MTV in the 80s Song of the Day

[DebraKadabra]

One of the better 80s Billy Joel tunes, but by no means my favorite of his.

[Jaq]

Mr. Mister-a long time ago around here, I made a post that said that their debut album wasn't quite the best 80s pop-rock album, but it was pretty close. The non-single tracks were fantastic here.

Billy Joel-more than once, me and my friends, most of them being in chorus, while I could carry a tune, sang The Longest Time when it came on the radio. We all settled into our parts almost naturally. Great song, always loved that Billy sang all the parts by himself. All fourteen of them 

[dbrooks22]

Billy Joel-more than once, me and my friends, most of them being in chorus, while I could carry a tune, sang The Longest Time when it came on the radio. We all settled into our parts almost naturally.

Ditto

[DebraKadabra]

Billy Joel-more than once, me and my friends, most of them being in chorus, while I could carry a tune, sang The Longest Time when it came on the radio. We all settled into our parts almost naturally. Great song, always loved that Billy sang all the parts by himself. All fourteen of them 

Nice - that's a great song, too.

[KevShmev]

The Cars - You Might Think

I absolutely loved this song back in 1984, and the video was super cool, too, but now I merely like it.  Back then, it was easily my favorite Cars song from the great Heartbeat City album, but now it is probably middle of the pack.  But, getting back to the video, I believe it was the first video to win the MTV Music Video of the Year award, and was definitely a deserving winner.  Like Billy Joel, The Cars came out of the 70s and managed to not compromised their sound or style in the 80s while still making great videos to expand their audience.

[DebraKadabra]

Even though You Might Think was EVERYWHERE when it was a single, I still like it.

[Cool Chris]

I really liked this song then, and I still like it now. I have actually been on a bit of a Cars kick, and hating the fact that I don't still have any of their CDs. I sold a lot of my lesser listened to stuff a while back for some quick cash. Their debut CD is a masterpiece. 

[FreezingPoint]

You Might Think is a great song, but I would probably put it in the middle or bottom half of the Heartbeat City album myself. There are so many great songs on that album. I just recently found Heartbeat City in vinyl and wow did I enjoy listening to it.

[Jaq]

Despite being a monster prog/metal head, one of my favorite bands ever, period, was the Cars. Just an amazing run of albums, and every one of them tended to be loaded. You Might Think is an awesome single, totally catchy and memorable, and it's in the lower half of songs on Heartbreak City. And yes, it did win the first VMA for video of the year. Haven't seen the video in ages, so I'm sure it looks pretty cheesy by modern standards. A lot of the more visually impressive videos of the 80s were using (or inventing) things that are pretty par for the course for today.

[KevShmev]

Tina Turner - What's Love Got to Do with It

One of the better laid back pop hits of the 80s. The music throughout this song, while often understated and in the background, is very beautiful, and Turner's gritty voice provides a nice counterpoint, while not overdoing it.  I never thought the video was anything special, but it's not bad or anything; it works well for the song.

[DebraKadabra]

I've always liked that one.

[bosk1]

The Cars - You Might Think

Great song.  Great album.  Great video.  I got the album kinda by mistake (didn't send in the "no" card to Columbia House in time), but played it nonstop afterward.  I pretty much forgot about these guys for years until recently when the band wanted to add "Just What I Needed" to the set.  I think I'm going to have to go out and pick up a "great hits" or something.

Tina Turner - What's Love Got to Do with It

I hate to be a hater, but I've never liked anything Tina Turner did.  This song is no exception.

[KevShmev]

Survivor - I Can't Hold Back

Kind of a stereotypical 80s monster ballad, before 80s monster ballads became a stereotype.   But I like this song.  In fact, it is probably the one Survivor song I go back to fairly often when going through my 80s stuff.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Great tune, like you said, a standard, and shining example of an 80's AOR rock tune.  I personally would shy away from using the word ballad, only because I (whether right or wrong) too closely associate the term with slower, more emotional offerings like Every Rose, Don't Know What You Got, Heaven, etc.

[KevShmev]

That's probably true.  It is more of a laid back tune alongs the lines of Night Ranger's Goodbye.  Not a rocker, but not a true monster ballad per se.

[DebraKadabra]

Erm... next...

[bosk1]

Survivor - I Can't Hold Back

Kind of a stereotypical 80s monster ballad, before 80s monster ballads became a stereotype.   But I like this song.  In fact, it is probably the one Survivor song I go back to fairly often when going through my 80s stuff.

I've read this post like 50 times now, and I still don't understand what it is trying to say.  My eyes read the word "Survivor," but then when the next words are not "Eye of the Tiger," my brain just shuts down and will not let me proceed any farther.

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Coem on now, Eye of the Tiger wasn't even one of Survivor's better songs.

[bosk1]

You're kidding about this whole thing about them having "other songs," right?  RIGHT?

[Cool Chris]

Great song.  Great album.  Great video.  I got the album kinda by mistake (didn't send in the "no" card to Columbia House in time), but played it nonstop afterward.  I pretty much forgot about these guys for years until recently when the band wanted to add "Just What I Needed" to the set.  I think I'm going to have to go out and pick up a "great hits" or something.

