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The 100 Greatest Songs of 1981 #1 Super Freak (2 Viewers)

59. The Kinks “Predictable” (from Give the People What They Want) 

https://youtu.be/liQB7ZycEOg

I feel like Ray Davies is one of the great musical satirists of all time. His narrator in this song is so bored with life that he wishes, if things don’t get better, that they get worse- anything for a change! 
This album is filled with so many other great songs in addition to the two I’ve listed here. I wish I had more room.

 
timschochet said:
59. The Kinks “Predictable” (from Give the People What They Want) 

https://youtu.be/liQB7ZycEOg

I feel like Ray Davies is one of the great musical satirists of all time. His narrator in this song is so bored with life that he wishes, if things don’t get better, that they get worse- anything for a change! 
This album is filled with so many other great songs in addition to the two I’ve listed here. I wish I had more room.
Click to expand...
Glad more songs from this album are showing up, but I’m stunned this is one of them. But I like it 

 
timschochet said:
59. The Kinks “Predictable” (from Give the People What They Want) 

https://youtu.be/liQB7ZycEOg

I feel like Ray Davies is one of the great musical satirists of all time. His narrator in this song is so bored with life that he wishes, if things don’t get better, that they get worse- anything for a change! 
This album is filled with so many other great songs in addition to the two I’ve listed here. I wish I had more room.
Click to expand...
GTPWTW is one of the best Kinks albums and usually doesn't get credit as such. 

 
The first tape I can remember having is Pat Nebetar’s Get Nervous. The literal video for Love is a Battlefield is also a favorite. 

 
58. .38 Special “Hold On Loosely” (from Wild Eyed Southern Boys) 

https://youtu.be/vJtf7R_oVaw

So these guys were a sort of a poor man’s Allman Brothers Band/Lynyrd Skynyrd (check out the video, they so look the part). They couldn’t quite match the sublime quality of those two legendary bands, but .38 Special did have some excellent moments such as this effort and “Caught Up In You” a year later, two tunes which have passed the test of time and still get regular airplay- because they’re excellent. 

 
timschochet said:
58. .38 Special “Hold On Loosely” (from Wild Eyed Southern Boys) 

https://youtu.be/vJtf7R_oVaw

So these guys were a sort of a poor man’s Allman Brothers Band/Lynyrd Skynyrd (check out the video, they so look the part). They couldn’t quite match the sublime quality of those two legendary bands, but .38 Special did have some excellent moments such as this effort and “Caught Up In You” a year later, two tunes which have passed the test of time and still get regular airplay- because they’re excellent. 
Click to expand...
The Skynyrd connection runs deep - as I’m sure you know,  .38 Special guitarist Donnie Van Zant is the younger brother of the late Ronnie.

 
Oh, this Gerber Banana/Apricot is just so sweet and smooth, it's hard to believe it's so nourishing. i think it's been nine days now since i've eaten anything else and i feel great! i may never want to eat duck breast or a chile relleno ever again. How many more jars you got?

 
wikkidpissah said:
Oh, this Gerber Banana/Apricot is just so sweet and smooth, it's hard to believe it's so nourishing. i think it's been nine days now since i've eaten anything else and i feel great! i may never want to eat duck breast or a chile relleno ever again. How many more jars you got?
Click to expand...
On the 3,145 mile trip from Boulder Colorado to Valdez Alaska driving the AlCan highway that had hundreds of miles of nothing but dirt in the early 1990s we had over 1,000 miles of no radio other than Canadian NPR if that at times so we listened to cassette tapes, one of which was my buddies and he had .38 Special and I had the same holier than thou attitude for about 3,144 of those 3,145 miles till it wore me down by pure repetition or maybe my buddies poor taste I dunno.  Don't luv it but can take a Jamba Juice cup full and swig it down LOOSEly.    

 
wikkidpissah said:
Oh, this Gerber Banana/Apricot is just so sweet and smooth, it's hard to believe it's so nourishing. i think it's been nine days now since i've eaten anything else and i feel great! i may never want to eat duck breast or a chile relleno ever again. How many more jars you got?
Click to expand...
Sounds like you did want to say goodbye and let these songs fade away.

Too bad. You'll take your country fried pablum and like it!

 
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57. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts “Crimson and Clover” (from I Love Rock’N’Roll)

https://youtu.be/cXFra7gjElw

The original Tommy James & The Shondells version of this song was a psychedelic soft rock piece with whispery guitars; Joan Jett wisely turned up the amplifiers and completely changed the effect. This tune is meant to be played LOUD. Excellent love anthem. 

 
First they came after REO Speedwagon and I said nothing.

Then they came after Foreigner and I said nothing.

Next they came after .38 Special, and I still said nothing.

Who will be left to speak up when they come after Toto, Asia, and Night Ranger?

 
56. Billy Squire “The Stroke” (from Don’t Say No) 

I could never understand a lot of the lyrics to this tune. The chorus always sounded like “strong man, stuntman” to me. Oh well. Not a song I had on for the lyrics anyhow. 

 
Squire's least listenable popular song. It reminds me a bit of the Hokey Pokey. 

Put your right hand out, give a firm handshake
Talk to me about that one big break
Spread your ear pollution, both far and wide
Keep your contributions by your side and

Hokey, Pokey
Could be a winner boy you move mighty well
Hokey, Pokey (POKE!)
Hokey, Pokey
You got your number down
Hokey, Pokey
Say you're a winner but babe, you're just a sinner now

 
Andy Dufresne said:
Squire's least listenable popular song. It reminds me a bit of the Hokey Pokey. 

