MTV in the 80s Song of the Day

[Bill Carson]

I've not checked all of this thread so apologies if anyone has posted this but......does anyone like Go West...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9s9vmrJkV8

[Big Hath]

Wow, Go West brings back memories.  I had the Indian Summer album, so I guess it doesn't really fit this thread since it was from 1992.

That's the one that had Faithful, Still In Love, Tell Me, What You Won't Do For Love, King of Wishful Thinking . . .

The summer of 92 or 93, I went to Six Flags Atlanta with a bunch of friends and I must have heard What You Won't Do For Love a thousand times waiting in line for the rides.  It was in a rotation of about 5 or 6 songs that they played over and over on the tv's while you waited.

I really loved the song The Sun and The Moon.

[Bill Carson]

If you liked Indian Summer then I would highly recommend there previous 2 albums. They have a more pop/rock feel with some incredible lead guitar work provided by Alan Murphy - one of the best guitarist from the UK in that era, went on to play with Level 42 and sadly died in 1989.

[KevShmev]

Jackson Browne - Lawyers in Love

Kind of a forgotten song of his, as most think of his famous 70s tunes when he comes to mind, but I think this song is a major winner - always a favorite of mine from 1983 - and it still sounds great.

[bosk1]

People get "forgotten" and "forgettable" mixed up all the time.  It's understandable given how similar the two words are.  I forgive you.

[Orbert]

This video cracked me up.  I loved the imagery of paddling your car like a canoe, doing the "mating call" of the lawyers, and listening for the response.  Surreal insanity.

[KevShmev]

Hehe, I forgot about that.  I barely remember the video, although now that I think about it, I think that shot of the guy with the rows on top of the car was on the sleeve of the 45 of the record, which I had at the time.  That was a cool thing back then, when singles had their own full sleeves.

[KevShmev]

In what has to be some crazy irony, yesterday's episode of Totally 80s, which I skimmed through briefly last night before going to sleep, had the video for Lawyers in Love!  And now I see why I didn't remember it: it was wholly unmemorable.  And quite terrible, actually. 

Culture Club - Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?

Despite featuring a male singer that dressed and looked, well, rather womanly , this video didn't strike me as that weird at the age of 9.  A little out there, but I enjoyed the song enough.  Not a favorite, but enjoyable nonetheless.

[DebraKadabra]

Not familiar with the Jackson Browne one, but TOO familiar with the Culture Club one.  Yick.

[jingle.boy]

Was always partial to The War Song. What a flash in the pan CC was. Right place; right time.

[Ravenheart]

I like that Culture Club song. While there was much better new wave and synthpop that was popular at the time, it's a good song nonetheless.

[KevShmev]

Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)

Good song.  And out of all of the 80s soundtrack songs, is there one more closely associated with the movie than this one is with The Breakfast Club?  I'd love to hear an argument otherwise.

[Ravenheart]

Simple Minds are great. Love this song. Iconic chorus and triumphant synths; I can't not like it. Probably one of the defining 80s synthpop songs and bands.

[Cool Chris]

Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)

Good song.  And out of all of the 80s soundtrack songs songs ever recorded, is there one more closely associated with the movie than this one is with The Breakfast Club?  I'd love to hear an argument otherwise.

Maybe this is because I am a child of the 80s, but I had to tweak that statement. This song fit so well int hat movie, and it was actually a great song in its own right, as well. I remember on our senior trip, at the end of the night they played this song, and it really resonated with everyone.

Of course, I've pretty much forgotten about everyone and everything from high school, but it was a nice moment 18 years ago, nonetheless.

[DebraKadabra]

Good song, good movie.  This is one of the few "really popular" 80s songs that's aged well for me.

[Jaq]

Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me)

Good song.  And out of all of the 80s soundtrack songs, is there one more closely associated with the movie than this one is with The Breakfast Club?  I'd love to hear an argument otherwise.

Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins would like a word with you. 

Hell, Kenny Loggins' 80s output would like a word with you...

Or Take My Breath Away...

[Big Hath]

How about Ghostbusters?  I think that is about the strongest association you can have.

for me, Pat Benatar's Invincible is forever linked to The Legend of Billie Jean.

