In the past few weeks I have watched Stranger Things Season 2, a new Star Wars trailer, and some reviews of the Blade Runner remake. It has occurred to me that the rest of America is just like me. Everybody misses that simpler, more decadent time. It was a time that the Corey’s were funny child actors instead of drugged-out victims, Michael Jackson was a MTV sex symbol instead of a weirdo who gave kids wine, Al Franken was a comedian instead of…well…the Al Franken we know today, and Donald Trump was a rich celebrity who was not otherwise taken seriously by anyone.
The 1980’s weren’t perfect, of course. There was the whole constant threat of certain nuclear war with the Soviet Union and all that. But we knew we could take them if they were ever foolish enough to invade and attack our schools and take over our drive-in theaters. Nowadays? The United States is apparently helpless against Russian trolling on Facebook. Come (the fuck) on.
The leaders of our nation were the old Greatest Generation, the last ones who knew how to run the damn country. The Boomers were still awesome, if you can believe it, at what I would argue was the height of their creativity. The Millennials were babies and weren’t driving us insane with their incessant whining about underemployment, student loans, and gender confusion. It was a better time for even the angstiest of we Gen Xers. Not as good as the Fifties for Boomers, I imagine, but pretty awesome.
Pop music was so much better, wasn’t it? You had the British New Wave, Hair Metal, and so much more. In that decade, David Bowie was still turning out hits. This decade? Bowie is dead. Prince? Purple Rain, yes. Now? He’s dead. I can’t even listen to pop music anymore. I’d happily resurrect Bowie or Prince like so much Shelley Long in Hello Again even if it meant taking some years off of the lives of Katy Perry and Taylor Swift, wouldn’t you?
Let’s go back to that happy place this week with these categories:
- I Want My MTV: Yes, MTV used to play nothing but music videos all day long, as I’ve mentioned before. But this is when it was in its prime. I remember it well with my cable television remote that only had one button; sort of like your iPhone, you Millennial faggot. For this, post the most iconic and radical music videos of the era.
- Max Headroom: Genres and bands which were extremely popular during the Eighties and ONLY the Eighties.
- Pepperidge Farms Remembers: TV show themes, commercial jingles, and other tunes that take you back, you old bitch.
This week’s dedications.
pfluffy: I couldn’t possibly surpass the insanely great DJ post you made last week. All I can do is share this. It was the first show that my big sister and I could watch together. We argued about everything else at the time, but both loved this show. It puts me in a good frame of mind to hear the theme again.
Santino: My mother had songs like this playing a lot in the early 80’s. This reminds me of the wild time before she married my stepfather and it was just me and my sisters against the Earth.
Grendel: I remain obsessed with the Transformers to this day, except for those shit-awful Michael Bay “films”. I hated this version of the show’s theme when I was a kid, but now I accept it as superior to the first season’s. Long live Galvatron.
Zurvan: I’m just going to admit that I still get Phil Gabriel and Peter Collins confused to this very day. But they were both incredible. Let’s get Cusack.
spootyjim: So you like metal covers, do you? Here’s a classic.
I just noticed that Vince Neil was really pretty.
WVR: Probably the most memorable video of the decade, although I can’t stand listening to the song on the radio.
Want a dedication of your very own next week? Share a song in the comments.
While I cant imagine The Cars ever being popular, the 80’s was definitely the era of peak Cars. You Might Think – The Cars
Same for Dire Straits – Money For Nothing
99 Luftbaloons – Nena
What did the 80’s have in abundance? Hair bands.! They were gone by the 90’s, replaced by thrash metal and grunge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u8teXR8VE4 – Round and Round
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB37Xobja4w – Balls to the Wall (God Bless Ya)
New Wave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9QZhLSKEps -Black Coffee in Bed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXA6CLTDekw – Our House
I could honestly just spam the thread with Motley Crue. But I’ll try to show SOME discipline.
Live Wire – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiVC89V4RpM
This song does not, in fact, need more cowbell.
Great choice this week Thrill! Like you said, it’s not quite up there with shitting yourself and maybe nibbling on a piece or two but it works for me.
You beat me to Cheers. I haven’t been as obsessed with a TV show since. Thursday evenings were fantastic with Family Ties (who wasn’t in love with Elyse) and Night Court (good ol’ Markie Post) as well.
Not really a fan of the song, but the video was cool, Pheter Gabins https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1tTN-b5KHg
I think Corey Hart would fit #2 (first concert I saw on my own) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcPr2-ipfa4
Be a Pepper – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQPN3UKQM-U
A song for you Thrill – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B__8N5d_LA
Do you wear short shorts? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ve04-BcEP94
Raise your hand! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdNf9pvPfjI
Man, I can do this all day!
The Chauffeur! YES. That one’s NSFW, but it’s one of their finest.
Remember back when America was kickass in the 80’s and yet we DIDN’T simply invade countries all the time? We’d knock over Grenada and Panama, sure, but we seemed less busy then.
And ISIS? Pshaw. They simply don’t make terrorists like they used to.
YO JOE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ah2I166f_U
That’s one of my favorite songs of all time. Not sure I ever saw the music video though, that’s a bit trippy.
