 Best songs of the 80s The 1980's saw a pop video explosion with hundreds of original, innovative and highly entertaining videos being released. I've included a selection of my favourites on this page, and I'll try to add more as I come across them on Youtube. Some of these songs were selected for the brilliance of the song, rather than the video, and the selection is in no particular order of brilliance. Hint:
When you stop playing a video prematurely the remainder of the video
will continue to download. To stop a video from continuing to download
(and save on your broadband GB allowance) just right click with your
mouse over the video and select "Stop download". White Wedding by Billy Idol (1982) After the band Generation X disbanded in 1980, Billy Idol's solo career began with an EP titled Don't Stop in 1982. Idol had a whole string of hit singles in the 80s including Rebel Yell, Sweet Sixteen, Hot in the City and many more. His most successful albums were Rebel Yell and Whiplash Smile. Everybody Wants To Rule The World by Tears For Fears (1985) This was the thrid single to be taken from the second and most successful (3 x Platinum) studio album "Songs From The Big Chair". Other hit singles released from the album were "Shout", "Mothers Talk" and Head Over Heels". In 1986 a re-release of the single re-titled The song was re-recorded with a new lyric and released as "Everybody Wants To Run The World" for the 1986 Sport Aid fund-raising campaign, and reached No.5 in the UK singles chart. Searchin' by Hazell Dean (Top Of The Pops 1984) Hazell Dean released many singles throughout the 70's, but achieved her biggest success in the 1980s as a leading Hi-NRG
artist. Her three top ten hits in the 80s were Searchin' (I've Gotta Find A Man)" which reached No.6 in April 1984, "Whatever I Do (Wherever I Go)" which reached No.4 three months later in July and "Who's Leaving Who", which reached No.4 in the UK in 1988. Ay Ay Ay Ay Moosey by Modern Romance (1981) This single was taken from the album Adventures In Clubland and reached No.10 in the UK singles chart. Modern Romance were formed in 1980 by previous members of the punk band, The Leyton Buzzards. The band enjoyed a string of UK chart hits before they broke up in 1985. There other big hit was "Best Years Of Our Lives" which reached No.4 in 1982. A town Called Malice by The Jam (1982) The Jam were a superb Punk/Mod revival band fronted by Paul Weller, and were active during the late 1970s and early
1980s. They achieved no less than 18 UK chart hit singles. A Town Called Malice reached No.1 in January 1982. High Energy by Evelyn Thomas (1984) This song was very popular in dance clubs and discos around the globe, and it topped the American Dance Chart. It peaked at No.5 in the UK singles chart and became one of the earliest successful songs within the genre of music that has come to be known as Hi-NRG. Painted Moon (Blues Mix) by The Silencers (1988) This band never had the success they deserved in the 80's. Their first single, "Painted Moon," was a minor international hit (it reached No.57 in the UK singles chart) and invited critical comparisons to Simple Minds and U2. This version of the song is particularly brilliant and why they never had a Top 40 hit in the UK I'll never know! If Only I Could by Sydney Youngblood (1989) Sydney Youngblood had three Top 40 hits in the UK in 1989, which were "Sit and Wait", "I'd Rather Go Blind" and this debut from the album "Feeling Free" - "If Only I Could" - which reached No.3 in 1989.This song used the bassline and drumbeat from the Raze house music track, "Break For Love", and was also a massive hit in the clubs. Yes, I remember only too well dancing to this one in my bargain suit from Burton's at the local nightclubs - yes, you had to wear a shirt and tie to get into a club in the 80s.
What Is Love by Howard Jones (1983) This was the second single to be lifted from Jones's first and most successful album "Human's Lib". It peaked at No.2 in 1983. To be honest, I could have picked any of the singles from the album as they were all really decent. Other singles included "New Song", "Hide and Seek" and "Pearl in the Shell".
