# Song that epitomizes the 80s **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 8, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465 "2013-11-08T22:14:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/21 "2013-11-09T00:22:30Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > No one remembers [Thriller](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA)? Even with 155 million views. I’ve been trying to forget 😉 (along with “We Built This City”.) ---
**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:** [November 9, 2013, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/22 "2013-11-09T00:50:24Z")
It’s hard to argue with Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me.” That kind of is my quintessential 80s song. But I might throw one out for Huey Lewis and the News, too. Maybe “Heart of Rock and Roll.” ---
**Author:** ![SeldomSeen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ba0ec/32.png) [@SeldomSeen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeldomSeen)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/23 "2013-11-09T00:53:16Z")
Dire Straits - **Money for Nothing** This was the decade of conspicuous consumption and overnight celebrities. The song speaks to that quite well. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/24 "2013-11-09T01:05:22Z")
> [@Longshanks](#): > > Mine would be Golden brown by The stranglers. Love that song. Forgot about that song. Song back in the playlist. Thanks ---
**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:** [November 9, 2013, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/25 "2013-11-09T01:11:55Z")
> [@Neidhart](#): > > Do They Know It’s Christmas. Good call—that, and “We Are the World,” have the advantage of involving a whole passel of 80s artists. > [@Ponch8](#): > > I always think of New Wave when I think of prototypical 80s music–I might pick “Whip It” by Devo, “She Blinded Me with Science” by Thomas Dolby, or “The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats. Not that it’s my favorite genre, but it definitely sounds like early 80s. Yep, “Safety Dance” is one of the first things I thought of. > [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > No one remembers [Thriller](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOnqjkJTMaA)? Even with 155 million views. It’s hard to argue with the King of Pop. However, this being the SDMB, I’m surprised no one has suggested **Rio, by Duran Duran**! ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/26 "2013-11-09T01:14:56Z")
“We’ve got the Beat.” ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/27 "2013-11-09T01:40:22Z")
Oh Yeah - Yello It was in every movie…or so it seemed. ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/28 "2013-11-09T01:47:48Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It’s hard to argue with Simple Minds’ “Don’t You Forget About Me.” That kind of is my quintessential 80s song. Yeah, and with its ties to _The Breakfast Club_, it’s probably what I’d pick, too. ---
**Author:** ![Albert\_Rose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de053/32.png) [@Albert\_Rose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Albert_Rose)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/29 "2013-11-09T01:49:32Z")
I like **When in Rome’s** song [The Promise](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HI_xFQWiYU), especially after seeing that video. Very quintessential 80s romantic synth-pop-soul. I prefer the song to the others mentioned in this thread so far. It wasn’t as big, though. My own 1980s music experience was mostly R.E.M., U2 and O.M.D. Lots of initials in my cassette player! ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/30 "2013-11-09T02:01:30Z")
To epitomize the 80’s you need a song that lets you know how full of itself America was. Take “Born in the USA” for example. A fantastic chorus that most people didn’t feel a need to look past. There was so much literal flag waving associated with this song I didn’t feel feel comfortable listening to it for the first few years it existed. Of “Little Pink Houses” by John Cougar Madeupname. The chorus is a great American anthem. The rest of the lyrics are a bit more realistic. Or maybe “Wild Wild Life” by Talking Heads because the 80’s were running rampant and a bit crazy. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/31 "2013-11-09T02:21:26Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I can’t really fault your suggestion, but the first thing that popped into my head was [Take On Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914). Me too. Which reminded me [of this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbRVMua0HUc). Or maybe that’s the reason. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/32 "2013-11-09T02:31:40Z")
> [@Albert\_Rose](#): > > My own 1980s music experience was mostly R.E.M., U2 and O.M.D. Lots of initials in my cassette player! Did you also have ABC, INXS, and X? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/33 "2013-11-09T02:31:53Z")
Heck, pretty much the entire _Zoolander_ soundtrack. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/34 "2013-11-09T02:32:21Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I can’t really fault your suggestion, but the first thing that popped into my head was [Take On Me](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djV11Xbc914). My first thought also. My top 3 a-ha! - Take On Me The Police: Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic Tears For Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/35 "2013-11-09T02:36:50Z")
I guess my vote is “Do they Know it’s Christmas” because it involves so many acts and is associated with Live Aid. DYFAM is hard to argue with, given that its connection with John Hughes. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/36 "2013-11-09T02:37:52Z")
[The Spirit of Radio](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tq-UsaRchI) deserves mention as the unofficial first song of the 80s, being Track 1 of an [album](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permanent_Waves) released on January 1, 1980. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/37 "2013-11-09T02:38:33Z")
> [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > “Your Love” by The Outfield, of course. Yet another of Those Songs That’s Not What Everyone Thinks It’s About. :o ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/38 "2013-11-09T02:41:10Z")
I just listened to the OP’s choice, as i couldn’t place the name of the song or the band name in my head. There was a reason. I never heard it before. Hiw could that be? Was this song popular in the US? I was into music in the 80’s in a big way, and this song name, the band, or the tune itself is all foreign to me. I liked the song, but it was a new one. Was it at the very beginning or the very end of the 80’s? Does everyone else recognize it? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/39 "2013-11-09T02:51:14Z")
Are you watching the intro to ROCKY III right now? No? Well, maybe you hate America or something. Still, cue it up and let the '80s wash over you as EYE OF THE TIGER plays: you’ve got Mr T, you’ve got Sylvester Stallone on the Muppet Show, you’ve got a Don’t-Leave-Home-Without-It commercial; you get to see a DeLorean _and_ President Reagan; you get to see a celebrity telethon, you get the idea that being on the cover of **Newsweek** is a big deal; it’s the '80s, it could only be the '80s. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465/40 "2013-11-09T02:51:40Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > [“Don’t You Forget About Me”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdqoNKCCt7A). > > Thread over. This. The end. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/song-that-epitomizes-the-80s/673465.md?page=3)