80's Movie Weekend

This romantic comedy from 1988 featured some heavy hitters - Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford, and Alec Baldwin. I remember watching this on a plane flight somewhere back in 1989 and thinking that this movie sucked. But, to it's defense I was only 17 or 18 at the time so there's a good chance that it might be a decent movie if I watch it again today. But, there's also a chance that I'll still think it sucks. It's called "Working Girl"... here's the trailer... Working Girl Directed by Mike Nichols Produced by Douglas Wick Written by Kevin Wade Starring Melanie Griffith Harrison Ford Sigourney Weaver Alec Baldwin Joan Cusack Philip Bosco Nora Dunn Music by Carly Simon (Main song) Rob Mounsey Cinematography Michael Ballhaus Editing by Sam O'Steen Distributed by 20th Century Fox Release date(s) December 21, 1988 Running time 115 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $28.6 million Box office $102,953,112 (Worldwide)

Happy Birthday Atari!

Atari turned 40 yesterday. For me, the Atari 2600 was my first gaming console and will always carry a special place in my heart. I still remember being totally jacked when Pac-Man made it's debut for Atari though I was slightly disappointed that it wasn't even close to the original arcade game. But, that didn't stop me from trying to conquer it along with the likes of Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, and Frogger. Here's a few awesome commercials for the system...

Just Like the White Winged Dove

Ooh baby, ooh, said ooh. From her successful solo debut album, here is Stevie Nicks with "Edge of Seventeen"...
Lyrics | Stevie Nicks lyrics - Edge Of Seventeen lyrics "Edge of Seventeen" Single by Stevie Nicks from the album Bella Donna B-side Edge of Seventeen (live edit) Released February 5, 1982 Format Vinyl record 7" Recorded 1981 Genre Rock Length 4:10 (Single edit) 5:28 (LP version) Label Modern Records Writer(s) Stevie Nicks Producer Jimmy Iovine U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #11

80's Arcade Classics

Last week I posted someone's top 10 video games from the 80's. Here's some more awesome arcade games from that decade long gone by. Enjoy!

Pain - Will You Return It?

Today's video and song comes from one of my favorite 80's/early 90's groups. The song was their first U.S. Dance charts #1 hit despite only reaching #76 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 charts. It did crack the top 20 in their native UK. It's Depeche Mode with "Strangelove"...
Lyrics | Depeche Mode lyrics - Strangelove lyrics "Strangelove" Single by Depeche Mode from the album Music for the Masses B-side "Pimpf", "Agent Orange" Released 13 April 1987 Format Vinyl record (7" and 12"), CD Recorded 1987 Genre Synthpop, New Wave Length 3:44 (7"/single version) 6:32 (12" version) 4:55 (album version) Label Mute - BONG 13 Writer(s) Martin Gore Producer Depeche Mode and David Bascombe U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #76 UK peak: #16

Free, Free, Set Them Free

Today's video features Sting gettin' funky with some sax, some bass, a little tambourine, and his unmistakable voice. Here is Sting's solo debut from his album "The Dream of the Blue Turtles." It's "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free"... "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" Single by Sting from the album The Dream of the Blue Turtles B-side Another Day Released July 9, 1985 Format 7", 12" Genre Pop rock Length 4:14 Label A&M Producer Sting and Peter Smith U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #3

80's Movie Weekend

This really should have posted last weekend, so sue me. But anyway, last weekend marked the opening of the 80's inspired "Rock of Ages" movie based upon the successful Broadway musical. The reviews have been mixed at best and to tell you the truth I have a hard time thinking Tom Cruise can pull off the part. Whatever the case the soundtrack is littered with some awesome 80's music and I'll catch this movie at some point whether I spend the money at the theater or wait for it on DVD. Starring Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Julianne Hough, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Diego Boneta, Mary J. Blige, and Paul Giamatti, here is "Rock of Ages"... the trailer... Rock of Ages Directed by Adam Shankman Produced by Adam Shankman Jennifer Gibgot Tobey Maguire Matthew Weaver Scott Prisand Carl Levin Garrett Grant Screenplay by Justin Theroux Chris D'Arienzo Allan Loeb Based on Rock of Ages by Chris D'Arienzo Starring Diego Boneta Julianne Hough Russell Brand Paul Giamatti Catherine Zeta-Jones Mary J. Blige Malin Åkerman Alec Baldwin and Tom Cruise Music by Adam Anders Peer Åström Cinematography Bojan Bazelli Editing by Emma E. Hickox Studio Material Pictures Offspring Entertainment Distributed by Warner Bros. New Line Cinema Release date(s) June 15, 2012 Running time 123 minutes[1] Country United States Language English Budget $75 million[2] Box office $18,537,269 Of course if you've never seen the musical, here are some highlights starring former American Idol contestant Constantine Maroulis who was in the first national tour...

