# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/142 "2020-09-01T16:44:12Z")
It was a fun song. Here’s one that slips in (Sept. '89), but screams 80s. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tZQQGX24Teg/hqdefault.jpg "Young MC "Bust A Move"") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZQQGX24Teg) ---
**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:** [September 1, 2020, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/143 "2020-09-01T17:51:34Z")
This thread would be remiss without a song featuring the ultimate 80s icon. I speak, of course, of Max Headroom, guest starring in [Paranoimia from The Art of Noise](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6epzmRZk6UU). ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/144 "2020-09-01T18:29:42Z")
> [@Biffster](#): > > I don’t know if he’s been mentioned yet, but John Mellencamp and “Cherry Bomb” (or a ton of others) Ah yes, back when a spote was a spote. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/145 "2020-09-01T18:58:06Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > “Send Me an Angel” by Real Life. [This is the version that got a lot of play on Empty-Vee](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwfErYUoqx8). Cheesy synthesizer. Not bad guitar. Lead singer trying way too hard to look sexy for the camera. After re-watching the video, I think I owe David Sterry an apology. I don’t think he was trying to look sexy for the camera. I think he was used to performing for a large crowd, and exaggerating his facial expressions, so the people in the back row could see them. Now he has a camera in his face for a close-up shot, and he has not yet figured out how to accommodate it. Which is a very Eighties situation. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/146 "2020-09-01T20:02:14Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Ah yes, back when a spote was a spote. And groooven was groooven ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2020, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/147 "2020-09-01T20:50:25Z")
> [@Yookeroo](#): > > New Order - Blue Monday > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOEJHNZpeck](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOEJHNZpeck) I was going to post that. I feel like every movie that wants to set a scene as taking place in the 80s uses Blue Monday. ---
**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 1, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/148 "2020-09-01T22:09:26Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mfI1S0PKJR8/maxresdefault.jpg "New Order - True Faith (1987) (Official Music Video) [HD REMASTERED]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfI1S0PKJR8) My perfect 80s New Order song is True Faith. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/149 "2020-09-02T01:58:28Z")
Three more I always associate with the '80s: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RIdfPBmUAXc/maxresdefault.jpg "Waiting for a Girl like You") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIdfPBmUAXc) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/t1TcDHrkQYg/maxresdefault.jpg "Alphaville - Forever Young ~Official Video") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1TcDHrkQYg) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YF1R0hc5Q2I/maxresdefault.jpg "Fleetwood Mac - Everywhere (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YF1R0hc5Q2I) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/150 "2020-09-02T02:13:32Z")
> [@madsircool](#): > > My perfect 80s New Order song is True Faith Literally any song off _Substance 1987_ probably fits the bill. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/151 "2020-09-02T03:28:38Z")
no mention of bizarre love triangle? for shame … the eightiest dance group was the pet shop boys and new order …kings of happy bouncy music set to snarling social commentary … ---
**Author:** ![saucywench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@saucywench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saucywench)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/153 "2020-09-02T04:35:16Z")
Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Yem_iEHiyJ0/maxresdefault.jpg "Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yem_iEHiyJ0) ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/154 "2020-09-02T11:31:43Z")
Here’s a contender: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/cVikZ8Oe_XA/maxresdefault.jpg "Falco - Rock Me Amadeus (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVikZ8Oe_XA) ---
**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 2, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/155 "2020-09-02T16:33:58Z")
Moon Unit and Frank Zappas Valley Girl. Wow, And a rare live version. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Qb21lsCQ3EM/hqdefault.jpg "Moon Zappa Valley Girl") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb21lsCQ3EM) ---
**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 2, 2020, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/156 "2020-09-02T17:27:34Z")
That was like, totally awesome fer sher, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![LilXMo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lilxmo/32/4225_2.png) [@LilXMo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LilXMo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2020, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/157 "2020-09-02T21:46:23Z")
Electric avenue was played in the Virgin Islands at every electronics store. Don’t know if that was 80’s ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/158 "2020-09-03T01:41:36Z")
Who can forget the Talking Heads and “Burning Down the House” from 1983? [https://youtu.be/FBUe\_v6Mi70](https://youtu.be/FBUe_v6Mi70) ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/159 "2020-09-03T02:09:24Z")
When the feeling’s there, just a guitar and voice are plenty. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GAjInKiOkqo/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIACkAOKAgwIABABGCIgNyh_MA8=&rs=AOn4CLCV-wRmQysCYsHM1_8fVtAwyENuHA "Billy Ocean - Suddenly (2009)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAjInKiOkqo) And what was I listening to at that time? This one, quite a bit. Later I found a live version. Listen to the intro. What is the time signature on this? I can’t always anticipate “one.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OJGKiSYojiQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Bangkok/One Night In Bangkok") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJGKiSYojiQ) ---
**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 3, 2020, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/160 "2020-09-03T15:21:51Z")
For Talking Heads, I’d probably choose ‘Once in a Lifetime’ over ‘Burning Down the House’ because that was a video that got a lot of early MTV airplay and kind of captured that weird, new wavy 80s aesthetic. But, again, those two Talking Heads songs, One Night in Bangkok, Money for Nothing, these were all songs that were very popular in the 80s, but I don’t think exemplified and encapsulated the decade like an insect trapped in amber as much as some other songs did; songs like ‘I Ran’, 'You Spin me Right Round (Like a Record), or most anything by New Order; songs that could not have been borne of any decade BUT the 80s. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2020, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/161 "2020-09-03T16:47:29Z")
Not sure if anyone’s interested, but author Mark Nobleman had a feature on his blog back in 2013-14 where he tracked down and interviewed some of the girls and young women from classic 1980s music videos. The blog is pretty unsophisticated Web 1.0, but some of the interviews are quite interesting. He talks with them about how they ended up in the videos, what the experience was like, whether they got recognized in public, what they’re up to now, etc. > **[The Girl in the Video: original interviews with icons of 1980s MTV](https://www.noblemania.com/2013/07/the-girl-in-video-original-interviews.html)** > > I can’t sing ( well ). I can’t play an instrument.  And though I can write, I have never written about music. However, I love music. Espec... > **[The Girl in the Video 2: MORE original interviews with icons of 1980s MTV](https://www.noblemania.com/2014/07/the-girl-in-video-2-more-original.html)** > > From Annie and Josie to Diane and Jenny and (sort of) Billie Jean…welcome to round 2 of the girl in the video series. logo adapted b... ---
**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:** [September 3, 2020, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247/162 "2020-09-03T16:58:36Z")
Does he talk to the girl from the “Stepping Out” video? There was once a whole thread trying to identify her. (I’ll have a look later.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-eighties-est-song/919247.md?page=9)