# What's the "Eighties-est" song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 28, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247 "2020-08-28T14:52:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**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:** [September 25, 2020, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/223 "2020-09-25T19:31:16Z")
> [@Skunkdog](#): > > the Spitting Image puppets… Can’t get much more 80’s than that. Apparently, they’re back. > **[Watch Donald Trump, Boris Johnson and Vladimir Putin square off in new...](https://www.nme.com/news/tv/watch-donald-trump-boris-johnson-and-vladimir-putin-throw-down-in-new-spitting-image-trailer-2759334?fbclid=IwAR0xFF2YzBMmh1Lx4AdVTzH_gs7b7xm4ezWFn1NbMqqLiF-5QYoU3v_WGto)** > > The first trailer for the new series of Spitting Image has arrived, featuring caricature cameos from Boris Johnson, Donald Trump and more. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2020, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/224 "2020-09-25T22:07:24Z")
Maine West '81 here! ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/225 "2020-09-26T01:09:11Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > Burning House of Love X Good tune. Never saw the video, thanks! Adorable contrast of low-fi video quality and ambitious filmography attempts. ---
**Author:** ![Brayne\_Ded](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Brayne\_Ded](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brayne_Ded)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/226 "2020-09-28T14:41:17Z")
Looking at the posts, I would say that the contender has to be a one-off hit such as Gary Numan’s Cars, because there were artists and bands whose main work spanned the 70s and 80s and sometimes beyond, and to me they don’t exemplify just one decade. Nor are they as memorable if they had multiple hits. Some, like A Flock of Seagulls and The Human League, are totally 1980s. I would add Duran Duran to that, given that they keep recording, but seem to be in a time warp. It is simply the sound that I associate with the decade. That said, I am no great fan of all three bands. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/227 "2020-09-28T15:14:03Z")
> [@Brayne\_Ded](#): > > Some, like A Flock of Seagulls and The Human League, are totally 1980s. I said it before in this thread, my vote would go to ‘I Ran (so Far Away)’. It’s got it all-- the music style, the look of the video and of the band, the one-off hit status (according to wikipedia they had a couple other international hits, but I think “I Ran” was the only US hit) and even the “fear of intimacy” subject matter of the song lyrics so appropriate to a decade in which AIDS emerged. ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2020, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/228 "2020-09-29T00:52:29Z")
Run DMC Talk to Much [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EheLN-MDzrA/maxresdefault.jpg "RUN DMC - You Talk Too Much (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EheLN-MDzrA) Gap Band You Dropped a Bomb [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/17lkdqoLt44/maxresdefault.jpg "The Gap Band - You Dropped A Bomb On Me (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17lkdqoLt44) Dazz Band Let it Whip [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lCemjTAw7i0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AHUBoAC4AOKAgwIABABGDwgQyh_MA8=&rs=AOn4CLAPm74F5S9MXkcKbgI7v34hLjHLgQ "Dazz Band Let It Whip") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCemjTAw7i0) ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2020, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/229 "2020-10-13T23:17:21Z")
Walk Like an Egyptian by The Bangles [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Cv6tuzHUuuk/maxresdefault.jpg "The Bangles - Walk Like an Egyptian (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cv6tuzHUuuk) and the parody [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/EsofwhCA1sw/hqdefault.jpg "Walk With An Erection - The Swinging Erudites") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsofwhCA1sw) ---
**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:** [October 14, 2020, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/230 "2020-10-14T04:13:38Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > Don’t You Forget About (This Song) My wife and I have concluded, after many conversations on the subject, that Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds is the quintessential 80s song, even though it doesn’t have a sax solo, which is one of the major features of 80s music, generally speaking. I’m actually surprised how little love this song is getting in this thread! I’d also like to submit [this obscure little nugget](https://youtu.be/Kuy1Z4wqQ4w) for being about as perfectly 80s as a song can be, right down to the lead singer’s hair and stern expression. For those who can’t place him, that lead singer is a very young Ricky Gervais. Finally, there isn’t nearly enough Prince in this list. In 1984 there were 11 different singles that charted that were either performed, written or produced by him, including the five singles off Purple Rain, two hits by The Time, one by Apollonia Six, Sugar Walls by Sheena Easton, Glamorous Life by Sheila E, and I Feel For You by Chaka Khan. And that’s just 1984—he pumped out nine albums in 10 years during the 80s (11 if you count the two Madhouse albums in 1987). [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IUc0R8bbWQE/hqdefault.jpg "Prince & The Revolution - When Doves Cry (Extended Version) (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUc0R8bbWQE) ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/231 "2020-10-14T04:59:45Z")
Small world…I was on my high school swim team in the mid-‘80s; we used to have swim meets against Maine West. