Anyway You Want It

That's the way you need it. Just like you need this cheesy in studio performance of Steve Perry and the gang... As we conclude our "Journey January" here at The Excellent 80's, we bring you "Anyway you Want it"...

Journey - Any Way You Want It
Uploaded by jpdc11

Any Way You Want It Lyrics

"Any Way You Want It"

Single by Journey
from the album Departure
B-side "When You're Alone (It Ain't Easy)" (US, JPN)

Released 1980
Format 7" single
12" single

Recorded 1979
Genre Rock
Length 3:21
Label Columbia Records
Writer Steve Perry
Neal Schon
Producer Geoff Workman
Kevin Elson

Saw Him Dancing There By the Record Machine

One bad, rockin' b to the itch... and I mean that in a cool bad ass sort of way... get ready to pump your fist over and over as Joan Jett rocks into the Excellent 80's with "I Love Rock and Roll"...




I Love Rock N' Roll Lyrics

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"

"I Love Rock 'n' Roll"

Single by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
from the album I Love Rock 'n' Roll
Released 1982
Format 7" single, 12" single
Recorded 1979, 1982
Genre Rock
Length 2:52
Label Boardwalk Records
Writer Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker
Producer Richie Cordell, Kenny Laguna
Certification Platinum

Billboard Hot 100 Peak 1982: #1


BONUS VIDEO:

Of course, what would an Excellent 80's blog be without the master of parody and one of his earliest "hits"... yes, it's the weird one... "Weird Al" Yankovich with "I Love Rocky Road"...




I Love Rocky Road Lyrics

"I Love Rocky Road"

Single by "Weird Al" Yankovic
from the album "Weird Al" Yankovic
B-side "Happy Birthday"
Released July 1983
Format 7"
Recorded March 14, 1982
Genre Comedy
Length 2:33
Label Scotti Brothers
Producer "Weird Al" Yankovic

Encircling You in Trenches and Barbed Wire

Sounds kind of medievil and painful... Sting showing off his guns and not wearing any shoes. Personally, this may be my favorite of his non-Police solo efforts... "Fortress Around Your Heart"...




Fortress Around Your Heart Lyrics

"Fortress Around Your Heart"

Single by Sting
from the album The Dream of the Blue Turtles
B-side "Consider Me Gone" (live)
Released October 1, 1985
Format 7", 12"
Genre Rock
Length 4:48
Label A&M Records
Producer Sting and Peter Smith

US Peak: #8
UK Peak: #49

So Now I Come To You...

Excellent 80's viewers... here I am with another Journey live performance... hopefully, you'll see what your viewership means to me... "Open Arms"...

Journey - Open Arms
Uploaded by jpdc11

Open Arms Lyrics

"Open Arms"

Single by Journey
from the album Escape
Released January 1982 (U.S.)
Genre Rock
Length 3:18
Label Columbia
Writer Steve Perry, Jonathan Cain
Producer Kevin Elson, Mike Stone

Billboard Top 100 peak: #2

80's Movie Weekend

The Excellent 80's goes country... sort of. From 1980, it's Bud and Sissy and Johnny Lee singing "Lookin' For Love" as the cowboy craze started sweeping the nation (if anybody can find Eddie Murphy singing "Wookin' Pa Nub on SNL, send me the link so I can post it as well)...



Here's Johnny Lee performing his hit in person...

JOHNNY LEE lyrics

Urban Cowboy

















Directed by James Bridges
Produced by Irving Azoff
Robert Evans
Written by James Bridges
Aaron Latham
Starring John Travolta
Debra Winger
Scott Glenn
Barry Corbin
Madolyn Smith
Coynard Coyle
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) June 6, 1980
Running time 132 min.
Country United States
Language English

80's Television

That lovable furry cat-eating alien... yes, you remember him... don't try and block it from your memory anymore - it was not a bad dream, it was Alf!



Here's Alf jamming...



ALF

Format Sitcom
Created by Tom Patchett
Paul Fusco
Starring Paul Fusco
Max Wright
Anne Schedeen
Andrea Elson
Benji Gregory
Lucky the cat {himself}
Michu Meszaros
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 4
No. of episodes 102
Production
Executive producer(s) Tom Patchett
Paul Fusco
Running time 30 Minutes
Broadcast
Original channel NBC
Original run September 22, 1986 – March 24, 1990

Like A Butterfly, A Wild Butterfly

What's with the Roman soldier outfits and the astronaut in the bed? The only thing that obsesses me about this video is the randomness and the scale of unintentional comedy this video possesses... it's the group known as Animotion with "Obsession"...




Obsession Lyrics

"Obsession"

Single by Animotion
from the album Animotion
Released 1985
Format 7"
Genre New Wave, synth-dance
Length 3:11–6:18
Label Mercury
Writer Holly Knight/Michael Des Barres
Producer John Ryan

Chart & Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100: #6
U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #35
U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales: #3
UK Singles Chart: #5

That's Great, It Starts With An Earthquake

This guy's birthday was not too long ago, and they have a new album coming out sometime around April... it's a band that's been jamming a long time and still going fairly strong... the bald-headed Michael Stipe and R.E.M. with "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)...