80's Video Games!

Love this video of the top 10 best video games of the 80's. I played them all! Oh, the memories!

The Broken Record Goes Round and Round

There is some great 80's fashion in today's video from the band with two same names. I actually liked the song when it came out and the video is not all that bad either. I do dig the drummer's hair though. From 1986, here is Mr. Mister with "Is It Love"...
Lyrics | Mr. Mister lyrics - Is It Love lyrics "Is It Love" Single by Mr. Mister from the album Welcome to the Real World Released May 1986 Format 7", 12" Recorded 1984-1985 Genre Pop rock Length 3:35 Label RCA Records Writer(s) Richard Page Steve George John Lang Pat Mastelotto Producer Mr. Mister, Paul De Villiers U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #8

Time Was All We Had Until The Day We Said Goodbye

If that title featuring lyrics from today's song is not some awesome writing then I don't know what is! When you're young, they seem endless. But as time passes, they're nothing more than faded memories of days when you were younger, maybe healthier, with few cares in the world. Since today marx the first day of summer, enjoy one of those "Endless Summer Nights" tonight. Cue the saxophone and the sweet, sweet hair... here's a little Richard Marx for you...
Lyrics | Richard Marx lyrics - Endless Summer Nights lyrics "Endless Summer Nights" Single by Richard Marx from the album Richard Marx B-side "Have Mercy" Released January 1988 Format 7" single 12" maxi Genre Pop rock, adult contemporary Length 4:11 Label Manhattan Writer(s) Richard Marx Producer Richard Marx Humberto Gatica U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2

Pac Man

Thought this was some really cool artwork done by artist Leon Keer... Have a great ghost chomping type of day!

To the Hoop Ya'll

Tonight is game four of the NBA finals between the Miami Heat and the OKC Thunder. Neither one of these teams even existed (in current form of course) 30 years ago in 1982 when we had the L.A. Lakers and the Philly 76ers battling it out in the finals. Check out the cool high-tech graphics in the intro from Game 6 of that series...

I'm On the Right Track

For you fans of bands that incorporate punk rock, dance music, hip hop, reggae, and funk into their sound, then you must be fans of the British group Big Audio Dynamite. Here is there hit from '89 called "Contact." Enjoy!
Lyrics | Big Audio Dynamite lyrics - Contact lyrics "Contact" by Big Audio Dynamite from the album: Megatop Phoenix released: 1989

80's Movie Weekend

It's time for another one of those crazy teen comedies from the mid-80's. At the time, C. Thomas Howell was a blockbuster star. Along with Corey Haim, Kelly Preston, and Lori Loughlin, they team together to form the film "Secret Admirer"... the trailer... you can watch it for free on youtube in 7 parts if you want. here is part one to get you started... Secret Admirer Directed by David Greenwalt Produced by Jim Kouf Written by David Greenwalt Jim Kouf Starring C. Thomas Howell Kelly Preston Lori Loughlin Corey Haim and Fred Ward Music by Jan Hammer Cinematography Victor J. Kemper Editing by Dennis Virkler Distributed by Orion Pictures Release date(s) June 14, 1985 Running time 90 min. Country United States Language English Budget $2 million Box office $8,622,757

Look What You're Doin' To Me

Anytime I can find a great song and combine that with a performance on "Soul Train," that's just a win-win for me and for you, the viewer. I love me some "Soul Train," and I love me a lip-syncing trio wearing prom dresses straight out of the 80's! Featuring Ruth Pointer's deep vocals, here is one of my favorite Pointer Sisters songs performed on "Soul Train" - "Automatic"...
Lyrics | Pointer Sisters lyrics - Automatic lyrics "Automatic" Single by The Pointer Sisters from the album Break Out Released December 1983 Genre Post-disco, funk, dance Length 4:46 (album version) 3:59 (7" version) 6:06 (12" extended version) Label Planet Writer(s) Brock Walsh, Mark Goldenberg Producer Brock Walsh, Richard Perry U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #5 U.S. R&B peak: #2

Well My Friends the Time Has Come

To raise the roof and have some fun! Woo! Hope you all are having one of those summers where you're driving slowly down the main drag blasting some Whitesnake from the speakers. If Whitesnake is too "hard" for you, then there's nothing wrong with a little up tempo Lionel Richie! One of the biggest hits of 1984 is this party jam from Lionel from his mega successful "Can't Slow Down" solo album. This song, full of all kinds of colors and dancing, is in my best guess the only #1 U.S. hit to feature the lyrics "Tam bo li de say de moi ya. Hey Jambo Jumbo." It's possible these lyrics showed up in the 90's on some grunge record I couldn't understand, but never were they sang with more passion and sweetness than Lionel does right here with his #1 hit "All Night Long (All Night)"...
Lyrics | Lionel Richie lyrics - All Night Long lyrics "All Night Long (All Night)" 7" cover Single by Lionel Richie from the album Can't Slow Down B-side "Wandering Stranger" Released August 31, 1983 [1] Format 7", 12" Recorded Spring 1983 Genre Pop, world beat Length 4:16 (Single edit) 6:25 (Album version) Label Motown Writer(s) Lionel Richie Producer Lionel Richie James Anthony Carmichael U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 UK peak: #2

