Sometimes You Have No Choice

Here is the strange little video from one of the offshoots of the band Duran Duran. The video features Simon LeBon and some chick... oh wait, that's a dude! Sorry, my bad. It's Simon and Nick Rhodes on some sort of Disney ride with a bunch of clocks and stuff. Here is Arcadia with "Goodbye is Forever"...




Lyrics | Arcadia lyrics - Goodbye Is Forever lyrics

"Goodbye Is Forever"

Single by Arcadia
from the album So Red the Rose
B-side "Missing"
Released January 1986
Format 7", 12"
Recorded Studio de la Grande Armée, Paris
Genre Dance, New Wave
Length 4:11
Label Capitol
Writer(s) Arcadia

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #33
Producer Alex Sadkin

They Call Us Problem Child, We Spend Our Lives On Trial

Let's get your Monday off to a rockin' start today with a lot of hair. And, I do mean a lot of hair. It comes from the hair metal band with the classical first name of Sebastian Bach. That's right, it is Skid Row with the song and video that put them on the map and helped shoot them to stardom. Get out your gloves and your leather jacket and boots and start screaming we are the "Youth Gone Wild"...




Lyrics | Skid Row lyrics - Youth Gone Wild lyrics

"Youth Gone Wild"
Single by Skid Row
from the album Skid Row
Released 1989
Recorded 1988
Genre Heavy metal, glam metal
Length 3:18
Label Atlantic
Writer(s) Rachel Bolan, Dave Sabo
Producer Michael Wagener

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #99

80's Movie Weekend

This weekend's 80's movie is a classic and should be a warning to any of you out there that are cheating or thinking about cheating on your spouse! If you go through with it there could be a dead bunny rabbit boiling on your stove in the near future. Yes, it's the psychotic Glenn Close and the always awesome Michael Douglas in a classic thriller from 1987 called "Fatal Attraction"...

the trailer...



Glenn Close won't be ignored and that rabbit won't be hopping anytime soon...



Fatal Attraction

Directed by Adrian Lyne
Produced by Stanley R. Jaffe
Sherry Lansing
Written by James Dearden
Starring Michael Douglas
Glenn Close
Anne Archer
Music by Maurice Jarre
Cinematography Howard Atherton
Editing by Peter E. Berger
Michael Kahn
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) September 11, 1987 (1987-09-11)
Running time 119 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $14 million
Gross revenue $320,145,693[1]

Cold Winds Blow Around Me

Today's synthpop, techno, and Latin freestyle band apparently formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota of all places. They have been featured in The Excellent 80's before with their biggest hit "What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)" which featured a sampling of Leonard Nimoy's voice. That was due in large part to Leonard's son Adam, who was a fan of this group known as Information Society. Here is their other top 10 hit from their self-titled album called "Walking Away"...




Lyrics | Information Society lyrics - Walking Away lyrics

"Walking Away"

by Information Society
from the album Information Society
released: 1988

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #9
U.S. Dance charts peak: #5

Don't You Ever, Don't You Ever

I've so enjoyed doing "UK Thursdays" here in The Excellent 80's that I'm going to extend it for another month at least. There is just so much stuff from the UK that I haven't even touched yet here in The Excellent 80's. I couldn't let these "UK Thursdays" go on much longer without a hit from one of Britains' most popular new wave/post punk acts known as Adam and the Ants. The band achieved some success stateside, but had a few chart toppers in the UK that never even registered over here like this one from 1981 - "Prince Charming"...


Adam Ant - Prince Charming by jpdc11


Lyrics | Adam And The Ants lyrics - Prince Charming lyrics

"Prince Charming"
by Adam and the Ants
from the album: Prince Charming
released: 1981

UK peak: #1

I Thought I Knew You Well

One thing I've always said is that there's just not enough tambourine tapping lead singers anymore. So for those of you like me that crave that sort of star attraction, I present to you today the super group Foreigner with another hit from their 1984 triple platinum album "Agent Provocateur." Here is Lou Gramm banging away on the tambourine in rhythm with the live performance of "That Was Yesterday" from Birmingham, Alabama...




