’, David Bowie (1983)

Influenced by: Good Times • Chic (1979)   

Influence on: Last Dance • George Clinton (1983)

Covered by: Falco (1984) • Atrocity (1997) • Second Skin (2000) • M. Ward (2003) • The Futureheads (2006) • Nona Reeves (2007) • Sophie Ellis-Bextor (2007)

I always tend to love weird takes on popular music – things that aim for the mainstream but are just a little rougher around the edges in some way. Bowie was never going to create a song that was pure pop, but this was a fair step away from the oddness of some of his earlier work. Yet, this is aiming for pop stardom as done by Bowie, so there is character abounding throughout it. One of the biggest eye openers of this whole project is just how much stuff Nile Rodgers has found himself involved in as he added his considerable talents to the song as well as Stevie Ray Vaughan. Not my favourite Bowie song, but I can understand the allure for those who place it highly.

598.      

‘This Charming Man’, The Smiths (1983)

Influenced by: Walk Out to Winter • Aztec Camera (1983)   

Influence on: Animal Nitrate • Suede (1993)   

Covered by: Death Cab for Cutie (1996) • Braid (2000) • Darling (2000) Stars (2001)   

Other key track: How Soon Is Now? (1984)

I hate Morrissey, yet I really like a lot of his music. The eternal conundrum of the wanker who is talented. I hadn’t really listened to the Smiths until I was at university and it caught me at that sweet spot where I still wanted lyrics to be all meaningful and shit, and when I started to look back into the 80s in general for my musical inspiration. Though Morrissey’s lazy croon and the lyrics for the song are naturally important, the jangly guitars make this song and really showcase Johnny Marr’s talents. At least he isn’t a wanker.

599.      

‘Relax’, Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1983)

Influenced by: Don’t Make Me Wait • Peech Boys (1982)   

Influence on: Animal • Def Leppard (1987)

Covered by: Brooklyn Bounce (1997) • Powerman 5000 & Danny Boy (2001) • The Dandy Warhols (2004)   

Other key track: Rage Hard (1986)

From distance, it is sometimes hard to tell why Frankie Goes To Hollywood were as huge as they were. That isn’t to knock their music per se, but I think you had to be living in that moment to really ‘get it’. That, and people don’t like being told what they could and couldn’t do so when the BBC banned it, things completely took off for the song. To give it its due, it is dance floor banger that takes the techno and electro elements that have become popular and show what they can be utilised for when it came to pop music. The music video is….yeah. Be warned.

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I have really been digging The Unknown by Gotham City recently so nice to see them get a shout. 

'82 was the year of arguably the most important hardcore punk record ever, Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing. Somebody in Britain actually glued it to their record player, if you can believe that. I don't blame them long as you can play something on top of it... like, for example, a second copy so you can blast the other side.

This was the first Discharge song I ever heard, on an internet radio station streaming with RealPlayer (ha!). Little did I know they'd go on to become one of the biggest musical influences on my own songwriting in the future. 

EDIT: Wow, that Frankie Goes To Hollywood video... I think all that was missing was somebody doing poppers in a bathroom stall, waiting on someone to stick an appendage through a glory hole in the wall. Good on them for pushing the boundaries.

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600.      

‘Song to the Siren’, This Mortal Coil (1983)

Influenced by: 1/1 • Brian Eno (1978)   

Influence on: If I Had Glass Hands and Glass Feet • School of Seven Bells (2008)

Covered by: Sally Oldfield (1996) • The Czars (2000) • Susheela Raman (2001) • Robert Plant (2002) • David Gray (2007) • John Frusciante (2009)

This was actually a cover of a Tim Buckley song, though the book claims that this was arguably a better rendition. Whether that is true or not, the melancholy oozes out of this throughout. The spare instrumentation allows Liz Fraser’s vocals to do the majority of the work and there is an otherworldliness about the production at points that makes this all work. My one complaint is that it builds, but never really goes anywhere – I wanted a crescendo or something, but I got none.

