The challenge:

Compile a list of songs for an 80's mix CD - for the purposes of the experment, about 70 minuets worth of music (or about 15 songs, give or take). Now, of course you could just throw a couple of tracks from Thriller, some Madonna - a sampling of some hits, but try and stretch a bit. Include, the smaller, the overlooked, the stuff that may have fallen through the cracks - in addition to the Big Name Hits. Oh - and include why its on the disc, just for grins and to make this more of a discussion than just a top 10 list. . . .

Mull it over, and I'll be back with my mix disc in a bit.

As promised, here's my ideal 80's CD:

Thriller –
Yes, I know I said to stay away from huge hits like this, but the Michael Jackson of this era was so influential, leaving off just a sample of his work would be criminal.

Eye of the Tiger –
Survivor’s best song, and how can you go wrong with a band that can poke fun at itself (IE – that starbucks ad)

Don’t Go –
The most synth-popy song that Yaz did, and probably their best of the bunch.

A Girl In Trouble –
While Romeo Void had bigger hits, I thought this was the superior song.

Wheel in the Sky –
Journey: best stadium rock band ever.

Missionary Man –
For some reason, most Eyruthmics songs I can take or leave. This one however always gets my mojo working.

Oh Yeah –
What can I say about the most erotic song from the 80’s. Yello, you did good.

Pac Man Fever –
While this novelty song by Buckner and Garcia is not the BEST song in the world, it does capture the essence of an 80’s icon in a nutshell. And it is kind of catchy.

It’s Raining men –
Halleluiah!

Living in a Dream –
While I can take or leave Pusdo Echo’s other work, I really dig this one for some reason.

Saved by Zero -
Somehow I missed this song back from the Fixx back in the 80’s, but I regret not hearing it. It’s a damn fine song.

Why Me –
I’d never heard of Planet P until just a couple of months ago, but I really, really like this song. Another one that flew under my 80’s radar.

Dare to be Stupid  –
Because you HAVE to have some Weird Al. And it completes the 80’s hat trick (Weird Al, Devo and the Transformers – can there be a more 80’s song?)

We’re Not Going to Take it –
I always appreciated Twisted Sister because they just didn’t take themselves seriously. It’s a funny video, a fluffy song and my first introduction to Glam Rock that I could remember.

Popcorn –
Ok, I think this Kraftwork tune may come from the late 70’s, but it’s still a very 80’s sound so it makes the list.

Radiophonic -
One of the Pet Shop Boy’s lesser known songs, but I think its one of their best (and is way better than their more played stuff).

Rockit –
Herbie Hancock’s only song of note?

Walk This Way –
The song that made Run DMC big and brought Areosmith back from the dead. Cant go wrong with two great tastes that taste great together.

And the bonus track:
Treat your momma right –
From the Mr T instructional video. Horrible song, but it’s so damn funny to hear T rap.

My mix CD:

Eye of The Tiger:

My favorite Survivor song.

It's Tricky:

It's a toss between this song and Walk This Way, but I choosed It's Tricky.

Dancing With Myself

My favorite Billy Idol song.

Another One Bites The Dust:

My second favorite song from Queen.

Everybody Wants To Rule The World

I am having a hard time what song from Tears For Fears to put on the CD, so picked this one.

Pump Up The Volume

It has a really good beat, and I like listening to this song.

Rock Me Amadeus

Same as above.

Rock It

It has a weird funky beat to it.

A View To A Kill

My favorite song from Duran Duran, and my favorite James Bond theme song.

Whip It

For some reason, I though it should be on the CD.  ::)

Africa

My favorite song from Toto.

The Killing Moon

Listened to it recently, and thought it was a cool song.

We Built This City (On Rock And Roll)

One of my favorite 80's songs.

Every Breath You Take

Another one of my favorite 80's song.

One Night In Bangkok

A pretty much over looked song from the 80's

Head Over Heels

One of my favorite songs from The Go-Go's

Ghostbusters

My favorite song from a 80's movie.

Eat It

My favorite "Weird" Al of all time.

Don't You Forget About Me

My second favorite song from a 80's movie.

Money For Nothing

My favorite Dire Straits song.

