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

Gr00vus said:
Thanks for bringing back the awkward/painful memories of the slow dance portions of every 7th grade dance I ever went to.
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The soundtrack to every spin-the-bottle game in Heidi Kleindeinst’s basement.

 
timschochet said:
It’s whatever was earlier. The song itself was released on the album in 1981. Thats the key. 
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We countdowners have different rules about eligibility.

Tim: If album and single appearance differ, it counts for the year that is earlier.

Me: If album and single appearance differ, it counts for either year.

Bracie: If album and single appearance differ, it counts for either year, and anything released in the last 3 months of the previous year also counts. 

 
timschochet said:
79. Loverboy “Working for the Weekend” (from Get Lucky) 

https://youtu.be/cxhj1Is7HpY

Yet another Canadian rock band that made it big in 1981. Yeah this is a guilty pleasure but a pleasure nonetheless, with some of my favorite cheesy 80s lyrics of all time: 

You want a piece of my heart? 
You better start from the start! 
You want to be in the show? 
Come on baby let’s GO!!!
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Love this song and loved it when the album was released.  I don’t care it’s cheesy.   It was fun.  We all need more fun.  

 
Does a fewer letter combination of two rock band members (assuming both first/last names are used) exist than  Loverboy’s Mike Reno and Paul Dean?

Yeah, I’m a loser and think of these things.

ETA: unless Mel Ott and son Ed Ott were once in a band together.

 
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Mister CIA said:
It's easy to appreciate The Police for their artistic and technical merits today, but yeah, I could not stand The Police back in the 80's.

Don't get me wrong, they provided a few audio highlights to my teen brain, but I mainly yearned for something else.
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Loved The Police in high school, but by then they were in the pantheon of the greats. We used to sing "Can't Stand Losing You" in high school Spanish. Kelly [redacted] liked the song. My friend and I both had crushes on her. That was always interesting. Wound up dating her friend as a senior, who'd turned into a wonderful looking young woman. Still had a crush on Kelly. Strange times...

Nigel said:
The soundtrack to every spin-the-bottle game in Heidi Kleindeinst’s basement.
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See above for high school memories.

 
zamboni said:
Does a fewer letter combination of two rock band members (assuming both first/last names are used) exist than  Loverboy’s Mike Reno and Paul Dean?

Yeah, I’m a loser and think of these things.

ETA: unless Mel Ott and son Ed Ott were once in a band together.
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Answered my own question: Lou Reed and John Cale, for one.

 
rockaction said:
Loved The Police in high school, but by then they were in the pantheon of the greats. We used to sing "Can't Stand Losing You" in high school Spanish. Kelly [redacted] liked the song. My friend and I both had crushes on her. That was always interesting. Wound up dating her friend as a senior, who'd turned into a wonderful looking young woman. Still had a crush on Kelly. Strange times...
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Back in my 1981 BFE days, "Kelly" like Olivia Newton John and Juice Newton.

 
rockaction said:
Mister CIA said:
Back in my 1981 BFE days, "Kelly" like Olivia Newton John and Juice Newton.
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I had to look up BFE. Now I got it. But your second clause is now confusing me. Just ride with me, I'm trynna understand.
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Before diving into the weeds, I left off a 'd', where I meant to spell "liked." 

Basically I'm saying I experienced growth spurts in times where my local girls had only poor taste.  

[HeeHaw] If it weren't for poor taste they'd have no taste at all; blues, despair, antagony on me. [/HeeHaw]

ETA: Ah, it's "gloom, despair, antagony"

 
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Mister CIA said:
Before diving into the weeds, I left off a 'd', where I meant to spell "liked." 

Basically I'm saying I experienced growth spurts in times where my local girls had only poor taste.  

[HeeHaw] If it weren't for poor taste they'd have no taste at all; blues, despair, antagony on me. [/HeeHaw]
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Gotcha. I'm from BFE, too, which was why "Kelly" was quite the rarity. Our "Kellys" generally liked classic rock, hair metal, or the stuff they played at the grossly awkward dances, like Vanilla Ice and MC Hammer.

