# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/61 "2020-08-28T21:44:36Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > The first ones that came to my mind were: > > “Bette Davis Eyes” This for me, big time. Love the rest of your list as well. ---
**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:** [August 28, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/62 "2020-08-28T21:46:02Z")
It was released December 1989 as a single, so it’s right at the end there. The only reason I really remember it is because coming out of the Reagan era, it kind of encapsulated the zeitgeist of the 80s for me – or at least one aspect of the 80s. So it burrowed itself into my mind for its lyrics, but also the instrumentation, production, everything about it is soooooooo late 80s. ---
**Author:** ![tripthicket](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripthicket/32/297_2.png) [@tripthicket](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tripthicket)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/63 "2020-08-28T21:48:09Z")
Neon colors, 80s fashion, very early and clunky animation. I give you Money For Nothing. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTP2RUD\_cL0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTP2RUD_cL0) ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/64 "2020-08-28T21:48:31Z")
Bullet the Blue Sky or maybe Industrial Disease Not exactly definitive, but qu8ntessential. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/65 "2020-08-28T21:55:43Z")
I wonder how many people here just spent the last hour goofing off at work and listening to their favorite '80s songs on YouTube? 🙂 ---
**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:** [August 28, 2020, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/66 "2020-08-28T21:56:59Z")
‘Eye of the Tiger’ is a great 80s time capsule song. Hope Survivor got paid well for that song, because I’m pretty sure that was their only hit. I bet between record sales, Rocky royalties and merchandising they did ok. If they could only have gotten royalties from every time that song was played at a high school sports event, they’d all be billionaires. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/67 "2020-08-28T22:02:35Z")
> [@solost](#): > > ‘Eye of the Tiger’ is a great 80s time capsule song. Hope Survivor got paid well for that song, because I’m pretty sure that was their only hit. No no no, the also had their second Rocky hit of course: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Kc71KZG87X4/maxresdefault.jpg "Survivor - Burning Heart (Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kc71KZG87X4) ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/68 "2020-08-28T22:02:48Z")
I can’t help tearing up whenever I hear this song: ☹ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/VdQY7BusJNU/maxresdefault.jpg "Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time (Official HD Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdQY7BusJNU) Crap, I’m doing it now! 😢 ---
**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:** [August 28, 2020, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/69 "2020-08-28T22:03:12Z")
X Hungry Wolf [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SXIBiHn_UQQ/hqdefault.jpg "X - Hungry Wolf") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXIBiHn_UQQ) ---
**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:** [August 28, 2020, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/70 "2020-08-28T22:05:47Z")
The man… the codpiece - Cameo: Word Up! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/MZjAantupsA/maxresdefault.jpg "Cameo - Word Up (Relaid Audio) (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZjAantupsA) ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/71 "2020-08-28T22:07:53Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > I can’t help tearing up whenever I hear this song: ☹ This is a candidate for one of the greatest songs of the eighties, but I think that’s deserved for its timelessness, not because it’s especially typical eighties. ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/72 "2020-08-28T22:08:28Z")
> [@solost](#): > > ‘Eye of the Tiger’ is a great 80s time capsule song. Hope Survivor got paid well for that song, because I’m pretty sure that was their only hit. Nah, they had a few others. [The Search Is Over](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xELTfJ-ZVBc) [High on You](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxhueyC70cU) [I Can’t Hold Back](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaMcsKtBDwE) ---
**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:** [August 28, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/73 "2020-08-28T22:09:36Z")
Oh yeah, Rocky IV with Dolph ‘I vill break you’ Lundgren. They were clearly working off a script outline when they wrote those lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/74 "2020-08-28T22:09:37Z")
I agree, but it has special meaning for me because I associate it with one of the lowest points of my life. ---
**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:** [August 28, 2020, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/75 "2020-08-28T22:10:31Z")
In a more serious note, I think one of the most 80st songs out there is Steve Winwood"s “Higher Love”, because you can compare it to a baseline of Stevie’s Blind Faith-era must, and use that to isolate the 80’s sound. It’s also one of the purest examples of Dad Music ever recorded: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/k9olaIio3l8/maxresdefault.jpg "Steve Winwood - Higher Love (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9olaIio3l8) ---
**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:** [August 28, 2020, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/76 "2020-08-28T22:21:22Z")
Whoa…I’m very familiar with the song, but never saw the video before. It had a lot of what you want in an 80s video-- 80s style dancing, a silly pantomined story line, a guy playing a keytar…but yeah, WTF was up with that red codpiece? ---
**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:** [August 28, 2020, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/77 "2020-08-28T22:27:12Z")
OK, I remember all those songs, but they had such a generic AOR sound they were just sort of audio wallpaper in the background. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/78 "2020-08-29T00:49:53Z")
> [@solost](#): > > ‘Eye of the Tiger’ is a great 80s time capsule song. Hope Survivor got paid well for that song, because I’m pretty sure that was their only hit. I bet between record sales, Rocky royalties and merchandising they did ok. If they could only have gotten royalties from every time that song was played at a high school sports event, they’d all be billionaires. I don’t know if it’s true but I heard that Queen wrote We Will Rock You/We are the Champions because they heard how much Gary Glitter made every time Rock and Roll Part 2 got played in sports stadiums. I don’t think Survivor is worried about where their next meal is coming from. ---
**Author:** ![codinghorror](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/codinghorror/32/4242_2.png) [@codinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/codinghorror)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2020, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/79 "2020-08-29T00:53:22Z")
And did you know… because I did not… the detective in that video is LEVAR BURTON? 🤯 More background on the video here, which is quite interesting: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pvzgn9XSjgI/hqdefault.jpg "ONE HIT WONDERLAND: "Word Up" by Cameo") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvzgn9XSjgI) ---
**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:** [August 29, 2020, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/80 "2020-08-29T01:09:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > It was released December 1989 as a single, so it’s right at the end there. The only reason I really remember it is because coming out of the Reagan era, it kind of encapsulated the zeitgeist of the 80s for me – or at least one aspect of the 80s. I’d figure a guy who sings about Ronald Reagan and Menachem Begin before going on about Sally Ride and the Ayatollah in Iran and the Russians in Afghanistan could hit #1 in the ‘80s by mentioning a bunch of stuff: homeless vets! AIDS! Crack! Bernie Goetz! Hypodermics on the shores! China’s under martial law! Rock‘n’roller cola wars! I can’t take it anymore! [We didn’t start the fire!](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eFTLKWw542g) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247.md?page=5)