Monday, October 06, 2008

Songs of Men with Mullets and Women with Linebacker Shoulderpads

I stole this from Suldog, who thought his graduating year of 1974 was dark in terms of the music produced. I think my graduating year of 1986 may eclipse that.

The rules:
A) Go to
Music Outfitters.
B) In the search function, enter the year you graduated from high school. Get the list of the 100 most popular songs of that year.

C) Bold the songs you like, strike through the ones you hate, and underline or italicize your favorite.
D)Do nothing to those you don’t remember or don’t care about.



I prefer his take of breaking them down in to lists.

Songs I love: Those I turn up when I hear them on the radio,dance, and sing along to, thus tormenting my children on three levels (80s music along with my personal visuals and audio).

19. Kiss, Prince and The Revolution (I've said it before, I'll say it again. regardless of what any internet blog quiz says, THIS is my stripper song. Anyone got a pole?)
38. Venus, Bananarama (Just silly fun)
40. Conga, Miami Sound Machine (Yeah, I get in conga lines. Shaddup, just shaddup already.)
55. The Sweetest Taboo, Sade (Sade is just terrific.)
72. Small Town, John Cougar Mellencamp (Ironically, he married a girl from my small town who graduated a year after me. Love the song though.)

Wow, that's it...5 songs from my senior year that I really dig. Sad huh?

Songs I sorta like: I might sing along or dance in my kitchen to these depending on my mood.
10. Addicted To Love, Robert Palmer
17. Alive And Kicking, Simple Minds
20. Higher Love, Steve Winwood
21. Stuck With You, Huey Lewis and The News (This one's for you, Diesel.)
23. Sledgehammer, Peter Gabriel
27. Take My Breath Away, Berlin
29. Papa Don't Preach, Madonna
41. True Colors, Cyndi Lauper
48. Manic Monday, Bangles
49. Walk Of Life, Dire Straits
56. What You Need, INXS
58. Nasty, Janet Jackson
65. Living In America, James Brown
80. Sleeping Bag, ZZ Top (The only ZZ Top song to make the list at all and it's this? Lots of theirs are so much better and woudl be on the upper list.)
89. Walk This Way, Run-D.M.C. (I liked the version when they teamed up with Aerosmith better.)


Songs that are marginally better than a sharp stick in the eye: Self-explanatory, I should hope. These songs get a solid...meh.
5. Broken Wings, Mr. Mister
9. Kyrie, Mr. Mister
15. West End Girls, Pet Shop Boys
30. You Give Love A Bad Name, Bon Jovi
33. These Dreams, Heart
59. Take Me Home Tonight, Eddie Money
69. Why Can't This Be Love, Van Halen (I like Van Halen a lot. Why can't this be good?)
74. All I Need Is A Miracle, Mike + The Mechanics


Songs whose writers should be poked in the eye with a sharp stick: Suldog had a list of songs that would be in heavy rotation if he were condemned for all eternity. I say we just condemn the songwriters and singers.

1. That's What Friends Are For, Dionne Warwick, Elton John, and Gladys Knight
2. Say You, Say Me, Lionel Richie (Just say no!)
4. On My Own , Patti Labelle and Michael McDonald
6. How Will I Know, Whitney Houston (She's got a fabulous set of pipes, but gads the crap she sang...)
7. Party All The Time, Eddie Murphy (And the winner of the WTF Award goes to....)
11. Greatest Love Of All, Whitney Houston
14. Glory Of Love, Peter Cetera
16. There'll Be Sad Songs, Billy Ocean (I really want to like this guy's music because he is from Trinidad, but ugh...this is just not good.)
28. Rock Me Amadeus, Falco
31. When The Going Gets Tough, Billy Ocean
39. Dancing On The Ceiling, Lionel Richie (Runner up in the WTF category)
42. Danger Zone, Kenny Loggins (The danger is in prolonged exposure to this song)
47. Words Get In The Way, Miami Sound Machine
50. Amanda, Boston
51. Two Of Hearts, Stacey Q (Great, now the chorus to this will be running through my head all day.)
60. We Don't Have To Take Our Clothes Off, Jermaine Stewart
66. R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A., John Cougar Mellencamp (I want music, not a spelling bee)
87. Nikita, Elton John
88. Take Me Home, Phil Collins
92. Spies Like Us, Paul McCartney (The man should have just stopped when the Beatles broke up. First "Wings" then movie theme songs? What's next, Mcdonald's jingles?)