Another one of my favorite 80’s videos/songs: November Rain
Technically they dropped in the early 90’s, but I was a bit obsessed with a pre-Clueless Alicia Silverstone after Aerosmith’s Crazy, Amazing, and Cryin came out.
#3…so many to choose from.
Airwolf theme
Thundercats HO!
Axel F Theme
And of course, Oh, Yeah.
I’ll forgive you for posting all those 90’s songs JUST BECAUSE of Airwolf. I totally forgot how badass that one was. It’s unforgivable on my part that I forgot the Do Bop Bop Ferris Bueller one too.
If you have a problem… if no one else can help… and if you can find them… maybe you can hire…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyz_2DEah4o
Love the drums in that one.
And it’s not an 80’s party until someone shows up in oversized sunglasses and plays some Oingo Boingo.
Weird Science – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm-upHSP9KU
And MacGyver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfCa3wn37mU
How could I forget MacGyver? I’ve actually had my 11 year old watching the 80’s one (not the new crap one). He loves it.
I’ll raise you a Love Boat.
(November Rain is 92 too *facepalm*)
This blew my mind when I was a lad.
Rockit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHhD4PD75zY
And then there was this shit.
Fish Heads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-K2DZojWi0
Seriouslike. MTV would play ANYTHING back then.
Definitely one of the greats. I wanted to post the old Battlestar Galactica theme but it was from the 70’s. I know what my NEXT DJ theme will be!
This one started in the 70’s but was still running in the early 80’s so…
Laverne and Shirley: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJzF8_df1R8
Same as this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TjDgcqa_H0 and this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L09qnRfZY-k
Can ‘t have an 80s theme without this song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2QAMqTgPKI
For some reason, XTC came to mind as well – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKFkywEjlLo
Some gum jingles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYWCcw6TAFo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoYsrI9Bl_U
Who wasn’t in love with Cybill Shepherd and that fake glow she had on Moonlighting – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuQaE5zDn1Q
Love Boat started in 78…But really hit its height in the 80’s.
Paying homage to some of the stuff my mom used to watch.
Dynasty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGBxwqL6jbw
Falcon Crest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypZT4lQHoK8
Dallas is another late 70’s into the 80’s (what was it with good tv theme songs in the 70’s?): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sKX3tWaOew
No way do we let this thread die without some B-52’s.
Love Shack – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SOryJvTAGs
I still love Cyndi. How can you not?
Time After Time – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdQY7BusJNU
This is one of the first things that pops into my head when someone mentions the 80’s. It’s inseparable from my consciousness.
Jungle Love – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouATRBkFguE
Everyone remembers this, right?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuQZfwWyTWY
Oh, you went there! Remember when it was cool to where jockstraps on top of your pants?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZjAantupsA
For former Right-Thinkers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yDL0AKUCKo
A dedication for Lee.
The Young Ones – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlLruaNWLqw
Remember when John Roberts was JD Roberts a MuchMusic veejay?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LIiZHFIqB4
Platinum Blonde – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgsYAtJ2wmo
Miami Vice, anyone?
https://vimeo.com/152382583
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNyXYPhnUIs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBIgXhiOpeQ
Like, tubular:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHf089jl9H4
When we had real leadership on the world stage:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei1HnWwzmNk
And this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhULosEvyhQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k64P4l2Wmeg
OH GODS, what great choices so far, this takes me back…
Hill street blues…
Quantum leap
Night Court
B.J. and the Bear
sheriff lobo
The Fall Guy
Simon and Simon
Greatest American Hero
V the miniseries…. god i loved this..
Fat Albert.
Land of the Lost.… i know its a 70’s show, but in my backwoods i grew up seeing it in the early 80’s as reruns.
Flash Gordon the cartoon…
Flash Gordon The movie.
Thundarr the Barbarian ok im down with a movie version of this or a live action series….
Kid Video
Kid video TLC
Kidd Video you better run
Buck Rogers god erin Grey was soooooo hot. ooo and Pamela Hemsly.. Ardila! OOOOOOOOOO nice horns…. beepepeppbpbpepp
and finally Battlestar Galactica ..
yeah 70’s sooo.. i fucking LOVE this theme.
oh my Airwolf… so damm bad ass Bell 222 twin moded out.. .
Magnum PI great show.. damm Higgens is gone now.
As fate would have it I went to a brew pub last night that had old school video games. Moon Patrol, Tempest, Tapper, Galaga, Ms. Pacman, Tetris. The best part is it was free, and the kids loved it.
Funny you mention that. Mrs Thrill and I were discussing the DJ thread yesterday after I played the Beverly Hills Cop theme. She mentioned an old video game about driving around on the moon that uses part it and I had no idea what she was talking about.
But now I see that it was Moon Patrol! Thanks for that!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39EsNumG3Fc
She’s wrong though. Axel F came two years later.
RIP Malcolm Young:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ploRcxApyHI
Some new wave stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G_CAYf-itw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_msHpEa3_Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opkzgLMH5MA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPmTGFg06zA
Some smoother stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynIHsHYaig0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcPc18SG6uA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvAYIJSSZY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwrYMWoqg5w