601.      

‘Everything Counts’, Depeche Mode (1983)

Influenced by: Metall Auf Metall • Kraftwerk (1977)   

Influence on: Pug • The Smashing Pumpkins (1998)   

Covered by: In Flames (1997) • Meat Beat Manifesto (1998) • Yendri (2000)   

Other key tracks: Love in Itself (1983) • Told You So (1983)

I feel like I step into a lot of these songs by saying that I like the band, but this isn’t my favourite song by said act. That is very much the case with Depeche Mode: this is a perfectly good song, but wouldn’t be one I place in my top five if I arbitrarily did a top five of their work. What does make this song more applicable to a list like this was how it started a transition away from the more twee pop tunes into the slightly edgier and darker techno/industrial-esque pathway. As I’m someone who much prefers later 80s Depeche Mode to what they offered before, I for one am happy that this song came along when it did, creating a bridge to a better version of the band.

602.      

‘Dear Prudence’, Siouxsie and the Banshees (1983)

This is an interesting choice for a number of reasons. A cover of a Beatles songs written primarily by John Lennon (though credited to McCartney as well), this also included Robert Smith from the Cure on guitar. There was some spark of awareness of this song laying in the cobwebbed far reaches of my memory, yet I could never quite get to grips with when I may have heard this before. Siouxsie’s fairly upbeat delivery coupled with the echo-y production created a cover that gave the song a new and largely successful coat of paint. It perhaps lacks a bit of punch, but it isn’t really what they were looking to provide. Spectral and spangly is the order of the day.

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603.      

‘It’s Like That’, Run DMC (1983)

Not the easiest to find since it has been somewhat usurped by the vs Jason Nevins remix. This initial version is a lot sparer in terms of the backing as a drum track allows the rhymes and lyrics to do the work. This was apparently a groundbreaking song in terms of its atmosphere as it was a darker, edgier take on popular rap music, a genre that was still in its infancy. This is a weird one as I much prefer the remix as it adds a funkier layer to things, yet appreciate that the original song very much has its merits for the time it was created.

604.      

‘Rock of Ages’, Def Leppard (1983)

Influenced by: My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) • Neil Young (1979)   

Influence on: Pretty Fly (for a White Guy) • The Offspring (1998)  

Covered by: Kelly Hansen (2000)  

Other key track: Animal (1987)

There’s a ubiquity to ‘Rock of Ages’ as a title that made me think I must have heard this song before. I genuinely don’t think I have. I also genuinely don’t think I would have cared…until I read the entry and Joe Elliott referenced how it was written mainly as a spoof/parody of the rock anthem. To me, that doesn’t necessarily make the song better, but perhaps explains why I was somewhat underwhelmed by a song that sounded a lot like other stuff that I’d heard. The guitar work, gang chanting and production are all very good, don’t get me wrong, it just does very little for me.

605.      

'Gimme All Your Lovin'', ZZ Top (1983)

Influenced by: Life in the Fast Lane • The Eagles (1976)  

Influence on: Growing on Me • The Darkness (2003)  

Covered by: Lonestar (2002)   

Other key tracks: Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers (1973) • Jesus Just Left Chicago (1973) • Cheap Sunglasses (1979) • Sharp Dressed Man (1983)

Now, this is my idea of a tune. I don’t really want to compare the two, but I do find it funny that it comes after the bombast of Leppard. This is pretty straight rock and roll and all the more fun for it. I always enjoy well done rock with a poppy edge to it and this gets it right for me. A Southern twang to everything, coupled with a great hook for a chorus. It is simple, yet oh so effective.

606.      

‘Every Breath You Take’, The Police (1983)

This is by far and away the Police song I have heard the most as my Mum used to have it on a mixtape that was played on long journeys. It means I probably liked the song without really understanding the nastier undertones to the stalker-y lyrics until I was a lot older. There is an irony that some people consider this to be a romantic song when there is definitely a creepier vibe to everything. It is a song that I can’t really pinpoint the thing that makes it ‘good’ – the parts just come together to create something that hits at every points: introduction, verses, chorus.

