I am trying to find a few 80s songs which have catchy music in them, a few i have listed below to show you a few examples of the songs which have good music in them:-

The Lotus Eaters - The First Picture Of You
Icicle Works - Whisper To A Scream
Malcolm McLaren - Madame Butterfly

listen to these songs and you should know what i mean when i ask for 80s songs with catchy music

apart from these does anyone have any other recommendations?

cheers

For '80s non-instrumental songs, how about...

Money (That's What I Want) - The Flying Lizards (1980)
The Friends of Mr. Cairo - Jon & Vangelis (1981)
Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson (1982)
Overjoyed - Stevie Wonder (1985)
If You Were Here Tonight - Alexander O'Neal (1985)

Come to think of it, songs -- of the type you're talking about -- seem to more popular in the '70s and '90s. I guess those types of songs didn't play well on MTV in the '80s ??

(I'm sure someone could give some "Pink Floyd" or "Alan Parsons" songs that fit what you're asking)

But for '80s songs with just "catchy" music there are many...

;D

STEPPIN' OUT BY JOE JACKSON YES YES YES!

Bruce Hornsby and The Range-"That's Just The Way It Is" :)

Howard

Hi my name is Denise I am 40 years old and when I say I went through every phase in the 80's believe me. I have tapes, and cds of all 80's music and to be honest the music in the 80's was the best for the simple reason there was no cursing and if so bleeped out and they did not consist of violance.
To be the best songs in the 80's with the best background music I must say are all the songs from DURAN DURAN, DEPECH MODE, and NEW ORDER and sometime SIMPLE MINDS and the POWER STATION.
Here is the 80's the one decade that everything about will repeat over and over again.


Denise

Pretty much anything off of Pink Floyd's "The Wall" album.  Oh wait, that's not 80's ??? 

Um, I dunno, The Cure's "A Night Like This" is playing right now & the background music is pretty awesome.

Michael McDonald- I Keep Forgetting.



Howard

Hi my name is Denise I am 40 years old and when I say I went through every phase in the 80's believe me. I have tapes, and cds of all 80's music and to be honest the music in the 80's was the best for the simple reason there was no cursing and if so bleeped out and they did not consist of violance.
To be the best songs in the 80's with the best background music I must say are all the songs from DURAN DURAN, DEPECH MODE, and NEW ORDER and sometime SIMPLE MINDS and the POWER STATION.
Here is the 80's the one decade that everything about will repeat over and over again.


Denise


"...the music in the 80's was the best..."  -- Hey, the "stuff" before the '80s was good too!  ;)

"To be the best songs in the 80's with the best background music I must say are all the songs from DURAN DURAN, DEPECH MODE, and NEW ORDER and sometime SIMPLE MINDS and the POWER STATION."  -- Yes but which songs? List 'em if you know 'em. ???

;) ;D

STEPPIN' OUT BY JOE JACKSON YES YES YES!


I 'third' that!  8)

B-Movie - Nowhere Girl

I 'third' that!  8)


Make that four!  ;D

A lot of music by Love & Rockets like "American Dream" and Tones On Tail ("Lions") is very spacy...

Um, pretty much any good song has good background music to give it that catchy hook... right?

But I had to pick the music only, then place a tall order for NewOrder. Hell! Just the instrumental for "Thieves Like Us" is wurth it.


Right?
Yes, you're right, but I think Geggs is looking for songs more like NO's "Thieves Like Us" instead of something like...Mr. Mister's "Broken Wings". ??? ::)

;D

Hate to be picky, but the word is "background".
Anyway, my choices are:
Mama-Genesis
Back on the Chain Gang-The Pretenders
And the entire Philip Glass album.

I am trying to find a few 80s songs which have catchy music in them, a few i have listed below to show you a few examples of the songs which have good music in them:-

The Lotus Eaters - The First Picture Of You
Icicle Works - Whisper To A Scream
Malcolm McLaren - Madame Butterfly

listen to these songs and you should know what i mean when i ask for 80s songs with catchy music

apart from these does anyone have any other recommendations?

cheers

I think there are lots and lots of songs with great background music, but one of my personal favourites at the moment is "Sleepwalk" by Ultravox. :) Very catchy song. :)

Absolutely Vile

Bruce Hornsby and The Range-"That's Just The Way It Is" :)

Howard

Exactly the one I was thinking of, How!