Bonus track:

(Fight For Your Right) To Party

I like this song awhole lot.



Wheeeeeeew!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   ::)  ;D

:)


1. Men Without Hats "The Safety Dance"
2. Oingo Boingo "Just Another Day"
3. Whitney Houston "I Want To Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)"
4. The Monroes "What Do All The People Know"
5. Whodini "Friends"
6. Duran Duran "Union Of The Snake"
7. Michael Jackson "Smooth Criminal"
8. Bon Jovi "You Give Love A Bad Name"
9. INXS "Original Sin"
10. U2 "Two Heartbeat As One"
11. Run DMC "You Be Illin"
12. Van Halen "Hot For Teacher"
13. XTC "Senses Working Overtime"
14. Madonna "Burning Up"
15. Def Leppard "Rock Of Ages"
16. LL Cool J "Jingling Baby"
17. Debbie Gibson "Shake Your Love"
18. Prince "Raspberry Beret"
19. The Cure "Close To Me"
20. The Polecats "Make A Circuit With Me"

Eddie Money - Walk on Water
Prince - Darling Nikki
Hooters - And We Danced
Night Ranger - Sister Christian
Calloway - I wanna be rich
Dream Academy - Life in a Northern Town
Crowded House - Don't Dream Its Over
Kenny Loggins - Nobody's Fool
Lita Ford - Kiss me Deadly
Billy Joel - The Longest Time
Warren Zevon - Werewolves of London
Huey Lewis - The Power of Love
Georgia Satellites - Keep Your Hands to Yourself
Bon Jovi - Raise Your Hand
Stray Cats - Rock this Town
Police - Roxanne
Rod Stewart - Forever Young

1. Eyes of a Stranger- Payolas
 
    I think this one was in Valley Girl, I like it.

2. Town Called Malice - The Jam

  Kind of obscure, but all of these will be. I kind of dig the obscure ones.

3. The Stand - The Alarm

  I always liked this one.

4. I Might Like You Better (If We Slept Together)- Romeo Void

  Kinda naughty, but catchy

5. Pretty in Pink - Psychadelic Furs

  Liked the video

6. Vienna- Ultravox

Midge Ure at his best

7. Senses Working Overtime - XTC

  One of the first videos I remember really liking on MTV

8. Let Me Go - Heaven 17

  Loved the melody, the video was a little odd

9. Someday, Someway - Marshall Crenshaw

  Catchy tune

10. It Ain't What You Do (It's the way that you do it) - Bananarama w/ Fun Boy 3

  uhhhhhh, I can't remember why I liked this one

11. Wouldn't It Be Good - Nick Kershaw

  LOVED this one, in another 80's movie, can't remember which one, though

12. Runaway - English Beat

  Great video, great tune

13. 10, 9, 8 - Face to Face

  Had this 45, played it to death

14. Send Me An Angel - Real Life

  Another great obscure 80's tune...

15. Love Plus 1 - Haircut 100

  I thought this was a cool tune, kinda campy video, though

4. I Might Like You Better (If We Slept Together)- Romeo Void

   Kinda naughty, but catchy



That song is actually called Never Say Never. Great song.

OK, here's take 2 ;)  This one's a bit more dance oriented

1. Goodbye To You - Scandal

  Like most of these, I can't help but belt this one out when it comes on the radio

2. Der Kommisar - After the Fire/ Falco (either one)

  Got a great guitar hook

3. One Night In Bangkok - Murray Head

  A personal favorite

4. Puttin' On The Ritz - Taco

  How can you not love a song from a guy called Taco?

5. I Touch Myself - Divinyls

 OMG- This woman was my hero!

6. Touch Me - Samantha Fox

 Hey, I'm straight, and I thought this chick was hot.....

7. A, E, I, O, U, and sometimes Y - EBN-OZN

 Great dance tune

8. Would I Lie To You - Eurythmics
 
   I thought this was great song

9. Fantasy - Earth, Wind & Fire

  My all-time favorite EW&F song

10. Living In America - James Brown

  Besides being in Rocky 4, this was a great 80's dance tune

11. I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow

  I remember the first time I saw this video. I couldn't make head nor tails of this girl's dress....

