# Pop songs of the 80s **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2008, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319 "2008-12-02T08:18:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Millit\_the\_Frail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Millit\_the\_Frail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Millit_the_Frail)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/41 "2008-12-04T03:26:50Z")
Lots of great choices here, but I’ve got to give love to: “Don’t You Want Me?” Human League “Head Over Heels” Tears for Fears …and, what I consider to be the Most 80’s Song Ever, “Wild Wild West,” Escape Club. 😛 It’s got fake-Jamaican rapping; shout-outs to safe sex, valium, and big hair; an actual LINE about “livin’ in the eighties;” and lots of kooky synth sound effects thrown in for good measure. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/42 "2008-12-04T04:02:39Z")
Anything by The Police, my personal 80’s band, but especially: Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic Roxanne Omegaman So Lonely Three guys made all that noise. The best. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/43 "2008-12-04T04:09:23Z")
Kyrie Eleison - Duran Duran Amanda - Boston Here I Go Again - Whitesnake Take My Breath Away - Berlin Danger Zone; Footloose- Kenny Loggins Almost everything on the “Heart” album - Heart ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/44 "2008-12-04T04:20:21Z")
I was going to suggest the ultimate rock song, Boston’s “More than a Feeling” but that’s from the 70s. So, I’m going to with The Cars’ _Drive_. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/45 "2008-12-04T04:38:24Z")
Wow, a lot of good ones. For pop A second on “West End Girls” and “Careless whispers”, and a bunch of others Electronic - “Disappointed” Bananarama - “Cruel Summer” OMD - “Dreaming” Double - “Captain of her heart” Kenny G & Kashif - “Love on the rise” Miami Sound Machine - “Rhythm is gonna get you” Pointer Sisters - “I’m so excited” Stacy Q - “Two of hearts” Lionel Richie - "Love will conquer all Paul Davis - “Cool night” Debarge - “Rhythm of the night” For pop rock Benjamin Orr - “Stay the night” Philip Bailey & Phil Collins - “Easy Lover” Lionel Richie - “Running with the night” Kim Wilde - “You keep me hanging on” Joe Lynn Turner - “Endlessly” Edit - Took out three songs that were form the 90’s (because I didn’t read the title close enough) ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/46 "2008-12-04T04:45:17Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > You mean there were two **Poison** s in the 80s!?!! 😃 You see, I was talking about the one that came out in '89 and sung by the gorgeous long black-haired shock rocker guy. The one I’m absolutely obsessed with. > > His name, I think but I’m not positive, is Alice. 😛😉 > > But those other fellow’s song was pretty catchy too. Okay, this time you beat me…guess what I came in here for?! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/47 "2008-12-04T04:48:30Z")
Behind the Wall of Sleep - Smithereens Boys of Summer - Don Henley Breakup Song - Greg Kihn Can’t Stand Losing You - The Police Come Dancing - The Kinks Erotic City - Prince Going Down to Liverpool - The Bangles Heartbeat City - The Cars In Your Wildest Dreams - Moody Blues It’s Different for Girls - Joe Jackson Kids in America - Kim Wilde The Lady Don’t Mind - Talking Heads Lovers in a Dangerous Time - Bruce Cockburn Maneater - Hall and Oates A Matter of Trust - Billy Joel The Metro - Berlin A Million Miles Away - The Plimsouls No Myth - Michael Penn She Bop -Cindy Lauper Southern Cross - CS&N Spanish Bombs - The Clash Subdivisons - Rush Summer of 69 - Bryan Adams They Don’t Know - Tracy Ullman ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/48 "2008-12-04T05:09:04Z")
All of Van Halen’s stuff before the new guy showed up. Educate yerself: [“Panama”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX2CyIH_ebE) is a good place to start. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/49 "2008-12-04T05:46:11Z")
The Outfield - Your Love ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/50 "2008-12-04T06:30:10Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > “No One is to Blame”–Howard Jones > “Let’s Go Crazy”–Prince > “Kiss”–Prince > “Everything else Prince ever did because I love Prince”–Prince > “Billie Jean”–Michael Jackson > “Rock With You”–Michael Jackson > “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”–Whitney Houston > “Every Little Thing She Does is Magic”–The Police > “Heart and Soul”–T’Pau (astonishingly earwormy) > “The Way It Is”–Bruce Hornsby > “Allentown”–Billy Joel > “Safety Dance”–Men Without Hats > “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”–Cyndi Lauper > “Whip It”–Devo I mentioned in a recent thread that I had “Heart And Soul” by T’Pau earwormed into my brain for about three months the year it came out. 🙂 Another song that totally stuck in my head for an extended period of time was “Head To Toe” by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam. > [@Chefguy](#): > > Kyrie Eleison - Duran Duran > Amanda - Boston > Here I Go Again - Whitesnake > Take My Breath Away - Berlin > Danger Zone; Footloose- Kenny Loggins > Almost everything on the “Heart” album - Heart Actually, “Kyrie” was done by Mr. Mister and was their most obviously Christian rock tune. 🙂 Humorous aside which I was reminded of by your list: “Still Of The Night” by Whitesnake immediately precedes “Stonehenge” by Spinal Tap on an 80s mix I have on my iTunes. I defy anyone to identify which song was done by a bunch of comedians and which was done by a real band. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Zabali\_Clawbane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/ecd19e/32.png) [@Zabali\_Clawbane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zabali_Clawbane)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/51 "2008-12-04T06:31:16Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > **Poison** by, um, I can’t remember what that guy’s name is. 😉 Alice Cooper? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/52 "2008-12-04T14:51:15Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Cher had a lot of good stuff including her old stuff redone. > Believe - Cher Though it’s not my favorite song, you’ll recognise it. As far as I know, that atrocity came out in 1998 and was not a remake. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/53 "2008-12-04T16:14:29Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > Actually, “Kyrie” was done by Mr. Mister and was their most obviously Christian rock tune. 🙂 Mr. Mister, Duran Duran, Lisa Lisa. Fine, fine. Were they all from Walla Walla? ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/54 "2008-12-04T17:59:22Z")
They were all members of the Tom Tom Club. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/55 "2008-12-04T18:24:03Z")
New Order - “True Faith” (one of the finest pop songs of the last 100 years) the Human League - “being boiled” and “keep feeling fascination” Visage - “The damned don’t cry” and “Fade to grey” Altered Images - “bring me closer” the Smiths - “this charming man” (my vote for finest pop song of all time, period) ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/56 "2008-12-04T19:06:51Z")
> [@Zabali\_Clawbane](#): > > Alice Cooper? You are correct, sir. That has a great lyric “I want to hurt you just to hear you screaming my name” The best pop song of the 80s was “Home Sweet Home” by motley crue ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/57 "2008-12-04T19:20:27Z")
Incorrect, the best song was “Every Rose Has Its Thorn”, even though it wasn’t particularly 80’s. When I think 80’s I think something like “Safety Dance.” ---
**Author:** ![FallingLeaves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@FallingLeaves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallingLeaves)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/58 "2008-12-05T02:12:21Z")
No mention yet of INXS - Never Tear Us Apart or What You Need. Also, Def Leppard - Photograph. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/59 "2008-12-05T02:46:46Z")
I remember a lot of 60s and 70s groups and individual singers made comeback singles in the 80s: Beach Boys, Starship, Fleetwood Mac, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Who, Paul McCartney, Robert Plant, Steve Winwood, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2008, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319/60 "2008-12-05T03:25:42Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > They were all members of the Tom Tom Club. Which reminds me: whatever happened to The The? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pop-songs-of-the-80s/475319.md?page=4)