Huh?: Songs either I can't remember or don't give a rip about.

3. I Miss You, Klymaxx
8. Burning Heart, Survivor
12. Secret Lovers, Atlantic Starr
13. Friends And Lovers, Carl Anderson and Gloria Loring
18. Never, Heart
22. Holding Back The Years, Simply Red
24. Sara, Starship
25. Human, Human League
26. I Can't Wait, Nu Shooz
32. When I Think Of You, Janet Jackson
34. Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone), Glass Tiger
35. Live To Tell, Madonna
36. Mad About You, Belinda Carlisle
37. Something About You, Level 42
43. What Have You Done For Me Lately, Janet Jackson
44. No One Is To Blame, Howard Jones
45. Let's Go All The Way, Sly Fox
46. I Didn't Mean To Turn You On, Robert Palmer
52. Crush On You, Jets
53. If You Leave, Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
54. Invisible Touch, Genesis
57. Talk To Me, Stevie Nicks
61. All Cried Out, Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam With Full Force
62. Your Love, Outfield
63. I'm Your Man, Wham!
64. Perfect Way, Scritti Politti
67. Who's Johnny, El Debarge
68. Word Up, Cameo
70. Silent Running, Mike + The Mechanics
71. Typical Male, Tina Turner
73. Tarzan Boy, Baltimora
75. Sweet Freedom, Michael McDonald
76. True Blue, Madonna
77. Rumors, Timex Social Club
78. Life In A Northern Town, Dream Academy
79. Bad Boy, Miami Sound Machine
81. Tonight She Comes, Cars
82. Love Touch, Rod Stewart
83. A Love Bizarre, Sheila E.
84. Throwing It All Away, Genesis
85. Baby Love, Regina
86. Election Day, Arcadia
90. Sweet Love, Anita Baker
91. Your Wildest Dreams, Moody Blues
93. Object Of My Desire, Starpoint
94. Dreamtime, Daryl Hall
95. Tender Love, Force M.D.'s
96. King For A Day, Thompson Twins
97. Love Will Conquer All, Lionel Richie
98. A Different Corner, George Michael
99. I'll Be Over You, Toto
100. Go Home, Stevie Wonder



And there you have a very dark year musically....sad, isn't it? What are your thoughts on this list? Tell me some of your favorites from your graduating year.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

A few months back I downloaded "The Best of Sade" from iTunes, to delve in memories. I was so proud when I bought a music cassette by her from my pocket money for my walkman :).

airplanejayne said...

I wish I was the same year as you -- you get "Kiss" as your stripper song!!

I am doing this today....

err - the list thing, not the stripper thing...

oh, bother..

barman said...

Oh dear, looks like I like a few of the sharp stick in the eye songs…

Rock Me Amadeus – just kind of fun to me

Danger Zone - it has to be the Top Gun connection as I have watched that more than once

Amanda by Boston – Not sure that song but I like Boston so I am just asuming

R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A – I guess I am just weird

OMG, stop this comment, I want to get off. Friends And Lovers OK, now that song I hate. It is not so much because of the song itself but what was happening when that song was out. Two people I worked with were having an afair at work. It went horribly wrong when she broke it off. I think this was their song or something. Anyway it affect me at work because of what they were doing so I grew to really dislike both of them and that song!

OK, maybe a little more. I have Sara as a ring tone if I were ever were to get a call from Sarah (Roxi).

I love this. I think I might even be able to pull it off. Thank you so much for the idea.

furiousBall said...

holy crap 1989 sucked...

