What's new
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums

Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.

80s music, it didn't all suck - the forgotten, obscure, neglected (1 Viewer)

Blancmange is a favorite of mine from this era that doesn't get played much anymore.

My top tunes from them are Game Above My Head (this is the 12" version, which I prefer, but here's the radio edit if you don't have time to listen to the longer version), and Living On The Ceiling, I like the video too because belly dancers.

Lots of other good tunes too. They really made good use of synths IMO.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
I’m a sucker for all things New Order. There are quite a few good covers of their songs out there. Wasn’t really a fan of Poi Dog Pondering, but like their cover of Love Vigilantes (1990..sorry, just missed the 80s)

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yes to me fell off the face of the earth. They were played a ton on AOR stations in the 70’s and early 80’s. Then 90125 was released and they got twice as popular. AOR stations played them more and they crossed over to the pop stations.Things lasted that way for almost 10 years and then they quickly faded to almost obscurity. The only song I ever hear by them on the radio anymore is Owner of a Lonely Heart. It’s like they are remembered as a one hit wonder.  

 
Yes to me fell off the face of the earth. They were played a ton on AOR stations in the 70’s and early 80’s. Then 90125 was released and they got twice as popular. AOR stations played them more and they crossed over to the pop stations.Things lasted that way for almost 10 years and then they quickly faded to almost obscurity. The only song I ever hear by them on the radio anymore is Owner of a Lonely Heart. It’s like they are remembered as a one hit wonder.  
I feel like I heard a lifetime full of "Roundabout" in one summer thanks to a local classic rock station. 

 
- the forgotten, obscure, neglected 

Sorry if any of these are Hondas butI used to be a 'jock' (disc jockey) at the World's Only Wind Powered Radio Station KFMU.  A P3 AOR station up in the Yampa Valley of Colorado but in the day.  Just a small sample of the obscure/forgotten/neglected.  

If you like 80s you'll enjoy these and may have even heard of one or two.

Forgotten >> Joan Armatrading-Drop The Pilot

Obscure >> Julian Cope - Trampolene

Obscure (the entire Jumpin Jive album is pure gold) >>  Is you is or is you ain't my baby- Joe Jackson version  >> Forgotten/Neglected >>  Joe Jackson - Another World (+LYRICS)

Neglected/Forgotten >> Ry Cooder - "Why Don't You Try Me Tonight"

Obscure >> DOUG & THE SLUGS - Makin' It Work 

Obscure >> I wanna be like you - LOS LOBOS

Neglected/Forgotten >> Love And Rockets - "No New Tale To Tell"   >>  Love And Rockets - Welcome Tomorrow

So many lost/forgotten/obscure/neglected songs of the 80s.

 
More off  the top of my head.

Obscure >> Robbie Robertson - Somewhere Down The Crazy River (Official Music Video)

Forgotten (Fun trivia tidbit Robert Cray was the guitar player in Otis Day and the Nights' band in the movie Animal House and can be seen on camera) >> Robert Cray - Smoking Gun  >> Robert Cray - Right Next Door (Because Of Me)

Obscure/Forgotten >> Don Dixon "Praying Mantis" 1985

Obscure/Neglected/and Forgotten (LOVE this song)  >> Garland Jeffreys - El Salvador (Official Music Video)

El Salvador

Music & Lyrics by Garland Jeffreys

From the album Guts for Love (1982)

Lay me down

Fast asleep at night

Take me ’round

Hold me tight

Most of all

Please protect my child

Watch on her until the morning light

Danger lurks from behind the bush

Nerves will fray

Blood will rush

Victims of another terror style

Homeless angels on the run

El Salvador, El Salvador

El Salvador, El Salvador

Walking proud

On my wedding day

Memories I recall

Bride and groom go marching

Down the aisle

Celebrate with trumpet calls

Heartless crimes

Lately fill my dreams

Headlines scream ‘cross the world

Lifelines end but fill an endless file

Widows writhe under the sun

El Salvador, El Salvador

El Salvador, El Salvador

 
Yes to me fell off the face of the earth. They were played a ton on AOR stations in the 70’s and early 80’s. Then 90125 was released and they got twice as popular. AOR stations played them more and they crossed over to the pop stations.Things lasted that way for almost 10 years and then they quickly faded to almost obscurity. The only song I ever hear by them on the radio anymore is Owner of a Lonely Heart. It’s like they are remembered as a one hit wonder.  
That seems odd, as I know that Roundabout is still a major classic rock biggie, and I’ve Seen All Good People and Long Distance Runaround still get many plays as well. Heck, my 59-year old cousin just last night was telling me he talked his daughter (who’s early 20’s) into going to see the Yes featuring ARW show a few years ago and when it was over she commented on how she was surprised that she recognized so many songs. 

