’80s

It’s that time of the week again!  I’m feelin’ kinda ballady today.  So let’s see what I can come up with:

1. Foolish Beat By: Debbie Gibson

I LOVED THIS SONG when I was younger!  OMG!  I thought it was so deep and heartfelt.  That Debbie.  She had me obsessed with boys I think just from this song.  Oh the heartache!  As for the video, gotta love her dancing on the stage at a concert and she’s basically in silhouette.  Cute.  It occurs to me watching this that she’s a bad lip syncher as she sits in the cafe.  LOVING her big hair and shoulder pads!  Is this her big acting debut?  What’s with all that crazy white fabric she’s wearing?  And that huge bow that’s going to overtake her head?  So many questions!  Classic: the tears on the left side of her cheek.  Too much!

2. The Flame By: Cheap Trick

Ahhhh the big hair bands.  Gotta love ’em!  Hey they’re just having fun playing their instruments!  You mean not all music videos from this time need to be really dramatic?  And just in case we forget we’re watching Cheap Trick they make sure they paint their name on the floor they’re performing on in the video.  You never know.  We might forget.  Feels like I’m at a middle school dance again.  You know, those awkward slow songs when we were only allowed to slow dance as long as we had at least a foot between us?  OH and who on earth do we ask?  Will he/she dance with me?  I always wanted a boy to sing this to me and insist that they would be the The Flame.

3. Could’ve Been By: Tiffany

Who knew her last name was Darwish?  Just learned that.  Tiffany was the first music artist I ever spent money on for myself.  She was my first music cassette tape.  I was so proud of myself.  And I thought she was so much better than that Debbie Gibson girl!  I used to do concerts for my parents with her songs.  What’s with her waving on the stage so much in her video?  Was she worried we’d forget about her?  Wow.  Sing with her nose much?  Whoa!  That is a puffy jacket she’s wearing.  Oh the things that could’ve been…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LzGss9QGAk

4. True By: Spandau Ballet

What a name for a group!  Don’t we all know this much is true?  How can you not love the cool lighting behind the screen?  The close up of the lead singer’s face on camera singing to me is kind of scaring me.  I can’t help it!  Gettin’ a kick out the suits.  Kinda cool lighting throughout actually.  Sure.  And then there’s the cool sax guy with the big golden bangs playin’ his solo.  So deep.  I don’t think I realized how long the song was.  Wow.  5 whole minutes of knowing this much is true.

5. We Are the World Live *Written By: Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie and *Produced: Quincy Jones and Michael Omartian *Sung By: Bazillions of Music Artists

Live Aid!  1985!  Who remembers how BIG that event was or how monumental it was to have so many musicians in the same place at once singing for a greater cause??  Still gets me.  I’m choked up now re-watching it.  I mean, how can you go wrong with Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson (very sparkly in the video), Dionne Warwick and the list goes on and on. “It’s true we make a better day just you and me.”

OK.  I think that was deep enough.  I have fulfilled my ballad need.  Enjoy!

I need some zig in my zag, some zap in my zip.  I’m feeling kinda drained and I need a pick-me-up!  Who’s in for some more good ole ’80s music?  Nothing like a walk down memory lane to getcha goin’.

1. Get Into the Groove By: Madonna

I totally forgot this was a song from the movie “Desperately Seeking Susan”!  Watching clips of it in the video reminds me how messed up that movie was and just how much I loved it!  I wanted to be cool like Madonna too!  This song holds a lot of memories for me because it was the first song on a cassette tape that I used to record the “cool” Boston radio station way back when (hmm–I was only 8 so you can do the math) and I can still very clearly remember the DJ saying “I’ll prove it.  I’ll prove it.” and now it is still a part of the song for me.  I always have to say it out loud or in my head.  Pretty funny.  And it also was the song my lovely cousin and I did a music video to at one of our old favorite haunts, Hampton Beach, NH.  Hey, New Hampshire peeps, do they still record music videos there?  And don’t tell anyone but I still have the VHS of it here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrLJXp3nYiE

2. Mr. Roboto By: Styx

So many memories with this one!  My sister and I would play this on the jukebox at our favorite pizza joint as kids and I don’t remember if we danced but I bet we did!  We still go back and forth with “Domo Domo” (is that even the right spelling?)  and “Secret secret I’ve got a secret.” sometimes.  And I hate to break it to you but he says he’s Kilroy!  Kilroy.  Kilroy.  Watching the video I’m impressed with the theatrical lighting and I didn’t know you actually saw him!  And look, there are a bunch of them!  Is the man he becomes/or actually IS wearing a full purple/pink body suit?  Too much!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cShYbLkhBc

3. Shout By: Tears for Fears

Another one with lots of fun memories attached to it.  My sister and I used to sing this in the backseat of the car, no actually I believe we would SHOUT it.  Go figure.  I mean, that was the name of the song after all.  So much fun!  And look at that mouth!  You know, these two brothers say they’re talking to me so do they want me to shout or talk?  I’m so confused!  Listening to the words and seeing the video I realize how deep the song really is.  Weird.  Guess I was too busy shouting before.

