I'm On My Way, I'm Making It, Huh!

Something around 1985 caused Peter Gabriel to come out with all these weirdly creative videos during the 80's that, personally, I just didn't like that much. That includes today's hit from Gabriel that came out after his wildly popular song/video "Sledgehammer." I'll be a big noise with all the big boys... "Big Time"...




Lyrics | Peter Gabriel lyrics - Big Time lyrics

"Big Time"

Single by Peter Gabriel
from the album So
B-side "Curtains", "We do what we're told"
Released January 1987
Format 7", 12", CD
Recorded 1985
Genre New Wave, Funk rock
Length 4:26 (6:14 Extended version)
Label Geffen
Writer(s) Peter Gabriel
Producer Daniel Lanois

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #8

Summer - It Turns Me Upside Down

It's the day after... the 3rd birthday of The Excellent 80's has come and gone and the hangover has set in from counting down my favorite 80 songs/videos of the 80's... but instead of some depressing, slow song today, I've got to pump things back up with some upbeat music and a classic video...

He's walking on water! He's marrying a supermodel! He's landing another top 40 hit! It's another Robert "Mutt" Lange production as Ric and the boys known as The Cars get you into the summer mood in the heart of summertime with this gem - "Magic"...


THE CARS - MAGIC
Uploaded by pierrot77.


Lyrics | Cars lyrics - Magic lyrics

"Magic"
Single by The Cars
from the album Heartbeat City
B-side "I Refuse"
Released May 7, 1984 (1984-05-07)
Format 7"
Recorded 1983-1984
Genre Rock
Length 3:56
Label Elektra
Writer(s) Ric Ocasek
Producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange
The Cars

U.S. Billboard Hot 100 peak: #12

The Countdown Ends #1

It's been a totally awesome 80 days where I've displayed my favorite 80 videos/songs of the 80's right here everyday for 80 days. It's basically been an impossible task as there have been numerous great songs and videos that didn't make my list for whatever reason.



Anyway, it's also a happy 3rd birthday to The Excellent 80's today, and here, after 80 days, is the #1 song/video from the 80's as selected by a panel of one at The Excellent 80's.


It's a song I remember blaring from my car speakers in the summer of 1987 before my junior year in high school. It's part rock ballad, part rock anthem. I loved the keyboards and the slow buildup, and then who can resist playing air drums as this song kicks into high gear with David Coverdale's vocals and a sweet guitar solo. Also proving they could play some music across the pond, this is the third straight non-U.S. group in the countdown.




The video itself features fast cars and a fast woman by the name of Tawny Kitaen who was unbelievably hot back then, and would later become Coverdale's wife for about two years, before divorcing and going on to marry baseball pitcher Chuck Finley (the couple would divorce as well). The only debate is who has the better hair in the video - David or Tawny?

But all of that doesn't matter to me. Just take me back to 1987 for this four and half minutes of hair metal magic, and this number one hit for the band Whitesnake as they cap off our Top 80 countdown. Thanks for following along!

#1 "Here I Go Again"
by Whitesnake




Lyrics | Whitesnake lyrics - Here I Go Again lyrics

One More Day - The "Just Missed" Category

Sorry, but The Excellent 80's 3rd birthday is not until tomorrow, so I've chosen to put you in another 24 hours of suspense as you eagerly await my #1 video/song of the 80's. Just liken it to when Casey Kasem would play a sappy, boring, time-wasting "long distance dedication" right before the number one song. Anyway, here are few other of my favorites that just didn't quite make it into my top 80 countdown, but they aren't sappy, boring, or time-wasting. Check 'em out!

Just missed: "California Girls"
by David Lee Roth

What can I say, the video is killer and Diamond Dave does a nice remake of this Beach Boys' classic, and there's some pretty eye candy in it as well.




Lyrics | Roth, David Lee Roth lyrics - California Girls lyrics


Just missed: "Rock Box"
by Run DMC

A rap-rock song that totally blew my mind with the mix of electric guitar and funky beats, and of course, smooth lyrics.




Lyrics | Run-d.m.c. lyrics - Rock Box lyrics


Just missed: "Livin' on a Prayer"
by Bon Jovi

Sorry, but "You Give Love a Bad Name" has always been my favorite from the band, even though this song is my daughter's favorite on Guitar Hero.




Lyrics | Bon Jovi lyrics - Livin' On A Prayer lyrics

#2

Today, we have the runner-up and my #2 favorite song/video from the 80's, and it's from a Scottish band. The song is the featured song from the movie soundtrack of one of the best (if not the best) movies from the 80's - "The Breakfast Club." I absolutely still love this song to this day and will always remember "The Breakfast Club" as the first R-rated movie I ever snuck into... twice.
The song hit #1 in the U.S. in 1985 for the Scottish group known as Simple Minds.

#2 "Don't You (Forget About Me)"
by Simple Minds




Lyrics | Simple Minds lyrics - Don't You (Forget About Me) lyrics

#3

Next to Van Halen, today's hard rock act is probably my favorite. Tons of hits, catchy hooks, and they're still touring hard to this day. I believe somewhere along the line this song was also ranked as the #1 stripper song of all-time so it has that going for it as well.
Here is the English rock band Def Leppard with a little ditty that was the final track added to their 12 track album called "Hysteria." It peaked at #2 on the Billboard charts back in 1987, and has since turned into a timeless classic. Kudos to one-armed drumming sensation Rick Allen for the Jim Morrison t-shirt he's sporting in the video as well.

