I’m going to let you in on a little secret:
As much as I like to malign the 1980s, it is a decade rich with pop culture and — admittedly — music that’s not too shabby.
In this two-part Top 25, I cover my favourite songs and movies from my first complete decade of life. I’ll start with the music.
The 1980s was the decade of shoulder pads, teased hair, caked-on makeup, neon colours and parachute pants. It was also where I I lived like George Thoroughgood’s “Bad to the Bone”.
Thank God the ’80s came and went, but the music and movies stay with us. I recall summer days in Mississauga, when we lived in a stacked townhouse, listening to 1050 Chum, a station that was programmed to play Top 40 of that time. This was probably 1984.
As you can probably imagine, Toto’s “Africa” and Olivia Newton John’s “Physical” were common tunes, as was The Eurythmics’ “Here Comes The Rain Again” and Juice Newton’s “Playing With the Queen of Hearts”.
There are so many more songs I could have added to this list, including Thoroughgood, Bruce Hornsby, Styx, Peter Gabriel, Lionel Richie, Gloria Estefan, Kate Bush, Madonna, Queen, INXS, Stevie Wonder, the Clash, the Cars, the Police, the Tragically Hip and Chaka Khan.
Ah, but you can’t have them all (or perhaps I can add another The Next 25?). So, here are my Top 25 tunes from a decade I am incredibly ambivalent too.
| 25. |  |
Song: “Tom Sawyer” Artist: Rush Album: Moving Pictures Released: 1981 |
|---|---|---|
| 24. |  |
Song: “American Dream” Artist: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young Album: American Dream Released: 1988 |
| 23. |  |
Song: “Blister in the Sun” Artist: Violent Femmes Album: Violent Femmes Released: 1983 |
| 22. |  |
Song: “Back in Black” Artist: AC/DC Album: Back in Black Released: 1980 |
| 21. |  |
Song: “One Thing Leads To Another” Artist: The Fixx Album: Reach the Beach Released: 1983 |
| 20. |  |
Song: “Thinking of You” Artist: Harlequin Album: Love Crimes Released: 1980 |
| 19. |  |
Song: “Money For Nothing” Artist: Dire Straits Album: Brother in Arms Released: 1985 |
| 18. |  |
Song: “Panama” Artist: Van Halen Album: 1984 Released: 1984 |
| 17. |  |
Song: “Touch of Grey” Artist: Grateful Dead Album: In The Dark Released: 1987 |
| 16. |  |
Song: “Whatcha Gonna Do” Artist: Chilliwack Album: Opus X Released: 1982 |
| 15. |  |
Song: “Electric Avenue” Artist: Eddy Grant Album: Killer on the Rampage Released: 1983 |
| 14. |  |
Song: “Let My Love Open the Door” Artist: Pete Townshend Album: Empty Glass Released: 1980 |
| 13. |  |
Song: “The Stroke” Artist: Billy Squier Album: Don’t Say No Released: 1980 |
| 12. |  |
Song: “Owner of a Lonely Heart” Artist: Yes Album: 90125 Released: 1983 |
| 11. |  |
Song: “Love Removal Machine” Artist: The Cult Album: Electric Released: 1987 |
| 10. |  |
Song: “Wanna Be Startin’ Something” Artist: Michael Jackson Album: Thriller Released: 1983 |
| 9. |  |
Song: “Bette Davis Eyes” Artist: Kim Carnes Album: Mistaken Identity Released: 1981 |
| 8. |  |
Song: “I Love a Rainy Night” Artist: Eddie Rabbitt Album: Horizon Released: 1980 |
| 7. |  |
Song: “Hungry Like The Wolf” Artist: Duran Duran Album: Rio Released: 1982 |
| 6. |  |
Song: “Dirty Laundry” Artist: Don Henley Album: I Can’t Stand Still Released: 1982 |
| 5. |  |
Song: “Rag Doll” Artist: Aerosmith Album: Permanent Vacation Released: 1987 |
| 4. |  |
Song: “Say Hello” Artist: April Wine Album: Harder … Faster Released: 1980 |
| 3. |  |
Song: “Let’s Go Crazy” Artist: Prince Album: Purple Rain Released: 1984 |
| 2. |  |
Song: “Footloose” Artist: Kenny Loggins Album: Footloose Released: 1984 |
| 1. |  |
Song: “Sausalito Summernight” Artist: Diesel Album: Watts In a Tank Released: 1981 |