4. I Love Rock n’ Roll By: Joan Jett

I wanted to be as cool as Joan Jett!  A true ’80s classic if there ever was one.  Who doesn’t love rock n’ roll now because Joan Jett said she did?  Will you just put another dime in the jukebox baby?  Or would it be a dollar now?  Are there even jukeboxes?  And hey it’s a black and white video so it’s even cooler.  Look at her black hair and loads of black eyeliner!  She was so cool!  (Apparently this is not the original recording of the song but I’ll forgive her.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vFFyJ0s9m0

5. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go By: Wham!

Oh George Michael and that other guy Andrew.  It’s not a true ’80s list without adding you I tell ya.  How can you not love the white outfits?  The background peeps are wearing white shirts that say “Go-G0” (how cute) and he and that other guy are wearing a shirt that says, “Choose Life”.  Hmm.  Interesting.  Not sure what that has anything to do with the song.  I sure have missed the rolled-up sleeves style.  The next outfit kinda scares me with those shorts.  Just sayin’.  And what is with those yellow non-glove things???  He just startled me.  Seriously, will someone just take him dancin’ tonight?  He’s obsessed.  And one last word because it has tons of relevance, “Jitterbug”.

Alrighty!  Did you have fun?  I totally did!  I mean, it was so rad!  Join in the fun!  Share your favorites!

I think this is becoming a regular thing…

I’m feeling pretty sad today.  Sending out lots of love.  I know some people who need it.  I’m thinking I need to save some love for myself too I guess.  On sad days I find that my immediate remedy is ’80s music.  That usually helps.  And so, because I’m not in the mood to write more here is a list of 5 of my old favorites.  Thought it would be fun to share them with ya!  What are your favorites?

1. Tainted Love By: Soft Cell

I don’t think I’ve ever seen the video before.  I’m kind of scared now.  Love the black eyeliner but what on earth are those wing things in his hair?  And what’s with the mini skirt he’s wearing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEh5pWjcWCg

2. A-Ha: Take On Me

I mean who doesn’t love this video?  It was so cool for the times.  The animation rocked!  Not sure if I’d be freaked out that an animated hand was reaching out of the book at me or not…I mean if he was cute…anyway, the idea of going between both worlds is classic. And don’t we all just wanna save the sweating cute guy at the end?

3. Starship: Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now

OK so Starship used to be Jefferson Airplane but who cares?  They sang a song I just loved way back when for one of my favorite ’80s movies, “Mannequin”.  Loved seeing the old clips from the movie here in this video and hey, they’re even cooler because they “look” like they’re on the movie set at times too.  And wait, are those mannequins of them or are they REAL?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBQVrCflZ_E

4. Michael Jackson: Billie Jean

I just had to add this one to the list!  Michael Jackson defined the ’80s.  And who doesn’t remember this Billie Jean gal blaming Michael Jackson and saying he’s “the one”?  Of course, I was a kid at the time it came out and had no idea what he was being blamed for but I didn’t care.  Billie Jean IS NOT his lover!  OK?!  Brilliant aspect of the video: everywhere he steps the floor lights up underneath him and then the bed lights up too?  I tell ya the spotlight was on him from then on wasn’t it?

5. Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Want To Have Fun (or to put it better: Girls Just WANNA Have Fun)

That Cyndi.  Always causing trouble wanna-ing to have fun with that crazy hair and funky make-up!  Don’t think I remember all those silly graphics in the video.  I think I wanna be in a video and sway back and forth the whole time.  And would you look at that?  Don’t we all just wanna have fun?  Look at all those people dancing.  Hey, who’s that “normal” guy coming to see her with flowers?  Don’t think I remember that part either.

Hope you enjoyed my trip back in time.  I know I did.  I needed that.  Do you have any you want to share?  Please do.  I love seeing old music videos.