FairWarning
Footballguy
This song was huge on MTV. I remember this, Rappers Delight, and Rapture far more than others like Planet Rock.
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The 100 Greatest Songs of 1982 #1. Little Red Corvette (2 Viewers)
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timschochet
Footballguy
17. Michael Jackson “Beat It” (from Thriller)
youtu.be
Michael never rocked harder than this IMO. Obviously one reason might be the added guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen, which reminds me of Jeff Beck’s contribution to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, ten years earlier. In both cases an unusual pairing. But with or without EVH this is Michael’s song and he deserves most of the credit.
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Michael never rocked harder than this IMO. Obviously one reason might be the added guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen, which reminds me of Jeff Beck’s contribution to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, ten years earlier. In both cases an unusual pairing. But with or without EVH this is Michael’s song and he deserves most of the credit.
DocHolliday
Footballguy
Not much of a hip hop fan but the early stuff, like this song, is fantastic. I could listen to this every day.Now we're talking. Feels like a top tenor.18. Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five “The Message” (released as a single)
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Full disclaimer: I know so little about hip hop music. I was certainly not aware of this song in 1982, and I didn’t hear it until years later. And even then I wasn’t able to distinguish it from other hip hop songs. A lot of people smarter than me regard “The Message” as the greatest rap song of all time. But I have no way of judging that. Still I have take it into account which is why it gets the ranking it does. Some folks here will think it too low. And they might be right. I’m just not comfortable ranking this type of music due to my ignorance of it.
Rolling Stone has it at best rap song ever. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/...-all-time-150547/lauryn-hill-lost-ones-93378/
DocHolliday
Footballguy
Top 3 Michael song for me. He was on fire at this point.17. Michael Jackson “Beat It” (from Thriller)
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Michael never rocked harder than this IMO. Obviously one reason might be the added guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen, which reminds me of Jeff Beck’s contribution to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, ten years earlier. In both cases an unusual pairing. But with or without EVH this is Michael’s song and he deserves most of the credit.
DocHolliday
Footballguy
I know. I love all the opinions and those are what makes these threads enjoyable and interesting. Sometimes my comments may not come across as nice but I don’t mean it to be that way.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
As far as I know, Beck didn't play on the released version of "Superstition". At least, he wasn't credited and it didn't matter anyway as the "guitar" sounds came from Wonder's keyboards. Beck played on a demo he & Stevie made, and Wonder wanted to toss it to Jeff but Berry Gordy (smelling a monster hit) intervened.17. Michael Jackson “Beat It” (from Thriller)
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Michael never rocked harder than this IMO. Obviously one reason might be the added guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen, which reminds me of Jeff Beck’s contribution to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, ten years earlier. In both cases an unusual pairing. But with or without EVH this is Michael’s song and he deserves most of the credit.
As far as "Beat It" goes, I think it's one of the most exciting records ever made. EVH's solo is great, but this one would have been immortal even without it. There's a murderer's row of of musicians killing it here - they are all HOF ringers.
Gr00vus
Footballguy
Beat It, and 1 other song from the album which I suppose will show up here eventually, stand out for me from the album. The rest is mostly disposable pop, but those two marked a departure into new territory for Jackson in terms of subject matter, sound, and tone. I prefer Off The Wall as an album, but these 2 songs are top of his catalog.
timschochet
Footballguy
16. Duran Duran “Hungry Like The Wolf” (from Rio)
youtu.be
I remember I really liked this song when it first came out. But I got sick of it pretty quickly. It was played endlessly, sometimes it seemed like every other song on the radio was “Hungry Like The Wolf”. I appreciate it much more now on the rare occasions I hear it.
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I remember I really liked this song when it first came out. But I got sick of it pretty quickly. It was played endlessly, sometimes it seemed like every other song on the radio was “Hungry Like The Wolf”. I appreciate it much more now on the rare occasions I hear it.
timschochet
Footballguy
15. Dexys Midnight Runners “Come On Eileen” (from Too-Rye-Ay)
youtu.be
The British/Irish new wave/folky scene, which I associate with this song, is something I’ve always loved, though it wasn’t quite clear to me in 1982. By then I was already listening to the Boomtown Rats, and later on the Pogues. “Come On Eileen”, though a one hit wonder (many people consider this the greatest one hit wonder of all time) just seemed to fit for me with the rest. I loved it; still do.
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The British/Irish new wave/folky scene, which I associate with this song, is something I’ve always loved, though it wasn’t quite clear to me in 1982. By then I was already listening to the Boomtown Rats, and later on the Pogues. “Come On Eileen”, though a one hit wonder (many people consider this the greatest one hit wonder of all time) just seemed to fit for me with the rest. I loved it; still do.