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607.      

’99 Luftballoons’, Nena (1983)

This is an already good song – a chirpy take on nuclear annihilation – that has been helped along over the years by its use in popular culture. I think the original German edges the remade UK version that came out the following year, with the original also being the song that went to number 2 in the US (the English version had more success in the UK). It is very synth heavy in a way that could feel dated, but the driving drums and urgent vocals of Nena herself make it a song that still ‘works’ even today.

608.      

‘Zungguzungguguzungguzeng’, Yellowman (1983)

Apparently the title is a reference to the Jamaican emergency service number, for those who might be wondering. This hits the list due to how the melody and beat was sampled a number of times in the future, though the original more than stands on its own and is a joyful groove from start to finish. There isn’t much more to say about this – just enjoy it.

609.      

‘Blue Monday’, New Order (1983)

It is pretty crazy that this was the music that spawned from the band that were Joy Division, naturally minus Ian Curtis. Some of the nuts and bolts transitioned over – the darkly sinister bass and synths - but this was aiming for the dance floors rather than the stereos of introspective teens everywhere. The book uses the word ‘hypnotic’ and that is pretty perfect to sum up the song’s appeal. It sucks you in and keeps you listening. This is musically much more interesting than the stuff that came before, though whether you prefer one or the other is a matter of taste.

610.      

‘The Trooper’, Iron Maiden (1983)

Influenced by: Lights Out • UFO (1977)   

Influence on: Paschendale • Iron Maiden (2003)   

Covered by: Sentenced (1993) • Jughead’s Revenge (1996) • Vital Remains (1996) • Supernova (1999) • Zen Guerrilla (2001) • Rage (2002) • Highland Glory (2005) • Hellsongs (2008)

I always feel like I should like Iron Maiden more than I do, or that I should at least listen to more of their music. It is rare that I come away from a Maiden song without enjoying it, yet that brand of metal is something I can only really stomach in small doses. However, I do get the appeal, and with Bruce Dickinson they have one of the most impressive sounding vocalists in metal – the ease and clarity of his delivery always struck me. This galloping masterclass bolts out of the gate and never really relents.

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1983

Another interesting year in music and another decent slab of choices. The only notable omission to me was Burning Down the House. 

I prefer Modern Love to Let's Dance, but I didn't know Nile Rodgers worked with Bowie on the later and it was interesting watching Rodgers talk about how he reworked Bowie's idea for the song. The Smiths, Violent Femmes, Depeche Mode and Frankie Goes to Hollywood are all great songs. 

I don't really have any complaints about their choices. I know they're trying to be eclectic. I thought they might choose some early U2 the way they have leaned so far, but no. I'm not sure how you could have gone about your daily life in the past 35 odd years without hearing that Police song, but whatever. 

I want to draw people's attention to The Chameleons. They might not be for everyone, but for my money they were the best post-punk band around in '83. Here's a few of their songs from '83:

Spoiler

 

 

Here's a bunch of other stuff chucked together:

Spoiler

 

And one of the great Aussie rock groups -- The Hoodoo Gurus

 

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One of the best things about 1983? Heavy metal videos.

Here are a few metal picks from this year:

Spoiler

 

The book keeps overlooking Prince. You're gonna include all those Stevie Wonder songs from the 70s and not do the same for Prince in the 80s? C'mon.

This may be THE TUNE of 1983.

Here's the rest of the danceable stuff with some slow jams thrown in for good measure: 

Spoiler

 

And that, Freak-a-Zoids, was 1983

 

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611.      

