Many years ago whilst getting to know a potential new girl friend, we sat up all night talking and listening to this new music I’d never heard before.
It was a Japanese guy called Kitaro…I found the music quite unforgettable and subsequently started listening to more of his stuff.
It was mainly instrumental, mixed in with natural sounds.
Then he released an album called Dreams…much to my surprise, three tracks had vocals performed by non other than Jon Anderson from Yes…it was a wonderful partnership.
I’m currently listening to the album and this is one of those tracks.
Oh, if I was putting together a list of great 80’s tracks, a couple of Bunnymen tracks would most definitely be in it. This was more me trying to come up with examples of very heavily produced and “big sounding” 80’s tracks. Even at their lushest and most orchestrated (e.g. The Killing Moon), Bunnymen stuff never sounded especially big or OTT to me.
I saw Yes perform back in the 1970’s at Festival Hall. For me the highlight was this track, and remains my favourite Yes song. Jon Anderson was a marvel, a tiny man with a big voice as l recall from that night.
One of my favorite Yes tracks. I cant remember the year I saw them at Rod Laver. Early 2010’s I think. It was similar to going to see a symphony orchestra play. This song was the highlight of the night for me.
Now give me the bangers.
If I went pleasuredome into Rick James give it to me baby what’s next?
(Prob a cigarette for me cos that would of been a workout for me)
Ooh… a playlist of 80’s bangers. That’s a very different proposition. There’s the classic 80’s, the terrible 80’s, the so-bad-it’s-good 80’s, the cheesy 80’s, the indie 80’s, the camp 80’s. You kinda need to include some of each.
I’ll give it some thought and get back with a list I could imagine being played at those 80’'s focused clubs like Twister and Lizard Lounge…
Go for some thumping remixes, like Kevorkian doing Yazoo’s “Situation”. Or crank the album version of Tears For Fears’ “Mothers Talk”, the extended outro part slaps.
There’s stuff here I wouldn’t necessarily listen to at home, but at a party or a club they all absolutely slap…
1999 – Prince
Fade To Grey – Visage
Just Can’t Get Enough – Depeche Mode
Cool For Cats – UK Squeeze
Counting The Beat – The Swingers
Private Idaho – The B-52’s
Here To Go (Go-Mix version) – Devo
My Sharona – The Knack
That’s What I Like About You – The Romantics
Poison Arrow – ABC
Relax – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Heart of Glass – Blondie
Twilight Zone – Golden Earring
Take On Me – A-Ha
Tainted Love – Soft Cell
Kids In America – Kim Wilde
She Drives Me Crazy – Fine Young Cannibals
I Love A Man In Uniform – Gang of Four
Situation (12” version) – Yazoo
Pump Up The Volume – MARRS
Space Age Love Song – A Flock Of Seagulls
Blue Monday – New Order
Love Song – Simple Minds
Love Action – Human League
Temptation – Heaven 17
Ain’t Nobody – Chaka Khan
Electric Avenue – Eddy Grant
Walk This Away – Run DMC
Billie Jean – Michael Jackson
Bust A Move – Young MC
Maniac – Michael Sembello
Holding Out For A Hero – Bonnie Tyler
Theme From S-Express – S’Express
Word Up – Cameo
You Spin Me Round (Like A Record) – Dead or Alive
Genius Of Love – Tom Tom Club
The Message – Grandmaster Flash
Just Be Good To Me – SOS Band
Wild Thing – Tone Loc
Baggy Trousers – Madness
Walk Like An Egyptian – The Bangles
A Town Called Malice – The Jam
Rock The Casbah – The Clash
Like Wow-Wipeout – Hoodoo Gurus
She Sells Sanctuary – The Cult
Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leppard
Kiss – Prince
Faith – George Michael
The Love Cats – The Cure
Pump up the jam – Technotronic
I like variety so can happily have electronic stuff butted-up against rock. One of the best clubs I ever went to was a retro-themed place in Glasgow, where the DJ would happily play Anarchy In The UK into Take On Me. The place was absolutely heaving.
lol.
Eighties songs from my Best of Wrapped so far…
Stop the Cavalry - Jona Lewie
For America - Red Box
O Superman - Laurie Anderson
Johnny And Mary - Robert Palmer
Johnson’s Aeroplane - INXS
Private Investigations (live) - Dire Straits
Short Memory - Midnight Oil
The Big Chair (instrumental) - Tears For Fears
Massive Retaliation - Sigue Sigue Sputnik
Domino Medley - Genesis
Road To Nowhere - Talking Heads
Who Can Stand In The Way - Midnight Oil
One Of A Kind - v. Spy v. Spy
Blue Day - Mi-Sex
Sleeping Beauty - Divinyls
Pink Houses (accoustic) - John Mellencamp
Hanging By A Thread - Mike and the Mechanics
Black Wind, Fire and Steel - Manowar
Bring On The Dancing Horses - Echo and the Bunnymen
World Leader Pretend - R.E.M.
Heaven knows - Robert Plant
Wise up! Sucker - Pop Will Eat Itself
If It Be Your Will - Leonard Cohen
We Care A Lot - Faith No More
The Number of the Beast - Iron Maiden
Eh…that’ll do for now.
Point is, I’m an absolute mess.
