1984: THE 100 GREATEST SONGS. Concludes with this post.
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1984
THE 100 GREATEST SONGS
MCMLXXXIV
It was in 1984 that famine worsened in Ethiopia. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated, Konstantin Chernenko became Soviet leader and Ronald Reagan was re-elected as US President. Los Angeles hosted the Summer Olympics from which the Soviet Union withdrew. In England, the year-long Miner’s Strike began against the Thatcher Government. At the box office, films such as ‘Amadeus’, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’, ‘Ghostbusters’, ‘Splash’ and ‘The Killing Fields’ drew audiences. The first Apple Macintosh went on sale as did the first commercial compact disc players. “The Cosby Show” premiered on US television.
This retrospective on the music of 1984 highlights the best of the music released during that year. Twelve months that saw Bob Geldof organise the Band Aid charity disc “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and Tina Turner stage an amazing comeback.
Listen to all the songs on the Spotify playlist:
1
WHEN DOVES CRY
Prince & The Revolution
To fully appreciate the impact of ‘Purple Rain’, one should put its emergence in context. Prince had been building up his pop credentials with staples such as “Controversy”, “1999” and “Little Red Corvette”. In 1983, Michael Jackson became the hottest star in music with his mammoth hit ‘Thriller’. Instead of being overshadowed by this mega-seller, Prince countered with a classic album of his own. ‘Purple Rain’ was not only the parent LP bursting with new signature songs such as “Let’s Go Crazy”, “I Would Die 4 U”, “Take Me With U”, “Baby I’m A Star”, the title track and “When Doves Cry”, but it was the soundtrack for his first feature film. The latter song was a recording that still sounds as compelling today. It catapulted him into pop’s pantheon of musical giants.
2
WAKE ME UP BEFORE YOU GO-GO
Wham!
Wham! had already made popstars out of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, but “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” elevated their success to a higher trajectory. Nothing they recorded came close to the infectious pop appeal of this new hit.
3
LOVE KILLS
Freddie Mercury
Queen’s charismatic lead singer Freddie Mercury scored a solo hit with “Love Kills”. He co-wrote the song with Giorgio Moroder. They co-produced the cut with Queen’s frequent producer Mack. The single was recorded as part of a new soundtrack album for a film classic entitled ‘Metropolis’. The 1927 Fritz Lang silent film was revamped using music helmed largely by Moroder in 1984.
4
PRIDE (IN THE NAME OF LOVE)
U2
One of the most glorious pop moments in the Irish group’s canon is the anthemic “Pride (In The Name Of Love)”. Recorded as a tribute to civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, it features Chrissie Hynde from The Pretenders on backup vocals. This single helped propel U2 into global success.
5
SMOOTH OPERATOR
Sade
Sade broke through with “Smooth Operator”. The group was named after its Nigerian lead vocalist Sade Adu. Fusing jazz, R&B, pop, soul and adult contemporary sounds, the British band went on to win the Best New Artist Grammy and continues to this day.
6
YOU’RE THE BEST THING
The Style Council
Paul Weller had used politics to motivate music fans as the leader of The Jam. For his next group, the “Modfather” adopted a softer soulful, but even more enticing sound with The Style Council. “You’re The Best Thing” was one of the highlights from this new incarnation, essentially a duo formed with keyboardist Mick Talbot.
7
CARELESS WHISPER
George Michael
This watershed solo release was key for George Michael at the time of its release. He was half of the most popular duo on the planet, but very aware that the time had come to go out on his own. George tested the water with “Careless Whisper”. Its international success encouraged him to quit Wham!.
8
SAD SONGS (SAY SO MUCH)
Elton John
Elton John made his mark with a string of songs that tug at the emotions, so who better to sing the case for sad songs? So many of his compositions with Bernie Taupin helped soothe and comfort listeners in a range of trying contexts.
9
SMALLTOWN BOY
Bronski Beat
Accompanied by a powerfully moving music video, this became an instant gay anthem. Few songs encapsulate the despair of a young teen thrown out of his family home simply because of his sexuality as effectively.
10
I FEEL FOR YOU
Chaka Khan
The intro announces the arrival of Chaka Khan. She was already soul / R&B royalty, but this new song thrust her right into mainstream pop culture. Throw in Stevie Wonder on harmonica and a nod to his 1960s #1 “Fingertips” and you have one of the first rap pop hit singles. This cover of a Prince song also featured rapper Melle Mel. It all helped to make “I Feel For You” her own.