When Mama Talks You Better Listen

Today's very exciting video is a remake of The Supremes 1966 hit song which went all the way to #1. Unfortunately, the remake didn't top the charts but did make it to a solid number 10. Here is Phil Collins signing background along with Phil Collins singing lead with "You Can't Hurry Love"...
Lyrics | Phil Collins lyrics - You Can't Hurry Love lyrics "You Can't Hurry Love" Single by Phil Collins from the album Hello, I Must Be Going! B-side "I Cannot Believe It's True" (International) / "Do You Know, Do You Care?" (North America) Released 27 November 1982[7] Format 7" single / 12" Recorded 1982 Genre Pop rock, blue-eyed soul, R&B Length 2:56 Label Virgin Records (UK) Atlantic Records (International) Producer Phil Collins, Hugh Padgham U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10 UK peak: #1

Something's Telling Me It Might Be You

Today's sappy love song comes from 1983 and from the soundtrack to the blockbuster movie "Tootsie." It's sung by an artist I never heard of - Stephen Bishop. Born in San Diego in 1951, Stephen has a few minor hits from the late 70's and this one from 1983. Here is "It Might Be You"...
Lyrics | Stephen Bishop lyrics - It Might Be You lyrics "It Might Be You" Single by Stephen Bishop from the album Tootsie Soundtrack Released 1983 Genre Pop Length 4:17 Label Warner Writer(s) Dave Grusin, music Alan & Marilyn Bergman, lyrics U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #25

Lighten Up Baby, I'm In Love With You

What is up with Robert and his female companion taking a bite from a hot dog in this video? Featuring a lot of attitude and rocking a leather vest with no shirt it is Robert Plant for you today. From his album "Now and Zen," here is the front man for Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant with "Tall Cool One"...
Lyrics | Robert Plant lyrics - Tall Cool One lyrics "Tall Cool One" Single by Robert Plant from the album Now and Zen B-side White, Clean and Neat Released 1988 Format 45, CD Recorded 1987 Genre Rock Length 4:40 Label Es Paranza Writer(s) Phil Johnstone, Robert Plant Producer Robert Plant, Tim Palmer, Phil Johnstone U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #25

80's Movie Weekend

During the summer of 1987 I took my younger cousin to see this flick at a local movie theater in Norman, Oklahoma. At the time I wasn't too disappointed. The real-life movie is based upon the wildly popular cartoon series of the same name with all of the usual suspects involved - Skeletor, Man-At-Arms, Teela, Blade, Beastman, and of course He-Man, Master of the Universe. The movie also stars a young Courtney Cox. It's "Masters of the Universe"... the trailer... Masters of the Universe Directed by Gary Goddard[1] Produced by Edward R. Pressman Yoram Globus Menahem Golan Written by David Odell Stephen Tolkin Starring Dolph Lundgren Frank Langella Meg Foster Chelsea Field Billy Barty Courteney Cox Robert Duncan McNeill Jon Cypher James Tolkan Christina Pickles Music by Bill Conti Cinematography Hanania Baer Editing by Anne V. Coates Distributed by Cannon Films (Warner Bros. Pictures)[2] Release date(s) August 7, 1987 Running time 106 minutes Country United States Language English Budget $22 million Box office $17,336,370

Turn Around

When the song says "turn around, bright eyes" they mean it literally in this video. Those are some bright eyes. It's Bonnie Tyler's birthday today and she turns 61 I believe. Wow. Here is her most famous song, a song that went all the way to number one in numerous countries including the U.S. where I believe it made her the first and only Welsh to achieve that feat. The video features fencing, some half-dressed football players, some gymnastics, and Bonnie's dramatic flair. Some almost 30 years later this video is still one creep video... here is "Total Eclipse of the Heart"...
Lyrics | Bonnie Tyler lyrics - Total Eclipse Of The Heart lyrics "Total Eclipse of the Heart" Single by Bonnie Tyler from the album Faster Than the Speed of Night Released February 11, 1983 Format 7", 12" Recorded 1982 Genre Soft rock, adult contemporary Length 7:02 (Album version) 4:30 (Single version) 5:32 (Music video version) 3:49 (2005 re-recording for the album Wings) Label Columbia Writer(s) Jim Steinman Producer Jim Steinman Certification Platinum (RIAA)[1] Gold (SNEP, BPI)[2] U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1 UK peak: #1