1. Look Away, Chicago
2. My Prerogative, Bobby Brown
3. Every Rose Has Its Thorn, Poison
4. Straight Up, Paula Abdul
5. Miss You Much, Janet Jackson
6. Cold Hearted, Paula Abdul
7. Wind Beneath My Wings, Bette Midler
8. Girl You Know Its True, Milli Vanilli
9. Baby, I Love Your Way/Freebird, Will To Power
10. Giving You The Best That I Got, Anita Baker

Rick said...

I'm guessing you didn't listen to the radio must back then.

S said...

Here's the thing about your list...it really makes our age difference stand out.

And that I didn't listen to any of that music because I lived in Venice Beach, listened to mostly local live music, and The Grateful Dead.

I never had the Flock of Seagulls haircut, either.

THe stick in the eye categories are hilarious!

Ok now I have to do this but not post just out of curiousity. The list is gonna be full of disco, Kansas, Boston, Rolling Stones....

:P

S said...

1. Shadow Dancing, Andy Gibb
2. Night Fever, Bee Gees
3. You Light Up My Life, Debby Boone
4. Stayin' Alive, Bee Gees
5. Kiss You All Over, Exile
6. How Deep Is Your Love, Bee Gees
7. Baby Come Back, Player
8. (Love Is) Thicker Than Water, Andy Gibb
9. Boogie Oogie Oogie, A Taste Of Honey
10. Three Times A Lady, Commodores


OMG totally disco. Except for You Light Up My Life ACK!
Now thankfully, I had a rock n roll boyfriend so this dork list is not mine.

Mine would include bands like
Yes
Rolling Stones
Genesis
Robert Palmer
Kansas
Blondie
Electric Light Orchestra
Queen
Sweet
etc.....

Its the top 40 category thats giving me problems!

Anonymous said...

"Kiss" - stripper song... good. (Sorry, been in short answer mode since I awoke.)

Bijoux said...

I'm going to have to steal this post! Love it!

There was some realllly bad music in 1981. But I did like Devo's "Whip It" and Blondie's "Rapture."

lime said...

cosima, dontcha just love sade, so smooth.

apj, we can play "kiss" when we ride fresno buses together.

barman, i'll be interested to see your lists.

furiousball, man, that was in deed a dark year

rick, i did actually, all the time. but i also listened to a lot of 60s music

s, i am laughing because i remember every single one of those songs in your top 10. i loooooved andy gibb back then. but i vastly prefer the list of bands for your personal preference

lecram, so apj and i can expect a dollar bill or two?

cocotte, "whip it" is a fun one. i need my jumpsuit and funky cone hat now. dodododododo...whip it good!

Craver Vii said...

S's musical preferences are similar to my choices for Pandora Web radio, except that I liked Exile's "Kiss You All Over." "S," I didn't consider that one to be disco.

In 1983 Boy George asked:
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, Culture Club
Yes. I can't explain it, but I think that would make me feel good.

There was all kinds of... different music that year, some that I liked, and some that... well, they were just different!

Come On Eileen, Dexy's Midnight Runners
Electric Avenue, Eddy Grant
She Blinded Me With Science, Thomas Dolby
Mr. Roboto, Styx
(I'll pause here until you get over that gag reflex. What the heck were they thinkin?!)

Der Kommissar, After The Fire
Puttin' On The Ritz, Taco
(Keep Feeling) Fascination, Human League
The Safety Dance, Men Without Hats
Mickey, Toni Basil

Okay, but here are some that I liked that weren't completely bizarre:
Shame On The Moon, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band
Twilight Zone, Golden Earring
1999, Prince
Stray Cat Strut, Stray Cats
Allentown, Billy Joel

Anonymous said...

Yeah my year sucked too. 1996

I hate all of these!

1. Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix), Los Del Rio
2. One Sweet Day, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men
3. Because You Loved Me, Celine Dion
4. Nobody Knows, Tony Rich Project
5. Always Be My Baby, Mariah Carey
6. Give Me One Reason, Tracy Chapman
7. Tha Crossroads, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
8. I Love You Always Forever, Donna Lewis
9. You're Makin' Me High/Let It Flow, Toni Braxton
10. Twisted, Keith Sweat

Suldog said...