Lyrics | Foreigner lyrics - That Was Yesterday lyrics

"That Was Yesterday"

Single by Foreigner
from the album Agent Provocateur
B-side "Two Different Worlds"
Released February 1985 (1985-02)
Format 7"
Recorded early 1984
Genre Rock
Length 3:50 (single), extended version - 6:23 (single)
Label Atlantic
Writer(s) Lou Gramm, Mick Jones
Producer Gary Lyons, John Sinclair

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #12

I'm Gonna Be Your Number One

Today's video and song is a remake of the 1967 original by the group The Paragons. Never heard of them? Don't worry, most people haven't. This song didn't really make a splash until 1980 when Debbie Harry and her band Blondie gave it a reggae vibe which helped it climb all the way to #1 on the charts. The video wanders aimlessly from an apartment to a cab to a rocket launch to some sort of lunar landing where Debbie Harry proceeds to dance with some sort of midget mutant Darth Vader. Here is "The Tide is High"...




Lyrics | Blondie lyrics - The Tide Is High lyrics

"The Tide Is High"
Single by Blondie
from the album The Best of Blondie and Autoamerican
B-side "Suzy & Jeffrey"
Released October 10 1980 (UK)
March 25 1981 (US)
Format 7"
Genre New Wave, Pop rock
Length 4:39 (Album Version)
3:55 (Edit)
Label Chrysalis Records
Certification Gold (US)

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1

Your Voice Explodes Inside My Head

Some cool 80's hair and clothing for you today in our look back to a hit from 1984. This is one of my favorite songs from the American rock band formed in Chicago in 1978. The band is Survivor and this is one of my favorites from them called "I Can't Hold Back"...


Survivor - I Can't Hold Back by jpdc11


Lyrics | Survivor lyrics - I Can't Hold Back lyrics

"I Can't Hold Back"
Single by Survivor
from the album Vital Signs
Released 1984
Genre Rock
Label Scotti Brothers Records

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #13


And, as a bonus today, in case you missed it - former Survivor lead singer Jimi Jamison walked to the ring recently with Manny Pacquiao before his fight with Sugar Shane Mosely singing the band's most notable hit - "Eye of the Tiger." Check it out...

80's Movie Weekend

It's a bunch of old people getting frisky and thinking that they'll live forever in this weekend's 80's movie flashback. Ron Howard directs and the sci-fi film features stars like Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Brian Dennehy, Steve Guttenberg, Maureen Stapleton, and Jessica Tandy among others. It's the movie "Cocoon"...

the trailer...


Cocoon (Theatrical Trailer) by NakedBrotha2007


Cocoon

Directed by Ron Howard
Produced by David Brown
Richard Zanuck
Screenplay by Tom Benedek
Based on Cocoon by
David Saperstein
Starring Don Ameche
Wilford Brimley
Hume Cronyn
Brian Dennehy
Jack Gilford
Steve Guttenberg
Maureen Stapleton
Jessica Tandy
Gwen Verdon
Herta Ware
Tahnee Welch
Music by James Horner
Cinematography Donald Peterman[1]
Editing by Daniel P. Hanley
Mike Hill
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) June 21, 1985 (1985-06-21)
Running time 117 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $17.5 million[2]
Gross revenue $85,313,124[3]

Desolate Loving In Your Eyes

Today's hit from the early 80's features the one and only Boy George and his band Culture Club. This song peaked at #2 in the U.S. Does anyone else think that Boy George was just an alternate personality and character played by George Michael? Just me? OK, whatever. Enjoy the tambourine playing George and the strong supporting vocals of Helen Terry in "Church of the Poison Mind"...




Lyrics | Culture Club lyrics - Church Of The Poison Mind lyrics

"Church of the Poison Mind"
Single by Culture Club
from the album Colour by Numbers
B-side "Man Shake",
"Mystery Boy",
"I'll Tumble 4 Ya"
Released 1983
Format 7"
12"
Recorded 1983
Genre New Wave
Length 3:30
Label Virgin Records
Epic Records (US)
Writer(s) Culture Club
Producer Steve Levine
Certification Gold (US, Canada)

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2

Gonna Get Up, Gonna Get Up

With our "UK Thursdays," today's 1989 hit was a dance club favorite. In fact, our group was a dance club favorite not only overseas, but in the U.S. as well. Today's video and song though only charted in the UK where it peaked at #1. It was the first single by the group known as Black Box (you might remember them for "Everybody, Everybody," and "Strike It Up"), and was the top selling single in the UK in 1989. Here is "Ride On Time"...