Everybody's Lookin' For Somethin'

The red rocker is sporting one red 80's outfit in today's video look back to 1988 and a hit from Van Hagar, err, Van Halen. The follow up to their most excellent "5150" album was "OU812" which featured this hit, "When It's Love"...
Lyrics | Van Halen lyrics - When It's Love lyrics "When It's Love" Single by Van Halen from the album OU812 B-side "Apolitical Blues" Released 1988 Recorded 5150 Studios, Hollywood, California, 1987-1988 Genre Rock, hard rock Length 05:39 Label Warner Bros. U.S. Billboard hot 100 peak: #5

We're the Type of Brothers That Can't Be Stopped

Let the beat drop and pump it up everyone for the fresh sounds of Doug E. Fresh from his 1988 album "The World's Greatest Entertainer." Born Douglas E. Davis in 1966 here is Doug E. Fresh with "Keep Risin' To the Top"... "Keep Risin' to the Top" by Doug E. Fresh from the album: The World's Greatest Entertainer released: 1988 U.S. R&B/Rap singles peak: #4

When You Lie, Kiss Your Baby Bye, Bye, Bye

Though today's strange video and song is from 1992, it's in honor of the 25 years together of the band Ween, which formed in the late 80's and put forth a collection of eclectic rock/alternative music over the years. Ween was comprised of Aaron Freeman (Gene Ween) and Mickey Melchiondo (Dean Ween). Aaron announced recently that he was retiring Geen Ween. So in honor of their 25 years as Ween, here is the video, which was made even more popular when it appeared on an episode of Beavis and Butthead. I'm pretty sure that's Ashton Kutcher on bass. Here is Ween with "Push Th' Little Daisies"...
Lyrics | Ween lyrics - Push Th' Little Daisies lyrics Just in case you forgot the Beavis and Butthead episode where the song appeared here it is... "Push th' Little Daisies" Single by Ween from the album Pure Guava Released 1993 Format CD single, Maxi, 12" Recorded 1992 Genre Psychedelic pop Avant-garde music Length 2:50 Label Elektra Records Writer(s) Ween Producer Ween U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks peak: #21

There Was a Time When We Were Down and Out

Here is the first appearance by two artists who both achieved great popularity, awards, and achievements over the years. It's Babs and Barry, Barbara Streisand and Barry Gibb that is. Do you think Barbara resents this video some, because without a doubt it is Barry at the pinnacle of his hair beauty. I mean, this guy had some of the best hair ever, and it's way better in this video than that of Barbara's! Here is their top 10 duet from 1981, "What Kind of Fool"...
Lyrics | Barbra Streisand lyrics - What Kind Of Fool lyrics "What Kind of Fool" Single by Barbra Streisand and Barry Gibb from the album Guilty B-side "The Love Inside" (US) "Make It Like A Memory" (UK) Released January 1981 Format 7" Recorded February 1980 Middle Ear, Miami Beach, Florida Genre R&B, ballad, adult contemporary Length 4:06 Label Columbia (US) CBS (UK) Writer(s) Barry Gibb, Albhy Galuten Producer Barry Gibb, Albhy Galuten, Karl Richardson U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10

"Hoosiers" Revisited 80's Movie Weekend

I'm a big fan of the 1985 movie "Hoosiers." I realize the only basketball being played right now is in the NBA, but I thought this video of "Hoosiers Revisited" was really cool. It's a little lengthy at just over 18 minutes, but it's an outstanding comparison of the movie and the real-life set and championship game. Enjoy!

Babe, I Love You So

Yesterday, I mentioned that Rupert Holmes and The Pina Colada Song was the last #1 song of the 1970's and the second #1 hit of the 80's taking a break when KC and the Sunshine Band hit #1 the first week of 1980 with today's song. It's awesomely bad as well with KC looking like a serial killer with his laser like stare into the camera at the start of the video. With collar turned up, chest hair protruding (the tambourine player is sporting some nice chest hair as well), here is Harry Wayne Casey, or KC, with the Sunshine Band and "Please Don't Go"...
Lyrics | Kc & The Sunshine Band lyrics - Please Don't Go lyrics "Please Don't Go" Single by KC and the Sunshine Band from the album Do You Wanna Go Party B-side "I Bet'cha Didn't Know That" Released July 12, 1979 Format 7" Vinyl Genre Disco, Synth Pop Length 3:43 Label TK Records Writer(s) Harry Wayne Casey / Richard Finch Producer Harry Wayne Casey / Richard Finch U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1