It's The End of The World as We Know It Lyrics

"It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)"

Single by R.E.M.
from the album Document
Released November 1987 (US)
December 1991 (UK re-issue)

Format Vinyl record (7" & 12"), tape cassette, CD
Genre Alternative Rock
Length 4:07
Label I.R.S. Records
Producer Scott Litt

US Peak: #69

And The Journey Continues

Journey didn't have enough cheesy videos done. Instead, they had a whole lot of cheesy live performances done. Here's sweaty Steve Perry crooning "Send Her My Love" presumably to at least 30 or 40 different chicks in different cities as The Excellent 80's "Journey January" rolls on...

Journey - Send Her My Love
Uploaded by jpdc11

Send Her My Love Lyrics

"Send Her My Love"

from the album: Frontiers
released: 1983

80's Movie Weekend

Many will say this is the best one of the original trilogy... From 1980, the second (or fifth if you want to look at it that way) of the Star Wars movies... "The Empire Strikes Back"...

The trailer...



Your destiny lies with me young Skywalker... Luke, I'm your ...



Star Wars Episode V:
The Empire Strikes Back


















Directed by Irvin Kershner
Produced by Gary Kurtz
George Lucas
Written by Story:
George Lucas
Screenplay:
Leigh Brackett
Lawrence Kasdan
Starring Mark Hamill
Harrison Ford
Carrie Fisher
Billy Dee Williams
Music by John Williams
Cinematography Peter Suschitzky
Editing by Paul Hirsch
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) May 21, 1980 (USA)
Running time 124 min. (original)
127 min. (Special Edition)
Country United States
Language English
Budget $33,000,000
Preceded by Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Followed by Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

So Money

What's an 80's blog without some Eddie Money?! Eddie looks drunk through most of this video, but sh sh sh sh sh she was "Shakin'"...




Shakin' Lyrics

"Shakin'"

Single by Eddie Money
from the album No Control
B-side "My Friends, My Friends"
Released 1982
Format 7" single
Genre Rock
Label Columbia

US Peak: #63

A-Ha

It's tough being a human turned into a cartoon or vice versa... From Norway with love, it's A-Ha...




Take On Me Lyrics


"Take on Me"

Single by a-ha
from the album Hunting High and Low
Released 1985
Format 7" single, 12" single
Recorded 1985
Genre Synthpop
Length 3:46
Label Warner Bros. Records
Writer Magne Furuholmen
Morten Harket
Pål Waaktaar
Producer Alan Tarney

Billboard Hot 100 number one single: October 19, 1985

I Cannot Stand the Way You Tease

This song has been abused through the years... from 1981, it's Soft Cell and "Tainted Love"...




Tainted Love Lyrics

"Tainted Love"

Single by Soft Cell
from the album Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret
B-side Where Did Our Love Go?
Released 1981
Format 12 inch single
Genre Synthpop
Length 8:59 (album version); 2:42 (single version)
Writer Ed Cobb
Producer Mike Thorne

UK Peak: #1
US Peak: #8

I'm Forever Yours

It's a Journey January and a ballad that you and your fifth grade crush danced to over and over again professing your undying love for each other... dang, that Steve Perry could really sweat and he could sing a little bit too... here's "Faithfully"...

Journey - Faithfully
Uploaded by jpdc11

Faithfully Lyrics

"Faithfully"

from the album: Frontiers
released: 1983

17-0

We went with an old school 80's video made by the Seattle Seahawks last weekend after their victory (they were bounced yesterday by Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers in the snow), so I dug up these old New England Patriots videos made on their way to their 1985 appearance in the Super Bowl in which they were subsequently crushed by the Super Bowl Shufflin' Chicago Bears... The Patriots are a perfect 17-0 heading into next week's matchup with the San Diego Chargers...

First up, it's "Skin the Bears"...



And, of course, who could forget "New England, the Patriots, and We?"

80's Movie Weekend

A great movie from 1987 that starred Robert Townsend and featured a couple of the Wayans brothers... "Hollywood Shuffle"...

the trailer...



Hollywood's first black acting school...



And, of course what would this post be without the famous criminal, "Jheri Curl" and his activator! I always knew Jheri Curl murdered Cookiehead!



Hollywood Shuffle
Directed by Robert Townsend
Produced by Robert Townsend
Written by Robert Townsend & Keenen Ivory Wayans with Dom Irrera (uncredited)
Starring Robert Townsend
Anne-Marie Johnson
Helen Martin
John Witherspoon
Dom Irrera
Roy Fegan
Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starletta DuPois
Craigus R. Johnson
Music by Udi Harpaz
Cinematography Peter Deming
Editing by W.O. Garrett
Distributed by The Samuel Goldwyn Company
Release date(s) October 17, 1986 (USA)
Running time 78 min.
Language English
Budget $100,000 (estimated)
Gross revenue $5,228,617 (USA)

Come On Baby!

You knew I had to follow up Bobby Brown with Whitney Houston! Here she is, back when she was considered an unbelievable talent and not a crack head married to a crack head... "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"...