‘Two Tribes’, Frankie Goes To Hollywood (1983)

Influenced by: I Feel Love • Donna Summer (1977)   

Influence on: Paranoimia • The Art of Noise (1986)   

Covered by: Rosetta Stone (2000) • Doctor & The Medics (2008)   

Other key track: One February Friday (1984) • War (1984) • The Power of Love (1984)

What a one-two punch when you consider that this followed ‘Relax’. It might be because the former is somewhat overplayed, but I think I prefer ‘Two Tribes’ as a song. It is another one where the video was so important as Reagan and Chernenko engaged in a fist fight for baying punters. The production for this, just like ‘Relax’, makes everything sound so big, while the bass line does a lot of the heavy lifting. There seems to be a potent mix when you take social commentary and dress it up in a seemingly positive, poppy fashion – it often does the job.

612.      

‘Runaway’, Bon Jovi (1984)

Influenced by: All for Leyna • Billy Joel (1980)   

Influence on: Ryders • Saigon featuring Memphis Bleek (2008)  

Covered by: Alex Mitchell (2006)   

Other key tracks: She Don’t Know Me (1984) • Burning for Love (1984) • You Give Love a Bad Name (1986)

I’m never one hundred percent sure what to think of Bon Jovi. They/he produce the odd stone cold banger, yet for the most part I couldn’t really care less about their output. This was a song that I don’t think I’ve ever heard from them and I can get the appeal…but it does nothing for me really. It establishes what Bon Jovi does – driving guitars, hooky choruses, capable vocals – but since I don’t overly care for them, that doesn’t really move me like some of the songs I’ve heard on this list.

613.      

‘Born In The USA’, Bruce Springsteen (1984)

Influenced by: Love, Reign O’er Me • The Who (1973)   

Influence on: Banned in the U.S.A. • Luke (1990)   

Covered by: Stanley Clarke (1985) • Eric Rigler (2003) • Richard Shindell (2007) • Casiotone for the Painfully Alone (2009)   

Other key track: Born to Run (1975)

What I said about my experiences with Bon Jovi could almost be repeated word for word here, except I have a bit more excitement when I hear a good Springsteen song. What I had heard from him in the past was enough to make me want to delve a little deeper, though he isn’t the first artist I think of when I talk about music I enjoy. The stadium anthem nature of this tune, providing the listener ample chances to sing along, is what makes this song, though it does always blow my mind how often people misinterpret it. It isn’t exactly lyrically subtle.

614.      

‘World Destruction’, Time Zone (1984)

This is a weird collaboration viewed through a 2020 lens: Afrika Bambaataa and John Lydon. Even weirder was that Joe Elliott of Def Leppard was originally pencilled in as the lead singer for this track. I’m not the biggest fan of Lydon’s general vocal style, but it does work well side by side with Bambaataa. What this does that is perhaps more interesting than the song itself was the marriage of rock and urban music, something that was pretty rare at the time and would become a more increasingly utilised combination.

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615.      

‘Immigres/Bitim Rew’, Youssou N’Dour (1984)

This is another song that I’d love to be able to talk about with some level of knowledge, but I know so little about N’Dour and this style of music. Like many, I mainly know of him based on the song ‘7 Seconds’, but this was the song that took him into the international mainstream. N’Dour’s wailing high pitched wailing vocals play across an exciting polyrhythmic (primarily) percussive melody, something which I always appreciate of music from Africa – just the sheer amount of different instruments, tones and sounds they generate create a lively background. Towards the end, there is even some rapping and a several false endings. I can see why this was a breakthrough song for the wider mainstream and while it isn’t always for me, it is the work of a talented man.

616.      

‘It’s My Life’, Talk Talk (1984)

This is one of my Dad’s….favourite might be a stretch….but a song that I remember him downloading off of the internet in the early days of file sharing. That was my first introduction to the song, thus leading to me holding it in higher esteem than it probably deserves. Synth-pop isn’t for everyone, but this works for me. The bridge into the pre-chorus and the chorus itself are the best bits for me, though I would understand completely people who don’t like this song whatsoever.

617.      