Lyrics | Box Black lyrics - Ride On Time lyrics

"Ride on Time"

Single by Black Box
from the album Dreamland
B-side Remix
Released July 19, 1989
Format CD maxi, 12" single, 7" single
Recorded 1988
Genre Italo house
Length 4:35 (album version)
6:27 (original version)
Label Groove Groove Melody
Writer(s) Dan Hartman
Mirko Limoni
Daniele Davoli
Valerio Semplici

UK peak: #1
Producer Groove Groove Melody
Certification Platinum (UK)

All Night

Today's song and video was the debut for the glam metal band Cinderella. The song didn't chart, but it paved the way for the next song, "Nobody's Fool" which was a top 20 hit in the U.S. So check out the song and video that introduced the Philadelphia band to the rest of the country - "Shake Me"...




Lyrics | Cinderella lyrics - Shake Me lyrics

"Shake Me"
Single by Cinderella
from the album Night Songs
B-side "Night Songs"
Released 1986
Format 7", 12"
Genre Heavy metal
Length 3:44
Label Mercury

80's Television

Today's television flashback takes us to a series that began in 1978 and ran through 1984. If you are familiar with television shows at all during this time then you will easily guess it by me writing this... "Da plane! Da plane!" and "Smiles everyone! Smiles!" That's right, it's Ricardo Maltaban and Herve "Tattoo" Villechaize and the show "Fantasy Island"...

the opening theme and beginning of an episode from season three I believe... my dear guests, I am the Excellent 80's blog, your host, and welcome to our flashback of "Fantasy Island"...




Fantasy Island

Format Drama/Fantasy
Created by Gene Levitt
Starring Ricardo Montalbán
Hervé Villechaize
Christopher Hewett
Wendy Schaal
Kimberly Beck
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 7
No. of episodes 158 (including 1977 pilot)
Production
Running time 45–48 minutes
Production company(s) Spelling-Goldberg Productions
Sony Pictures Television
Broadcast
Original channel ABC
Audio format Monaural
Original run January 14, 1978 (1978-01-14) – May 19, 1984

I Can Never Love Again Now That We're Apart

Today's extremely cheesy 80's hit and video topped the pop charts at #1 for then 17 year old Debbie Gibson making her the youngest artist to ever write, sing, and produce a #1 hit (the record has since been eclipsed by Soulja Boy in 2007). Here is the teen sensation back in 1988 with "Foolish Beat"...

Debbie Gibson - Music - More Music Videos

Lyrics | Debbie Gibson lyrics - Foolish Beat lyrics

"Foolish Beat (Debbie Gibson)"
Single by Deborah Gibson
from the album Out of the Blue
A-side Vocal (4:25)
B-side Instrumental (4:29)
(U.S., 89109)
"Between the Lines" (4:42)
(U.K., A9059)
Released February 11, 1988
Recorded 1987-1988
Genre Pop, freestyle, R&B
Length Album Version 4:20
Label Atlantic
Writer(s) Deborah Gibson
Producer Deborah Gibson

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1

80's Movie Weekend

Shall we play a game? Long before Osama bin Laden and al Queada we had Matthew Broderick hacking into our government's ancient computer system and threatening to send the world to war with each other from his bedroom all because he liked to play games. What a jerk! Also co-starring Ally Sheedy, this weekend's 80's movie flashback is "WarGames"...

the trailer...



this is where we all learn a lesson about not playing nuclear war by making the computer play itself in tic tac toe... genius!



WarGames

Directed by John Badham
Produced by Leonard Goldberg
Written by Lawrence Lasker
Walter F. Parkes
Starring Matthew Broderick
Ally Sheedy
Dabney Coleman
John Wood
Barry Corbin
Music by Arthur B. Rubinstein
Cinematography William A. Fraker
Studio United Artists
Distributed by MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
Release date(s) June 3, 1983 (1983-06-03)
Running time 114 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $12 million
Gross revenue $79,567,667 (North America)

Winter's Cityside

Happy Friday the 13th to ya! Today's band enjoyed a resurgence a few years ago with a song featured in the film "Napoleon Dynamite." Recently, rapper Jay Z featured the chorus on one of his songs. Of course the song and video for "Forever Young" were posted here back in 2008. But today, we bring you the other minor hit for the German synthpop band known as Alphaville. Here is "Big in Japan"...