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/232 "2020-10-14T05:04:07Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > My wife and I have concluded, after many conversations on the subject, that Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds is the quintessential 80s song… This song has my vote as well. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/233 "2020-10-14T12:49:31Z")
> [@Brayne\_Ded](#): > > the contender has to be a one-off hit such as Gary Numan’s Cars, Numan also had a hit with _Are ‘Friends’ Electric?_ He still makes quite good music. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/234 "2020-10-14T12:55:44Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > My wife and I have concluded, after many conversations on the subject, that Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds is the quintessential 80s song I think somebody upthread said that in an earlier quintessential 80s song poll on this board, that song was indeed the winner. Thanks for the Ricky Gervais video link, that was fun! As for not enough Prince representation, there was a bit of discussion earlier in this thread that although Prince, Michael Jackson and Madonna all had huge hits in the 80s, they weren’t defined by the 80s like some other songs and acts were. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/235 "2020-10-14T13:16:53Z")
> [@solost](#): > > As for not enough Prince representation, there was a bit of discussion earlier in this thread that although Prince, Michael Jackson and Madonna all had huge hits in the 80s, they weren’t defined by the 80s like some other songs and acts were. Note also the lack of Springsteen, U2 and Tina Turner. People don’t like pigeonholing the “greats” to a single decade. ---
**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 14, 2020, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/236 "2020-10-14T13:52:29Z")
And, they don’t “sound like the Eighties”—they sound like Prince (or Michael Jackson, or U2, or whoever). ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/237 "2020-10-14T14:06:48Z")
> [@robby](#): > > This song has my vote as well The song’s association with _The Breakfast Club_, a quintessential 80s teen movie, pushes it up the ranks, in my humble opinion. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/238 "2020-10-14T14:14:20Z")
> [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](#): > > I’d also like to submit [this obscure little nugget](https://youtu.be/Kuy1Z4wqQ4w) for being about as perfectly 80s as a song can be, right down to the lead singer’s hair and stern expression. For those who can’t place him, that lead singer is a very young Ricky Gervais. Wow, that video is bad even by 80s standards - it’s like they had 30 seconds of footage that they had to stretch into 4 minutes. Yikes. But the song is surprisingly good - easily as good as some 80s one-hit wonders. Gervais is obviously doing his best Bowie impression, but he’s got some pipes. Thanks for sharing that. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/239 "2020-10-14T14:22:31Z")
> [@ShadowFacts](#): > > Wow, that video is bad even by 80s standards - it’s like they had 30 seconds of footage that they had to stretch into 4 minutes. Yikes. But the song is surprisingly good - easily as good as some 80s one-hit wonders. Gervais is obviously doing his best Bowie impression, but he’s got some pipes. Thanks for sharing that. It’s apparently not the full video. The poster of that YouTube clip comments on that: > Now there is not a full version of this video out on the internet yet, so I deicided to make up a video comprising of the the best clips of the original video I could find. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/240 "2020-10-14T16:25:33Z")
Ah, that would explain it, then 🙂 ---
**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:** [October 14, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/241 "2020-10-14T17:22:55Z")
You are obviously a person of taste and refinement. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Grey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@Earl\_Grey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Grey)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/242 "2020-10-14T17:32:36Z")
Cyndi always makes me weep with this one. I only listen to it when I know I want to cry and don’t have anything else going on the rest of the day. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247.md?page=13)