Then there's:

Oh Yeah (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)
Eye of the Tiger (Rocky III)
Dirty Dancing ( (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life)
The Power of Love (Back to the Future)
The Glory of Love (Karate Kid II)

[ZirconBlue]

How about Ghostbusters?  I think that is about the strongest association you can have.

for me, Pat Benatar's Invincible is forever linked to The Legend of Billie Jean.

Then there's:

Oh Yeah (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)
Eye of the Tiger (Rocky III)
Dirty Dancing ( (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life)
The Power of Love (Back to the Future)
The Glory of Love (Karate Kid II)

Some more nominees:




Weird Science (Weird Science)
In Your Eyes (Say Anything)
I'm All Right (Caddyshack)
Everybody Wants to Rule the World (Real Genius)
Batdance (Batman)
Axel F (Beverly Hills Cop)
St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) (St. Elmo's Fire)
Old Time Rock and Roll (Risky Business)
Up Where We Belong (An Officer and a Gentleman)

[Jaq]

Kev's kind of getting hammered. 

As for the actual song, I remember when it came out that the band didn't really want to do it, since it was written by an outside writer and didn't really sound like them, but they went along with it. And so when their next album came out, it pretty well vanished after one single-Alive And Kicking, which oddly I remember very well. Looks like their instincts were right.

[Cool Chris]

I'm sorry, when I referred to Don't You (Forget About Me) being the song most associated with the movie it was in, I was referring to actual good songs

And 'Alive and Kicking' is a great song as well.

[KevShmev]

I knew that comment would result in some good replies.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - If You Leave

Another soundtrack example, this one being from Pretty in Pink.  I actually never saw this movie until long after the 80s had ended, but it is still difficult to not associate the song with the end of the movie. 

[DebraKadabra]

Never liked that one.

[Orbert]

As for the actual song, I remember when it came out that the band didn't really want to do it, since it was written by an outside writer and didn't really sound like them, but they went along with it. And so when their next album came out, it pretty well vanished after one single-Alive And Kicking, which oddly I remember very well. Looks like their instincts were right.

I didn't realize that Simple Minds didn't write "Don't You".  Kerr does such an awesome job on the vocals, completely owns them, that it never occurred to me that maybe they didn't write it.

My favorite Simple Minds song is "All the Things She Said'.  Love that song, and the video is very cool.

[KevShmev]

Fleetwood Mac - Gypsy

I absolutely love this song.  Everything about it is just tremendous, and to this day this is probably still my favorite Fleetwood Mac studio song (I probably prefer Dreams as a song, but only the live version from The Dance).  I don't remember this video being particularly memorable or noteworthy at all, but the song was so great, it didn't matter.

[wolfking]

I really like FM.  My girlfriend is a Mac freak so I guess it just rubbed off over the years.  Good song that one, excellent soothing atmosphere and great performances.  Great video too.

[DebraKadabra]

Not the best FM song, but pretty good nonetheless.

[KevShmev]

Spandau Ballet - True

Never much of a fan of this one, as it's a bit too tame, even by 80s standards, but I did warm up to it a tad after it was featured at the end of The Wedding Singer; it's the song Steve Buscemi, as the wedding singer, sings at the wedding of Robbie and Julia.

[lonestar]

Going back to Gypsy, loved that song, and Stevie Nicks was a huge crush of mine as a kid.

[bosk1]

Going back to Gypsy, loved that song, and Stevie Nicks was a huge crush of mine as a kid.

All of that.

[DebraKadabra]

Spandau Ballet - True

Ugh.

[Orbert]

Spandau Ballet - True

Never much of a fan of this one, as it's a bit too tame, even by 80s standards, but I did warm up to it a tad after it was featured at the end of The Wedding Singer; it's the song Steve Buscemi, as the wedding singer, sings at the wedding of Robbie and Julia.

The song is mushy but nice.  The saxophone solo, and the key change that comes with it, are amazing.  I'll listen to this song every time, just for that solo.

[jingle.boy]

Spandau Ballet - True

Ugh.

Agreed.  The only redeeming thing about Spandau Ballet was Ed Norton's episode in Modern Family about them.

[Kwyjibo]

Spandau Ballet - True

Ugh.

I second that emotion

[KevShmev]

Poison - Talk Dirty to Me

Despite being a fan of a lot of the mainstream hair metal at the time, I didn't care much for this song, and only liked a few other Poison songs a little bit when they later came out (Fallen Angel being the only one I can say I liked quite a bit). 

[DebraKadabra]

Another UGH.