 
Jumpin Jive was/still is amazing. Was bummed I had to miss that tour after seeing the previous couple- videos I've seen show it to have been a lot of fun.

Imo, Joe and that album singlehandedly jump-started the swing Renaissance (very active in SF and LA) as seen in Swingers.

He gets pigeonholed I think, but he's had a continuing astonishingly top tier career making music. And I'd put his first series of albums, includimg Jumpin Jive, right up there against anybodys stretch of more than 3 albums.

 
That seems odd, as I know that Roundabout is still a major classic rock biggie, and I’ve Seen All Good People and Long Distance Runaround still get many plays as well. Heck, my 59-year old cousin just last night was telling me he talked his daughter (who’s early 20’s) into going to see the Yes featuring ARW show a few years ago and when it was over she commented on how she was surprised that she recognized so many songs. 
Where I live (Northern New England), I hear Owner Of A Lonely Heart several times a week on the radio. That's it for anything in regular rotation. Their other songs (including Roundabout), not so much . . . maybe about once or twice a year. And it's not like I am not paying attention or would miss one of their songs. I am a fan and would certainly listen to whatever came on. Back when I was a kid, they had tons of songs I heard all the time on the radio. They were almost in the LZ, PF, RS, Who category. Back when places did "rock blocks," you would get several Yes songs in a row. It was awesome. I predominantly live in the same area as where I grew up, and their radio exposure has probably dropped 95%. But Owner Of A Lonely Heart seems to make EVERY 80's revisited show.

 
Where I live (Northern New England), I hear Owner Of A Lonely Heart several times a week on the radio. That's it for anything in regular rotation. Their other songs (including Roundabout), not so much . . . maybe about once or twice a year. And it's not like I am not paying attention or would miss one of their songs. I am a fan and would certainly listen to whatever came on. Back when I was a kid, they had tons of songs I heard all the time on the radio. They were almost in the LZ, PF, RS, Who category. Back when places did "rock blocks," you would get several Yes songs in a row. It was awesome. I predominantly live in the same area as where I grew up, and their radio exposure has probably dropped 95%. But Owner Of A Lonely Heart seems to make EVERY 80's revisited show.
If it's just an 80's station, I could see Owner of a Lonely Heart getting played a lot and being the only Yes song played (even though they had other hits that decade). 

Classic rock stations are trickier now, as they used to play 70's rock and then some late 60's and some early 80's, but it seems like most classic rock stations now include 80's rock and even some 90's rock, so the pool of songs to choose from is much more massive than it used to be, and with only so much time and so many bands, most are going to get their normal pool of songs narrowed down to just a few.  Bands like Floyd, Zeppelin, Queen, the Who and the Stones will probably always have 10+ songs that get played regularly, but just about everyone else is gonna be narrowed to just a few.  If you hear a Kansas song, it is gonna be Dust in the Wind or Carry On Wayward Son 90% of the time (with Point of Know Return the other 9.999%).  If you hear a Blue Oyster Cult song, it is gonna be Don't Fear the Reaper or Burnin' for You (or maybe Godzilla).  If you hear a Yes song, it is probably gonna be Owner of a Lonely Heart or Roundabout now more often than not (with Long Distance Rundaround or I've Seen All Good People still slipping in there somewhat often). 

 
Children of the sun. Billy Thorpe late 79 released, early to late 80's FM rock staple.

Fat Boys, Run DMC, early Beastie boys, never hear anymore but important music.

U2 had some extremely good songs buried on albums that never made the radio. ie, bullet the blue sky

 
- the forgotten, obscure, neglected 

Sorry if any of these are Hondas butI used to be a 'jock' (disc jockey) at the World's Only Wind Powered Radio Station KFMU.  A P3 AOR station up in the Yampa Valley of Colorado but in the day.  Just a small sample of the obscure/forgotten/neglected.  

If you like 80s you'll enjoy these and may have even heard of one or two.

Forgotten >> Joan Armatrading-Drop The Pilot

Obscure >> Julian Cope - Trampolene

Obscure (the entire Jumpin Jive album is pure gold) >>  Is you is or is you ain't my baby- Joe Jackson version  >> Forgotten/Neglected >>  Joe Jackson - Another World (+LYRICS)

Neglected/Forgotten >> Ry Cooder - "Why Don't You Try Me Tonight"

Obscure >> DOUG & THE SLUGS - Makin' It Work 

Obscure >> I wanna be like you - LOS LOBOS

Neglected/Forgotten >> Love And Rockets - "No New Tale To Tell"   >>  Love And Rockets - Welcome Tomorrow

So many lost/forgotten/obscure/neglected songs of the 80s.
Totally forgot about love and rockets. Listened to them in college, pulling all nighters. Another band, Jesus and Mary chain.

 
I think I'll go through the entire list and make one post of 80s tunes...

Whoa, whoa,  whoa.  I found it.