‘Smooth Operator’, Sade (1984)

The best hold/elevator music ever? This was a song that I had heard in any number of places, but had never pinned down to Sade until I was in my 20s. The jazzy pop elements does make it a song that I will forever link to muzak-laden waits on phone lines or elevator music. I guess it is up to you to decide whether that speaks to the quality of the tune, or the mundane nature of what she/they offered. Personally, I think Sade’s vocals are silky and appealing, even if the music the group produced was not the most exciting necessarily.

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Can't go past the wrestling connection with Smooth Operator -- WCCW era Rick Rude.

Sade is the kind of pop music my parents listened to when I was a kid along with The Eurythmics and ABC. My dear old dad used to thrash the shit out of this one:

I think Sade are more musically interesting than you suggested. They managed to their Afro-Cuban/Latin American sound and make it commercially successful. Smooth Operator has bongos, organs, claves and that sax. The album Diamond Life was a huge hit at the time because it was marketed as smooth jazz, which sounds like shitty lounge music, but Sade had a lot going for them -- those gorgeous vocals, bass grooves and minimal keyboards, which made them stand out from the rest of mainstream pop in '84. Hang on to Your Love is another good song from that album.

 

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Man, Frankie had some good videos. I bet MTV wasn't happy with this one -- beyond the flipping the bird you can see a woman clearly yelling "YOU F****T!" after Reagan grabs Chernenko's crotch. 

I've loved "World Destruction" ever since it was the centerpiece of a Sopranos episode. Great song. 

'83 and the next couple years are the most important for metal (duh). Just putting in "Heavy Metal Albums of 1983" to Google reveals a murderer's row of essential albums; even the "smaller" ones are stone classics (Oz - Fire in the Brain, motherfuckers!). So instead of going buck wild I'm just gonna make this small addition to the canon. 

 

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618.      

‘I Feel For You’, Chaka Khan (1984)

Influenced by: I Feel for You • Pointer Sisters (1982)   

Influence on: Who’s Zoomin’ Who • Aretha Franklin (1985)   

Covered by: The Flying Pickets (1991) • El Caco (2008)   

Other key tracks: I’m Every Woman (1979) • Ain’t Nobody (1983)

This is a great example of magpie-ing as this song saw really interesting elements taken from disparate places, all stuck together to create a really good four minutes of music. This was originally a Prince song, fused rap and R&B, had a bit of Stevie Wonder on the Harmonica and was helmed by Khan’s strong vocal. I like that this feels like a song that has been built to via various stepping stones from earlier in the list – an amalgam of sounds to create something as good, if not better.

619.      

‘The Killing Moon’, Echo and the Bunnymen (1984)

Influenced by: The Seventh Seal • Scott Walker (1969)   

Influence on: Crown of Love • Arcade Fire (2004)   

Covered by: Pavement (1997) • Wendy Rule (1997) • Eva O (1998) • The Quakes (2003) • Grant-Lee Phillips (2006) • Nouvelle Vague (2006) • Something for Kate (2006)  

Other key track: Back of Love (1982)

Periodically, this is a song that gets daily play from me. I then will go through times where I don’t listen to it for months. There is something about the song that just captures my imagination for certain windows of time. I love the relatively sparse instrumentation, somewhat jangly in nature, while also finding the vocal transition from verse to chorus really stirring. I’ll admit to only knowing this song through its use in Donnie Darko, but it has stayed with me longer than my interest in that film has.

620.      

‘You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)’, Dead or Alive (1984) 

Influenced by: Fashion • David Bowie (1980)   

Influence on: Rock Me Amadeus • Falco (1986)  

Covered by: Templebeat (1997) • Second Skin (1998) • Dope (2000) • Hate Dept. (2000) • Thalía (2002) • Jessica Simpson (2006) • Danzel (2007) • Thea Gilmore (2008) • Indochine (2009)

I find it hard to take Dead or Alive seriously, or moreso what Pete Burns became, but this is a banger of an 80s tune. The longevity of the song as a cover or a song to sample speaks to the quality pop that it offers. What is also of interest is this was an early Stock, Aitken and Waterman tune, names that became synonymous with the music charts in the years to follow. Sometimes you just have to enjoy a tune without thinking too much about it.

