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The 80's --- Best music decade ever


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Did somebody mention Ska?...

 

First single I ever bought, 99p from Woolies, Jan 1980

 

 

And you can't not play this....no 1 in the UK for two months in the summer of 1982 when Thatcher's Britain went up in flames....

 

Going to see them in October :lol:

 

 

Love Ghost Town. Its one of those songs that really takes me back when it comes on the radio.

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Trouble is I listened to classical music back then (actually overloaded because my Mam loved it) and I absolutely hated it. These days I have a real appreciation for some classical pieces. Must of the music I like is largely instrumental (sigur ros, sabres of paradise, craig armstrong, etc) and I reckon that lends itself to being flooded with classical earlier in life.

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Apparently your ears are in their peak condition then.

 

You can hear your widest range of tones and everyone loses that range.

 

You've also been exposed to less than you ever will again, so every surprising change of key, and every driving rhythm is as if it's never occurred to anyone before. Ten years later you'll hear Brahms did it, but the classical source means nowt to you by then.

 

I think thats a tad physco bollox tbf. The eighties was a very tuneful and lyrical period, very much more rhyming lyrics. It was also very uncomplicated and simple. I think songs were off a similar ilk in the 50's however the 90's onwards moved much more towards music rather than songs, as such.

 

What clinches it for me is that you go to any family disco / wedding and it is littered with eighties songs than everyone, no matter what age, knows the words too.

 

Just look at these beauties.....

 

The 1000 Number One Singles Of The Official UK Charts

 

1980

449 Pretenders Brass In Pocket

450 The Special AKA The Specials Live EP (main track: Too Much Too Young)

451 Kenny Rogers Coward Of The County

452 Blondie Atomic

453 Fern Kinney Together We Are Beautiful

454 Jam Going Underground / Dreams Of Children

455 Detroit Spinners Working My Way Back To You - Forgive Me Girl

456 Blondie Call Me

457 Dexy's Midnight Runners Geno

458 Johnny Logan What's Another Year

459 Mash Suicide Is Painless (Theme from M*A*S*H)

460 Don McLean Crying

461 Olivia Newton John & Electric Light Orchestra Xanadu

462 Odyssey Use It Up And Wear It Out

463 Abba The Winner Takes It All

464 David Bowie Ashes To Ashes

465 Jam Start

466 Kelly Marie Feels Like I'm In Love

467 Police Don't Stand So Close To Me

468 Barbra Streisand Woman In Love

469 Blondie The Tide Is High

470 Abba Super Trouper

471 John Lennon (Just Like) Starting Over

472 St Winifred's School Choir There's No One Quite Like Grandma

 

1981

473 John Lennon Imagine

474 John Lennon Woman

475 Joe Dolce Music Theatre Shaddap You Face

476 Roxy Music Jealous Guy

477 Shakin' Stevens This Ole House

478 Bucks Fizz Making Your Mind Up

479 Adam & The Ants Stand And Deliver

480 Smokey Robinson Being With You

481 Michael Jackson One Day In Your Life

482 Specials Ghost Town

483 Shakin' Stevens Green Door

484 Aneka Japanese Boy

485 Soft Cell Tainted Love

486 Adam & The Ants Prince Charming

487 Dave Stewart with Barbara Gaskin It's My Party

488 Police Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic

489 Queen & David Bowie Under Pressure

490 Julio Iglesias Begin The Beguine (Volver A Empezar)

491 Human League Don't You Want Me

 

1982

492 Bucks Fizz Land Of Make Believe

493 Shakin' Stevens Oh Julie

494 Kraftwerk The Model / Computer Love

495 Jam A Town Called Malice / Precious

496 Tight Fit The Lion Sleeps Tonight

497 Goombay Dance Band Seven Tears

498 Bucks Fizz My Camera Never Lies

499 Paul McCartney with Stevie Wonder Ebony And Ivory

500 Nicole A Little Peace

501 Madness House Of Fun

502 Adam Ant Goody Two Shoes

503 Charlene I've Never Been To Me

504 Captain Sensible Happy Talk

505 Irene Cara Fame

506 Dexy's Midnight Runners & The Emerald Express Come On Eileen

507 Survivor Eye Of The Tiger

508 Musical Youth Pass The Dutchie

509 Culture Club Do You Really Want To Hurt Me

510 Eddy Grant I Don't Wanna Dance

511 Jam Beat Surrender

512 Renee & Renato Save Your Love

 

