# ID 80s Song

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-80s-song/352328>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 12, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-80s-song/352328 "2006-04-12T04:14:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![koawala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bb73d2/32.png) [@koawala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koawala)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-80s-song/352328/1 "2006-04-12T04:14:56Z")

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There was an 80s song with the one line “If I had a rocket launcher, some sob would  
die” or something like that. Who was the singer and/or song title?

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**Author:** ![Kid\_A\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Kid\_A\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kid_A_1)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-80s-song/352328/2 "2006-04-12T04:18:16Z")

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Surprisingly, it’s called “If I Had A Rocket Launcher” by Bruce Cockburn.

[Lyrics](http://cockburnproject.net/songs&music/iiharl.html)

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**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-80s-song/352328/3 "2006-04-12T04:18:25Z")

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I believe that to be Rio, by Duran Duran.

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/id-80s-song/352328/4 "2006-04-12T04:20:16Z")

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Bruce Cockburn - _If I Had A Rocket Launcher_ from his excellent 1984 album [Stealing Fire](http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE57A1FDD46A87F20D79C3053CBBB72E00DDB51F8813E23454D92BB345C910E7ED749A0DAB0B8B671AB78ADE02CA45A099FCBEC5CFDD56C3D3F9D9FDB&sql=10:dm3zefikhgfo).