#3 "Pour Some Sugar On Me"
by Def Leppard




Lyrics | Def Leppard lyrics - Pour Some Sugar On Me lyrics

I have to say that I honestly don't think I ever saw the UK version of the video that was released in 1987, and after watching it (below), I don't think I really missed out on anything. Here's a bonus video of the song for you today...

#4

I love the Eagles as a group, but when Don Henley went solo I didn't mind it one bit because he came up with some great stuff including this gem at #4 on The Excellent 80's Countdown of its' favorite 80 videos/songs of the 80's.
The song and video have a very nostalgic feel with the black and white shots, and also a very nostalgic sound to it, and that's one of the reasons I love it especially every September when this song seems most applicable. Even though today's song only reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, the video won Video of the Year by MTV in 1985 (back when MTV played music videos and only had one station). Don Henley is just cool in this video and this song is still cool to this day.

#4 "Boys of Summer"
by Don Henley




Lyrics | Don Henley lyrics - The Boys Of Summer lyrics

#5

Wow we are in the top 5 now here on my own personal Top 80 countdown of my favorite videos/songs of the 80's. The Excellent 80's is kicking it into high gear my friends and not slowing down over the next five days culminating with the #1 song on this blog's third birthday!
Today we feature my favorite Canadian rocker (sorry Cory Hart, it's not you). From a great album entitled "Reckless" (I still have the cassette tape) we get today's hit which peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. I've seen Bryan Adams twice in concert - once back during his Reckless tour and then again about 5 or 6 years ago. He can still jam this song, and I still like the video with its' change in seasons and on stage shots. It's Bryan Adams at his best telling everyone that it's ok to be a two-timing dog if you don't get caught! Wait... is that right?

#5 "Run to You"
by Bryan Adams




Lyrics | Bryan Adams lyrics - Run To You lyrics

#6

The first words I ever heard from today's group were "Welcome to your life." After that there was no stopping Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith as the 1985 album "Songs from the Big Chair" would dominate the airwaves and MTV for months to come including today's video at #6 on The Excellent 80's countdown.
It doesn't really make much sense to me other than the little hispanic boy trying to shoot down Curt at the beginning of the video - that boy has some ambition! But, otherwise, what's up with the two brothers dressed in tuxedos grooving in front of some old school gas pumps? Here is the British pop/rock group that hit it big in the mid to late 80's with my favorite song of theirs, because this blog will rule the world someday... believe it!

#6 "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"
by Tears For Fears




Lyrics | Tears For Fears lyrics - Everybody Wants To Rule The World lyrics

#7

When today's hit was released I was only nine so I don't recall it, but when the re-release happened six years later along with a video, it didn't take long for it to become one of my all-time favorites. You've got a chick riding a mechanical bull in a hot leather outfit along with others riding stationary bikes. This video just screamed sex and as a 15 year old it was right in my wheelhouse. It's the unmistakable vocals of Brian Johnson and the school-boy outfit wearing Angus Young and the Aussie band AC/DC today.

#7 "You Shook Me All Night Long"
by AC/DC




Lyrics | Ac Dc lyrics - You Shook Me All Night Long lyrics

Live Aid Anniversary

Wow, I almost let the day go by without a mention that today is the 25th anniversary of Live Aid held both at Wembley Stadium in London and also at JFK Stadium in Philly. Organized by Boomtown Rats' Bob Geldof, the two events drew over 170,000 people total and helped raise money and awareness for famine relief in Ethiopia. There were appearances made by U2, Sting, Elton John, Madonna, Rick Springfield, Run DMC, and Bryan Adams among many others. Also rememberable was the fact that Phil Collins, thanks to a concorde flight across the Atlantic, played both concerts that day.

It's not often that I get to post any Queen in here, but thanks to their performance at Live Aid in 1985, here is piece of their performance...



Now I know I've never got to post any Zeppelin in here until today, but thanks to their reunion of sorts for Live Aid, here is a piece of their performance from that historic day... even though it wasn't a great performance by many standards (including theirs), it's still Zeppelin!




Here's some Mick Jagger and Tina Turner tearing up the stage...




U2 with "Bad"...



And finally, here is the Material Girl performing "Holiday"...

#8

In September of 1984, today's song/video peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, but every where around the country English teachers cringed... and so did any adults trying to teach proper English to their children. That's because John Waite was all over the airwaves and all over MTV with his hit that features the word "ain't" approximately 17 times throughout the song.
With the video, we get an idea of how outdated it is whenever we see John in a telephone booth. Kids these days have no idea what a telephone booth or payphone even is, as both have become relics from the 80's and early 90's. John is looking pretty cool in this video, but the dangling earring always bothered me, but maybe that's what gives him the super power to crush a telephone receiver in one scene!

#8 "Missing You"
by John Waite




Lyrics | Waite John lyrics - Missing You lyrics