The 100 Greatest “New Wave” songs 1. Everybody Wants to Rule the World-Tears for Fears (1 Viewer)

[El Floppo]

Tbh, whip it is one of many tunes from all eras that were great the first few thousand times hearing and then...for me... Don't need to hear any more.

 

[timschochet]

47. “One Way Or Another” Blondie (1979, from Parallel Lines) 

https://youtu.be/valVixMpzQY

Perhaps not their very best song but I don’t think they ever rocked any harder. Written about one of Debbie’s former boyfriends who got weird and was stalking her. which makes it a tad bit disturbing, although the lyrics seem pretty tongue in cheek. 

 

[AcerFC]

In honor of this thread, Im going to do a 45 minute new wave peloton ride. 

 

[Zegras11]

In honor of this thread, Im going to do a 45 minute new wave peloton ride. 

start with that Xmas song.

 

[Ghost Rider]

I was never a fan of Whip It or Devo. 

Only the Lonely is a really nice tune, as is Suddenly Last Summer.  Both are fixtures on my 80's playlist. 

One Way or Another is a solid tune, but Blondie has better ones.  Heart of Glass better be on this list and near the top.  

 

[Osaurus]

Debbie Harry alleges she hopped a ride briefly with Ted Bundy. She thought something wasn’t right and jumped out of the car.
 

Blondie had a ton of great songs in various styles. I like Rip Her to Shreds and Dreaming

 

[squistion]

48. “Whip It” Devo (1980, from Freedom of Choice)

https://youtu.be/j_QLzthSkfM

I should probably have this higher I suppose. And maybe found room for one or two other songs like “Freedom of Choice” or their version of “Satisfaction”. The thing is I just never thought much of these guys. I don’t hate them (there is one New Wave band that I truly hate with a passion and I’m forced to include one of their tunes, unfortunately; we’ll get to them later) but they don’t do anything for me. So...this seems about right. Sorry if I offend any Devo fans out there. 

I hated them at the time they were popular, but in retrospect, I was overly harsh and have come enjoy a few of their tunes, notably Girl U Want in recent years. 

 

[AcerFC]

start with that Xmas song.

It was a good ride. that song, much to my surprise was not on the playlist. 

 

[timschochet]

46. “What I Like About You”- The Romantics (1979, from The Romantics) 

https://youtu.be/Rqnw5IfbZOU

Even now, over 40 years later, watching that video is impressive: so much energy. It makes me tired just to watch. I’m also always impressed by a drummer who can sing and keep the beat at the same time. 

Classic, timeless song. 

 

[Andy Dufresne]

What I like about you...you let me get in your pants!

They really missed when they didn't make that rhyme, IMO.

 

[timschochet]

What I like about you...you let me get in your pants!

They really missed when they didn't make that rhyme, IMO.

Yeah not so much. 

I wasn’t aware Mayor Bloomberg’s joke writer posted here. 

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Yeah not so much. 

I wasn’t aware Mayor Bloomberg’s joke writer posted here. 

That is the lowest I've ever seen you go around here.

 

[El Floppo]

I'm also a fan and amazed by singing drummers. My kid can do it. I can't play piano and even say a one syllable word without my fingers knotting up.

Having said that, no Phil Collins here please. But this is a good song. 

 

[El Floppo]

Devo's blockhead was and is an underated favorite of mine

 

[Morton Muffley]

What I like about you...you let me get in your pants!

They really missed when they didn't make that rhyme, IMO.

Nah, the motorboating at the end says it all and says it better!

 

[Doug B]

47. “One Way Or Another” Blondie (1979, from Parallel Lines) 

https://youtu.be/valVixMpzQY

Perhaps not their very best song but I don’t think they ever rocked any harder.

They have some other material that rocks hard like this.

 

[joey]

They have some other material that rocks hard like this.

Hanging on the Telelphone is my favorite Blondie song (which I doubt makes this list, so don’t think I’m spotlighting) and that thing rocks like hell. 

 

[Andy Dufresne]

"Call Me" is the first "80's" song.

 

[squistion]

46. “What I Like About You”- The Romantics (1979, from The Romantics) 

https://youtu.be/Rqnw5IfbZOU

Even now, over 40 years later, watching that video is impressive: so much energy. It makes me tired just to watch. I’m also always impressed by a drummer who can sing and keep the beat at the same time. 

Classic, timeless song. 

But not terribly original. The Romantics were channeling the early 60s Kinks and trying to recapture their sound. It was more retro than new wave or power pop. 

 

[Doug B]

I'm also a fan and amazed by singing drummers.