1983

513 Phil Collins You Can't Hurry Love

514 Men At Work Down Under

515 Kajagoogoo Too Shy

516 Michael Jackson Billie Jean

517 Bonnie Tyler Total Eclipse Of The Heart

518 Duran Duran Is There Something I Should Know

519 David Bowie Let's Dance

520 Spandau Ballet True.

521 New Edition Candy Girl

522 Police Every Breath You Take

523 Rod Stewart Baby Jane

524 Paul Young Wherever I Lay My Hat

525 K C & The Sunshine Band Give It Up

526 UB 40 Red Red Wine

527 Culture Club Karma Chameleon

528 Billy Joel Uptown Girl

529 Flying Pickets Only You

 

1984

530 Paul McCartney Pipes Of Peace

531 Frankie Goes To Hollywood Relax

532 Nena 99 Red Balloons

533 Lionel Richie Hello

534 Duran Duran The Reflex

535 Wham! Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go

536 Frankie Goes To Hollywood Two Tribes

537 George Michael Careless Whisper

538 Stevie Wonder I Just Called To Say I Love You

539 Wham! Freedom

540 Chaka Khan I Feel For You

541 Jim Diamond I Should Have Known Better

542 Frankie Goes To Hollywood The Power Of Love

543 Band Aid Do They Know It's Christmas

 

1985

544 Foreigner I Want To Know What Love Is

545 Elaine Paige & Barbara Dickson I Know Him So Well

546 Dead Or Alive You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)

547 Philip Bailey & Phil Collins Easy Lover

548 USA For Africa We Are The World

549 Phillis Nelson Move Closer

550 Paul Hardcastle 19

551 Crowd You'll Never Walk Alone

552 Sister Sledge Frankie

553 Eurythmics There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)

554 Madonna Into The Groove

555 UB 40 & Chrissie Hynde I Got You Babe

556 David Bowie & Mick Jagger Dancing in the Streets

557 Midge Ure If I Was

558 Jennifer Rush The Power Of Love

559 Feargal Sharkey A Good Heart

560 Wham! I'm Your Man

561 Whitney Houston Saving All My Love For You

562 Shakin' Stevens Merry Christmas Everyone

 

1986

563 Pet Shop Boys West End Girls

564 A-ha The Sun Always Shines On TV

565 Billy Ocean "When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going"

566 Diana Ross Chain Reaction

567 Cliff Richard & The Young Ones Living Doll

568 George Michael A Different Corner

569 Falco Rock Me Amadeus

570 Spitting Image The Chicken Song

571 Doctor & The Medics Spirit In The Sky

572 Wham! The Edge Of Heaven

573 Madonna Papa Don't Preach

574 Chris de Burgh The Lady In Red

575 Boris Gardiner I Want To Wake Up With You

576 Communards Don't Leave Me This Way

577 Madonna True Blue

578 Nick Berry Every Loser Wins

579 Berlin Take My Breath Away

580 Europe The Final Countdown

581 Housemartins Caravan Of Love

582 Jackie Wilson Reet Petite

 

 

1987

583 Steve 'Silk' Hurley Jack Your Body

584 George Michael & Aretha Franklin I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)

585 Ben E King Stand By Me

586 Boy George Everything I Own

587 Mel & Kim Respectable

588 Ferry Aid Let It Be

589 Madonna La Isla Bonita

590 Starship Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now

591 Whitney Houston I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)

592 The Firm Star Trekkin'

593 Pet Shop Boys It's A Sin

594 Madonna Who's That Girl

595 Los Lobos La Bamba

596 Michael Jackson I Just Can't Stop Loving You

597 Rick Astley Never Gonna Give You Up

598 M/A/R/R/S Pump Up The Volume / Anitina (The First Time I See She Dance)

599 Bee Gees You Win Again

600 T'Pau China In Your Hand

601 Pet Shop Boys Always On My Mind

 

1988

602 Belinda Carlisle Heaven Is A Place On Earth

603 Tiffany I Think We're Alone Now

604 Kylie Minogue I Should Be So Lucky

605 Aswad Don't Turn Around

606 Pet Shop Boys Heart

607 S'Express Theme from S'Express

608 Fairground Attraction Perfect

609 Wet Wet Wet / Billy Bragg With A Little Help From My Friends / She's Leaving Home

610 Timelords Doctorin' The Tardis

611 Bros I Owe You Nothing

612 Glenn Medeiros Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You

613 Yazz & The Plastic Population The Only Way Is Up

614 Phil Collins A Groovy Kind Of Love

615 Hollies He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother

616 U2 Desire

617 Whitney Houston One Moment In Time

618 Enya Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)

619 Robin Beck The First Time

620 Cliff Richard Mistletoe & Wine

 

