# The most 80s song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804 "2014-10-08T22:40:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gretchion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8edcca/32.png) [@Gretchion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gretchion)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/61 "2014-10-09T06:42:03Z")
I’ve gotta agree that it’s most likely “Don’t You Forget About Me”, or maybe “Beat It”, but I’d also like to throw The Go-Go’s “We Got The Beat” into the running. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/62 "2014-10-09T06:58:11Z")
The first thing I thought of was the scene in **Pulp Fiction** where **Jules** says to the white boy, ‘You, **flock of seagulls** , you know why we’re here?’ So I’m going with anything by them. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/63 "2014-10-09T07:16:10Z")
My funeral song, and for me, the most perfect pop song yet written. Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham! If you are unaware of the 80’s here’s the video. MiM ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/64 "2014-10-09T07:53:50Z")
[Bowling For Soup - 1985](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K38xNqZvBJI) ;););)😉 But on that multy parody/nostalgia angle I thought of what **GuanoLad** mentioned and one can not really avoid the overproduced music videos of the day and Phil Collins made a parody of all that back in the 80’s: [[Billy,] “Don’t Lose My Number”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7Z-eUmR2bM) (and yes, it was released in **1985** 🙂 ) It made fun of The Police’s _Every Breath you take_, David Lee Roth’s _California Girls_, The Cars’ _You may think I’m crazy_ and others. (And movies like Mad Max, The Road Warrior) ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/65 "2014-10-09T08:19:44Z")
Eurythmics - Sweet dreams (are made of this) Several of those already mentioned had also popped in my head (Human League, Michael Jackson, Duran Duran). ---
**Author:** ![Cugel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cugel/32/1199_2.png) [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/66 "2014-10-09T10:10:18Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > [Bowling For Soup - 1985](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K38xNqZvBJI) Never heard that before, I likee. ---
**Author:** ![eulalia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eulalia/32/457_2.png) [@eulalia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eulalia)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/67 "2014-10-09T10:34:57Z")
The first thing I thought of was _Shout_ from Tears for Fears. Then I thought of Pat Benatar and _Hit Me with Your Best Shot_ and _Tom Sawyer_ from Rush. I really can’t pick one thing for the whole decade; I listened to a lot of different kinds of music and had a lot of fun in the '80s. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/68 "2014-10-09T10:40:16Z")
“Centerfold” is the '80s song for me. Graduated HS in '89. 8th grade '85! First glasses, 1977! Fuck! Help me, fellow old people! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/69 "2014-10-09T11:05:27Z")
_You went up town ridin’ in your limousine with your fine Park Avenue clothes, You had the Dom Perignon in your hand and the spoon up your nose. . ._ – Big Shot, Billy Joel ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/70 "2014-10-09T12:22:53Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > [We Built This City](http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K1b8AhIsSYQ). > > Sorry. My first thought. It even has a long enough gap for local radio stations to put in their own promos. It panders to every 80’s hook in existence. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/71 "2014-10-09T12:38:45Z")
99 Red Balloons ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/72 "2014-10-09T13:03:58Z")
I’m surprised that the first two I thought of still haven’t been mentioned (unless I missed a video link somewhere…) “Take My Breath Away” by… damn I don’t even know who did it. Berlin? And Thompson Twins “Hold Me Now”. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/73 "2014-10-09T13:14:33Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > _You went up town ridin’ in your limousine with your fine Park Avenue clothes, > You had the Dom Perignon in your hand and the spoon up your nose. . ._ > > – Big Shot, Billy Joel I always wondered if that was autobiographical. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/74 "2014-10-09T13:29:49Z")
Wow, 73 posts in and not one mention of Yello’s “[Oh Yeah](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JZywr_K1Rw)”. Is the OP looking for “instantly recognizable as a song from the 80s,” or “songs from the 80s that make us cringe,” or are we simply making a list of all the songs we remember from the 80s (which is inevitably what we’re going to get anyways)? ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/75 "2014-10-09T13:41:20Z")
A joke I heard on the radio one time: "There’s a new song out, a mashup with Wham!, Michael Jackson, and Lionel Richie. It’s called “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, or I’ll Beat It, All Night Long.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/76 "2014-10-09T13:42:25Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I nominate “Don’t You Forget About Me” by Simple Minds. That’s what I came in here to say, and it was done in the second post. Not that I’m fond of this song or anything, but (imho) it’s the perfect answer to your question. ETA, I hadn’t thought of it until you posters mentioned it, but the Modern English song is a great answer, too ! ---
**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:** [October 9, 2014, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/77 "2014-10-09T13:46:06Z")
It’s difficult for me to choose just one song because the 80s fall into two or perhaps even three distinct periods: 1 - Synth pop and New Wave (1980-84ish) 2 - “Bland” pop and Hair Metal (1984-88ish) 3 - Acid House (1987-1990) My go-to example for #1 is **Visage** ’s _Fade to Grey_ ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMPC8QJF6sI&list=RDUMPC8QJF6sI)](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMPC8QJF6sI&list=RDUMPC8QJF6sI))). #2… I don’t know. **Guns N’ Roses** : _Welcome to the Jungle_? For #3 I’d pick _Theme from S-Express_ by **S’Express** ([http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1hibc\_s-express-theme-from-s-express\_music](http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1hibc_s-express-theme-from-s-express_music)). I hated it at the time. Really like it, now. If I had to pick just one, it’d be _Fade to Grey_. I’m also puzzled by all those mentions of _Don’t you Forget about me_. It definitely sounds like a typical 80s song but I wonder why it seems so iconic. \*The Breakfast Club \*effect? ---
**Author:** ![clnilsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecccb3/32.png) [@clnilsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clnilsen)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2014, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/78 "2014-10-09T14:36:39Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > It’s difficult for me to choose just one song because the 80s fall into two or perhaps even three distinct periods: > > 1 - Synth pop and New Wave (1980-84ish) > 2 - “Bland” pop and Hair Metal (1984-88ish) > 3 - Acid House (1987-1990) The song that seems to be on the cusp of all is a different New Order track - [Blue Monday](http://youtu.be/FYH8DsU2WCk). Synth, guitars, pretentious lyrics, and if you don’t dance to this, you’re dead (or undead mike-pole-beating Freddy Mercury). ---
**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:** [October 9, 2014, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/79 "2014-10-09T14:42:32Z")
> [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](#): > > 2 - “Bland” pop and Hair Metal (1984-88ish) > > #2… I don’t know. **Guns N’ Roses** : _Welcome to the Jungle_? Guns N’ Roses? _BLAND?_ It is pistols at dawn, sir. A better (_much_ better) example of #2 would be something like [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNKEQ8LAQCQ). Or any of a dozen more songs/acts. ---
**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:** [October 9, 2014, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804/80 "2014-10-09T14:48:40Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I don’t know any of these songs or artists. Sorry. I was in a hurry last evening and didn’t supply the links (I’m sure you - and most other people - have heard at least the first two before). [Tim Capello](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdaaGlyu7EQ) [Mick Smiley](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uV7iYytqEt4) [Tahnee Cain & Tryanglz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drM57_NquvA) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-most-80s-song/700804.md?page=5)