I Wanna Dance With Somebody Lyrics

"I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)"

Single by Whitney Houston
from the album Whitney
Released May 1987
Format CD single
Cassette single
7" single
12" single
Genre Pop/R&B
Length 4:52
Label Arista Records
Writer George Merrill
Shannon Rubicam
Producer Narada Michael Walden
Whitney Houston
Certification Platinum

Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1

Every Little Step I Take

Once again before the drugs took their full effect, Bobby B could bust a move with the best of them... It's "Every Little Step I Take"...

Bobby Brown - Every Little Step I Take
Uploaded by classics007

Every Little Step Lyrics

"Every Little Step"

Single by Bobby Brown
from the album Don't Be Cruel
Released 1989
Format Cassette single
7" single
12" single
CD single
Recorded 1988
Genre New jack swing
Length 3:57
Label MCA
Writer L.A. Reid,Kenneth Edmonds

Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #3

If He Ever Hurts You...

... true love won't desert you... OK, who decided that air instruments and the sleeveless shirt Stephen Perry is wearing were good ideas? Oh, and the group semi-dance sequences? Who OK'd this? What, are you people on dope? Classic song, and classic corny 80's video from Journey with "Separate Ways"...

Journey - Separate Ways
Uploaded by jpdc11

Separate Ways Lyrics

"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)"

Single by Journey
from the album Frontiers
Released February 05, 1983 (1983-02-05)
Genre Rock
Length 5:24
Label Columbia
Writer Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry
Producer Kevin Elson, Mike Stone

Billboard Peak: #8

We Need Some 80's Sports Up in Here!

The Seattle Seahawks were winners this past weekend in their first round playoff game against the Washington Redskins and I stumbled across the beauty from the 80's as this also marks my first sports posting in The Excellent 80's... Seattle is aiming for the Super Bowl, "Cuz the Blue Wave is on a Roll"... Enjoy...



"Cuz the Blue Wave is on a roll" in this 1985 Pat Cashman beauty, featuring lead vocalist linebacker Michael Jackson, Edwin Bailey on sax, Mike Tice, Paul Moyer, Terry Taylor, Norm Johnson, Randall "Too Hot To Handle" Morris, Chuck Butler, Bob Cryder, Danny Greene, Mark Hicks, Kani Kauahi, Adam Schreiber, and Byron Walker round out this impressive cast.

How My Poor Heart Aches...

Stalker alert! The Police...

The Police - Every Breath You Take
Uploaded by ThePolice

Every Breath You Take Lyrics

"Every Breath You Take"

Single by The Police
from the album Synchronicity
B-side "Murder By Numbers"
Released May 1983
Format vinyl record (7")
Recorded Dec 1982/Jan 1983
Genre Rock
Length 4:14
Label A&M - AM 117
Writer Sting
Producer The Police, Hugh Padgham

UK number one single
May 29, 1983
Billboard Hot 100 number one single
July 9, 1983- August 27, 1983
Hot 100 Number one single of the year
1983

80's Movie Weekend

Remember these lines?:
Bruce: Do you like sushi like I like sushi?
Cowboy: I like Susie... Susie's my girl!
Bruce: Oh, I had sushi last night!

or this one?:
Bruce: [trying to intimidate an opponent] Look at my eyes. I am Oriental

A little known comedy from 1982 which actually spawned a sequel in 1987. Here is the trailor from the original in 1982, "They Call Me Bruce?"




They Call Me Bruce?

Directed by Elliott Hong
Written by Tim Clawson
Starring Johnny Yune,
Margaux Hemingway,
Raf Mauro,
Pam Huntington
Release date(s) 1982
Running time 87 mins
Language English


The sequeal...
They Still Call Me Bruce

Directed by James Orr,
Johnny Yune
Written by James Orr,
Johnny Yune
Starring Johnny Yune,
Robert Guillaume,
J. David Moeller,
Mabe Appleby
Release date(s) 1987
Running time 91 mins
Language English

She Was A Fast Machine

Girls on stationary bikes and anytime you can incorporate a mechanical bull into your video, well, that's just bonus points... I think this song has just a hint of sexuality to it... great party song... AC/DC with "You Shook Me (All Night Long)"...




You Shook Me All Night Long Lyrics

"You Shook Me All Night Long"

Single by AC/DC
from the album 'Back in Black'
B-side "Have a Drink on Me"
Released August 1980
Format CD
Recorded 1980
Genre Hard rock
Length 3:30
Label ATCO Records
Producer Mutt Lange

US Billboard Peak: #35

Just A Small Town Girl...

Could Steve Perry's jeans be any tighter I ask? I almost didn't post this version for fear of FCC ramifications. Yikes. Anyway, here is a live version of Journey's Don't Stop Believing to kick off 2008. We've got some positive vibe and energy coming from this song as we begin a "Journey January"...




Don't Stop Believin' Lyrics


"Don't Stop Believing"

Single by Journey
from the album Escape
Released 1981
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1981
Genre Rock
Length 4:11
Label Columbia
Writer Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry, Neal Schon