Fade To Grey by Visage (1980) This eighties synth classic was taken from the album MuchMoreMusic. This was the follow-up to Visage's first single "Tar" which became a huge hit (making the top ten in the UK and several other countries, and reaching no.1 in Germany and Switzerland) and was quickly followed by the release of their self-titled debut album. Frontman Steve Strange entered the limelight again during November 2006 working as a hairdresser on the BBC's Children In Need show "Celebrity Scissorhands". He won the show (mainly because of his awful haircuts) and appeared on it again in 2007 and in 2008. Belfast Child by Simple Minds (1989) This was the first single from the politically-charged "Street Fighting Years" album released in 1989. It was a six-minute opus based on the traditional celtic folk song "She Moved Through The Fair". It was the band's first and only number-one hit single in the UK. The Street Fighting Years album also reached No.1 in the UK album charts and received glowing praise, including a rare five-star review from Q magazine. Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (1983) Was this MJ's best ever song? Many people seem to think so, and here in the UK it reached No.1 way back in 1983.
The track was written by Jackson and produced by Quincy Jones for the sixth solo album, Thriller, which was released in 1982. Amazingly, Billie Jean was Originally disliked by Jones, and the track was very nearly removed from
the album after he and Jackson had numerous disagreements about it. Billie Jean was released on 2nd January, 1983, and was the album's second single. It was a huge, worldwide commercial and success, and also critically acclaimed. It became one of the best-selling singles of 1983 and topped both the US and UK charts simultaneously. Billie Jean was certified platinum in 1989. Stand and Deliver by Adam and The Ants Number one in 1981, this imaginitive song won the Ivor Novello "Songwriters Of The Year" award in 1982. It was taken from the ant's third and final album Prince Charming, which produced two more hit singles, the title track "Prince Charming" and "Ant Rap". The video features an early appearance by Amanda Donohoe who at the time was Adam's girlfriend. Stand and Deliver stayed at the top of the charts for an impressive five weeks. Beds Are Burning by Midnight Oil This single was Midnight Oil's biggest World-wide hit, and reached No.6 on the UK singles chart in 1988. It was taken from the album Diesel and Dust, which focused on the need for recognition by white Australia of
past injustices involving the Aboriginal nation and the need for
reconciliation. We Close Our Eyes by Go West This is often described as the quintessential 80s tune. It was very typical 80s pop and released right in the middle of the decade in 1985. This was Go West's debut single and managed to reach Number 5 in the UK. It was their only hit to make the top 10. The video was directed by Godley & Creme and helped them to be voted the "Best Newcomers" at the 1986 Brit Awards. The song was part of the soundtrack for the Italian low-budget horror movie Demoni (Demons). Nellie The Elephant by Toy Dolls (1982-1984) Performed on Saturday Superstore The Toy Dolls are a completely bonkers punk band who originally released this cover of a popular children's song for Christmas 1982. It hit No.1 in the UK Indie Singles Chart. In 1983, they released their debut album Dig That Groove Baby, and In 1984, their re-issue of "Nellie the Elephant" reached No.4 in the UK Singles Chart. This is such a great clip that I just had to add it to the best music videos!
I Want To Break Free by Queen (1984) This memorable and controversial video (which was banned by MTV in the U.S. until 1991) was a parody of UK soap opera Coronation Street. All of the band members dressed in drag. Lead singer Freddie Mercury's character was based on Bet Lynch and Brian May's character was based on Hilda Odgen! The video also features a piece with the Royal Ballet, for which Freddie Mercury shaved his trademark moustache to portray Nijinsky, although he had kept it for the parody part of the video. I Want to Break Free featured on Queen's 1984 album The Works, reaching number 3 in the UK, and remained in the chart for fifteen consecutive weeks. Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel Sledgehammer was taken from the 1986 album So. It reached number four in the UK singles chart, but reached No.1 in both Canada and the U.S, thanks in part to a popular and influential music video. This was Peter Gabriel's biggest hit in North America and ties with Games Without Frontiers as his biggest hit in the United Kingdom. Hyperactive by Thomas Dolby The imaginitive and unique single and video "Hyperactive" was taken from the album Flat Earth and was Dolby's biggest UK hit, reaching No.17 in 1984. You Can Call Me Al by Paul Simon This was the first single released from the critically-acclaimed album Graceland. The song first charted in the U.S. at No.44 in October 1986, but it was reissued with much better promotion in March 1987 and managed to reach No.23. Here in the UK it peaked at No.4, while in Australia, it reached No.1. When I first saw this video in the 80's, I had no idea who Paul Simon was, and it took me a while to grasp the fact that Chevy Chase was lip-syncing all of Simon's vocals (in an upbeat presentation), with gestures punctuating the lyrics! I was wondering why everyone was getting so excited about the video! Doh! The Safety Dance by Men Without Hats Videos were so unique in the 80s! This video was notable for its medieval imagery. It was filmed in the village of West Kington, near Bath, UK. Ivan Doroschuk is the only member of the band to actually perform in the video. The identity of the blonde girl in the video remains a mystery. The Morris Dance side performing in the video was Chippenham Town Morris dancers from Wiltshire. Released in the UK in September 1983, the song peaked at No.6 and was the only major international hit for Men Without Hats. Two Tribes by Frankie Goes To Hollywood This stunning single (from the cold war era) was released in May 1984, and was the second No.1 for the band. It stayed at the top of the UK charts for nine weeks, and at the same time the previous No.1 single Relax, re-entered the charts and reached No.2. A version of Two Tribes was originally recorded for a BBC John Peel
session in October 1982. It is clear that the basic
structure of the song, including its signature bass-line, percussion
arrangement and idiosyncratic introductory and middle eight sections,
were already intact prior to any involvement from ZTT or eventual
producer Trevor Horn. True Faith by New Order This 1987 track from New Order was produced by Stephen Hague, and was the first single since their debut Ceremony to be issued in the UK as two separate 12" singles. The second 12" single features two remixes of True Faith by Shep Pettibone.
Both versions of the 12" (and also the edited 7") also include the song 1963. True Faith peaked at No.4 in the UK.
It's A Sin by Pet Shop Boys Crumbs! I still have the 12" vinyl version of this stored away somewhere! There was much controversy when this was released in June 1987. DJ Jonathan King accused Pet Shop Boys of plagiarising the melody for It's a Sin from Cat Steven's 1971 hit, Wild World. He made the claims in The Sun newspaper, for which he wrote a regular column during the 1980s. King also released his own cover version of Wild World as a single, using a similar musical arrangement to It's a Sin, in an effort to demonstrate his claims. This single flopped, while Pet Shop Boys sued King, eventually winning out-of-court damages, which they donated to charity. The single was Pet Shop Boys second No.1 single. Like A Prayer by Madonna Sorry, this video is currently unavailable! Released in February 1989, this was yet another 80s video to cause much controversy! Soft Drink giant Pepsi, decided to use the song as part of a commercial featuring
Madonna. The company struck a deal to sponsor her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour. The commercial aired twice before the release of the music video on MTV. Unfortunately, Pepsi was unaware of the video's content: Madonna witnesses a murder, kisses a black saint (St. Martin De Porres), displays stigmata after cutting her palms on a knife, and dances in a field of burning crosses! How did they miss all that? Of course, some religious groups became rather angry and threatened to boycott Pepsi, who
in turn decided to cancel the ad campaign and tour sponsorship, though
Madonna kept the contracted $5 million. Like a Prayer was one of Madonna's biggest-selling singles, selling over five million copies world-wide during 1989. Cars by Gary Numan Okay, so the first version of Cars is a 1979 release that was taken from the album The Pleasure Principle. In the UK charts, it reached Number 1 in 1979, and rose to Number 9 on the U.S. Billboard charts, in 1980. This debuted on the American Top 40 on March 29, 1980, and spent a total of 17 weeks in the AT40. The track has been a UK Top 20 hit for Numan in three successive
decades! First the original release that I've already mentioned in 1979, then in 1987
as the 'E Reg Model' remix (reaching No.16), and again in 1996
following its use in an advertisement for Carling Premier beer, and reaching No.17. Take On Me by A-ha This great tune by Norwegian band A-ha was written by the band members. It was the first song to be released from the group's first studio album, Hunting High and Low and was released in 1985. Take on Me took three attempts to chart in the UK, but finally reached No.2 on the in November 1985. The superb video was directed by Steve Barron, and features the band in a pencil-sketch animation/ live-action combination called rotoscoping. This video won six awards, and was nominated for two others at the 1986 MTV Music Video Awards.
|
|
Make a Free Website with Yola.