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621.      

‘Boys of Summer’, Don Henley (1984)

Influenced by: Caney Creek • The Dillards (1973)   

Influence on: Runaway Trains • Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1987)   

Covered by: Roger Daltrey (1998) • DJ Sammy (2002) • Bree Sharp (2002) • The Ataris (2003) • Paul Young (2006)

The introduction to this always reminds me of the Terminator soundtrack for some reason, while the song as a whole to me seems to somehow occupy a space where it feels like it is both older and newer than the actual year it came out. I had no idea that Henley was the singer for the Eagles, making this by far the best song to come out of that band’s existence. There’s nostalgia – admittedly not nostalgia that I belong to – alongside a smoothness that makes something that could seem quite cheesy actually feel kinda cool. It has one of the hookiest choruses you could find in music, making it ripe for multiple covers.

622.      

‘Rock You Like A Hurricane’, The Scorpions (1984)

I mentioned cheese in the last entry, a concept that definitely defines this song by The Scorpions. This is 80s metal at its finest or worst depending on your mileage when it comes to this style of music. This is the perfect example of a song that you don’t need to overthink: it completely fits the niche it aimed for and with aplomb.

623.      

‘Plauteau’, The Meat Puppets (1984)

Unsurprisingly, my first exposure to the Meat Puppets was through the Nirvana Unplugged album. However, I did go back to check out the originals and have a lot of time for them as well. While I prefer ‘Oh, Me’ and ‘Lake of Fire’ as songs, this is an arguably better slice of popular music. Pop it isn’t, but the chorus is undeniably catchy. The whole thing has this sun-drenched vibe to it that adds a touch of melancholy to the proceedings. I definitely dig it, I know that much.

624.      

‘Tenderness’, General Public (1984)

Influenced by: Wings of a Dove • Madness (1983)   

Influence on: Cherish • Madonna (1989)  

Covered by: Galactic (2003)   

Other key tracks: Never You Done That (1984) • Hot You’re Cool (1984) • As a Matter of Fact (1984) • Burning Bright (1984)

This was a song I assumed I’d know when I heard it – perhaps attached to a music soundtrack that I’d heard in passing. However, I couldn’t place it at all. The book even mentioned the films it did end up in, including Clueless, but I have no memory of it whatsoever. That either speaks to my poor memory or the lack of real staying power that the song had. It is definitely a bouncy power pop tune that I can understand why people like, yet I’m not quite sure why it ended up in the book. That isn’t a knock, but sometimes a good song is just a good song and that’s it.

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This is nitpicking but I think it's okay to bring up since it's an informative note: it's not 'the Scorpions', it's just 'Scorpions'. I didn't know that for years myself. 

And speaking of which, I know their '80s output is cheeseball (still great though) but their '70s albums are incredible hard rock/metal records in the early Judas Priest and UFO vein. I'd put In Trance or Taken By Force up there with pretty much anything from either band.

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425.      

‘Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)’, Scritti Politti (1984)

Influenced by: Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough Michael Jackson (1979)   

Influence on: I Feel for You • Chaka Khan (1984)  

Covered by: Audio Thieves (2006)   

Other key tracks: The Sweetest Girl (1981) • Hypnotize (1985) • Perfect Way (1985)

Coming into this song, I thought it might be like ‘Sir Duke’ by Stevie Wonder – a song I assumed I’d never heard of, but was immediately recognisable. That wasn’t the case whatsoever as I couldn’t place this at all, yet the overall sound felt familiar. That is probably because the song doesn’t do too much out of the ordinary and Green Gartside’s vocals offer a polished take on funk. Similar to the song that just went, I don’t necessarily get the placement in the book, but this is definitely a groove.

426.      

