"I.G.Y. (International Geophysical Year)" by Donald Fagen -- you may remember this one better from the first lines of its refrain: What a beautiful world this will be, what a glorious time to be free! "The Nightfly" is one of my very favorite CD's. This is one of my very favorite songs. Howard Jones did a remake of it, and it pains me to listen to it, because I am so enamored of Fagen's version. And the video for "New Frontier" was pretty damn cool in its day. Have I mentioned how much I love this song?
"I've Never Been to Me" by Charlene -- Please. Slit my wrists so I never have to hear her lousy tale again.
"I Believe in You" by Don Williams -- fabulous country artist. Awesome music. I like this song. I never realized it crossed over. I like his "Some Broken Hearts Never Mend" better.....
"I Couldn't Say No" by Robert Ellis Orrall with Carlene Carter -- also on the "WAU" collection. I didn't remember it. I like it though! Now, to be fair, Robert Ellis Orrall and Carlene Carter both went on to have songs on the country charts. I loved his "Boom! It Was Over" and her "Every Little Thing."
"I Do What I Do" by John Taylor -- from 9-1/2 Weeks. I liked Andy Taylor's "Take It Easy" (from American Anthem) much better. (And why isn't THAT song on Wiki's list???) But John was muuuuuucccch easier on the eyes than Andy. That was for sure!!!
"I Don't Mind At All" by Bourgeois Tagg -- a completely fabulous song. Fond memories of my first semester in college. It got a lot of airplay in Charleston, but apparently not back home, because my brother has no memory of this song at all. And I do mind that. Very Beatle-esque harmonies and just an all-around great song.
"I Know There's Something Going On" by Frida -- oh yeah. I remember this one pretty well. Also saw the video on "Night Tracks." I have this one as well.
"I Loved 'Em Every One" by T.G. Sheppard -- GAAAAAG!!!!! I can't believe THIS one crossed over to be a hit? Was America just so worn down by the confusion of the late 70s and early 80s to have enjoyed this song?
"I Wanna Be a Cowboy" by Boys Don't Cry -- heh heh heh. Fond memories of Summer '86. Girls' State, Columbia SC. Leigh Anne Satterfield: "I wanna be your Commissioner of Agriculture. And you can be my constituency!"
"I'm Happy That Love Has Found You" by Jimmy Hall -- another from the "WAU" vault. Great song!
"Iko Iko" by Belle Stars -- from The Big Easy. Great song! Good movie!
"In a Big Country" by Big Country -- awesome song!
"In My House" by Mary Jane Girls -- oh yeah. I remember this one.
"Into the Night" by Benny Mardones --- GAAAAAG! Again, was America so desperate for ... whatever ... in 1980 that we actually put this dreck on the charts? AND again in '89? I mean, this is a horrid song? If the parents of the 16-year-old had been smart, they'd have had ol' Benny put away for stalking and statutory something!!!
"Invisible" by Alison Moyet -- I remember the video from MTV, but it didn't get much airplay on our radio.
"Is It You" by Lee Ritenour -- I really enjoyed this one. Spring '81. Mr. Rice's science class was so dang boring that I took to reading the little leaflet that WQOK-AM put out each week -- their Top 30. This was on their leaflet for quite a while.
"It Takes Two" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock -- I'm not a fan of rap, but I do love this!!
"It's Now or Never" by John Schneider -- Bo Duke does Elvis. Now, my brother loves John Schneider's music. What can I say? I tried......
"Just Got Lucky" by JoBoxers -- I remember this from "Night Tracks" and it was on the "WAU" collection as well. Great bouncy song!
"Just the Two of Us" by Grover Washington, Jr. (with Bill Withers) -- fabulous song. Completely fabulous. I loved it then, I love it now. I even love Dr. Evil's version.
"Keep Your Hands to Yourself" by The Georgia Satellites -- heh heh heh heh heh. Oh yeah. Great memories of singing this song in school.
"Key Largo" by Bertie Higgins -- I liked this song. Really. Seriously.
"Kiss Him Goodbye" by The Nylons -- this single ...er, single-handledly ... is responsible for the revival of singing this to your defeated opponents after a sports loss.
"Let's Go All the Way" by Sly Fox -- pop, pop, zimi-nimi. Lots of fun and raised eyebrows with this one. And fond memories of the Lost Weekend at Stephanie's house. Possums and BK fries. Giggles and typewriters, and erasers and pencils. Oh yeah.....
"Let It Whip" by The Dazz Band -- love this song. Great for dancing. I just hate that a few short years ago, it was used in a Tampax commercial.
"Let the Music Play" by Shannon -- another great dance song!
"Lookin' for Love" by Johnny Lee -- wookin' pa nub!!!! (BTW, I wasn't crazy about this song).
"Love Changes (Everything)" by Climie Fisher -- great tune!
"Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire" by David Foster -- LOVE the instrumental. A few years later, a version with lyrics appeared, and was my brother's high school class's goodbye song for their last assembly. BLECH!!!!!!
"Love You Like I Never Loved Before" by John O'Banion -- another "WAU" tune -- and a great one to boot!
"Major Tom (Coming Home)" by Peter Schilling -- oh yeah. This one was a classic. I knew there was a connection to "Space Oddity." The other thing I remember is sitting in homeroom one morning, and the bus was leaving for Vocational School -- and some of the guys leaving for VS were walking down the hallway singing, "Earth below us, drifting, falling..." These guys were NOT new-wave fans -- they were more into Bocephus and country. So we all knew when they were doing it, that it was a huge joke. I still like the song.
"Mama Used to Say" by Junior -- another classic from the "WAU" vault! I don't recall it being played much here, so I've learned it from this collection.
"Mary's Prayer" by Danny Wilson -- love this song!!!!!
"Miami Vice Theme" by Jan Hammer -- oh yeah.
"Mickey" by Toni Basil -- if this song would go away, it'd really really make my day, GO! MICKEY! GO! Mickey....
"Modern Day Delilah" by Van Stephenson -- a forgotten classic. Got a good bit of airplay here. Van Stephenson went on to play in the country group Blackhawk (and I loved their music) along with Henry Paul of the Outlaws and some other guy. But "Modern Day Delilah" was just an awesome song.
"More Than Just the Two of Us" by Sneaker -- another "WAU" gem!
"Motortown" by Kane Gang -- a fandamntabulous song! So very reminiscent of Steely Dan. Could have easily fit on Fagen's "Nightfly" and fit perfectly. Of course, I have it.....
"My Ever Changing Moods" by The Style Council -- I loved this song. I remember a little of the video from "Night Tracks" (we didn't get MTV until late '84 on our cable system). I was SOOOO disappointed when it didn't chart higher.
"The Never Ending Story" by Limahl -- I remember it well, but it wasn't a favorite of mine. Probably because it was connected to a kiddie movie.
"New Romance (It's a Mystery)" by Spider -- another from the "WAU" vault, and one which I didn't know until I heard it there first. A good one!
"Nightbird" by (Stevie Nicks with) Sandy Stewart -- now, I always remember this being a Stevie Nicks song, primarily, instead of a Sandy Stewart song. That's why its inclusion here is bizarre!
"Nobody" by Sylvia -- yep. Memories of 8th grade Home Arts class, and a couple of folks singing this one a good bit while working in the kitchen or hunched over those infernal sewing machines. Funny thing about us as kids: we were not quite "city kids" and not entirely "country kids" so we had pretty eclectic tastes in music. We were as likely to listen to Duran Duran as we were to Midnight Star as we were to Alabama. Well-rounded, we were.
"Object of My Desire" by Starpoint -- I remember this one. All over the airwaves for a while.
"On the Loose" by Saga -- oh my God! One of my favorites from that time. Does anyone remember "Nick Rocks"??? (6 pm every day on Nickolodeon) .... yep, this one got played a good bit.
"Operator" by Midnight Star -- Midnight Star! I didn't realize this was their only charting hit, because I sure as hell remember "Freak-A-Zoid" (A computerized voice saying, "Freakazoids ... robots ... please .. report .. to the .. dance ... floor!") and "No Parking on the Dance Floor" (big heaving sigh) Thank you, WHYZ, for some fond memories.
More to come......
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3 comments:
"I.G.Y. (International Geophysical Year)" by Donald Fagen
There is absolutely nothing bad to be said about the song, nor the album it came from. “The Nightfly” is, hands down, one of the best albums of the 1980s. Any song with the likes of “New Frontier” (which, IMO, should’ve been the big hit) and “Walk Between the Raindrops” could never do wrong.
"I've Never Been to Me" by Charlene
-- Please. Slit my wrists so I never have to hear her lousy tale again.
“I’ve been to paradise .... but then I heard this song and realized it was all a mirage.”
"I Believe in You" by Don Williams
One of my favorite country crossover hits.
"I Couldn't Say No" by Robert Ellis Orrall with Carlene Carter
For two people with C&W pedigrees, it had a fairly strong Fleetwood Mac feel about it.
"I Do What I Do" by John Taylor
"I Don't Mind At All" by Bourgeois Tagg
One of my favorite songs of 1987. Yeah, very McCartney-esque in feel .... would be right at home on a mid-period Beatles LP.
"I Know There's Something Going On" by Frida
There was. It was called ABBA. Remember? You and that “Can’t Shake Loose” girl broke free from the other two. (Like the song okay, btw)
"I Loved 'Em Every One" by T.G. Sheppard
-- GAAAAAG!!!!! I can't believe THIS one crossed over to be a hit? Was America just so worn down by the confusion of the late 70s and early 80s to have enjoyed this song?