How many can the house name? We got Phil Collins, and ...

- Don Henley 
- Kelly Keagy, Night Ranger
- Levon Helm
- Sheila E

 

[Doug B]

"Call Me" is the first "80's" song.

Didn't want to call out a tune that might be coming on Tim's countdown ... but even with Giorgio Moroder's synth bridge, "Call Me" rocks a ton. Chris Stein and drummer Clem Burke punch like Mike Tyson on this track while Debbie goes full metal on the choruses.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

How many can the house name? We got Phil Collins, and ...

- Don Henley 
- Kelly Keagy, Night Ranger
- Levon Helm
- Sheila E

So, so awesome.

 

[El Floppo]

How many can the house name? We got Phil Collins, and ...

- Don Henley 
- Kelly Keagy, Night Ranger
- Levon Helm
- Sheila E

Levon is the gold standard, imo.

Our friends daughter is in a band out of LA called Pinky Pinky that has a singing drummer.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

How many can the house name? We got Phil Collins, and ...

- Don Henley 
- Kelly Keagy, Night Ranger
- Levon Helm
- Sheila E

Ringo

 

[Zegras11]

46. “What I Like About You”- The Romantics (1979, from The Romantics) 

https://youtu.be/Rqnw5IfbZOU

Even now, over 40 years later, watching that video is impressive: so much energy. It makes me tired just to watch. I’m also always impressed by a drummer who can sing and keep the beat at the same time. 

Classic, timeless song. 

Frat party top 10 for sure.   What a freaking great time for all of this to come alive.  Such good times at the countless early 80s parties.  

 

[Doug B]

Ringo Starr ... good call.

...

And this guy made us wonder -- was Beth the Hard Luck Woman?

 

[dhockster]

How many can the house name? We got Phil Collins, and ...

- Don Henley 
- Kelly Keagy, Night Ranger
- Levon Helm
- Sheila E

Mike Portney does some lead singing with the Neal Morse Band

 

[Uruk-Hai]

How many can the house name? We got Phil Collins, and ...

- Don Henley 
- Kelly Keagy, Night Ranger
- Levon Helm
- Sheila E

Donnie Brewer

 

[otb_lifer]

five of my favorite Queen songs:

Tenement Funster

Drowse

She Makes Me (Stormtrooper in Stliettos)

I'm in Love With My Car 

Rock it (Prime Jive)

- all sung by Roger Taylor

 

[wikkidpissah]

Stevie Wonder looooved playing the drums while he sang

 

[squistion]

How many can the house name? We got Phil Collins, and ...

- Don Henley 
- Kelly Keagy, Night Ranger
- Levon Helm
- Sheila E

Peter Hoorelbeke (aka Peter Rivera) of Rare Earth. 

 

[El Floppo]

Pretty sure Prince played everything while singing. And schtupping while doing copious amounts of drugs all at the same time.

 

[Doug B]

Donnie Brewer

Grand Funk Railroad? I didn't know he share lead vocals! Learned something new today.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Grand Funk Railroad? I didn't know he share lead vocals! Learned something new today.

Yep. He had the rougher voice. He sang "We're An American Band". 

 

[El Floppo]

Btw, Spotify threw some 1980 crazy rhythms Feelies onto my discover weekly playlist this week...one of my favorite albums. Not new wave in the slightest, which I guess makes it eligible here.

 

[otb_lifer]

Btw, Spotify threw some 1980 crazy rhythms Feelies onto my discover weekly playlist this week...one of my favorite albums. Not new wave in the slightest, which I guess makes it eligible here.

... along with Ira & Yo La Tengo, amirite?

 

[Tin Cup]

Having said that, no Phil Collins here please. But this is a good song. 

Isn't "Easy Lover" widely considered the quintessential New Wave song?

 

[El Floppo]

... along with Ira & Yo La Tengo, amirite?

I think I mentioned previously, I rented a room in this crazy coed frat where one of the women was interning for a record label and got one of their recent signees to play a gig there, 89-90ish...keep in mind this place was a dump townhouse on 114th st. with drunk knuckleheaded coeds. It was YLT. They looked pissed the entire time and sounded truly awful. But still...

 

[Doug B]

Isn't "Easy Lover" widely considered the quintessential New Wave song?

Funny enough, through association with an innovative producer ... Phil Collins' instrumentation on his early solo work (really, his early demos) has a thread leading to new wave.