Pip's Invitation
Footballguy
No.15. Dexys Midnight Runners “Come On Eileen” (from Too-Rye-Ay)
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The British/Irish new wave/folky scene, which I associate with this song, is something I’ve always loved, though it wasn’t quite clear to me in 1982. By then I was already listening to the Boomtown Rats, and later on the Pogues. “Come On Eileen”, though a one hit wonder (many people consider this the greatest one hit wonder of all time) just seemed to fit for me with the rest. I loved it; still do.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Three great songs today.
I thought Beat It had a legit shot at top 5 here, but top 20 is still legit. An all-time great.
Hungry Like the Wolf and Come On Eileen are two fine songs many have hated on over the years, but both have aged well and become major 80s classics.
I thought Beat It had a legit shot at top 5 here, but top 20 is still legit. An all-time great.
Hungry Like the Wolf and Come On Eileen are two fine songs many have hated on over the years, but both have aged well and become major 80s classics.
zamboni
Footballguy
I didn’t mind it then - was definitely a bit different. But it’s played so incessantly now on any given ‘80s station that I’d be happy never to hear it again. (And I’m also looking at you, Don’t Stop Believing)
AAABatteries
Footballguy
Whatever, Eileen.
northern exposure
Footballguy
No, the Pepsi commercial mishap didn't happen until 1984.Top 3 Michael song for me. He was on fire at this point.17. Michael Jackson “Beat It” (from Thriller)
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Michael never rocked harder than this IMO. Obviously one reason might be the added guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen, which reminds me of Jeff Beck’s contribution to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, ten years earlier. In both cases an unusual pairing. But with or without EVH this is Michael’s song and he deserves most of the credit.
Too soon?
rockaction
Footballguy
"Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Come On Eileen" are just fine by me. Decent songs.
foxco
Footballguy
Late 80's I went to see CSN at the Meadowlands in NJ and they didn't play Southern Cross or Suite: Judy Blue Eyes and I was super mad. Crowd was all Grateful Dead like happy/tripped out, and hear I am this disgruntled teenage metalhead not understanding how a band could completely neglect their best songs and expect the audience to stand for it. The audience stood for it, I was the outlier. I went right back to hard rock metal where those beautiful SOBs played their best songs for us live.
Mister CIA
Footballguy
I have my one song rebuttal prepared and queued.
TripItUp
Footballguy
15. Dexys Midnight Runners “Come On Eileen” (from Too-Rye-Ay)
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The British/Irish new wave/folky scene, which I associate with this song, is something I’ve always loved, though it wasn’t quite clear to me in 1982. By then I was already listening to the Boomtown Rats, and later on the Pogues. “Come On Eileen”, though a one hit wonder (many people consider this the greatest one hit wonder of all time) just seemed to fit for me with the rest. I loved it; still do.
meh, would have to be in the top 100 but putting it ahead of some of the aforementioned songs I've called out is irresponsible ranking.
This song is obnoxious 80s pop that was cool for college 80s parties and then never listenable again.
TripItUp
Footballguy
16. Duran Duran “Hungry Like The Wolf” (from Rio)
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I remember I really liked this song when it first came out. But I got sick of it pretty quickly. It was played endlessly, sometimes it seemed like every other song on the radio was “Hungry Like The Wolf”. I appreciate it much more now on the rare occasions I hear it.
It's nice to see Duran Duran get a final wave of critical acclaim including the RnR HOF.
This ranking feels appropriate although we're all sick of the song.
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TripItUp
Footballguy
One last thing on Grand Master Flash....he DJ'd at a club I used to go to (can't recall the name but it was a hotspot for a few years) in the 2000s when I was living in NYC. Dancefloor was always packed. Dude can spin. His sets were pretty eclectic and not as heavy on hip hop as you might expect.
Club had a one word name and had a weird bubbly room(for lack of a better description)....if anybody else went there??
Club had a one word name and had a weird bubbly room(for lack of a better description)....if anybody else went there??
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rockaction
Footballguy
Butter?
TripItUp
Footballguy
Hmmmm....maybe?
Osaurus
Footballguy
Their catalog is way better than this particular song imo, but this was the hit so whatever
zamboni
Footballguy
Parkay?
DocHolliday
Footballguy
Well done sir.No, the Pepsi commercial mishap didn't happen until 1984.Top 3 Michael song for me. He was on fire at this point.17. Michael Jackson “Beat It” (from Thriller)
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Michael never rocked harder than this IMO. Obviously one reason might be the added guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen, which reminds me of Jeff Beck’s contribution to Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition”, ten years earlier. In both cases an unusual pairing. But with or without EVH this is Michael’s song and he deserves most of the credit.