BlazynFattyz wrote
B-Movie - Nowhere Girl
You know that song? Wow!  I have it on an '80s comp., very nice.  Of course, some one who likes Blancmange would know B-Movie!

Blancmange: Sad Day
Care: Flaming Sword
A Flock of Seagulls: Man Made
Kim Carnes: Bette Davis Eyes
OMD: Souvenir
Ultravox: Lament
When In Rome: The Promise
Fiction Factory: Feels Like Heaven
Talking Heads: This Must Be The Place (Naive Melody)
The Police: Wrapped Around Your Finger
Wire: Kidney Bingoes

Just to name a few...

Hmmm...OK...are we looking for more mellow, atmospheric stuff then? I misunderstood! I suppose to stay in the same vein as my last post (sort of), then maybe "He's A Liquid" by John Foxx could be something you're looking for. Depeche Mode, too, of course. ("Pimpf" is a great instrumental, "Leave In Silence" is good, etc.) And getting back to Ultravox, perhaps "Vienna" might be a good choice. :)

I hope I've got the idea now...

Absolutely Vile

"Souvenir" is a good choice, Max! :) What about "Forever Live And Die" as well? :)

Absolutely Vile

Michael Jackson-Beat It



Howard

8) 8)On the Wings of a Nightingale by the everly brothers,She Bop by Cyndi lauper and Like a Virgin by Madonna.Cheers!

The Story of Love - Voice of America
- don't know much about the group or song, but I love the guitars, percussion and synths in this
  track
Worlds Away - Strange Advance
- classic atmospheric track with matching lyrics
All in the Golden Afternoon - Alphaville
- actually a 90's track, but it's by Alphaville so I think it counts.  It's Lewis Carroll's classic poem which
  acts as a prologue to 'Through The Looking Glass' (Alice in Wonderland) set to music composed by
  Alphaville -  beautiful and lush.
Dream Within a Dream - Propaganda
- similar concept to the above, this time using the words of Edgar Allan Poe.
Woman in Chains - Tears For Fears
- beautiful music with the vocals of Roland complemented by Oleta Adamas
The Day Before You Came (12" Extended Mix) - Blancmange
- ABBA covered by Blancmange, that says it all really.  But it has to be the 12" mix - beautiful
  instrumental background.

Regards,
Juan

Peter Gabriel-Games Without Frontiers


Howard

any level 42 song, especially 'something about you'

Patrice Rushen-- "Forget me nots"
                      "Havent you heard"

Huey Lewis and the News-- "I need a new Drug"
                                      "Power of Love"

just a couple... :-*

'80s music is all about the background.

Songs with beautiful background music?  Along with alot of ones already mentioned, here are 10 top contenders that I really enjoy ...


Wishful Thinking - China Crisis
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj20LKdg8-8

Ain't Good Lovin' - Diamond in the Rough http://www.geocities.com/godeltsihw/canada.PNG
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/music/watch/v989758deThRsDP#

The Way to Your Heart - Soulsister
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzyKYekdKBk

Emotion in Motion - Ric Ocasek
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xJc5aygKHQ

Close My Eyes - Paul Janz http://www.geocities.com/godeltsihw/canada.PNG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI2fRmSQg8k

Mary's Prayer - Danny Wilson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b3CYUCBnYE

Boys of Autumn - David Roberts http://www.geocities.com/godeltsihw/canada.PNG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-OCXXUUBd0

San Damiano (Heart and Soul) - Sal Solo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAojTuIW8XQ

Wild Horses - Gino Vannelli http://www.geocities.com/godeltsihw/canada.PNG
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9vQzEcb3JE

Is This Love - Survivor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URR5U-97tCo

I recognize that some of the music in the 1980s had such amazing guitar work, Tears For Fears comes to mind when I think of the 1980s, and some of their signature songs.  Everybody Wants To Rule The World, Shout, Head Over Heels, The Hurting, Change, Mad World, and Pale Shelter.

Duran Duran also comes to mind when I think of such amazing guitar work, Is There Something I Should Know, The Reflex, Rio, Notorious, and other songs that were there after Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor left the band.

I just love any sort of 80s synth pop that incorporates melodies into their music.