12. Mexican Radio - Wall of Voodoo

  Come on, how can you NOT love a song that works in the phrase, "I wish I was in Tijuana, eating barbequed
  iguana."

13. Promises, Promise - Naked Eyes

   Another good one

14. All Fired Up - Pat Benatar

  I loved all her songs, but this one had great energy

That song is actually called Never Say Never. Great song.



Ooh, you're right. Sorry.

oooh, fun topic! i like you! hehe, sorry, enthusiastic...

my list:
1.) Thriller~ Michael Jackson
pfsh, come on, it HAS to be there... it just does
2.) Rio~ Duran Duran
this song is just fricking fun to sing along to
3.) Take on me~ A-Ha
a great song all around, band members are cute too  ;)
4.) Deadbeat Club~ B52's
a lesser-known song by the B's, and WAAAAY better than love shack
5.) Rebel Yell!~ Billy Idol
More, more, more!!!! billy's my man.
6.) Don't You Forget About Me~ Simple Minds
THE. BEST. EVER.        i <3 the breakfast club
7.) Pretty In Pink~ Psycadelic Furs
i'm gonna have to steal this one from triviamom. it's the coolest. especially that jazzy beginning.
8.) Girls Just Wanna Have Fun~ Cyndi Lauper
billy's my man-- she's my girl.
9.) Flashdance (What a Feeling)~ Irene Cara
a dancer's classic
10.) Footloose~ Kenny Loggins
mmmmhmmm. good song.
11.) Video Killed the Radio Star~ The Buggles
another great one all around.
12.) Friday I'm in Love~ The Cure
was this one 90's? if so, i apologize.

i can think of way more, but that's a start  ;D

Just as a warning; most of the songs here are probably ones that not too many people have even heard of, since they are pretty much lost 80s songs, with the exception of a few songs.

1. Mylène Farmer- Sans Contrefaçon
Hey, there wasn’t anything about not having a European 80s song on the mix CD. Plus I just love this song. A great catchy song from one of France’s biggest superstars. (who is still around!)

2. Depeche Mode- Lie To Me
Easily one of their best songs, in my humble opinion, but is sadly just an album track from their Some Great Reward days

3. The Cure- Charlotte Sometimes
I’m not too much into the Cure’s music, but this has always been one of my favorites from them.

4. Trees- Wildwood
Obscure band time. A great synth-pop song from a one-man band who never made it really big at all. In fact, good luck finding a copy of this album online. They usually go for really high prices.

5. A Drop In The Gray- Past Your Frame
Another obscure band who released one album that didn’t do well. One of my favorite tracks from their album.

6. Simple Minds- New Gold Dream
In my mind, one of the ultimate songs of the 80s. Bouncy and synth driven, I’ve never understood why this song didn’t get more popular. It wasn’t even on Simple Minds’ Glittering Prize greatest hits album!

7. The Fixx- Secret Separation
Easily their best song. Can’t have an 80s mix CD without these guys on there. (plus everyone has already heard One Thing Leads To Another; why not choose one of their other ones instead?)

8. Blondie- Dreaming
One of my favorites from this group.

9. Laura Branigan- Spanish Eddie

10. Don Henley- The Last Worthless Evening
Why on earth wasn’t this song more popular? I love this one.

11. Sting- Be Stilled My Beating Heart
See comments for #10

12. Fiction Factory- Feels Like Heaven
A wonderful synth pop song that never became a big hit in the US. Very Depeche Mode-ish.

13. Payola$- Rose
Someone earlier in this thread mentioned Eyes of a Stranger and here’s one from the same album that was off of. A wonderful reggae-tinged tune.

14. Duran Duran- The Union Of The Snake

15. Alison Moyet- Weak In The Presence of Beauty
I’ll never understand why this singer was never more popular here in the US.

16. Kylie Minogue- Better The Devil You Know
One of her better ones from her late 80s Stock-Aitken-Waterman days, I think this one came out in 1990 so it’s right on the edge.