The Call - Everywhere I Go
Dude.  I have been looking for this tune since last August after hearing it on a road trip out west.  We were passing through SW Wyoming and were barely picking up a Utah station that was doing an 80s weekend.  I was driving and my nephew wouldn't write down the name of the tune.  

Worth the effort of going through this entire post tune-by-tune just to find this song. :tebow:

 
Dude.  I have been looking for this tune since last August after hearing it on a road trip out west.  We were passing through SW Wyoming and were barely picking up a Utah station that was doing an 80s weekend.  I was driving and my nephew wouldn't write down the name of the tune.  

Worth the effort of going through this entire post tune-by-tune just to find this song. :tebow:
Everywhere I Go is a good tune, and I would also recommend Let the Day Begin and I Don't Wanna, two other minor hits they had that kick ###. 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Heck, my 59-year old cousin just last night was telling me he talked his daughter (who’s early 20’s) into going to see the Yes featuring ARW show a few years ago and when it was over she commented on how she was surprised that she recognized so many songs. 
I believe there are two versions of Yes right now. ARW=Anderson/Rabin/Wakeman and the other is Howe/Downes/White.

It is confusing. I have tried to read through what exactly the issue is, but there isn't one to pinpoint, other than Steve Howe being a thoroughly unpleasant person to deal with. 

 
I believe there are two versions of Yes right now. ARW=Anderson/Rabin/Wakeman and the other is Howe/Downes/White.

It is confusing. I have tried to read through what exactly the issue is, but there isn't one to pinpoint, other than Steve Howe being a thoroughly unpleasant person to deal with. 
Jon Anderson by his own admission is difficult to deal with as well, although probably not as bad as Howe.  I think Anderson was fine with not rocking the boat for a while, but once Chris Squire died, he was like to hell with it, I have as much right as anyone to the Yes name, and thus we now have the ARW factions as well (which may or may not do anything else in the future). 

 
Between Something And Nothing-Ocean Blue  

Blood and Roses-The Smithereens
Bonus points for any mention of Tom Waits.  Jockey Full Of Bourbon >> 

New Order - Age of Consent
I wasn't a fan but my dorm mate in college loved em.  The very-famliar guitar riff is catchy and distinct but the 80s made me despise that electric drum sound

Roxy Music - Oh Yeah! - Men at Work - Overkill - 
Fantastic tune by Roxy.  Forgotten Men At Work at least by me.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
The 1980's had a number of lead singers of top groups release songs as solo artists. Sting and Peter Cetera got most of the attention, but there were other good solo songs. 

Donald Fagen IGY (What A Beautiful World): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ueivjr3f8xg
Donald Fagan IGY is almost cheating since it is like Steely Dan where their isn't a song on that album that is  bad.  Song  about the end of the world >> Donald Fagen - New Frontier  >> Went out with a girl named Ruby in the 90s but she had no clue about this song >> Ruby Baby 

More famous groups/songs but still love them

Psychedelic Furs- Love My Way
Furs.  :thumbup:  

Level 42 - Something About You  (This may count as more 90s, but I like the acoustic version better)
'Til Tuesday - Voices Carry
Level 42 was definitely 80s.  Good tune not forgotten.  See - Till Tuesday.

More known for his 60s and 70s output, Paul Simon still found a way to keep it going.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H9M4XJXnCcw
Cheat because so popular but Call me Al, classic with lines like: ('Rolly-polly little bat faced girl') - Paul Simon - You Can Call Me Al (Official Video)

Sweet Jane - Cowboy Junkies
Obviously love the original Lou Reed version but they did it justice.

I haven't seen 10,000 Manics listed yet. Does that make them obscure or just bad?

Personally, I really like Natalie Merchant. 👍

10,000 Manics:

Like the Weather
Nat was awesome.  Like the weather my fav.

Pretty sure we're all familiar with Haircut 100, but maybe less known is their lead singer's (Nick Heyward) solo album that he also put out in the 80's.  There are several songs on it that I like, but I'll post just 2:

Whistle Down the Wind appears twice in the movie 16 Candles, but in small snippets.
Nick Heyward, yeah Haircut 100 hasn't been mentioned up to this point in the thread.  >> Haircut 100 - Love Plus One  >>  Haircut 100 - Fantastic Day (Official Video) 

 Another band that I have not seen mentioned yet is Violent Femmes. I am no where near a fan of them as Natalie, but these songs sure got played a  lot in my college frat.

Violent Femmes

Add it Up
Had no idea Fems started in the 80s.  Add it up.  More like crank it up.  :headbang:  (playlist in my mind pairs this with 'Keep Em Separated by the Offspring but that came out in 94 so it doesn't qualify) 

EDIT to add in a couple I hadn't seen.  >> Mary Had A Little Lamb >> Donnie Iris - Ah Leah 

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Jon Anderson by his own admission is difficult to deal with as well, although probably not as bad as Howe.  I think Anderson was fine with not rocking the boat for a while, but once Chris Squire died, he was like to hell with it, I have as much right as anyone to the Yes name, and thus we now have the ARW factions as well (which may or may not do anything else in the future). 
much bigger fan of the Howe/Downes/White version ...much more old Yes-like vs Asia ...blech.  

