singley.org > blog archives > Essential 80s Music? 11.11.2003

In case people don't check the comments section, here's a request that Chad posted. Let's help the man out, yo.

"In the interest of getting some type of discussion going on Singley.org, I'm going to use your comment section, Eric, to conduct a little survey of your knowledgeable fan base (specifically Miss Rachel Friede)...

"I'm DJing an 80s party here in Charlottesville in a couple weeks, and I'm trying to put together the ultimate collection of 80s hits to play and rock the house, in the hopes that doing a fantastic job here will get me more work in the future.

"So, Friede (and everyone else) what are your essential 1980s songs?"

There must be multiple Duran Duran - Rio, Hungry Like the Wolf, Save a Prayer, New Moon on Monday. Michael Jackson -- Thriller, and anything else from that album. Some good Journey power ballads -- Oh Sherry, Wheel in the Sky, City by the Bay. Siouxsie and the Banshees -- Kiss Them For Me. Oingo Boingo - Dead Man's Party. Cyndi Lauper - Girls Just Want to Have Fun, of course, and Money Changes Everything. Much Prince - Hell, anything from the 80s is good. The Bowie/Jagger Dancing in the Streets, just for the hell of it. Mister Mister, Wang Chung, Aha, Dire Straits, all the MTV faves. 99 Luftbalons, in German, if you please. Some Heart, some Billy Joel, some Bryan Adams, some John Cougar (Mellencamp), some AC/DC, some Van Halen, some Talking Heads, some Thompson Twins, ABC's Poison Arrow, Flock of Seaguls And I Ran, Tears of a Clown, Romantics What I Like About You, .... Ah, so much. I hope your party lasts approximately 12 hours, because that's how much time you're gong to need....

Excellent advice there on the song list...

Me, I'm a much bigger fan of the power hair bands of the later 1980s, so I tend to discount the new wave early stuff....that's why I'm trying to solicit input....if it was up to me, we'd listen one time through all of Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet, move onto Guns 'n Roses (Paradise City, Sweet Child Of Mine, and maybe Patience and Welcome to the Jungle) hit some Poison (Talk Dirty to Me, Something to Believe In), Motley Crue (Same Old Situation, Girls Girls Girls) and of course Whitesnake (Here I Go Again....quite simply an anthem).

Anyone have 80s hip hop ideas? I was thinking Grandmaster Flash's The Message...and Sugar Hill Gang's Rappers Delight....any other must plays in that genre?

Is this Charlottesville, VA? If so, I know some people there, and if you want, I could pass along word of this party.

Going with the big hair rock out theme, how about "Cum on Feel the Noize" by Quiet Riot. I dig that song.

For hip-hop, a little Run DMC is always nice ("Walk This Way," "It's Tricky"). And definitely Beastie ("Brass Monkey," "Fight for Your Right," "Girls," etc.).

Yes, it is Charlottesville, VA....a simply fantastic town....who are your friends/what do they do here? It'll be a law school party, but I'm a little sick of the law school scene myself, and always looking to meet some new, cool people (particularly those who may have a distant connection with Mr. Eric Singley)....

Ahhh, yes....Beasties....good call....that'll definitely be broken out....

By the way, if everyone wants, after I actually DJ the party, I'll make a songlist and post it for everyone to see (via Eric, it he wants to help)....that way, all of us will know what really works for a killer 80s party....at least, UVA-Chad style....

All Hail, the 80s Queen has arrived. Honestly, Sarah, you might have trumped me on that title. Daaaamn girl, that's quite a list. And my I throw you a lot of props for starting with Duran Duran - cheers cheers. So I'll just fill in a few that weren't listed... old school Bruce (glory days, etc), Dexy's Midnight Runners, Depeche Mode, Madness (our house), Dead or Alive (you spin me round like a record), the Ghostbusters theme song, Uptown Girl (or other Billy Joel songs), Matthew Wilder - Break my Stride, theme from Greatest American Hero, We are the World, anything Police, some David Lee Roth?, Human League, Billy Ocean (just for kicks), Electric Avenue, J Geils Band,... I'm tapped out for now, but if I brainstorm some more later, I'll be sure to post it. Good luck!

Rachel -- I can't believe I left off Dexy's Midnight Runners! Bad Sarah! Bad child of the 80s! Thank you for rectifying the situation. And the rest of your list was spot-on as well (although I'd go with "Do They Know It's Christmas" rather than "We Are The World") We'll have to exchange mix CDs.

Sarah, we really are soul sistas. I debated between We Are the World and Do They Know It's Christmas for a while! I figured while, yes, I am obsessed with all European early 80s bands, the general population might take to We Are the World a bit more. But believe you me, when you and I have our 80s party it will be Brit pop all the way!

Ok ok...I did a little reminiscing and started to get all nostalgic. Perhaps I am just weird, but two of my favorite songs from the 80's are "We built this city (on rock and roll)" and "Final Countdown" by Europe (I think). Not exaxtly dancing songs...but 80's nonetheless. Also, at the risk of being obvious, check out the Grosse Point Blank soundtrack - all 80's all the time. Including "We Care A Lot" by Faith No More. It isn't a party without a little FNM. Ok, I'm a freak. I'm also a lover of the hair bands - you should look into a few of those Monster Ballads cds, they are good for a laugh, if nothing else. Oh yeah, did anyone mention "Come on Ilene"? Or whatever the hell that song is named? And don't forget about Devo and They Might Be Giants. Essential 80's. Can you tell I don't want to work right now?

Come on Eileen is the Dexy's Midnight Runners song I couldn't believe I forgot. And "We Built This City" is the song you can use to get all other songs out of yor head. Of course, then that song is in your head, so it's not necessarily a good thing.

If you want to impress the geeks out there, you can play "Video Killed the Radio Star," which was the first song played on MTV. So there.

Wow, awesome help!

I'm doing Romantics (What I Like About You) and AC/DC (You Shook Me All Night Long) and Wang Chung (Everybody Have Fun Tonight) and Toni Basil (Mickey...which truly is the song to eliminate all others from your head, even We Built This City)....
A little Bangles (Walk Like An Egyptian), Bananarama (Venus), Falco (Rock Me Amadeus) and Katrina and the Waves (Walking on Sunshine) and the party is rocking....plus, Glenn Frey, because the H is O (and all of you who have seen that SNL skit, raise your hand....anybody? Anybody?)

Are we missing any big categories of songs?

Damnit....I almost forgot INXS....lots and lots of INXS....great to dance to, sexy, awesome music....

My girlfriend is a PhD student in history at UVa, so I know mostly humanities people there--so probably a little less practical than the law school crowd. She knows some people who used to do some DJing, so maybe you've run into them: a grad student named Jason and there's this guy named Mott of whom I know little. She said she's been to some law school parties before and said they were "interesting".

Also, most of the good recommendations have been taken, but for the Back to the Future nostalgists out there there's always Huey Lewis and the News.