CAFFE` LATTE` PRESENTS...
The Top 200 Songs of the 1980s update: #200-191.

THE ESSENTIAL 200 SONGS

OF THE

1980s

These are the songs that mattered most in terms of breaking new ground; changing the musical landscape and influencing the music that followed. These 200 songs helped shape the music of the present day and / or captured that timeless quality.

To be eligible for the list, a song had to have first appeared –on an album or single- between Jan. 1980 and Dec. 1989.

Let’s go back to the decade that gave us Live Aid, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher, Princess Diana, Pac-Man, the compact disc, Tiananmen Square, AIDS, Gorbachev and when the Berlin Wall came down…

200 TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

BONNIE TYLER -1983

The Eighties was the decade of big hair, big shoulder pads and well, big everything! There was probably no bigger bombastic hit song than this to illustrate the decade of excess. Yet, in the end, it all works. Written and produced by Jim Steinman (after his work on Meat Loaf’s ‘Bat Out Of Hell’), he went on to work on songs for Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, Air Supply and Barry Manilow.

199 REAL MEN

JOE JACKSON - 1982

Music in the 1980s unjustly attracted much derision. Joe Jackson combined insightful lyrics with deftly crafted melodies. This song grapples with issues of manliness and sexuality.

198 99 LUFTBALLONS

NENA -1983

Nena managed to make a song about nuclear war sound uber-cool and, even sexy. Although its flip side had an English translation, we all preferred the original German version, even though we couldn’t understand it. A Euro-pop gem.

197 HANDLE WITH CARE

TRAVELLING WILBURYS - 1988

 

This is how it should be done. So many multi-star collaborations don’t make effective use of the combined talents of those involved (case in point “We Are the World” by USA for Africa). While keeping things basic, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne all shine on this stellar recording.

196 DEAR GOD

XTC - 1987

This song questions the existence of a God in a world where so many tragedies befall innocents.

195 FAME

IRENE CARA - 1980
 

Summing up the aspirations of so many in the 1980s and even more so today, this title song was also the perfect vehicle to promote a film.

194 SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY

DONNA SUMMER - 1984

Summer created an anthem for working women all over the world with this hit, co-written with her then producer Michael Omartian.

193 ALLENTOWN

BILLY JOEL - 1982

 

Some songwriters applied their talent to make observations on life during the 1980s. “Allentown” deals with the disillusionment felt in this Pennsylvanian town after a steel mill is closed down, leaving many workers unemployed.

192 GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

CYNDI LAUPER - 1983

 

This song ignited ‘grrl power. The anthem spawned “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls and “Run The World (Girls)” by Beyoncé. Lauper launched a fashion look that was as popular as Madonna’s. This song has retained its fresh feel good sing-along quality.

191 STARS ON 45

STARS ON 45 - 1981

 

AKA Starsound, this disc sparked off countless imitations; some under the Stars On 45 umbrella and countless others that included “Hooked On Classics”, “Swing The Mood”, “Hooked On Swing” and Meco’s “Pop Goes The Movies”.

Updated with 10 more songs added every Saturday & Sunday.