Too soon?
DocHolliday
Footballguy
Well said. I get why it’s popular in a drunken stupor as a teen or young adult but now the song is obnoxious. It certainly belongs on this list though but probably way back around number 60.15. Dexys Midnight Runners “Come On Eileen” (from Too-Rye-Ay)
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The British/Irish new wave/folky scene, which I associate with this song, is something I’ve always loved, though it wasn’t quite clear to me in 1982. By then I was already listening to the Boomtown Rats, and later on the Pogues. “Come On Eileen”, though a one hit wonder (many people consider this the greatest one hit wonder of all time) just seemed to fit for me with the rest. I loved it; still do.
meh, would have to be in the top 100 but putting it ahead of some of the aforementioned songs I've called out is irresponsible ranking.
This song is obnoxious 80s pop that was cool for college 80s parties and then never listenable again.
northern exposure
Footballguy
Eileen belongs in the same category (obnoxious, well said Doc) as "Tubthumping" by Chumbawamba for me. "I get knocked down.....".Well said. I get why it’s popular in a drunken stupor as a teen or young adult but now the song is obnoxious. It certainly belongs on this list though but probably way back around number 60.15. Dexys Midnight Runners “Come On Eileen” (from Too-Rye-Ay)
- YouTube
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The British/Irish new wave/folky scene, which I associate with this song, is something I’ve always loved, though it wasn’t quite clear to me in 1982. By then I was already listening to the Boomtown Rats, and later on the Pogues. “Come On Eileen”, though a one hit wonder (many people consider this the greatest one hit wonder of all time) just seemed to fit for me with the rest. I loved it; still do.
meh, would have to be in the top 100 but putting it ahead of some of the aforementioned songs I've called out is irresponsible ranking.
This song is obnoxious 80s pop that was cool for college 80s parties and then never listenable again.
timschochet
Footballguy
14. Marvin Gaye “Sexual Healing” (from Midnight Love)
youtu.be
Marvin Gaye’s last major effort is just great R&B. It’s not quite at the level of “Let’s Get It On” or “Mercy Mercy Me”, but how many songs are? This one is still a magnificent tune.
Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing (Official HD Video)
"Sexual Healing" by Marvin GayeListen to Marvin Gaye: https://MarvinGaye.lnk.to/listenYDWatch more Marvin Gaye videos: https://MarvinGaye.lnk.to/listenYD/you...
youtu.be
Marvin Gaye’s last major effort is just great R&B. It’s not quite at the level of “Let’s Get It On” or “Mercy Mercy Me”, but how many songs are? This one is still a magnificent tune.
timschochet
Footballguy
13. Willie Nelson “Always On My Mind” (from Always On My Mind)
youtu.be
Willie Nelson has had one of the strangest musical careers of all time. He had been around Nashville forever but only became a star in his 40s, and only became a superstar in his 50s. This was the song that made him the superstar. Willie didn’t write it; like him it had been around for years, performed by a number of artists (including Brenda Lee). It became Willie’s signature tune.
Aaron Sorkin in The Newsroom has his main character, Will MacAvoy (Jeff Daniels) give a great little talk about this song, how a hundred people have sung it but nobody better than Willie Nelson, etc. I’m too lazy to look it up.
Willie Nelson - Always On My Mind (Official Video)
Watch the official music video for "Always On My Mind" by Willie NelsonAlways On My Mind (Official Video)Wacth here: https://youtu.be/R7f189Z0v0Y Other top v...
youtu.be
Willie Nelson has had one of the strangest musical careers of all time. He had been around Nashville forever but only became a star in his 40s, and only became a superstar in his 50s. This was the song that made him the superstar. Willie didn’t write it; like him it had been around for years, performed by a number of artists (including Brenda Lee). It became Willie’s signature tune.
Aaron Sorkin in The Newsroom has his main character, Will MacAvoy (Jeff Daniels) give a great little talk about this song, how a hundred people have sung it but nobody better than Willie Nelson, etc. I’m too lazy to look it up.
timschochet
Footballguy
12. Michael Jackson “Human Nature” (from Thriller)
youtu.be
Even at 16, when I was NOT a fan of Michael Jackson or Thriller, I made this song an exception; I was struck by its sheer melodic and lyrical beauty. I still am. It’s easily my personal favorite song by this artist, and it might be his best composition. Gorgeous.
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Even at 16, when I was NOT a fan of Michael Jackson or Thriller, I made this song an exception; I was struck by its sheer melodic and lyrical beauty. I still am. It’s easily my personal favorite song by this artist, and it might be his best composition. Gorgeous.
TripItUp
Footballguy
Who wrote this? Was already an Elvis hit right?