1989

621 Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan Especially For You

622 Marc Almond with Gene Pitney Somethings Gotten Hold Of My Heart

623 Simple Minds Belfast Child

624 Jason Donovan Too Many Broken Hearts

625 Madonna Like A Prayer

626 Bangles Eternal Flame

627 Kylie Minogue Hand On Your Heart

628 "Gerry Marsden, Paul McCartney, Holly Johnson & Christians" Ferry 'Cross The Mersey

629 Jason Donovan Sealed With A Kiss

630 Soul II Soul featuring Caron Wheeler Back To Life

631 Sonia You'll Never Stop Me Loving You

632 Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers Swing The Mood

633 Black Box Ride On Time

634 Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers That's What I Like

635 Lisa Stansfield All Around The World

636 New Kids On The Block You Got It (The Right Stuff)

637 Jive Bunny & The Mastermixers Let's Party

638 Band Aid II Do They Know It's Christmas

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The fact that 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' isn't included for 1980 renders the rest of your post irrelevant to me CT and I've skipped past the rest.

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Apparently your ears are in their peak condition then.

 

You can hear your widest range of tones and everyone loses that range.

 

You've also been exposed to less than you ever will again, so every surprising change of key, and every driving rhythm is as if it's never occurred to anyone before. Ten years later you'll hear Brahms did it, but the classical source means nowt to you by then.

 

I think thats a tad physco bollox tbf. The eighties was a very tuneful and lyrical period, very much more rhyming lyrics. It was also very uncomplicated and simple.

 

It's been observed in neuro-science. People of all ages have had their brains scanned listening to different things to see the effect the music has physically. When you listen to music your brain releases endorphins at a moment that is pleasing to you. I'm not talking about one decade being more complex than any other musically, just how all our tastes mature.

 

When you're 2 years old twinkle twinkle is a work of unparallelled genius. It is a tune that you, even at that age can follow, and if it stopped near the end you could probably resolve. This is the joy of having your expectations being confirmed...of being right and enjoying being in with everyone else that sees the fun of it.

 

As you age, twinkle twinkle just doesn't pump those endorphins any more, you leave the 2 year olds to be impressed that they can finish a simple rhyme...safe in the knowledge they're mugs to fall for it. By then you know Barney's "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family" is the greatest thing you ever heard with it's increase in tempo making it doubly complex, the younger kids are such squares :lol: . It's hugely gratifying to be able to comprehend the pleasure of a change in pitch, key, timbre or tempo that your young ears have never comprehended before.

 

The pattern continues year after year with simple tunes being enjoyed then discarded until you end up at crazy frog or some other crap that includes all the basics of a musical vocabulary and hammers them home without investigating the possibilities much further.

 

The question is at which stage having your preconceptions challenged loses it's allure, when you can't see what other people are getting from a certain collection of noises, and which recognisable tropes keep pumping the endorphins for you personally more than anything else. This might never happen with some people, who will always get bored and persistently want to be challenged in order to pump the endorphins again. But the majority of us , at some stage, start going back for the memory of those early neurotransmitter affecting rushes that were most powerful, rather than keep looking for new ways to get the juices flowing, the opportunities for which get fewer and farther between.

 

I read the book a while ago and will probably have misrepresented it, but it's well worth a read.

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I can't hear Ghost Town anymore without thinking about Father Ted "now please rise for the Irish national Anthem"

:lol: That episode's superb.

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The 80s was a great era - but I suspect a lot of that is down to the number of posters on here rapidly approaching the crisis point of their 40th birthday - receding hairlines, expanding waistlines, wondering where the fuck your youth went...mind, when 80s music was good, it was very, very good.

 

 

 

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The 80s was a great era - but I suspect a lot of that is down to the number of posters on here rapidly approaching the crisis point of their 40th birthday - receding hairlines, expanding waistlines, wondering where the fuck your youth went...mind, when 80s music was good, it was very, very good.

 

 

 

 

Dear me...echo beach? Aye, nut the other two are depressing crap.

 

 

Lock the paracetamol away.

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The Eighties was without doubt the decade of the absolute shitest music in history closely followed by the 90's utter utter crap with little of worth.

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I totally love the pet shop boys, easily in the top 10 80's bands, and Deacon Blue.

 

This song I was listening to in me ipod the other day, and I couldn't stop thinking about Meenzer. No connotations or anything, it might be cos he went from the toon to London the same as Meenz, but he came in to my mind Meenzer listening to this.

 

Edited by McFaul
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Like most eras, the 80's had good and bad. For every

there was a http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFOZ6zk_Ev . I like the synth pop stufflike Gary Numan and the Human League as well as metal and rock like Metallica and Guns n' Roses. I also liked the Pet Shop Boys, and have an older sister who saw Bros in Dusseldorf when we lived in Germany.
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