11 SHOUT TO THE TOP The Style Council
12 I SEND A MESSAGE INXS
13 HERE COMES THE RAIN AGAIN Eurythmics
14 I WOULD DIE 4 U Prince & The Revolution
15 FREE NELSON MANDELA Special AKA
16 PRIVATE DANCER Tina Turner
17 LIKE A VIRGIN Madonna
18 THE OOH OOH SONG Pat Benatar
19 THAT WAS YESTERDAY Foreigner
20 JUMP Van Halen
21 RADIO GAGA Queen
22 OH BILLY PLEASE Donna Summer
23 PAINTED DESERT Pat Benatar
24 AGAINST ALL ODDS Phil Collins
25 TAKE ME WITH U Prince & The Revolution
26 LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOY Deniece Williams
27 HEAD OVER HEELS The Go-Go’s
28 FOOTLOOSE Kenny Loggins
29 GHOSTBUSTERS Ray Parker Jr.
30 MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Pretenders
31 WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT Tina Turner
32 LEFT IN THE DARK Barbra Streisand
33 LET’S GO CRAZY Prince & The Revolution
34 FREEDOM Wham!
35 IT’S A HARD LIFE Queen
36 MATERIAL GIRL Madonna
37 HAPPY ENDING Joe Jackson
38 WHY? Bronski Beat
39 I WANT TO BREAK FREE Queen
40 PURPLE RAIN Prince & The Revolution
41 ALL CRIED OUT Alison Moyet
42 HARD HABIT TO BREAK Chicago
43 REBEL YELL Billy Idol
44 SEA OF LOVE The Honeydrippers
45 99 LUFTBALLONS Nena
46 DRIVE The Cars
47 THE UNFORGETTABLE FIRE U2
48 YOUR LOVE IS KING Sade
49 HEADSTART FOR HAPPINESS
The Style Council
50 THAT’S ALL Genesis
51 TAKING THE TOWN Icehouse
52 BLUE JEAN David Bowie
53 DANCING IN THE DARK Bruce Springsteen
54 THE GLAMOROUS LIFE Sheila E.
55 YAH MO B THERE
Michael McDonald with James Ingram
56 JOANNA Kool & The Gang
57 INVISIBLE Alison Moyet
58 THE POWER OF LOVE Frankie Goes To Hollywood
59 BORDERLINE Madonna
60 COVER ME Bruce Springsteen
61 YOU TAKE ME UP Thompson Twins
62 SEARCHIN’ Hazell Dean
63 AIN’T NOBODY Chaka Khan & Rufus
64 BABY I’M A STAR Prince & The Revolution
65 I JUST CALLED TO SAY I LOVE YOU Stevie Wonder
66 EVERYTHING SHE WANTS Wham!
67 LOVE RESURRECTION Alison Moyet
68 YOU THINK YOU’RE A MAN Divine
69 CARIBBEAN QUEEN Billy Ocean
70 THE RIDDLE Nik Kershaw
71 SEXCRIME (1984) Eurythmics
72 YOU CAN’T GET WHAT YOU WANT Joe Jackson
73 HITLER RAP (TO BE OR NOT TO BE) Mel Brooks
74 WOOD BEEZ (PRAY LIKE ARETHA FRANKLIN)
Scritti Politti
75 MISSING YOU John Waite
76 THE REFLEX Duran Duran
77 WOULDN’T IT BE GOOD Nik Kershaw
78 HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO Bonnie Tyler
79 NOBODY TOLD ME John Lennon
80 WHERE IS MY MAN Eartha Kitt
81 FLAME TREES Cold Chisel
82 THINK OF LAURA Christopher Cross
83 SWEPT AWAY Diana Ross
84 I WON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME
Nik Kershaw
85 THIS CHARMING MAN The Smiths
86 PINK HOUSES John Cougar Mellencamp
87 TWO TRIBES Frankie Goes To Hollywood
88 SELF CONTROL Laura Branigan
89 I WANT YOU BACK Hoodoo Gurus
90 ROBERT DE NIRO’S WAITING Bananarama
91 LOCOMOTION Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
92 TOO LATE FOR GOODBYES Julian Lennon
93 YOU’RE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
Barbra Streisand
94 WORKING WITH FIRE AND STEEL China Crisis
95 NO MORE LONELY NIGHTS Paul McCartney
96 SOMEBODY Depeche Mode
97 THE WARRIOR Scandal ftg. Patti Smythe
98 SUNGLASSES AT HEART Corey Hart
99 YOUNG AT HEART The Bluebells
100 TIME WILL REVEAL DeBarge
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Our retrospectives don’t usually include seasonal recordings, but these two 1984 releases deserve a special tribute-
*** DO THEY KNOW IT’S CHRISTMAS? Band Aid
*** LAST CHRISTMAS Wham!
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