17. Seona Dancing- More To Lose
One of my favorite synth pop songs, probably a great one to end with.

Here's mine  :)

1. She bop-Cyndi Lauper  (my favorite)

2. Beat it-Michael Jackson  (dosent get as much play now but still good)

3. Caught up in you-38 Special

4. Uptown Girl-Billy Joel

5. Dancing on the ceiling-Lionel Richie  (cheesy but catchy)

6. It's my life-Talk Talk  (I'm really diggin this song right now)

7.  Heaven helps the man (I'm free)-Kenny Loggins/Footloose soundtrack

8.  I ran so far away-A Flock of Seagulls

9.  She's fresh-Kool and the gang

10. Emperors new clothes-Sinead O Conner

11. Rock on-Michael Damian

12. Private dancer-Tina Turner

13. I wanna dance with somebody-Whitney Houston

14. No more words-Berlin

15. Dress you up-Madonna

16. Rod Stewart-Some guys have all the luck  :)

Right now it will be:

1) Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division (1980)
2) Blue Monday - New Order (1983)
3) The Message - Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five (1982)
4) Renegades Of Funk - Afrika Bambaataa & The Soul Sonic Force (1984)
5) Fight The Power - Public Enemy (1989)
6) Pump Up The Volume - M/A/R/R/S/ (1987)
7) How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths (1985)
8-) Billie Jean - Michael Jackson (1983)
9) Don't You Want Me - The Human League (1981)
10) This Corrosion - The Sisters Of Mercy (1987)
11) No Promises - Icehouse (1985)
12) Never Let Me Down Again - Depeche Mode (1987)
13) 2 Minutes To Midnight - Iron Maiden (1984)
14) Ace Of Spades - Motorhead (1980)
15) Runaway - Bon Jovi (1984)
16) Rapture - Blondie (1981)
17) French Kiss - Lil Louis (1989)

Sort of.

It changes all the time.

1. The Producers "She Sheila"
        Somewhat obscure group.  Real catchy tune though.
2. DM "Somebody"
        Great love song
3. The Clash "Train in Vain"
        Great tune - although it is said that the only reason they did this song was to generate $$
4. Annie Lennox  "When Tomorrow Comes"
        One of the best sax solos I have heard
5. John Waite  "Change"
        Favourite John Waite song.  Perfect for the "Vision Quest" soundtrack
6. Duran Duran  "Save a Prayer"
        Love the synth and vocals
7. Peter Gabriel  "In Your Eyes"
        One of my favourite movies of all time.
8. Boomtown Rats  "I Don't Like Mondays"
       
9. U2 "New Years Day"
          The Edge's guitar style made me pick this song.
10. Journey  "Send Her My Love"
          All time favourite Journey song
11. Force MD's  "Tender Love"
          I love the lyrics and the piano
12. Breathe  "How Can I Fall"
          My wifes and my wedding song
13. John Cougar  "Jack and Diane"
          Catchy lyrics and great guitar
14. Rupert Hine  "Arrested By You" and "Shine"  by Martin Ansell
          Great!  Great!  Great! movie
15. Billy Joel  "She's Got A Way"
          Good lyrics

A collection of my personal fave singles:

1.Culture Club "Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?"
2.Siouxie And The Banshees "The Passanger"
3.Roxy Music "Avalon"
4.Eurythmics "Thorn In My Side"
5.Naked Eye "Always Something There To Remind Me
6.Queen "I Want To Break Free"
7.A-Ha "Take On Me"
8.F R David  "Words (Don't Come Easy)"
9.Heaven 17 "Temptation"
10.The Cure "In Between Days"
11.U2 "Pride"
12.Pink Floyd "Comfortably Numb"
13.INXS "Original Sin"
14.Kids In The Kitchen "Change In Moods"
15.Uncanny X-Men "Work"
16.Colin Hay "Hold Me"

Pretty hard chosing only one song per artist!

That will be 1980-1985 mix

Pat Beanatar-Hit me with your best shot
Judas priest-Breakin the law
Def leppard-Let it go
Loverboy-Working for weekend
Duran duran-Hungry like wolf
Iron maiden-The trooper
Motley crue-Too young to fall in love
Ratt- Round and round
Van halen- Panama
Alphaville-Forever young
Corey Hart-Sunglasess at night
Laura Branigan-Self control
Red hot chili peppers-Baby appeal
Run DMC-King of rock
Night ranger- You can still (rock in America)
John Parr-St.Elmo fire