Did the same a while back, and none of the 'greatest hits' I found suited my fancy. Which is pretty sad for a band with 4/5(?) studio albums.

Never cared for Tina Turner's music. But never questioned her talent either.

This Survivor song doesn't sound familar and I can't research at work. But I couldn't name 3 of their songs. Was a huge fan of The Search is Over (that was Survivor, right?) though.

[dbrooks22]

You're kidding about this whole thing about them having "other songs," right?  RIGHT?

Survivor has some great tracks!  Can't Hold Back, Burning Heart (from Rocky IV), High on You, Search Is Over, Is This Love - all great songs!

[KevShmev]

Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson - Say, Say, Say

What a fun and neat video this was! This was one of my favorite videos back then, and the video made the song that much better, it not being that notable of a song in general, IMO. 

[Orbert]

Paul McCartney is immensely talented, and the guy knows how to write a melody like nobody else can.  Michael Jackson was also immensely talented, as far as singing, dancing, and even songwriting.  For these reasons, I automatically rejected this song and video.  It was during my "If it's that hugely popular, it can't possibly be any good" phase (which I've never really grown out of).  I don't like being manipulated, and writing a song specifically to become a hit, to me, is a form of manipulation.  The catchy melody, the catchy beat, the slick video... it's all designed to sell records.  It took me a long time to accept that some people (such as Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson) are just so damned talented that, it's not that they're trying to write hits, they just can't help it.  All their songs are great.

So yeah, it's a great song.  Great melody, catchy, clever video, all that.  And I still don't really like it, but that's my problem.

[King Postwhore]

Survivor - I Can't Hold Back

Kind of a stereotypical 80s monster ballad, before 80s monster ballads became a stereotype.   But I like this song.  In fact, it is probably the one Survivor song I go back to fairly often when going through my 80s stuff.

Seen them 4 times live and a great show.  People do not realize how much they liked to rock out more live.

Great tune.

[DebraKadabra]

Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson - Say, Say, Say

What a fun and neat video this was! This was one of my favorite videos back then, and the video made the song that much better, it not being that notable of a song in general, IMO.

Cute (ish) video, not a bad song by 80s standards.

[KevShmev]

Prince - U Got the Look

Always one of my favorites by Prince, but what I found baffling is how the video how that extended intro, which was a great buildup, but the regular version on the album doesn't have it.  Pretty weird, to say the least.  A version with the intro can be found on the Ultimate (The Very Best of Prince) double CD compilation, but even that version unnecessarily extends the middle section a little bit, so there really is no perfect version of U Got the Look on CD the way it is in the video, which is unfortunate.  But anyway, I really like the vocal contributions of Sheena Easton in this song, and the video is pretty cool, featuring nearly the entire thing as a dream sequence.  This is hands down one of the best hits Prince ever had.

[Jaq]

Mmmm Sheena Easton.... Prince certainly had an ability for surrounding himself with some FINE women. 

[DebraKadabra]

Prince

[King Postwhore]

Average Prince song for me.

[DebraKadabra]

Dude, average Prince was Raspberry Beret.

[BlobVanDam]

Survivor - I Can't Hold Back

Kind of a stereotypical 80s monster ballad, before 80s monster ballads became a stereotype.   But I like this song.  In fact, it is probably the one Survivor song I go back to fairly often when going through my 80s stuff.

Seen them 4 times live and a great show.  People do not realize how much they liked to rock out more live.

Great tune.

Man, how did I miss this one? Pretty good song, and the whole album is really solid. I don't even know which songs were singles/hits, because it just sounds like a whole album of them to me.

[KevShmev]

Janet Jackson - When I Think of You

I've never been much of a fan of most of her work, but this song is kind of cool.  The music in the intro is pretty cool, and while the rest of the song strikes me as run of the mill 80s pop, it is mostly enjoyable, although I rarely reach for this song when scanning through my 80s playlist.

[King Postwhore]

Survivor - I Can't Hold Back

Kind of a stereotypical 80s monster ballad, before 80s monster ballads became a stereotype.   But I like this song.  In fact, it is probably the one Survivor song I go back to fairly often when going through my 80s stuff.

Seen them 4 times live and a great show.  People do not realize how much they liked to rock out more live.

Great tune.

Man, how did I miss this one? Pretty good song, and the whole album is really solid. I don't even know which songs were singles/hits, because it just sounds like a whole album of them to me.

Yes, Vital Signs is a great album.  I hated a girl for breaking up with me and I cranked "Broken Promises" a billion times after the break up.


Kev, never been a fan of Janet's music.

[DebraKadabra]

Janet Jackson - When I Think of You

I've never been much of a fan of most of her work, but this song is kind of cool.  The music in the intro is pretty cool, and while the rest of the song strikes me as run of the mill 80s pop, it is mostly enjoyable, although I rarely reach for this song when scanning through my 80s playlist.

She's had better songs, but the video for this one is pretty cool.

[King Postwhore]

Well thanks to this thread I'm listening to Vital Signs, When Seconds Count and Premonition albums by Survivor today while doing production paperwork.