For some reason, when I think of the 80’s, I always feel good.  That’s the decade I graduated from high school, started smoking (have long since quit), began to work hard and party even harder.  Since I was out dancing at the clubs six out of seven nights a week, music was a huge [...]]]>

For some reason, when I think of the 80’s, I always feel good.  That’s the decade I graduated from high school, started smoking (have long since quit), began to work hard and party even harder.  Since I was out dancing at the clubs six out of seven nights a week, music was a huge part of my life.  I was no longer solely a rock & roll chick, for I had discovered punk rock and funk, old skool funk, that is, new wave, R&B, jazz and the blues.  Whenever I hear a song from back in the day, a smile spreads across my face and my hips and shoulders start to wiggle.  For some reason, I’ve been hearing these songs more often and I thought I’d share them with you. 

To find a good mix, I thought I’d go through the alphabet and pick one or two musicians or groups for each letter.  Why not?  I tried not to pick the obvious choice for each one but something most of you will remember.  I realize I’m missing a lot of great and influential musicians here so please be kind in your assessment of my choices.  Have a listen and let me know what some of your favorites are from that decade.  Please accept my apologies for the poor quality of some of these videos. 

A = After the Fire – Der Kommissar
B = Bauhaus – Bela Lugosi’s Dead
C = The Clash - Rock the Casbah

None of my friends were listening to The Clash when I first discovered them.  I felt like I had struck gold.  Here was something of import; something that made me move but also had substance. 

D = Terence Trent D’Arby – Sign Your Name or Dance Little Sister 
E = Eurythmics – Here Comes The Rain Again
F = The Fixx – Saved By Zero
G = Gap Band – Early in the Morning
H = George Harrison – All Those Years Ago

When my friends and I would listen to the Beatles, we’d, of course, have to pick which one we would be.  I always chose George.  He seemed like a kindred spirit.  I devoured every book I could find on the Beatles, specially ordered “I, Me, Mine” from a bookseller and discovered I enjoyed sitar music.  John was the Beatle I was most fascinated with.  He seemed brilliant, egotistical, searching and incomprehensible all in one.  I was never sure at any given time how, exactly, I felt about him.  But, I remember that morning when I woke up to the DJ announcing that John was dead.  It felt so personal.  Like my own JFK.

I = INXS - Need You Tonight or Chris Isaak – You Owe Me Some Kind of Love

Whew!  It’s getting hot in here.

J = Joe Jackson – Is She Really Going Out With Him
K = Lenny Kravitz – Are You Gonna Go My Way 
L = Love and Rockets – So Alive

I wake up to this song during my excruciatingly long commute in to work in the morning.  It always makes me feel happy and sexy and like jumping up and shaking my ass in front of the riders on the bus.  Thanks, honey, for putting this on my iPod! 

M = Eddie Money – Shakin’
N = Nu Shooz – I Can’t Wait or Gary Numan – Cars 
O = Oingo Boingo – Dead Man’s Party
P = Power Station – Some Like It Hot or Prince – Let’s Work

“Some Like It Hot” is just too freakin’ hot, and I just couldn’t complete this list without Prince.  “Let’s Work” is the perfect dance groove.  I”m sorry I couldn’t get a YouTube video for it.  You can hear a snippet on iTunes. 

Q = Queen – Crazy Little Thing Called Love
R = Romantics – Talking in Your Sleep or The Replacements – I Will Dare
S = Scorpions - Still Loving You

Oh yeah…

T = Thompson Twins – Lies
U = Ultravox – Vienna 
V = Violent Femmes – Blister in the Sun or Stevie Ray Vaughn – Texas Flood

I saw Stevie Ray Vaughn for the first and last time a few weeks before he died.  It was at an outdoor concert on a beautiful summer night.  The crowd had that “we are one” vibe going as Stevie Ray poured out his soul through his music.  I was pregnant at the time and remember thinking that I hoped my child would someday bring that kind of beauty to the world.

W = John Waite – Missing You    
X – XTC – Dear God
Y – Weird Al Yankovic – Eat It 

Come on, you know you like it! 

Z – ZZ Top – Sharp Dressed Man