This was the heart of the top-40 “post-disco” hangover. One wouldn’t think the format would revolutionize (and revitalize) itself just a year or so later.
Oh yeah, the song. A precursor to Willie & Julio’s “To All the Girls I Loved Before”, and just as retchworthy.
"I Wanna Be a Cowboy" by Boys Don't Cry
-- heh heh heh. Fond memories of Summer '86. Girls' State, Columbia SC. Leigh Anne Satterfield: "I wanna be your Commissioner of Agriculture. And you can be my constituency!"
What that campaign theme, did she win?
When I hear this song, I always think of a youthful George W. Bush.
"I'm Happy That Love Has Found You" by Jimmy Hall
-- another from the "WAU" vault. Great song!
A record full of the spirit of latter-day Wet Willie. I love it.
"Iko Iko" by Belle Stars
-- from The Big Easy. Great song! Good movie!
Iko Iko like it too much.
"In a Big Country" by Big Country
-- awesome song!
One of the top golden greats of 1984! “Like a lover’s voice fires the mountainside.....”
"In My House" by Mary Jane Girls
No thanks, I’ll opt for the big country. Your voices didn’t fire my mountainside. Heck, they didn’t even light a single match.
"Into the Night" by Benny Mardones
I vote “take it or leave it” on it, regardless of the fact that the guy 1) is incapable of flying, 2) would probably get busted for statutory rape had he shown said girl “a love like she’d never seen, ever seen”, 3) has a penchant for whiny, high drama, and 4) that it became a big hit two times.
"Invisible" by Alison Moyet
-- I remember the video from MTV, but it didn't get much airplay on our radio.
It didn’t get much airplay around Memphis, either. And Little Rock? HAH! First time I ever heard it was driving back from south Alabama after Spring Break .... the late, lamented Montgomery station WLSQ “95-ROCK” was playing it.
"Is It You" by Lee Ritenour
-- I really enjoyed this one. Spring '81. Mr. Rice's science class was so dang boring that I took to reading the little leaflet that WQOK-AM put out each week -- their Top 30. This was on their leaflet for quite a while.
Few stations were still putting out such “little leaflets” as late as 1981. Back in the ‘60s, most every top-40 had one. But I digress. “Is It You” reminds me of Cape, 10th grade, and KJAS after it kneejerked to adult contemporary following its flirtation with “no-disco top-40.” It brings back the feel of latter-day 10th grade (and ‘first girlfriend’ Paula), but song otherwise was a little beneath my ‘wimpy threshold.’
"It Takes Two" by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock
Haven’t heard it, I’m afraid.
"It's Now or Never" by John Schneider
The biggest insult to Elvis Aron Presley since ... well, I don’t know. It was a big insult, let’s leave it at that.
"Just Got Lucky" by JoBoxers
I love this song. A lot. Another one of those “MTV hits” (the little dog stole that whole video).
"Just the Two of Us" by Grover Washington, Jr. (with Bill Withers)
One of the records that brings back all that was good about my life in 1981.
"Keep Your Hands to Yourself" by The Georgia Satellites
I thought it was a bit on the lame side. Y’should’ve done a take two on that after your voice broke on that first “jing-a-ling-a-L(break)NG!”
"Key Largo" by Bertie Higgins
-- I liked this song. Really. Seriously.
Would you mind adding my share of the “like” to yours? :-)
"Kiss Him Goodbye" by The Nylons
An insult to the concept of acapella. They should’ve been boiled in a giant vat until their carcasses turned to ... steam .....
WAH-hahahahahahahaha ha ... ha .... heh .... huh ..... hooooooooo .....
"Let's Go All the Way" by Sly Fox
Another “Power 14” classic from that 20 minutes of insanity on 04/01/1988. “SLY FOX ... WOOO!!!!!! WE BE JAMMIN’!!!
"Let It Whip" by The Dazz Band
If I have to listen to a song with “Whip” in the title, give me Devo any ol’ day.
"Let the Music Play" by Shannon
1984 was a year my tastes were 95% geared toward rock. I loathed LTMP then. Today, I mildly tolerate it.
"Lookin' for Love" by Johnny Lee
-- wookin' pa nub!!!!
HAH! I agree – Buckwheat sang it better.
"Love Changes (Everything)" by Climie Fisher
-- great tune!
I could like it, but it brings back a real ‘brown acid’ era of my life, the six weeks in 1988 I was thrust into an FM morning chair and expected to be a wacky morning host.
"Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire" by David Foster
-- ...A few years later, a version with lyrics appeared, and was my brother's high school class's goodbye song for their last assembly. BLECH!!!!!!
With lyrics?? You’ve got to be kidding me.
"Love You Like I Never Loved Before" by John O'Banion
-- another "WAU" tune -- and a great one to boot!
