The biggest difference between the 1981 mix and the 1982 mix for me is when I found the music. So much of the 1981 mix was music I was really into in 1981, but the 1982 mix is quite different. The majority of it was music I discovered in college.
20. Words by Missing Persons
I really didn't get into Missing Persons until I was in college to kick this list off.
19. Red Planes by Weekend
Just a great album. I played this song to death my third year in college.
18. To Look At You by INXS
As popular as INXS got they never topped this song.
17. Many Happy Returns by ABC
OK now this album was my album of the year in 1982.
16. The Space Between by Roxy Music
I was working at a Wendy's and was going to be waiting with some friends for tickets to the Springsteen concert. A woman I worked with at Wendy's gave me a tape to listen to with this Roxy Music album on one side and Janis Ian's, Between the Lines on the other side. Still love both albums to this day.
15. Save a Prayer by Duran Duran
By far their best song.
14. Somebody Saved Me by Pete Townshend
I played this album to death my freshman year at college.
13. Breaking Us In Two by Joe Jackson
When Joe Jackson writes a good pop song he really writes a good pop song.
12. Allentown by Billy Joel
My favorite Billy Joel song.
11. Destination Unknown by Missing Persons
This is a very good song of a solid album.
10. Only the Lonely by The Motels
Can't listen to the Motels without thinking of a friend of mine. He showed up late one day to first period and I asked him why he was late. "The 'Only the Lonely' video came on when I was about to leave," he said.
9. To Turn You On by Roxy Music
I think all of Roxy Music's experimental stuff was all leading to this moment.
8. New Frontier by Donald Fagen
Love this song, great video.
7. Love My Way by The Psychedelic Furs
Same rule goes for these guys that go for Joe Jackson.
6. Steppin' Out by Joe Jackson
Still one of my all time favorite videos and songs.
5. Summerdays by Weekend
In 1982 my album of the year was Lexicon of Love by ABC, now it would probably be La Variete by Weekend.
4. The Metro by Berlin
If an alien landed and asked me to provide them with an example of New Wave music this would likely be my pick.
3. Stone Cold by Rainbow
OK now this song was a big hit for me in 1982.
2. Nostalgia by Weekend
Just a fantastic song. Just turn off the lights, put on the headphones, and enjoy.
1. As the Years Go Passing By by George Thorogood & the Destroyers
I absolutely loved this song in 1982, played it to death. Will never forget.
I hear "Allentown" no more than once every five years, but I enjoy it each of those times.
ReplyDelete"Only the Lonely" remains a terrific song and video.
ReplyDeleteOh, good, I'm so glad you included this Donald Fagen song. I've never known who did it or what it's called--I mean, I knew it had some connection to Steely Dan--and I've always enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteSo, I enjoyed going through this playlist as I enjoy going through all of your playlists, but one of the different reasons I enjoyed this one is that a goodly number of the songs I don't remember ever hearing. For example, your No. 1 I don't remember hearing ever--even at your house.
ReplyDeleteIn 1982, we didn't have cable at my house, so I wasn't watching MTV. I was listening to WDDJ or whatever radio station in Paducah, or sometimes I was acquiring an album here and there based on stuff I heard you or the other kids at Heath playing or stuff that turned up on network TV shows, or I was still listening to my older siblings' music. And then by 1986, when we go off to college, I was pretty much totally cold to anything New Wave, almost as a matter of vague politics or style or something.
So even when I do discover some of these records at WKU, I'm a picker and chooser. I loved All the Best Cowboys, for example, but the winner for me off that Pete Townshend record is "Slit Skirts," which sounds more like his earlier solo and Who stuff than anything else on it. Otherwise, I'm cottoning to second-half-of-the-1980s jangle-guitar and post-New Wave music that is going to Y into 1990s Grunge or Americana.
My favorite 1982 songs in 1982 were probably "Do You Believe In Love?" by Huey Lewis and the News, "Freeze Frame" by J. Geils Band, "Hard for Me to Say I'm Sorry" by Chicago, "That Girl" by Stevie Wonder and, of course, "Heat of the Moment" by Asia.
I was just thinking about your love for Asia yesterday when listening to a new release from the band Six by Six. The guys in this band are all connected in some way to Asia.
DeleteI remember, years ago, I was listening to the Sports Junkies (who were all born around 1970) and they were doing that thing where they were talking over bumper music. Suddenly, the bumper music changed to "The Heat of the Moment," and they all four went nuts. They stopped talking for about 30 seconds -- or however long they can do without getting into trouble -- and cranked up "The Heat of the Moment," which they unanimously regarded as a masterpiece.
ReplyDelete