Lyrics | Alphaville lyrics - Big In Japan lyrics

"Big in Japan"
Single by Alphaville
from the album Forever Young
B-side "Seeds"
Released January 1984
Format 7" single, 12" maxi
Recorded 1984
Genre Synthpop
Length 3:52 (single edit)
4:43 (album version)
Label WEA
Writer(s) Bernhard Lloyd
Marian Gold
Frank Mertens
Producer Orlando

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #66
U.S. Hot Dance Club peak: #1

I Don't Want Half-Hearted Love Affairs

Today's "UK Thursdays" hit from the 80's is the first single by a British pop acoustic band called Fairground Attraction. The song went on to be a #1 hit in the UK in 1988 and remains the band's biggest hit. They signed a record deal in 1987 with RCA, but by 1990 they were broken up. So, enjoy the highlight of their short career, here is vocalist Eddi Reader and the band Fairground Attraction with "Perfect"...




Lyrics | Fairground Attraction lyrics - Perfect lyrics

"Perfect"
Single by Fairground Attraction
from the album The First of a Million Kisses
Released March 31, 1988
Format CD single, Cassette single, 7" single, 12" single
Recorded January 1988
Genre Soft rock, folk
Length 4:50
Label RCA
Writer(s) Mark E. Nevin
Producer Fairground Attraction

UK peak: #1

The Grabbing Hands Grab All They Can

Anytime you can lead into a song with some xylophone and have it sound cool, then you know you have a pretty good song. From 1983, here is the video to the Depeched Mode song "Everything Counts." And, if you don't like the weird video version, you can check out the live perfomance from the 101 Concert in 1988 below...




Lyrics | Depeche Mode lyrics - Everything Counts lyrics



"Everything Counts"

Single by Depeche Mode
from the album Construction Time Again
B-side "Work Hard"
Released 11 July 1983 (1983-07-11)
Format Vinyl record (7" and 12")
CD (1991 box set)
Recorded 1983
Genre Synthpop, industrial, New Wave
Length 3:58 (7"/single version)
4:19 (album version)
7:18 (12" version)
Label Mute
Writer(s) Martin Gore
Producer Depeche Mode, Daniel Miller, and Gareth Jones
Certification Silver (BPI)[1]

U.S. Dance Club Hot Singles peak: #17
UK peak: #6

I Found a Picture of You, oh

Today's hit from 1982 features a lot of men in suits slaving away on a chain gang in an interesting little video from The Pretenders. The song was the highest charting single for The Pretenders in the U.S. peaking at #5. Also, congratulations seem to be in order for Chrissie, because apparently her daughter Yasmin (Simple Minds' lead singer Jim Kerr is her dad) is set to have a baby making Chrissie a grandma and Jim a grandpa.




Lyrics | Pretenders lyrics - Back On The Chain Gang lyrics

"Back on the Chain Gang"

Single by The Pretenders
from the album Learning to Crawl
B-side "My City Was Gone"
Released November 12, 1982
Format 7", 12"
Recorded 20 July 1982, AIR Studios, London
Genre Rock
Length 3:51
Label Sire
Writer(s) Chrissie Hynde
Producer Chris Thomas

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #5
UK peak: #17

You're Not Sure What You Want to Do With Your Life

Check out the crazy, high-tech animation from today's Heart video. I guess those animations are supposed to be "Bad Animals." From the album, "Bad Animals," here is the top 10 Heart hit "Who Will You Run To?"...




Lyrics | Heart lyrics - Who Will You Run To lyrics

"Who Will You Run To?"

by Heart
from the album: Bad Animals
released: 1987

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #7

80's Movie Weekend

Last weekend we brought you the fourth installment of the Dirty Harry series from 1983 called "Sudden Impact," which brought us the memorable phrase "Go ahead. Make my day." Well, today's fifth and final installment in the series entitled "The Dead Pool" and brings in co-stars who went on to bigger fame that included crazy-haired Jim Carrey in his first non-funny role, Liam Neeson, and Patricia Clarkson.

Here is the trailer to "The Dead Pool"...



here is the aforementioned Carrey doing "Welcome to the Jungle" during the movie...