I was...out of touch with my BFE mates.

 
zamboni said:
Does a fewer letter combination of two rock band members (assuming both first/last names are used) exist than  Loverboy’s Mike Reno and Paul Dean?

Yeah, I’m a loser and think of these things.

ETA: unless Mel Ott and son Ed Ott were once in a band together.
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Neil Finn and Tim Finn of Crowded House is one less letter than the guys in Loverboy.

 
Mister CIA said:
It's easy to appreciate The Police for their artistic and technical merits today, but yeah, I could not stand The Police back in the 80's.

Don't get me wrong, they provided a few audio highlights to my teen brain, but I mainly yearned for something else.
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I was never a big Police fan, this was a song I never liked though.  To me, it was annoying AF, same with Roxanne.

 
shuke said:
I can't believe how bad this list is so far.  And I'm not blaming Tim.  I'm blaming 1981.
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Lots of good to great tunes from this year. I don't blame Tim for putting up the fromage instead.

Well, I guess I do...but I'm not the one making the list and still completely support Tims choices even though I don't like and didn't like a lot of the tunes even back then. I've started a playlist of 1981 stuff I've been throwing together as the songs come to me...I'm playing by memory, so some may be the wrong year. I also am all over the place with choices- most of the time I'm not including the "obvious" bigger song from an album, some times I do. I'm also not including stuff I didn't like listening to then or own, which covers a lot of the bigger, best selling tunes and bands. But I'm sure, or at least hope there will be overlap with Tim.

I'll happily provide the spotify link for anybody interested via pm. Will post it here once Tim is done so no spoilers. Will also continue to add to it as I remember more.

 
78. Devo “Beautiful World” (from New Traditionalists) 

https://youtu.be/56u6g0POvo0

I haven’t seen this video in years but I clearly remembered it because I used to think it was so creepy...still is though now I think it’s also a terrific piece of art. The song itself is a piece of brilliant satire and a fine example of the band’s work. 

 
timschochet said:
78. Devo “Beautiful World” (from New Traditionalists) 

https://youtu.be/56u6g0POvo0

I haven’t seen this video in years but I clearly remembered it because I used to think it was so creepy...still is though now I think it’s also a terrific piece of art. The song itself is a piece of brilliant satire and a fine example of the band’s work. 
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If you think sarcasm is an art form, and I do, then you think this song is brilliant...which I do.

 
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As a kid, I remember thinking that Loverboy's drummer was awesome, pretty much because of the way the Working for the Weekend video was edited, but I eventually saw the error of my ways.  Fun tune, regardless. 

Not much of a Devo fan. 

 
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Andy Dufresne said:
If you think sarcasm is an art form, and I do, then you think this song is brilliant...which I do.
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No really. Such a simple song yet it says so much. There's only one "authentic" line in the whole song..."IT'S NOT FOR ME!" Everything else is critical, from the literal words to the change in tone.

It starts by pointing out the only things that can be considered "beautiful" are the way people comb their hair and show they care (i.e. they don't). That's it? That's the best that could be considered beautiful? How empty.

The line "IT'S NOT FOR ME" is a cry in the wilderness spoken by someone outside this vapid existence - either ostracized or by choice because they see what others don't. And after that line the phrase "It's a beautiful world" is spoken by a synthesizer - it protests that things are beautiful but the listener can't believe it because it's literally a false voice.

I think this would be a great choice to play over the opening credits of an updated film version of Orwell's 1984.

 
77. Gary U.S. Bonds “This Little Girl” (from Dedication) 

https://youtu.be/nTKtcsUjVMc

Early 60s rocker Gary U.S. Bonds managed to reboot his career in 1981 thanks to a little help from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Springsteen wrote this song and Little Stevie produced it. The rest of this album is actually pretty good as well. 

 
I was a big Cars fan in '84 thanks to the Heartbeat City hits, but never was never overly wild about Shake It Up.  Solid tune, and that guitar solo is surprisingly good, but it's not a song I ever seek out. I always enjoy it if I hear it somewhere, but I would never turn it on intentionally. 

 
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