TripItUp
Footballguy
12. Michael Jackson “Human Nature” (from Thriller)
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Even at 16, when I was NOT a fan of Michael Jackson or Thriller, I made this song an exception; I was struck by its sheer melodic and lyrical beauty. I still am. It’s easily my personal favorite song by this artist, and it might be his best composition. Gorgeous.
Could not agree more. The most underrated of his songs IMHO and holds up extremely well.
Strong ranking here.
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timschochet
Footballguy
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Okay, yesterday's songs are all ones that are okay for me, but none stand out. Human Nature is one of the Thriller songs I don't think has aged well. Granted, it is a well written song, but I just feel it's a bit too sugary sweet.
Mookie Gizzy
Footballguy
We’re approaching the top ten, and there’s still a lot of good music not mentioned yet. We already know one of my contenders for #1 didn’t even make the list, so it should be interesting to see what falls through the cracks
timschochet
Footballguy
11. Prince “1999” (from 1999)
youtu.be
The lyrics are dated (it seems weird writing this in 2023.) But the music is timeless. One of the truly great dance songs of all time.
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The lyrics are dated (it seems weird writing this in 2023.) But the music is timeless. One of the truly great dance songs of all time.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
I always thought it was cool how Prince shared the lead vocal of this song with those in the band in the verses, with the ladies singing first, his guitarist coming in next and then Prince taking over. A major classic for sure.
TripItUp
Footballguy
Probably makes my Prince top 10 but definitely not top 5.
Mr. Mojo
Footballguy
I liked this song back then, but I don't think it has aged well at all. And the overly repetitious parts of it don't help.11. Prince “1999” (from 1999)
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The lyrics are dated (it seems weird writing this in 2023.) But the music is timeless. One of the truly great dance songs of all time.
timschochet
Footballguy
10. Culture Club “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me” (from Kissing To Be Clever)
youtu.be
Boy George was a phenomenon in 1982: his looks, his style, his charisma in the videos. Though previous artists like David Bowie had adopted an androgynous persona, MTV and videos gave Boy George’s visual presentation a much wider audience. In that sense, Culture Club contributed significant changes to the popular culture.
But none of this would have been possible if the song wasn’t good, or catchy. It’s both, and Boy George has one of the great voices in pop history. I’ve previously compared it to Smokey Robinson.
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youtu.be
Boy George was a phenomenon in 1982: his looks, his style, his charisma in the videos. Though previous artists like David Bowie had adopted an androgynous persona, MTV and videos gave Boy George’s visual presentation a much wider audience. In that sense, Culture Club contributed significant changes to the popular culture.
But none of this would have been possible if the song wasn’t good, or catchy. It’s both, and Boy George has one of the great voices in pop history. I’ve previously compared it to Smokey Robinson.
Ghost Rider
Footballguy
Really good song. I enjoyed this a lot the first time I heard it and still do. Despite growing up in both a conservative house and neighborhood, I never heard any negative cracks about the video back then. I can only imagine if this video was brand new in 2023, what with both Boy George's appearance and the jury in blackface. All that aside, really good song that still sounds really good.
Bottomfeeder Sports
Footballguy
I get your criteria for what is 1982. And I get that cable in LA and NY was a big thing in the fall of '82, but I'm guessing for many of us in the rest of the country almost everything you've place in 1982 happened in 1983 for us.
timschochet
Footballguy
OK. Assuming you’re right, what difference does it make? Eventually I’ll do 1983, and some of the music should have been 1984.
Bottomfeeder Sports
Footballguy
Like I said I get how you are dating the songs and that market penetration for cable (and thus MTV) varies based on where you were. I'm not being argumentative or critical, just commenting that the cultural stuff that you (and my real life semi-rural cousins) were experiencing in '82 with MTV didn't make it to a lot of us until six months or a year later. We knew about MTV, of course ("I want my MTV" and all), but we didn't experience it enough for the individual acts to begin to "register" - yet. And while radio got weird in the fall of '82, spring of '83 (as in genres got all mixed up for a bit), it was also about a year behind.
zamboni
Footballguy
This is one of the often played ‘80s songs that i will almost always listen to. Great reggae-ish groove and George’s vocals soar.10. Culture Club “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me” (from Kissing To Be Clever)
- YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
Boy George was a phenomenon in 1982: his looks, his style, his charisma in the videos. Though previous artists like David Bowie had adopted an androgynous persona, MTV and videos gave Boy George’s visual presentation a much wider audience. In that sense, Culture Club contributed significant changes to the popular culture.
But none of this would have been possible if the song wasn’t good, or catchy. It’s both, and Boy George has one of the great voices in pop history. I’ve previously compared it to Smokey Robinson.
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