# Best of the Rest of the Top 40: The 1980s **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 9, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634 "2015-05-09T16:57:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/1 "2015-05-09T16:57:17Z")
The time has come to select a winner from the '80s-est decade of all… the '80s! These ten songs are the voters’ choices for best not-quite-number-one song of each year from this decade. What’s your favorite? Previous polls: [1956](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744629) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744819) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744978) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745151) [1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745331) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745525) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745733) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=745956) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746118) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746342) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746498) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746735) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746932) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747152) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747345) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747517) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747737) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747976) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748145) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748360) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748527) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748653) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=748866) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749060) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749217) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749398) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749610) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749795) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=749949) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750154) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750299) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750488) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750641) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=750845) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751015) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751202) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751368) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751517) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751667) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751834) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=751992) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752188) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752421) [1999](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752566) [2000](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752753) [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=752944) [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753086) [2003](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753228) [2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753557) [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753728) [2006](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=753884) [2007](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754223) [2008](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754360) [2009](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754524) [2010](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754714) [2011](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=754987) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755280) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755568) [2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=755895) [1950s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756023) [1960s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756189) [1970s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=756357) Best #1 single polls: [1955-56](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731649) [1957](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=731871) [1958](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732021) [1959](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732199)[1960](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732526) [1961](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732691) [1962](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=732872) [1963](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733112) [1964](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733297) [1965](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733526) [1966](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733750) [1967](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=733958) [1968](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734168) [1969](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734331) [1970](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734535) [1971](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=734741) [1972](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735107) [1973](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735304) [1974](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735502) [1975](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735659) [1976](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=735871) [1977](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736076) [1978](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736316) [1979](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736501) [1980](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736705) [1981](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=736957) [1982](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737099) [1983](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737315) [1984](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737488) [1985](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737732) [1986](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=737957) [1987](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738178) [1988](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738403) [1989](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738639) [1990](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=738829) [1991](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739067) [1992](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739360) [1993](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739525) [1994](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=739880) [1995](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740122) [1996](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740302) [1997](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740497) [1998](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740709) [1999](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=740859) [2000](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741047) [2001](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741267) [2002](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741450) [2003](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741604) [2004](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741730) [2005](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=741915) [2006](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742069) [2007](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742147) [2008](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742282) [2009](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742467) [2010](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742676) [2011](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=742846) [2012](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=675664) [2013](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=710843) [2014](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743899) [1950s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743046) [1960s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743240) [1970s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743399) [1980s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743597) [1990s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743803) [2000s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=743981) [2010s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744176) [All-time](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=744358) ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/2 "2015-05-09T17:12:50Z")
