It was time for me to gravitate back to the 1980s with two more compilation CDs. ’80s Favorites (2010) has more Name singers and groups. Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes” still gets air play on our local Oldies station. So does Irene Cara’s “Flashdance.”
Casey Kasem Presents America’s Top 10 Hits (2005) has Foreigner asking “I Want to Know What Love Is” and Pat Benatar asking someone to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” REO Speedwagon wants to “Keep on Loving You” while The Cars want to “Shake It Up.”
Yes, this is the type of music I listen to while I’m cleaning up the garage. Do you remember these hits? Any favorites here? GRADE: B (for both)
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | Starship (2)– | Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now | 4:23 |
| 2 | Kim Carnes– | Bette Davis Eyes | 3:43 |
| 3 | Night Ranger– | Sister Christian | 5:20 |
| 4 | Katrina, Formerly Of Katrina And The Waves*– | Walking On Sunshine | 3:42 |
| 5 | The Motels– | Only The Lonely | 3:17 |
| 6 | Robbie Dupree– | Steal Away | 3:20 |
| 7 | Lita Ford– | Close My Eyes Forever | 5:26 |
| 8 | Escape Club*– | Wild, Wild, Wild West | 4:05 |
| 9 | The Motels– | Suddenly Last Summer | 3:43 |
| 10 | Irene Cara– | Flashdance…What A Feeling | 4:07 |
| 11 | Howard Jones– | Things Can Only Get Better | 6:57 |
| 12 | Todd Rundgren– | Bang On The Drum All Day | 3:34 |
TRACK LIST:
| 1 | Quiet Riot– | Cum On Feel The Noize | 3:26 |
| 2 | White Lion– | Wait | 3:59 |
| 3 | Skid Row– | 18 And Life | 3:51 |
| 4 | Foreigner– | I Want To Know What Love Is | 5:01 |
| 5 | Bryan Adams– | Run To You | 3:54 |
| 6 | The J. Geils Band– | Centerfold | 3:35 |
| 7 | Night Ranger– | Sister Christian | 4:21 |
| 8 | Yes– | Owner Of A Lonely Heart | 3:51 |
| 9 | Whitesnake– | Here I Go Again | 3:52 |
| 10 | Warrant– | Heaven | 4:06 |
| 11 | The Grateful Dead– | Touch Of Grey | 4:37 |
| 12 | REO Speedwagon– | Keep On Loving You | 3:21 |
| 13 | Genesis– | Tonight, Tonight, Tonight | 4:28 |
| 14 | Pat Benatar– | Hit Me With Your Best Shot | 2:50 |
| 15 | Poison (3)– | Every Rose Has Its Thorn | 4:18 |
| 16 | The Georgia Satellites– | Keep Your Hands To Yourself | 3:29 |
| 17 | The Kinks– | Come Dancing | 3:53 |
| 18 | Phil Collins– | Sussudio | 4:23 |
| 19 | Boston– | Amanda | 4:13 |
| 20 | The Cars– | Shake It Up | 3:35 |
Yes, I remember all of them to one degree or another. I like the B+ Kinks song and the solid B Katrina/Waves and Motels songs.
Early adulthood, and radio and Muzak still hard to avoid in the ’80s.
Todd, you’re right about radio and Muzak in the 80s. Now, it’s all about steaming…
I like the first CD more than the second, but there’s a good selection of faves on both. I was mostly listening to New Wave/Alternative in the 1980s, some of my favorites here: “Only the Lonely” (not the Roy Orbison song but good nonetheless), “Things Can Only Get Better”, “Bang on the Drum All Day”, “Owner of the Lonely Heart”, “Keep on Loving You”, and “Shake It Up”. Nostalgia gateway unlocked!
Deb, the Casey Kasem CD has more “radio” hits while ’80s FAVORITES include a number of album hits. I like your Nostalgia gateway reference!
I was too busy during the 80s to pay much attention to the music. Don’t remember what I was doing. Probably spent the decade thinking about you cleaning your garage, George.
Jerry, Diane and I had the trees in front of our house removed after the 2006 October Storm. But, our neighbors still have trees that shed tons of leaves…which blow into our garage. I have to blow them out with Diane’s leaf blower a couple times per week. More aggravation!
Used to fill scores of Hefty bags with leaves in the fall from our copious trees in Fairfax. Finally got old and lazy, and hired a tree service to do the sweeps. No leaves to rake at our TX apartment, a tradeoff of sorts for unending, despicable campaign ads for Paxton, Abbott, and Dan Patrick on TV.
Many of these records I heard on my car radio – had a lot of travel to work during those days and was happy for any music that wasn’t the German “Pop Kitsch”.
Btw
It’s Bette Davis Eyes – many people make this mistake …
Wolf, I should have caught that “Betty” mistake. Thanks for the heads up! I made the corrections.
Some of these are unfamiliar, at least by title. Maybe I’d know them if I heard them. The Howard Jones is the only one I’m really fond of. As I think I’ve said before, Hell is an eternity of “Centerfold” on endless replay.
Fred, I’m with you on “Centerfold.” Howard Jones just put on a concert here this Summer.
So mot my thing, particularly the Starship, which I despise.
I know over half of each. The only one I’d keep is “Walking On Sunshine.”
Jeff, I may have mentioned this before but “Walking On Sunshine” has been used in over 350 commercials. The song consistently generates over $1 million per year in publishing and licensing royalties.
I recognized many by title and like a lot of them. I suspect hearing the ones I didn’t recognize by title that I would know many more
Maggie, most of these “hits” got heavy airplay on the radio back in the 1980s…regardless of quality.
I like some, don’t like some, and never hear of the rest! At least there’s no (c)rap!
Bob, rap seemed to be more of a 1990s phenomena around here.
“Come Dancing” by the Kinks is one of my all-time, all-time favorites.
Jeff, Todd Mason is also a big Kinks fan!