My Favorite Songs of the 80s

 I didn't live through the 80s, so the only way I can kind of do that is through the entertainment from that time. Music has this special connection to time, it can take you back to a time you never even lived in. Like listening to Billy Idol and just being transported to a time where MTV was the most important part of the music industry. Record sales actually mattered a lot more back then, like if you wanted to listen to A-ha's "Take On Me" you had to buy their entire album with a bunch of other mediocre songs you don't care about. We got it good these days. It was such a great time that tons of artists are still trying to use that 80s sound in modern music to get popular. The 80s aesthetic is just too powerful, it's never going away, especially now that all the people in charge and the big artists grew up in that time period. So I thought it would be fun to pick out my favorite songs from this time period known as the 80s. 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

(1987) R.E.M.'s "The One I Love": A band that would go on to the 90s to find even bigger success got a great start in the later 80s. This song and style really carried on over to the new decade after the 80s ended, and the band that made it were hugely influential to the music scene of the late 80s and 90s. The more alternative sound isn't something I usually think about when music from the 80s comes up, but it's so important to the decade and to music as a whole it has to be mentioned. This song is perfection when it comes to alt-rock, it does everything right and then some. The moody vocals and well-written lyrics go so well with the style of music. The guitar work is fantastic too (I might be saying that a lot in this list) and even the bass stands out beautifully. Just an amazing song that deserves a mention. 

(1983) Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell": This song just screams the 80s to me. An artist that sadly didn't transition out of the decade smoothly still made his name and music a quintessential part of the 1980s. Billy Idol and his bleach blonde spikes belong on any list of great songs of this decade 100%. This song kinda has it all, Idol's strong vocals as he shouts the chorus with power. The crunchy guitars and awesome 80s solo and even some of that sweet sweet synth. 

(1983) Tears for Fear's "Mad World": Another huge group from this era, of course, deserves a mention here. This song feels so unique even for the time, I love all the little details in its music. The lyrics are also some of the most memorable. I was honestly surprised by how great this song is considering I've only heard the covers up until recently. Seems like everyone that covers this song always strips it down to a very basic piano and singer combination to make it seem sadder. The song is already sad, but stripping away the music just makes it worst, this version is so fantastic and the music is really my favorite part about it. It's incredibly unique and I LOVE it. Just not enough to make my top ten... oops. 

(1989) Public Enemy's "Fight the Power": It would be strange to not include some of the early great Hip-Hop in this list and you can't go wrong with Public Enemy. I guess this song came out in 1989, but that's still technically the decade I'm covering here. While the impact would stretch more into the 90s as Hip-Hop and Rap would continue to grow massively in popularity, its importance in the 80s is just as true. Chuck D and Flavor Flav are a great duo that works so well together to make this song what it is. That and the awesome music and beat that keeps everything flowing. All of that on top of a strong message makes for a truly important song of the decade. 

(1982) Michael Jackson's "Beat It": Not having MJ on this list would probably be pretty strange considering his impact on the entire decade. "Beat It" is one of the biggest songs of the decade, probably one of the biggest songs ever made really. The album it came from is still one of the most memorable albums of all time and best-selling. It's got arguably the most iconic guitar riff ever created along with one of the best guitar players of all time shredding the solo. Michael Jackson's vocals are okay I guess? 

(1987) Guns N's Roses' "Welcome to the Jungle": In the late 80s this band released one of the most iconic rock albums of all time, and it was their first full-length album. Right off the bat, the album kicks off with "Welcome to the Jungle" in what has to be one of the best album openers to exist. The song kicks off the album with incredibly high energy and a punch-you-in-the-face with a rock and roll attitude. Axl Rose screeching his iconic vocals along with the rest of the band killing it on each instrument just shows you right away what this band was capable of. I guess it was the perfect send-off to hard rock in the 80s with all the hair metal and glam bands, this was just something completely different. This coming from someone who isn't super into that genre of rock. 

(1987) Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody": It's a no-brainer that this song deserves a shout-out on this list. I mean it's Whitney Houston's biggest hit and it's such a big part of the 80s it's hard not to love this song. While Whitney is absolutely killing it on the mic, the music isn't too bad either. I mean comparing anything to her vocals feels pretty unfair really. There just aren't many singers out there who could pull off this song, because it takes more than just the voice, but you also need the charisma that Whitney had. That's what made her one of a kind. 

TOP TEN (No Order)

(1988) The Pixies' "Where is My Mind?": Hugely influential band The Pixies were so important to the late 80s and 90s rock scene. While their 1989 follow-up album would be a much bigger deal, 1988's "Where is My Mind" was a great introductory song to what this band was capable of. The really interesting guitar really carries the song along with the bass keeping everything going in the slower spots. The song just has this really interesting mood/aesthetic that still feels really unique even 30+ years later. 