 
Saw The Connells last week. They ended it with "Fun and Games" which is a song I associate so completely with the year 1989 - not sure why they were playing Baltimore and Richmond on a 2-stop mini tour but there are rumors of a new album coming out this year

Seeing Tommy Stinson of The Replacements this Friday in a brewery that accommodates about 50 people, so that should be fun.

Other 80s tunes:

See a Little Light by Bob Mould

Crash - The Primitives

Just Like Honey - Jesus and Mary Chain

I could go on and on and on and my kids will tell you I do

 
much bigger fan of the Howe/Downes/White version ...much more old Yes-like vs Asia ...blech.  
I like it all. I love 70's Yes; I love 80's Yes; and I love that early Asia material. 

Speaking of various versions, even when bassist Squire "owned the brand",  the other 4 put out an album with just their names as the band title .

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anderson_Bruford_Wakeman_Howe
That is a good record.  Sure, it is missing the monster bass of Squire, but the songs are still there. 

 
Curious. When i read our title of "80s music, it didn't all suck", I assume you mean most of it sucked. Is that correct?

Do you think 80s music sucked more than the music of the 90s, 00's or this decade?
Not sure how old you are Joe but anyone coming into age during the 80s was born in the 60s and was at the tail end of the baby boom meaning the  majority of young-adult influencers were a bit older and they grew up with classic rockers.  The 70s began with the Beatles breaking up while CSNY was arriving and they still had the huge 60s groups who were hitting stride like the Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Eagles, etc, et, el...

Look at this thread and you will see TONS and TONS and TONS of great music but it is in one lump decades later from all over the map.  Its impressive all at once. 

Living through  the 80s it came in dribbles and drabs and some of the 80s music I love now, I hated when it first came out because it lacked that classic  hard driving 70s  guitar sound.  They had Whole Lotta  Love and we had Blinded Me With Science.  We had remnants and carry-overs from the 70s who went super star like Michael Jackson but the best home grown talent from the 80s was Madonna.  

The spirit of the age, the Zeitgeist was one of hoping for a Beatlesque super group that everyone could revolve around but when a Pretenders would bust out people would die, the sound would get  watered down so onto the next group.  Young people follow, great eras have great leaders.   

Looking back, we had a lot  but it was spread all over like the fragmented Internet society but it looks like enough here can share so its all good.

 
El Floppo said:
Trouble funk dropped a bomb on me in the early 80s.

Still love hearing gogo
In the late 70's, a lot of the young brothers in my junior high were listening to Parliament, E.U. Freeze, et.al, and would hold marathon impromptu 'jam sessions' when their only instruments were their notebooks and assorted other non-musical items they could bang on.  It seemed mostly like just noise at the time, and TBH, I was also a little intimidated as that 'scene' was somewhat removed from my own. Kinda wish I had given it more of a chance back then. 

 
Not sure how old you are Joe but anyone coming into age during the 80s was born in the 60s and was at the tail end of the baby boom meaning the  majority of young-adult influencers were a bit older and they grew up with classic rockers.  The 70s began with the Beatles breaking up while CSNY was arriving and they still had the huge 60s groups who were hitting stride like the Stones, Led Zeppelin, The Who, Eagles, etc, et, el...

Look at this thread and you will see TONS and TONS and TONS of great music but it is in one lump decades later from all over the map.  Its impressive all at once. 

Living through  the 80s it came in dribbles and drabs and some of the 80s music I love now, I hated when it first came out because it lacked that classic  hard driving 70s  guitar sound.  They had Whole Lotta  Love and we had Blinded Me With Science.  We had remnants and carry-overs from the 70s who went super star like Michael Jackson but the best home grown talent from the 80s was Madonna.  

The spirit of the age, the Zeitgeist was one of hoping for a Beatlesque super group that everyone could revolve around but when a Pretenders would bust out people would die, the sound would get  watered down so onto the next group.  Young people follow, great eras have great leaders.   

Looking back, we had a lot  but it was spread all over like the fragmented Internet society but it looks like enough here can share so its all good.
The 80's got a bad rap in the 90's when grunge and alt rock were all the rave, but 80's music as a whole has aged extremely well, while a lot of the 90's music has not, which I consider poetic justice.  

 
Ghost Rider said:
The 80's got a bad rap in the 90's when grunge and alt rock were all the rave, but 80's music as a whole has aged extremely well, while a lot of the 90's music has not, which I consider poetic justice.  
troof up in there ^ 

all my "loves" 

 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top