 

[otb_lifer]

I think I mentioned previously, I rented a room in this crazy coed frat where one of the women was interning for a record label and got one of their recent signees to play a gig there, 89-90ish...keep in mind this place was a dump townhouse on 114th st. with drunk knuckleheaded coeds. It was YLT. They looked pissed the entire time and sounded truly awful. But still...

yep, i recall us discussing this some time ago, when i mentioned that i would run into Ira on the reg when making my Hoboken rounds

 

[Dr. Octopus]

yep, i recall us discussing this some time ago, when i mentioned that i would run into Ira on the reg when making my Hoboken rounds

Yeah they used to play at the Elk's Lodge in Hoboken before hitting it big.

 

[otb_lifer]

Yeah they used to play at the Elk's Lodge in Hoboken before hitting it big.

i used to work at U.S. Testing circa that era ('88-'91), was located right before the Willow Ave. bridge into Weehaken (the one over El Pico & Dykes Lumber) ... custodian from there used to also bartend down the Elks and the Elysian ... tipped a few pints with some of the town's down and dirtiest - and that Elk has the biggest set of brass balls this side of Blake (Glengarry).

the old Maxwells, Kelly's, Lady Jane's, Brauhaus, the Wilton, Mario's ... great lil' drinking town. 

oh, and the music scene was killer.   saw more bands over there than i can swing a dead cat at  - the best show was Babes in Toyland (Kat Bjelland  ).

YLT was pretty damn solid any time we did catch 'em. 

 

[Dr. Octopus]

i used to work at U.S. Testing circa that era ('88-'91), was located right before the Willow Ave. bridge into Weehaken (the one over El Pico & Dykes Lumber) ... custodian from there used to also bartend down the Elks and the Elysian ... tipped a few pints with some of the town's down and dirtiest - and that Elk has the biggest set of brass balls this side of Blake (Glengarry).

the old Maxwells, Kelly's, Lady Jane's, Brauhaus, the Wilton, Mario's ... great lil' drinking town. 

oh, and the music scene was killer.   saw more bands over there than i can swing a dead cat at  - the best show was Babes in Toyland (Kat Bjelland  ).

YLT was pretty damn solid any time we did catch 'em. 

Cafe Elysian and Maxwell's were killer live music venues - unfortunately none exist in that town anymore (not that it matters much to me anymore but still sad).

 

[otb_lifer]

Cafe Elysian and Maxwell's were killer live music venues - unfortunately none exist in that town anymore (not that it matters much to me anymore but still sad).

odds that i bumped into you at Pier Platters are looking kinda solid. 

the Elysian was a den of debauchery, and thise back room blues jams were legendary ... it's a bistro now 

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

How many can the house name? We got Phil Collins, and ...

- Don Henley 
- Kelly Keagy, Night Ranger
- Levon Helm
- Sheila E

Dave Grohl?

 

[RedmondLonghorn]

I think I mentioned previously, I rented a room in this crazy coed frat where one of the women was interning for a record label and got one of their recent signees to play a gig there, 89-90ish...keep in mind this place was a dump townhouse on 114th st. with drunk knuckleheaded coeds. It was YLT. They looked pissed the entire time and sounded truly awful. But still...

So the scarves aren’t just for show, you really are a bohemian. Do you dig on vegan food?

 

[timschochet]

45. “Don’t Change” INXS (1982, from Shabooh Shoobah) 

https://youtu.be/sLm3Khusq_8

This is another band that kind of annoyed me, particularly their later material in the decade- “What You Need”, “Listen Like Thieves”, etc. But I did like the early stuff, especially this song. Still do. 

 

[tuffnutt]

45. “Don’t Change” INXS (1982, from Shabooh Shoobah) 

https://youtu.be/sLm3Khusq_8

This is another band that kind of annoyed me, particularly their later material in the decade- “What You Need”, “Listen Like Thieves”, etc. But I did like the early stuff, especially this song. Still do. 

Love this song!  Thought it might rank higher.

 

[Zegras11]

45. “Don’t Change” INXS (1982, from Shabooh Shoobah) 

https://youtu.be/sLm3Khusq_8

This is another band that kind of annoyed me, particularly their later material in the decade- “What You Need”, “Listen Like Thieves”, etc. But I did like the early stuff, especially this song. Still do. 

Top level new wave right here.  

 

[nirad3]

46. “What I Like About You”- The Romantics (1979, from The Romantics) 

https://youtu.be/Rqnw5IfbZOU

Even now, over 40 years later, watching that video is impressive: so much energy. It makes me tired just to watch. I’m also always impressed by a drummer who can sing and keep the beat at the same time. 

Classic, timeless song. 

I was in a band in the latter part of high school / early part of college, and we had two lead singers (brothers, actually).  One of them was our drummer.