Put your right hand out, give a firm handshake
Talk to me about that one big break
Spread your ear pollution, both far and wide
Keep your contributions by your side and

Hokey, Pokey
Could be a winner boy you move mighty well
Hokey, Pokey (POKE!)
Hokey, Pokey
You got your number down
Hokey, Pokey
Say you're a winner but babe, you're just a sinner now
Click to expand...
I think I like these lyrics better than the original 

 
Andy Dufresne said:
Squire's least listenable popular song. It reminds me a bit of the Hokey Pokey. 

Put your right hand out, give a firm handshake
Talk to me about that one big break
Spread your ear pollution, both far and wide
Keep your contributions by your side and

Hokey, Pokey
Could be a winner boy you move mighty well
Hokey, Pokey (POKE!)
Hokey, Pokey
You got your number down
Hokey, Pokey
Say you're a winner but babe, you're just a sinner now
Click to expand...
The Stroke is one of the worst songs to ever hit the radio waves.   Somehow it ranks higher than Who’s Crying Now and Unchained in this list.  Criminal.  

 
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timschochet said:
56. Billy Squire “The Stroke” (from Don’t Say No) 

I could never understand a lot of the lyrics to this tune. The chorus always sounded like “strong man, stuntman” to me. Oh well. Not a song I had on for the lyrics anyhow. 
Click to expand...
"Is that like a sword or something? Hey Butthead, this guy's named after chain mail!"

"Uh huh. Beavis, is that like when you get those stupid things from your uncle on the computer about politics?"

"Heh heh. Yeah. That's what it is. That's exactly what it is!"

 
I love “In the Dark” but it didn’t make the cut. 

Man I didn’t realize how many people hate “The Stroke”. I find that amusing actually. 
Personally, while the lyrics (the ones I can understand) are silly, I think the music’s great, particularly the guitar riff. Why was it ranked over “Who’s Crying Now” and “Unchained”? Because it’s catchier. That’s about it. 

 
timschochet said:
I love “In the Dark” but it didn’t make the cut. 

Man I didn’t realize how many people hate “The Stroke”. I find that amusing actually. 
Personally, while the lyrics (the ones I can understand) are silly, I think the music’s great, particularly the guitar riff. Why was it ranked over “Who’s Crying Now” and “Unchained”? Because it’s catchier. That’s about it. 
Click to expand...
I do like In the Dark.  

You could have said that this is your list and your opinion is the only one that matters.  It’s still a great thread.  Love the work.  

 
timschochet said:
I love “In the Dark” but it didn’t make the cut. 

Man I didn’t realize how many people hate “The Stroke”. I find that amusing actually. 
Personally, while the lyrics (the ones I can understand) are silly, I think the music’s great, particularly the guitar riff. Why was it ranked over “Who’s Crying Now” and “Unchained”? Because it’s catchier. That’s about it. 
Click to expand...
Oh you know what you are doing :lol:

 
DocHolliday said:
I do like In the Dark.  

You could have said that this is your list and your opinion is the only one that matters.  It’s still a great thread.  Love the work.  
Click to expand...
Your opinion matters as much as mine. Most other people here opinions matter as much, or more than mine. 
@HellToupee’s opinion matters less than mine, though. Objectively speaking. 

 
timschochet said:
I love “In the Dark” but it didn’t make the cut. 

Man I didn’t realize how many people hate “The Stroke”. I find that amusing actually. 
Personally, while the lyrics (the ones I can understand) are silly, I think the music’s great, particularly the guitar riff. Why was it ranked over “Who’s Crying Now” and “Unchained”? Because it’s catchier. That’s about it. 
Click to expand...
Rock Me Tonite is slightly more cringeworthy to me if it makes you feel better, but that's from 1984. Maybe it will make an appearance in an upcoming thread?

 
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timschochet said:
Your opinion matters as much as mine. Most other people here opinions matter as much, or more than mine. 
@HellToupee’s opinion matters less than mine, though. Objectively speaking. 
Click to expand...
This is your list and it is based on your taste in music.   I listen to a ton of music from the 80s but most of it would not be to your liking judging from your lists.  

 
55. Genesis “No Reply At All” (from Abacab) 

https://youtu.be/9rCRKijoTwo

With this song and album, Genesis moved from progressive rock to mainstream pop rock. It was not a move many of their traditional fans liked. But Phil certainly understood how to write a hit, as he would prove over and over throughout the decade. 
The horns are by Earth Wind and Fire though they don’t show up on the video. Interestingly enough, the video has nobody playing drums either. 

 
timschochet said:
55. Genesis “No Reply At All” (from Abacab) 

https://youtu.be/9rCRKijoTwo

With this song and album, Genesis moved from progressive rock to mainstream pop rock. It was not a move many of their traditional fans liked. But Phil certainly understood how to write a hit, as he would prove over and over throughout the decade. 
The horns are by Earth Wind and Fire though they don’t show up on the video. Interestingly enough, the video has nobody playing drums either. 
Click to expand...
High quality tune.

 
54. Daryl Hall & John Oates “Private Eyes” (from Private Eyes) 

https://youtu.be/JsntlJZ9h1U

A solid pop song from one of the best composers of solid pop songs from the era. This album had one other huge hit that came close but lost out on my final cut of this list.

From roughly 1975 to about 1981, these guys produced some really fine radio hits IMO. Then, I don’t know, even though they would continue to release some really big selling songs for a few years afterward, somehow to me the quality dropped a little. “Private Eyes” may have been their last excellent tune.  

 
timschochet said:
56. Billy Squire “The Stroke” (from Don’t Say No) 

I could never understand a lot of the lyrics to this tune. The chorus always sounded like “strong man, stuntman” to me. Oh well. Not a song I had on for the lyrics anyhow. 
Click to expand...
I thought it was relatively common knowledge, but the song is about getting brownnosed / screwed over by record industry execs/folks. The lyrics make a decent amount of sense from that perspective.

 
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