Another 80s Playlist
Random Penseur in comments to this post mentioned some more stereotypically "80s" groups than the rock groups I listed.
I couldn't find my 80s "pop" mix in the car, but poking around in iTunes, I put together as much of the mix as possible from memory:
1. Miami Vice Theme - Jan Hammer
2. Call Me - Blondie
3. Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles
4. The One Thing - INXS
5. Fascination - Human League
6. Obsession - Animotion
7. Cars - Gary Numan
8. Doctor Doctor - Thompson Twins
9. Metro - Berlin
10. On the Loose - Saga
11. Red Skies at Night - The Fixx
12. I Ran - A Flock of Seagulls
13. Beverly Hills Cop Theme - Harold Faltermeyer
14. Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
15. Airlane - Gary Numan
16. Whip It - Devo
17. She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
18. Don't Change - INXS
19. Astradyne - Ultravox
I just burned it and now have a replacement disc!
Most people have probably heard of many of these but probably not all. Airlane and Astradyne in particular are two obscure but great synthesizer-based instrumentals that perfectly capture the peak of the analog synth sound before "digital" became the next big thing.
Update: I should note again that Ace set this meme in motion with his pop quiz the other day.
Great list! I just miss the Talking Heads. Also, remember Aztec Camera? Or the guys who sang, "Red, red wine"?
Posted by: RP at October 16, 2004 03:08 PMI don't remember Aztec Camera, but I think it was UB40 that sang Red red wine.
Posted by: JohnL at October 17, 2004 10:13 PMOh, that explains it. I thought they were singing about an Irish radio star named Viddy O'Killed when I heard that song for the first time ever, in a grocery, last week.
John, we left out the only important German langauge contributions: 99 Red Balloons; Rock me Amadeus; and anything by the Scorpions (more appropriate for your last disk than this one).
Posted by: RP at October 19, 2004 05:50 AMHeh. You assume they weren't purposely considered and omitted.
(Actually I liked the German versions of both songs better than the English versions that got air play, and my first rock group in high school had a German-speaker who sang Rock Me Amadeus).
I also almost put Autobahn by Kraftwerk on the disc, but I couldn't recall if that was still in the 1970s or in the 1980s yet.
Thanks for all the fun feedback on this silly meme!
Posted by: JohnL at October 19, 2004 09:12 PM