‘I Will Dare’, The Replacements (1984)

This is hard to age, probably as much due to any timelessness on its behalf to the amount of bands trying to pedal this sort of sound in the 90s, 00s and beyond. The book even points out The Goo Goo Dolls in particular, which I didn’t hear until I read those words, yet now can’t quite shake from my mind. The jangly alt-pop that seemed to speak to adolescent worry and positioned itself as more than your average pop song always has its fans and I was one of them, though I do feel like I have grown out of this style of music as I’ve got older.

427.      

‘How Soon Is Now?’, The Smiths (1984)

There probably was a time – around my early 20s – where I could claim this song as possibly my favourite of all time. Lyrically, it is maudlin as all hell and won’t appeal to anyone who likes their music to look on the bright side, but it captured something for me at that time. Unlike the previous offering from the band on this list, I would say that Morrissey’s lyrics and delivery are more central to my enjoyment of the song, though the notes that ripple out to punctuate these moments add a sense of grandiose melancholy to the whole situation. Still a cracking song, if not one I can recommend to everyone.

19 hours ago, Curt McGirt said:

This is nitpicking but I think it's okay to bring up since it's an informative note: it's not 'the Scorpions', it's just 'Scorpions'. I didn't know that for years myself.

Cool. Thanks for the info - I think it was more of a transcription error from me than anything.

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I'm back....and better than ever! Or something.

628.      

‘Rattlesnake’, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions (1984)

Influenced by: Walk on the Wild Side • Lou Reed (1972)   

Influence on: Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken • Camera Obscura (2006)  

Covered by: Tori Amos (2001)   

Other key track: Perfect Skin (1984)

I believe that this is a song I’d have enjoyed a fair bit more when I was younger. Not to say I didn’t like what I heard, but the highfaluting literary references and oblique references are something that would have appealed to the more pretentious, early 20s me. The best part of the song for me was the guitar – there is something appealingly twangy from the first note that works. By the end of it, I was finally getting used to Cole’s vocal delivery, which had initially left me cold but formed a key part of the sound by the end.

629.      

‘Im Nin’Alu’, Ofra Haza (1984)

Influenced by: Hayyaati Albi • Om Kalsoum (1950)   

Influence on: Temple of Love (1992) • The Sisters of Mercy (1992)  

Covered by: Anjali (2006)  

Other key tracks: Yachilvi Veyachali (1984) • Lefelach Harimon (1984)

Having ended up representing Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest a year earlier, Ofra Haza reached back into her cultural heritage in order to bring Diwan – religious songs from special festivals – to the masses. Thus, we have very stylistically ethnic music with a poppier overtone and gloss to proceedings. The big thing here is that not only did the album as a whole further Haza’s reach as a performer, but this song was used as a sample in a number of other songs. I love these odd couple style pairings and though it sounds like it shouldn’t work, the ear for what makes a song catchy in terms of the overarching whole makes this one to enjoy.

630.      

‘Purple Rain’, Prince and The Revolution (1984)

Influenced by: We’ve Got Tonite • Bob Seger (1978)   

Influence on: Like You’ll Never See Me Again • Alicia Keys (2007)   

Covered by: The Flying Pickets (1991) • Randy Crawford (1995) • Teddybears (1995) • LeAnn Rimes (1998) • Etta James (2006)

Prince has always been the perfect example of someone I should give more listening time to. An artist I never heard much from when I was younger outside of the odd tune, every additional song that I’ve been exposed to have been almost universally bangers. This is no exception. An anthem that saw Prince move from funkier climes into a crossover rock ballad sound, the emotiveness of the lyrics coupled with the slow build up of the rhythm create a timeless classic.

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That whole Rattlesnakes album is good stuff.

I do agree with you about the lyrics, though. However, the more you listen to Cole, the catchier they get. If I had been a teenager in '84, it would have had me scuttling about trying to find a copy of On The Waterfront. 

The guitar solo in Purple Rain is one of my all-time favorite solos. The song works even better if you've seen the movie. Funny how it was originally a country song intended for Stevie Nicks. Prince was on top of the music world in '84. The book should have bit the bullet and included When Doves Cry as well.

 

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