Either Soft Cell or B-52’s. “Raspberry Beret” is only winner I had voted for the 80’s polls in terms of majority. ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/3 "2015-05-09T17:26:28Z")
Soft Cell narrowly over B-52’s, for they also will show up in the 1990’s All Time Poll so I may get a chance to vote for them. These two I like the best(used to find “Love Shack” annoying), followed by Crowded House, Prince’s “1999”, then Bangles and Cyndi Lauper. I place Pretenders is last for me, though that is not a bad song. I objectively can’t comment on Dire Straits and Joey Scarbury since I have never heard those tunes. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/4 "2015-05-09T18:21:29Z")
The only one I voted for in the best-of-the-year poll was “1999,” and it gets my vote again right now. It therefore does not suffer the same fate as “Crying” in the 1960s, which was the victim of a shocking upset at the hands of a song I did not vote for the first time around. Cindy Lauper is dead-ass last. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/5 "2015-05-09T20:30:49Z")
Cyndi Lauper for me, but this was all good stuff except for Joey Scarbury, who I have no ide who that is… ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/6 "2015-05-10T17:50:13Z")
Very tough choice. There are at least three winners here: _Don’t Dream It’s Over_, _Girls Just Want To Have Fun_ and _A Hazy Shade of Winter_. I’ll eliminate **The Bangles** single, not because it’s less awesome than the other two but because it’s a cover and I need a (lame) excuse to make my choice a little bit easier. That leaves me with a real dilemma as I love both songs… OK. _Don’t Dream It’s Over_. As fun and totally 80s as _Girls Just Want To Have Fun_ is, I think the former is less one-dimensional and more interesting musically ( **Cindy** ’s voice moves me way more, though). However, if the latter wins, it’ll be totally alright with me. It’s a great song. _Raspberry Beret_ and _1999_ were very worthy contenders, too. I used to like _Tainted Love_ but I grew tired of it 20 years ago. The other songs didn’t have a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/7 "2015-05-10T20:03:50Z")
I concur 100% with **Les Espaces Du Sommeil** , but I ultimately went with Cyndi Lauper over Crowded House. I just want to take this opportunity to say that _Walk of Life_ might just qualify as my least favorite song off of one of my favorite albums. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/8 "2015-05-10T20:26:09Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > Very tough choice. > > OK. _Don’t Dream It’s Over_. As fun and totally 80s as _Girls Just Want To Have Fun_ is, I think the former is less one-dimensional and more interesting musically ( **Cindy** ’s voice moves me way more, though). However, if the latter wins, it’ll be totally alright with me. It’s a great song. But it’s also technically a cover, so you could just keep eliminating along those lines. (Granted, it’s a cover that eclipsed the original far more than the Bangles did with theirs). ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/9 "2015-05-10T20:34:02Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > But it’s also technically a cover, so you could just keep eliminating along those lines. (Granted, it’s a cover that eclipsed the original far more than the Bangles did with theirs). For what it’s worth, I dig [the original by Robert Hazard](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aLNwOxPsjg) a lot more than I do Cyndi’s cover, though it’s mostly because I tend to prefer live instruments to synthesizers. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/10 "2015-05-11T03:10:42Z")
I voted for **Brass in Pocket** as I have enjoyed that song with no reduction in said enjoyment since 1980, unlike some of the others. To quote Ponch8, “dead-ass last” belongs to **Believe It or Not** which I canNOT believe won its year. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/11 "2015-05-11T03:13:00Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > To quote Ponch8, “dead-ass last” belongs to **Believe It or Not** which I canNOT believe won its year. 😕 Me neither. Though it does make for an awesome [answering machine ringtone](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg-TqEFYcfM)! ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/12 "2015-05-11T03:52:11Z")
Soft Cell got my vote. Every time it comes on the radio, I have to listen to it and sing along. None of the other songs would do that for me. Some of them would make me change the channel. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/13 "2015-05-11T05:38:02Z")
Pretenders and Crowded House are the only choice at all here. While Prince could Easily be on my list those 2 tracks are not his best. I went with Brass in Pocket. (Dire Straits - “Walk Of Life” is really just another Springsteen song about high school isnt it?) ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/14 "2015-05-11T08:03:05Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > But it’s also technically a cover, so you could just keep eliminating along those lines. (Granted, it’s a cover that eclipsed the original far more than the Bangles did with theirs). You’re absolutely right. I completely blanked on that when I posted, so much so that when I saw your comment, my first reaction was: “_Don’t Dream It’s Over_ is a cover?” Anyway, my vote still ended up reflecting my critieria - albeit serendipitously - since I picked the other song. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2015, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/15 "2015-05-11T11:57:51Z")
Tainted Love. Whomp-whomp!!! ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/16 "2015-05-14T11:51:40Z")
I voted for Brass in Pocket, one of my favourite ever songs. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/17 "2015-05-14T13:17:44Z")
For me, it came down to the two Prince songs. 1999 won the coin toss over Raspberry Beret. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/18 "2015-05-14T15:53:31Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Soft Cell got my vote. Every time it comes on the radio, I have to listen to it and sing along. None of the other songs would do that for me. Some of them would make me change the channel. I don’t dislike most of the others, but Tainted Love is just so…quintessential! ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/19 "2015-05-14T16:20:52Z")
Crowded House versus Cyndi versus Prince’s 1999 and… Prince barely squeaked through. Though I’m sure I’d change my vote multiple times if I could. ---
**Author:** ![Eddie\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/22d042/32.png) [@Eddie\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eddie_F)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2015, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-of-the-rest-of-the-top-40-the-1980s/719634/20 "2015-05-15T20:44:49Z")
> [@Critical1](#): > > Pretenders and Crowded House are the only choice at all here. While Prince could Easily be on my list those 2 tracks are not his best. > > I went with Brass in Pocket. These are, verbatim, my thoughts on this particular poll.