Somebody Send Me

Not one of my favorite artists... I always thought this guy a little strange, but he had some songs I did like back in the day... the crazy makeup, the funky clothes, the spotlight on the shoulder... everyone start snapping your fingers for the ever peculiar David Bowie and "Blue Jean"...




Lyrics | Blue Jean lyrics

“Blue Jean”

Single by David Bowie
from the album Tonight
B-side Dancing with the Big Boys
Released September 1984
Format 7"/12" single
Recorded Le Studio, Morin Heights, May 1984
Genre Rock
Length 3:08
Label EMI America - EA181
Producer David Bowie, Hugh Padgham, Derek Bramble

Chart / Position
US Hot Dance Music/Club Play: #2
US Mainstream Rock Tracks: #2
UK Singles Chart: #6
Canada Singles Chart: #4
US Billboard Hot 100: #8

I'm Going Crazy, I'm Losing Sleep

A little hair band ballad today with the first appearance by Cheap Trick in The Excellent 80's... some interesting guitars in this video... Wherever you go, I'll be with you... it's the band from Rockford, Illinois, Cheap Trick, with "The Flame"...




Lyrics | The Flame lyrics

“The Flame”

Single by Cheap Trick
from the album Lap of Luxury
B-side "Through the Night"
Released 1988
Genre Rock
Label Epic
Writer(s) Bob Mitchell
Nick Graham
Producer Richie Zito

Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #1
Australian Peak: #1

80's Movie Weekend

If you ask my wife, the best movie from the 80's would be this total chick flick with a superstar cast from November of 1989 - "Steel Magnolias"...



She had six fingaz!...



Hit Weezer!



Steel Magnolias

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Herbert Ross
Produced by Ray Stark
Andrew Stone
Victoria White
Starring Sally Field
Dolly Parton
Shirley MacLaine
Daryl Hannah
Olympia Dukakis
Julia Roberts
Tom Skerritt
Dylan McDermott
Kevin J. O'Connor
Sam Shepard
Music by Georges Delerue
Distributed by TriStar Pictures
Release date(s) November 15, 1989
Running time 117 min
Country United States
Language English
Budget ?

Gunter, Gleiben, Glauchen, Globen

I got something to say! It's better to burn out, than fade away... Def Leppard has done anything but fade away... I saw them a couple summers ago at a concert in Oklahoma City with Bryan Adams and they still brought the house/outdoor ballpark down... now everybody scream - I want rock-n-roll! Long live rock-n-roll!... I really dig the oversized sword... continuing with our Def Leppard Month, here is "Rock of Ages"...




Lyrics | Rock Of Ages lyrics

“Rock of Ages”

Single by Def Leppard
from the album Pyromania
Released 1983
Format 7"
Recorded 1982
Park Gates Studios
Battle, Sussex, England
Battery Studios
London, England
Genre Glam metal
Length 4:09
Label Mercury
Writer(s) Joe Elliott, Steve Clark, Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange

Mainstream Rock Peak: #1
Pop Singles peak: #16

I've Got My Spine

One of my favorite groups for a second time in The Excellent 80's - it's R.E.M. with "Orange Crush"...




Orange Crush Lyrics

“Orange Crush”

Single by R.E.M.
from the album Green
Released December 1988 (US)
May 1989 (UK)

Format 7" Single
Recorded 1988
Genre Alternative rock
Length 3:51
Label Warner Bros. Records
Producer Scott Litt & R.E.M.

Modern Rock Tracks Peak: #1
UK Singles Peak: #28

A Litte Late 80's Synth Pop

Here's the little known band that emerged onto the scene in the late 80's and had a nice hit with this dance track in 1989 - "I Beg Your Pardon (I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)"... It's the Canadian group known as Kon Kan...

KON KAN lyrics

from the album: Move To Move
released: 1989
US Peak: #15
Canadian Peak: #19
UK Peak: #5

80's Television

We all learned growing up in the 80's that it takes "Diff'rent Strokes" to move the world... let's not think about how these kids ended up... let's remember them for their lovable selves - Arnold, Willis, and Kimberly, during the early to mid 80's...

The season opener...



Whatchu talkin' bout, Willis?



More smooth moves from Arnold...



Willis' first day of school blues (Tootie is in this scene) and smoking some weed...