Another song that reminds me of Spring 1981 and those sweet few weeks with Paula Kay.
"Major Tom (Coming Home)" by Peter Schilling
Schilling summed up the entire spirit of the early ‘80s in that synth hook.
"Mama Used to Say" by Junior
Only time I got to hear it was late afternoon/early evening when I could catch a good skywave from soul legend WDIA out of Memphis.
"Mary's Prayer" by Danny Wilson
-- love this song!!!!!
The first two lines of the song summed my life when this record was a hit: “Everything is wonderful / Being here is heavenly.” Fall 1987 ... last semester at Arkansas State .... truly I had the world on a string. A period of my life when just about everything was perfect.
For fun, a what-if: Seraphim moved from Georgia to go to college at ASU. Our eyes meet at the Wastela--er, I mean, Woodlands Cafeteria. Her sweet hazel eyes mesmerize me. Her even sweeter face makes my heart melt like the many butter pats scattered all over the ceiling. I go over to her table. She smiles at me. I smile back. I’m in love.
She grins. She laughs. The whole cafeteria breaks out in applause. We’re meant for each other. The whole room is rooting for us.
No, wait, I dropped my tray and the plate shattered all over the floor.
Nope, this’ll have to wait another 11 years.
"Miami Vice Theme" by Jan Hammer
Feed a copy to Elvis for me.
"Mickey" by Toni Basil
My question is, why did Las Vegas High School allow her to make off with the uniform? Don’t you have diplomas withheld for stuff like that?
"Modern Day Delilah" by Van Stephenson
Makes even more of my hair fall out just thinking about it. Ahhhh, Spring 1984. I meet my first serious girlfriend. Brunette hair .... brown eyes .... worked at the record store in the mall ... Coty Wild Musk ....
"More Than Just the Two of Us" by Sneaker
It SOUNDS like it’s in the portion of the holder with the artificial sweetener, but in your heart you know it’s really pure sugar. Viva le white packets!
"Motortown" by Kane Gang
A melancholy reminder of the end of my time at ASU. I didn’t know it then, but it marked the end of a truly great time of my life. I wouldn’t again see such a happy existence until .... ohhhhh, when I moved to Savannah and married Seraphim!
"My Ever Changing Moods" by The Style Council
A big reason 1984 was a wonderful year for music.
"The Never Ending Story" by Limahl
If I had to fly, I’d probably sooner go for that big white flying monster with a dog-like face than fly on a commercial airline.
Josiebelle loved these fantasy-like movies .... I had (and have) no use for ‘em.
"New Romance (It's a Mystery)" by Spider
“Maybe it’s crazy / Give it a chance / ‘Think I like this new romance” Three lines describing the spring of 1998 and a post-divorce relationship with a woman I’d met online. Her name was ... what was it again? ... ye-OH YEAH! Seraphim!
The drummer of Spider was Anton Fig, who plays drums in Paul Shaffer’s “CBS Orchestra.”
"Nightbird" by (Stevie Nicks with) Sandy Stewart
*BZZZZZZZZT!!!* Try Stevie Nicks (with Sandy Stewart). It was STEVIE’S album, people!
[Talmadge pulls lever, activating trap door]
"Nobody" by Sylvia
City or country, it was a record deserving an audience consisting of the song title.
"Object of My Desire" by Starpoint
I might’ve come upon this one, but in the Fall of ‘85 – when we had no AOR station within reach in northeast Arkansas – I was always jumping between the area top-40s (FM-100, Z-103, 93-FM, QZ-107) and was quick on the trigger to change stations when a poppy song came on (I was still pissturbed about losing Rock 103 and took out that angst on anything that didn’t have electric guitars, it seemed) . Lucky for me, 93-FM and KLQZ sometimes threw in a classic rock track into the mix. Sometimes.
"On the Loose" by Saga
Love it, love it, LOVE IT. I love their runner-up single, “Wind Him Up” (chart #64) even more.
"Operator" by Midnight Star
--"Freak-A-Zoid" (A computerized voice saying, "Freakazoids ... robots ... please .. report .. to the .. dance ... floor!")
I believe that was actually the product of a time-tested device called a sonovox. :-) I hear it today, and wonder if a former PAMS Productions employee lent his or her throat to the song.
Two down, one to go. This might not appear until tomorrow ... we’ll see .....
-TG
Okay, why come it shows zero comments?
Did I say something to offend Mr. Blogger?
Does he like "Neverending Story" or something??!!
Sheesh...
-TG
PS: the word verification here is "hitrif" ... defined, "what these artists lacked more of, otherwise they wouldn't be on this list."
I loved My Ever Changing Moods too - although it wasn't a one hit wonder on this side of the atlantic. Great video too - in fact - this was the chief reason I bought a bicycle some months after :). I got a video compilation of them some years ago - must watch it again!
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