(1981) Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl": It's strange that this song came out so early in the decade, if I had to guess I would have thought it would have been around 1985. I honestly think this is one of the best 80s hit songs, it's just about as perfect as a pop-rock song can be. The iconic guitar parts, the solid vocals, and some of the most memorable lyrics of any 80s song ever. While Springfield would never find another hit as big as this one, Jessie's Girl will forever be known as one of the biggest songs of the decade. Rightfully so. 

(1983) Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams": Speaking of some of the most memorable 80s songs, here's another classic. Right from the intro the song immediately grabs your attention with its unforgettable music. The team of Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart work like magic together here with the vocals and the lyrics.  This is pretty much synth-pop at its finest here, especially at a time where there were plenty of other artists doing the same thing. 

(1983) Talking Head's "This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)": A band that's consistently great through the 70s and beyond. While my favorite songs by them all were released in the late 70s, they still have a lot of great songs to pick from in the 1980s. "This Must Be the Place" has all the ingredients of a Talking Heads masterpiece. The strong bassline, guitar work, and other small details make it a treat to the ears. That and the great lyrics and David Byrne's unique vocals. I love the energy they bring to every song, even a song that's a bit slower like this one. Only the best bands can make a great song at any tempo. 

(1982) Dexys Midnight Runners "Come on Eileen": How can you not love this weird-ass song? You must love it, it's an order. Musically it feels totally different than any of the other songs on this list, probably most big 80s hit (that I can remember at least). Yeah, this was basically their only hit, but I think it's one of the best songs of the decade so it's got that going for it. The vocals stand out in a mix of interesting use of strings and traditional rock instruments. I'm pretty sure I hear an accordion in there at some point too. It all comes together in a joyful and danceable package and inserts itself into your brain forevermore. Lovely. 

(1989) Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus": Very late in the 80s came Depeche Mode's first single from their big 1990 album. Their work in the 80s was top-notch but for me, this song just hit differently than their previous works. There's this interesting darkness to this song from the music and lyrics that make it incredibly interesting. The idea was inspired by an Elvis documentary apparently, which makes sense? 

(1982) Queen & David Bowie's "Under Pressure": A collab of this magnitude has a lot of potential to be a letdown, but it was anything but that. In fact, it's pretty much a perfect song in every way. Freddie Mercury and Bowie's vocals work so well together, it's disappointing we didn't get an entire album of them together. Of course, maybe that's too much of a good thing. 
Here we get one of the most iconic bass lines of all time, later stolen by a white rapper with worse bars than Michael Scott. I actually had a hard time picking between this and "Another One Bites Dust" because Freddie's vocals in that song are so good and it has another iconic bass line. 

Also, check out the David Bowie and Annie Lennox version of this song on YouTube if you haven't. 

(1984) The Smith's "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now": The Post-Punk movement of the 80s brought some of the best music of the decade in my opinion, especially from the UK. The Smiths were one the bigger acts and also one of the most remembered, maybe in part thanks to 500 Days of Summer (probably not), but also because of their great music. "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" is my personal favorite, mainly because of well it all comes together and the mood it portrays. I guess it's pretty obvious that it's all about Morrisey's miserable life and how nothing seems to make him happy, even getting a new job. The Smiths just make this work, even with the whiny lyrics it all still feels somehow enjoyably. The guitar and bass in this song just carry it to a whole new level and really add to the atmosphere the lyrics are trying to convey. 

(1982) Duran Duran's "Save A Prayer": I like to think of this as the perfect Duran Duran song. Right from the start, you're hit one of my favorite synth sequences in any song ever, followed by another synth line and a strong bass line that carries the song. Immediately I get excited and pumped to listen to the song and the rest of the song doesn't disappoint. It just keeps building and building until the chorus where the intensity is raised the highest level (for a slower song anyway). It's one of the few songs that I feel like I appreciate with every new listen. 

And wow look at that artwork! So 80s. 

(1982) Billy Idol's "White Wedding - Part 1": I don't exactly know why, but I always considered this song to be the defining song of the 80s in my head. Whenever I think of 80s music this is what usually pops into my head. It's a perfect song, even though it feels pretty simple (at least musically). The guitar and bass don't do anything too crazy for most of the song, the only exception being the intro and solos. Billy Idol's vocals are what really carries the song, especially when he does his screeching that he loves to do. This song just does something that none of the other songs really do on this list, and I don't exactly know how to put it into words. It's a feeling like I'm being transported to a time that I wasn't even alive to see myself. That's probably why this song is important to me and why to me it's the most memorable song of the decade. But that's just one guy's opinion. In a decade with tons of amazing music, it's easy to see the defining song of the 80s being different for lots of people. 