Diff'rent Strokes

Format Sitcom
Created by Jeff Harris
Bernie Kukoff
Starring Gary Coleman
Conrad Bain
Todd Bridges (1978-1985)
Dana Plato (1978-1984)
Charlotte Rae (1978-1979)
Nedra Volz (1980-1982)
Mary Jo Catlett (1982-1986)
Janet Jackson (1980-1984)
Dixie Carter (1984-1985)
Danny Cooksey (1984-1986)
Shavar Ross (1980-1986)
Mary Ann Mobley (1985-1986)
Country of origin United States
No. of seasons 8
No. of episodes 189
Production
Running time 30 Minutes
Broadcast
Original channel NBC (1978-1985)
ABC (1985-1986)
Original run November 3, 1978 – March 7, 1986
Chronology
Followed by The Facts of Life

Ain't Nobody Loves Me Better Than You!

Chaka Khan with a classic today that was brought back and re-popularized with the Steve Martin movie "Bringing Down the House"... here is "Ain't Nobody"

Rufus Chaka Khan - Ain't Nobody
Uploaded by chilavert

Lyrics | Ain't Nobody lyrics

“Ain't Nobody”

Single by Rufus & Chaka Khan
from the album Stompin' at the Savoy
Released 1983
Genre Pop/Soul/R&B
Length 4:41
Writer(s) Hawk Wolinski

US R&B Hot Singles: #1
US Billboard Hot 100: #22

I'm Special, So Special

It's Chrissie Hynde and the gang making their Excellent 80's debut with a song that was actually released in late 1979, but hit its' peak in 1980... "Brass In Pocket"...

The Pretenders-Brass In Pocket
Uploaded by adiis

Lyrics | Brass In Pocket lyrics

“Brass in Pocket”

Single by The Pretenders
from the album Pretenders
Released November 1979
Format 7" vinyl
Recorded 1979
Genre Rock
Length 3:09
Label Sire Records
Writer(s) Chrissie Hynde, James Honeyman-Scott
Producer Chris Thomas

UK Peak: #1 (Jan. 1980)
US Peak: #14

80's Movie Weekend

With the whole Heath Ledger death and his new Batman movie on the way this summer, I can't believe that it has been 19 years since Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson went all blockbuster on us with "Batman"...

The trailer...


You ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight? The final showdown...



Batman

Directed by Tim Burton
Produced by Peter Guber
Jon Peters
Written by Characters:
Bill Finger (Uncredited)
Bob Kane
Story:
Sam Hamm
Screenplay:
Warren Skaaren
Sam Hamm
Starring Michael Keaton
Jack Nicholson
Kim Basinger
Robert Wuhl
Music by Score:
Danny Elfman
Original Songs:
Prince (not featured in movie, but separately attatched to soundtrack)
Cinematography Roger Pratt
Editing by Ray Lovejoy
Distributed by Warner Brothers
Release date(s) June 23, 1989
August 11, 1989
Running time 126 minutes
Country United Kingdom
United States
Language English
Budget $45,000,000
Gross revenue $300,218,028
Followed by Batman Returns

Demolition Woman, Can I Be Your Man?

In honor of Def Leppard's first all new material studio album in six years, The Sparkle Lounge, I'm going to hook you up with vintage Def Leppard videos from the 80's all through the month of May beginning today...


And to kick it off, here is the #1 stripper song of all-time, and still a favorite of many today... Strippers, everywhere, get up and grab your pole, and dance I say, dance! "Pour Some Sugar on Me"...





Lyrics | Pour Some Sugar On Me lyrics

“Pour Some Sugar on Me”

Single by Def Leppard
from the album Hysteria
B-side "I Wanna Be Your Hero" (UK), "Ring of Fire" (U.S.)
Released September 8, 1987 (UK), 1988 (U.S.)
Format 7", 12"
Recorded 1986
Genre Hard rock
Glam metal
Length 4:25
Label Mercury
Writer(s) Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Steve Clark, Rick Savage, Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange

Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #2

I Walked Along The Avenue

A happy May 1st to ya...

I'd run too if I had some chicks with scary eye makeup wearing black trash bags after me, but I'd run from any of the guys in this group as well... Paul Reynolds (guitarist) is way too cool for anything in this world in this video... the English band known as A Flock of Seagulls with "I Ran"...




I Ran Lyrics

“I Ran (So Far Away)”

Single by A Flock of Seagulls
from the album A Flock of Seagulls
B-side "Pick Me Up"
Released 1982
Format 7"
Genre New Wave
Length 5:07
Label Zomba
Writer(s) A Flock of Seagulls
Producer Mike Howlett

US Billboard Hot 100 Peak: #9
UK Peak: #43
Australia Peak: #1 (Aussie Aussie Aussie!)