# Proposed: The Warrior by Scandal is the definitive 80’s pop song. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2008, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141 "2008-10-02T08:50:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/21 "2008-10-02T17:21:45Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > I’d say _Take On Me_ by A-ha That’s my suggestion, as well. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/22 "2008-10-02T17:31:22Z")
\*\*In Favor: \*\*Isn’t the group, technically, “Scandal Featuring Patty Smythe”? That’s totally '80s. **Against:** The song’s title doesn’t have a parenthetical aside. If it was called \*Shooting at the Wall of Heartache (The Warrior) \*I’d call it a KO. But, that’s kind of a deal breaker. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/23 "2008-10-02T18:09:09Z")
Interesting. Slade’s biggest American hit was **Run, Runaway** released in, you got it, 1984. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/24 "2008-10-02T18:15:12Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > As most people know, the eighties did not officially begin until 1984, I’m sorry, but you are Wrong. The eighties officially began on [August 1, 1981](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV#Music_Television_debuts). Well in time for… you know, that one song… what’s its name…[?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_(song)) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/25 "2008-10-02T18:22:38Z")
> [@akira5822](#): > > Modern English’s Melt with you. This seems to sum up the 80’s song for me. Good one. That, “Take On Me” and “Don’t You Forget About Me” do kind of sum up mid-80s top 40 pop for me. Of course, you’d have to represent Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Prince by any fair measure, too. As for the OP’s song, it really doesn’t ring a bell. I looked up the You Tube video for it, and it only sounds vaguely familiar. Don’t remember it much at all. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/26 "2008-10-02T18:32:07Z")
Well, Scandal and Patty suffered a bit under the shadow of the immense theatrical-angry-dance-fighting paradigm that **Pat Benatar** had perfected. I remember at the time that Patty potentially replacing David Lee Roth was going to be the ultimate “Wyld Stallyns” band that would bring eternal peace and prosperity to the world, I was crushed when it never materialized. Sadly, I had started to mature beyond Sammy Hagar’s appeal and sought greater musical depth and significance…Van Smyth was to merge ultimate zebra-print party-rockin’ with leg-warmin’ leotardin’ hottie vocals–I rebelled heavily against the genre at that point and discovered New Wave. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/27 "2008-10-02T18:37:32Z")
I won’t argue that “The Warrior” doesn’t define 80’s music. I think it’s poor, and as others have said, that supports the theme of the OP. “Sister Christian” by Night Ranger might also fit the bill, as a glurgy ballad that I hate with a passion. The 80’s were rife with power ballads. I believe, however, that “Brothers in Arms”, as a CD, defines the 80’s. It was a mega hit, was the first full-digital recording ever released, had Sting singing backup on “Money for Nothing” echoing the chorus of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”, and talked about MTV and freedom fighters. It was steeped in the eighties, although it wasn’t a poor CD by any stretch of the imagination, so that may work against my assertion. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/28 "2008-10-02T19:25:14Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > …It wasn’t until the movie Flashdance (1983) when sensibilities were allowed to change for the better… That’s a highly debatable point…and neither the song nor the video do anything to lend your case credibllity. Anyway, IMO the quintessential 80s song/video is [Take On Me](http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=-P_TV-gierM) by A-Ha. Even though I despised the song & the band at the time, I had to give them props for a wicked cool video. And I’ll admit that the song has grown on me in the fullness of time. Sure it’s a weightless bit of pop saccharine, but I confess to having a certain nostalgic fondness for it. “The Warrior”, OTHO, is deservedly consigned to the also-ran dustbin of history. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/29 "2008-10-02T20:38:23Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > I believe, however, that “Brothers in Arms”, as a CD, defines the 80’s. > > It was a mega hit, was the first full-digital recording ever released, had Sting singing backup on “Money for Nothing” echoing the chorus of “Don’t Stand So Close to Me”, and talked about MTV and freedom fighters. It was steeped in the eighties, although it wasn’t a poor CD by any stretch of the imagination, so that may work against my assertion. Hmmm…you may be on to something here. As it happens, Brothers in Arms was the first album I heard on CD. We were at some family friend’s house, and the guy was like "you’ve _gotta_ hear this! " And he whips out this shiny futuristic-looking disc and voila! Money For Nothing is quintessentially 80s, both in theme and video. The song itself isn’t all that cheesy musically, but I don’t think being crappy necessarily has to be a requirement. There was a lot of good music made in the 80s. I do think that it’s a pretty lame effort compared to Dire Straits’ earlier _and_ later albums. The lyrics do demonstrate that cheerful lack of awareness we had in the '80s–you could call a guy a “faggot” in a mainstream song, and you could show date rape as being downright cool, as in the movie Sixteen Candles. And speaking of the video–it was really awesomely cool for it’s day, and it’s still darned entertaining. But the neon animated highlights on the band…oy! Tres tack-ay! ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/30 "2008-10-02T20:49:29Z")
No, I’m sorry you’re all wrong. the correct answer is 99 Luftballons. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/31 "2008-10-02T22:21:21Z")
FOOLS! The correct answer is “RIO” by Duran Duran. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/32 "2008-10-02T23:07:33Z")
Coincidence? I think not. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIdBDhgNXGY&feature=related](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIdBDhgNXGY&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2008, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/33 "2008-10-02T23:47:43Z")
My cred - I graduated high school in 1984. Started listening to Top 40 pop about 12 years earlier. I must second the vote for Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” The movie, the stars, the song, the video, the hair, the clothes, the angst - it all sums up the 80’s for me. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/34 "2008-10-03T01:56:13Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > My cred - I graduated high school in 1984. Started listening to Top 40 pop about 12 years earlier. > > I must second the vote for Simple Minds’ “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” The movie, the stars, the song, the video, the hair, the clothes, the angst - it all sums up the 80’s for me. Have to agree that while I can point and laugh at “Warrior”, “Don’t You Forget About Me” actually _takes me back_ to the 80s. I don’t remember encountering any angry dance-fighters in high school, but I sure did encounter every character in The Breakfast Club. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Kobayashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Mr.Kobayashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Kobayashi)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141/35 "2008-10-03T02:08:48Z")
The definitive 80s pop song is [Bizarre Love Triangle](http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=EDD41R_5eR8) by New Order, closely followed by [Gold](http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=gSq8ZBdSxNU) by Spandau Ballet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proposed-the-warrior-by-scandal-is-the-definitive-80-s-pop-song/466141.md?page=1)