The Dead Pool

Theatrical poster by Bill Gold
Directed by Buddy Van Horn
Produced by David Valdes
Written by

* Steve Sharon
* Durk Pearson
* Sandy Shaw

Starring

* Clint Eastwood
* Patricia Clarkson
* Liam Neeson
* Evan C. Kim
* David Hunt
* Jim Carrey

Music by Lalo Schifrin
Cinematography Jack N. Green
Editing by Ron Spang
Distributed by Warner Bros.
Release date(s) July 13, 1988 (1988-07-13)
Running time 91 minutes
Country United States
Language English

Don't Wanna Wait Til You Know Me Better

After a couple of days of some music from some Englishmen, it's time for some good ol' American rock n' roll! And there aren't too many bands better than the one today even though they were going through their "unmasked" phase in the mid to late 80's. Yes, it's the bad boys of Detroit themselves. Here is Kiss in their first video without the makeup from 1983 with "Lick It Up"...




Lyrics | Kiss lyrics - Lick It Up lyrics

"Lick It Up"
Single by Kiss
from the album Lick It Up
Released 1983 (US)
Format 7"
Recorded Right Track Studios,
New York City: 1983
Genre Glam metal, hard rock
Length 3:58
Label Mercury 814 671-7 (US)
Writer(s) Paul Stanley, Vinnie Vincent

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #66

They Say We're Young and We Don't Know

Every Thursday through the month of April and May, we've been bringing you "UK Thursdays" with some of the top hits and videos from the UK that didn't hit it big in the U.S. Now, today's hit might be an exception because it was a #1 hit for the duo of Sonny and Cher in 1965. The band UB40 covered it in 1985 with the help of Chrissie Hynde and put their own little reggae spin to it. The song, of course, is "I Got You Babe," and it went all the way to #1 in the UK...




Lyrics | Ub40 lyrics - I Got You Babe lyrics

"I Got You Babe"

by UB40 featuring Chrissie Hynde
from the album: Baggariddim
released: 1985

UK peak: #1
US peak: #28

Put On Your Red Shoes and Dance the Blues

Though I have four other David Bowie videos here at The Excellent 80's, I just realized I hadn't posted this hit of his yet. In fact, it was Bowie's biggest commercial success peaking at #1 on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Here is the Englishman born in 1947 playing guitar with his white gloves on in "Let's Dance"...




Lyrics | David Bowie lyrics - Let's Dance lyrics

"Let's Dance"
Single by David Bowie
from the album Let's Dance
B-side "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)"
Released March 17, 1983 (1983-03-17)
Format 7"/12" single
Recorded Power Station, New York, December 1982
Genre Dance-rock
Length 7:37 (Album version)
4:10 (Single edit)
Label EMI America Records - EA152
Writer(s) David Bowie
Producer Nile Rodgers
Certification Gold (RIAA & BPI)

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
UK peak: #1

She Wears a Long Fur Coat of Mink

Today's Prince protege' scored a few big hits of her own in the 80's. If today's top 10 hit has a Prince feel to it, it's because Prince was the producer on the song. From 1984, here is the hot female drummer from Oakland known to all as Sheila E. with a song originally intended for the short lived girl group Vanity Six. Instead Sheila E. was the beneficiary of "The Glamorous Life"...




Lyrics | Sheila E. lyrics - Glamorous Life lyrics

"The Glamorous Life"

U.S. 7" single
Single by Sheila E.
from the album The Glamorous Life
B-side "The Glamorous Life" (Part II)
Released May 12, 1984
Format 7" single
12" single
Recorded March 1984
Genre Funk, dance-pop
Length 8:58 (Album)
3:41 (7" single)
6:33 (Club Edit)
Label Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Prince
Producer Sheila E., Prince (as The Starr ★ Company)

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #7

The Old Man Said To Me

I don't know if Howard Jones purposely wanted to permanently destroy this video and this song. It's a decent song, but the video producer and/or Howard thought it would be funny to put in faulty video, and bleed audio into it. Instead, he just makes a mess of this video and it's really annoying. Rest assured this will be the only time this video is ever featured in "The Excellent 80's"...




Lyrics | Howard Jones lyrics - Life In One Day lyrics

"Life in One Day"
Single by Howard Jones
from the album Dream Into Action
Released 29 June 1985 UK
8 July 1985 US
Format 7", 12"
Genre New wave, Pop
Length 3:40
Label WEA
Writer(s) Howard Jones
Producer Rupert Hine

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #19
UK peak: #14