Best of 1984 Mix

 

1983 | 1985

Wow by 1984 I was becoming a real romantic.  Album of the year had to be Purple Rain but there were some big hitters in 1984 and we get the first Everything But the Girl album.  

20. Downbound Train by Bruce Springsteen

     Always one of my favorite songs off of this album.  

19. (Don't Go Back To) Rockville by R.E.M.

     For me this is R.E.M's best album.  It still has that rawness of Murmur but so much more in your face. 

18. Fascination by Everything But the Girl

     One of the greatest songs ever written, absolutely a gem of a song.  The live version they would release later is even better.  

17. Hand In Glove by The Smiths

     I can still remember the first time I ever listened to this album.  I bought the cassette and I still remember popping it into the cassette player in my car and listening to it for the first time.  This is The Smiths debut, but I wouldn't get introduced to them for a few more years.  

16. The Beautiful Ones by Prince

     Like I said album of the year and this is a great song.  

15. The Unforgettable Fire by U2

     I've always been a big fan of this song.  

14. Take Me With U by Prince

     What a wonderful song.  This album is so good from start to finish.  At the time I did not appreciate it and I'm glad I grew up to appreciate it.  

13. Bobby Jean by Bruce Springsteen

     I think this is Springsteen's best album and his most influential album.  This song in many ways best represents what I love so much about his music.  

12. Love Don't Live Here Anymore by Madonna

     Another great album and definitely the best of what I think of as the early part of her career.  

11. Careless Whisper by Wham!

     Here's the thing.  If I had to wrap up 1984 in one song/video it would be this song/video from Wham!  It is so 1984. 

10. Do What You Do by Jermaine Jackson

     Better than any song Michael Jackson ever recorded.  

9. The Saturday Boy by Billy Bragg

     I love the fact that Billy Bragg could write about male youth in a way that is so honest and touching.  

8. Girl With Grey Eyes by Big Country

     I did not know this song in 1984, but would discover this album a few years later when I bought it at a Kroger in Paducah for $1.  Best $1 purchase I ever made I think.  

7. Show Me by Pretenders

     This is such a beautiful song.  

6. When Doves Cry by Prince

     So this is what if feels like when doves cry :)

5. So. Central Rain by R.E.M.

     Best song R.E.M. ever made.

4. Angel by Madonna

     If in 1986 you had told me that I would put "Angel" on a list like this ahead of "So. Central Rain" I would have said you were crazy, but here we are.  Such a great song.  

3. Flame of the West by Big Country

     This song feels more relevant all the time and it's the best song Big Country ever made.  

2. St. Swithin's Day by Billy Bragg

     The best song Billy Bragg ever made.  Bragg explores masculinity in a way that not many have ever explored it in song or poetry or writing and it is a special gift to the world.  

1. Missing You by Diana Ross

     Absolutely adore this song.  I can so clearly remember driving to golf practice and hearing this on the radio.  Diana Ross, in case you can't tell from these lists, is I believe a very special and unique talent.  Her vocal performance on this song is just perfection.