 

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Pixar's Soul

 

Originally slated for wide release on June 19 of this year, Pixar's newest film Soul was one of my most anticipated of the year. Obviously, things didn't go exactly as planned this year, so it was possible the movie wasn't even going to be released this year. Now with Disney's struggle to stay afloat with its theme park closures and entertainment venues being mostly shut down or limited in their capacity it was important to bring more attention to their new streaming service. So Soul was released gratis on Disney+ on Christmas day as a nice little gift for its subscribers. So... was it worth the wait?

Soul follows its main characters (Joe Gardner voiced by Jaime Foxx) struggle to find his big break as a Jazz musician. Not satisfied with his current life and job, he doesn't want to settle for anything less than becoming a full-time musician playing jazz gigs with other great musicians. Just when all seems lost he gets one last shot to get a full-time position on a band by playing a Jazz Club show. Just as he receives the big news, he dies. Here the story takes a strange twist as he enters the afterlife, or more appropriately, The Great Before? He accidentally finds himself at a place where souls are prepared to enter Earth for the first time and enter as new-borns. He is paired with a soul named "22" (voiced by Tina Fay) who has been around for centuries and still hasn't been able to enter Earth. She lacks the motivation to start a life on earth but instead decides to help Joe get his body back in the hopes she can finally stop being pushed to live on earth and leave The Great Before. This sets up the unlikely partnership that carries the rest of the movie.

This movie definitely has more ups than downs, but it does suffer from a few things in my opinion. It has a lot of similarities to two previous Pixar films in "Coco" and "Inside Out" where the characters exist in or enter a fictional place in order to learn a lesson or grow as people. This movie was directed by Pete Docter, who made "Inside Out" so it kind of makes sense that could be the case. The difference here is that Soul feels more mature in the way it tackles its subject matter as well as feeling a bit more subtle in the message it's trying to get across. I don't really think there's just one lesson in the movie though, but what I took away from it is the idea of living every day like it's your last. The fact that most people take just the simple thing of living and breathing for granted, but also interacting with the world around you as well. Making connections with other people or just having more appreciation for the things we consider mundane that we see every day. The movie does this by having the main character Joe step outside his body and watch someone else live his life, someone who's never lived on Earth before. Seeing the way this being experiences Earth for the first time makes him realize just how good it is just to be alive (that and dying I suppose). And no you probably won't be crying in this one, which is pretty nice for a Pixar movie to not make you cry for once. Just kidding, you'll cry. 

So there is a moment around the start of the second act where Joe and 22 head back down to Earth, and the movie turns into this body-switch comedy style story. Honestly, when that first happened I got really worried because I really didn't want to see that kind of overused trope in this movie. While it wasn't always the best, it did end up working out in the long run. It made a lot of sense why the movie decided to go that route to tell its story, though maybe there could a been a more inventive way to go about it? Also, the movie, or at least the trailers, made it seem this movie was going to a lot more about Jazz and music, but that didn't really end up being the case too much. I guess that's not really a problem, but maybe I was just excited to see more Jazz music?

Joe Gardner is maybe a little too obsessed with Jazz, as he pretty much thinks about it non-stop and really has a one-track mind. His idea is that if he doesn't get a full-time jazz gig, he's failed at life and he didn't accomplish his only goal. While it's good to be as dedicated as Joe is to his dream, the movie shows you why that might be a problem. His obsession leads to him ignoring the people around him and all the things the rest of the world has to offer. Which are all revealed to him as he watches someone else live his life. It's an interesting lesson to see in a movie, about focusing so hard on one thing you leave out any other possibility in your life, which can lead to disappointment and even an empty feeling when you finally accomplish it. 

On top of all of this you get the top-notch Pixar animation, in this case, split into two styles. The first one is the real world, New York City to be exact. Pixar knocks it out of the park here with some of the most detailed and beautiful sights you'll see in any animated movie. The city looks so real, the only thing keeping it from actually tricking you into thinking it is are the very cartoon looking humans that walk around it. It's stunning from the buildings and all the signs and details of them to the lighting and sounds. I felt like I could be robbed at gun-point at any moment, it was fantastic. (I've never been to New York by the way.) The other side is not so breath-taking. That's the after-life/Great Before scenes with the soul version of Joe. It's a lot less pretty and detailed and a lot more simplistic and colorful. It's honestly fine, but I really just wanted to get back to New York to see all the detail again. So I think those soul sections kind of feel more boring in a way because of it, plus the story at that point tries to be a lot more humorous which is usually pretty hit or miss. Lots of historical references that aren't as funny as maybe the movie thinks they are? 

At the end of it all I was left with a bit of a mixed bag here, but one that I think I really enjoyed more than disliked. The good outweighs the bad and there are enough strong moments and emotional scenes that still get you invested in the characters and world. While "22" as a character starts off pretty disappointing, she really grows throughout the movie to be much more likable. By the end, you're rooting for these characters to make the right choices and I think that's important in a movie like this. So it's a very good Pixar movie, not near their best in my opinion, but probably just below that. 

Overall Grade I'd give it a solid B

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