Oh, my. I don't know if your year beats mine, but neither one of us has much to brag about. Yikes!

Ed & Jeanne said...

It's for occasions like "Kiss" that I bring a portable pole just in case some female feels compelled to dance and strip! ha ha

You know...practically every top 100 songs in every year are lame. Somehow the trendy and stupid seems to always rise to the top of these stupid lists. I'm going to post about mine this week! I'll credit you for the inspiration...

Anonymous said...

That's a hellofa lotta songs :)

Cheers Bella!

lime said...

craver, what on earth was in the water that year? that is some seriously weird music.

bs, i will admit to enjoying the macarena and i love "gimme one reason." the rest i agree with you...stinkola

suldog, shameful stuff, for sure

ve, these lists demonstrate the egregious lack of taste the general public has.

blither, i just took the list provided at that site i linked

Desmond Jones said...

OK, from 1973, I'll just give you the songs I liked, either a lot, or sorta:

2 - Bad Bad Leroy Brown, Jim Croce
5 - My Love, Wings
7 - Crocodile Rock, Elton John
9 - You're So Vain, Carly Simon
19 - Sunshine of My Life, Stevie Wonder
26 - Superstition, Stevie Wonder
27 - Love Me Like a Rock, Paul Simon
30 - Rocky Mountain High, John Denver
37 - Danny's Song, Anne Murray (altho I like the Loggins & Messina version better)
42 - Give Me Love, George Harrison (it's a Beatles thing; you wouldn't understand)
48 - Daniel, Elton John
50 - Smoke on the Water, Deep Purple
56 - Live and Let Die, Wings
85 - Angie, Rolling Stones
90 - Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001 theme) (altho, this was composed by Richard Strauss in 1896; should it really count?)

And songs from 1973 that I loathe:

1 - Tie a Yellow Ribbon, Tony Orlando & Dawn
38 - Monster Mash
52 - Behind Closed Doors, Charlie Rich
99 - 12th of Never, Donny Osmond

Jeni said...

Reading your post and the songs listed in the comments, I must have always listened to totally different radio stations or some such -lots and lots of songs and artists too that I have no recollection of the song -or in many cases, the artist either. I'm going to have to dip into the 1962 songs for a really big trip into the "way back" land and see how many of them I remember hearing, or artists I recall as well. Should be interesting since I tend to remember much more from further back than from more recent years. Wonder why that is?

Unknown said...

I took a look at my year and could not belive that these songs

1.The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Roberta Flack
3. American Pie, Don McLean
(both OK songs but got the fun played out of them with way too many spins)


were listed higher than these songs
60.Layla, Derek and The Dominos (no need to comment on this one except that it was one of Eric Clapton's first big hits but it was Duane Alman's riffs that made it soooo good)
73.Anticipation, Carly Simon (She rocks)
92. Doctor My Eyes, Jackson Browne (always loved Jackson,still love Jackson)
77. Saturday In The Park, Chicago (this song just makes me feel good)
75. Kiss An Angel Good Morning, Charlie Pride ( Charlie was cool)
69. You Don't Mess Around With Jim, Jim Croce (Jim was a hoot when he wasn't being sappy)
70. Hot Rod Lincoln, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen (Comander Cody still plays around here and I am going to see him one of these days and pretend I am at the Armadillo)
56. Bang A Gong (Get It On), T. Rex (it sounded so nasty that we all loved it)
19. I'll Take You There, Staple Singers ( gospel tinged R&B at its best)
11. Let's Stay Together, Al Green (who could resist this voice?)
24. Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress), Hollies (have always had a thing for Graham Nash. He can still hit the notes and still looks good)
64. Sylvia's Mother, Dr. Hook and The Medicine Show (nobody cooler than the Doc)
100. Pop That Thang, Isley Bros.
(unless it was the Isley's)
32. Nights In White Satin, Moody Blues (really over played but the whole album was a work of poetry)
37. Sunshine, Jonathan Edwards (not the sunshine on my shoulders song)
46. Garden Party, Rick Nelson
(he was stickin' it to the man in this one)
45. The City Of New Orleans, Arlo Guthrie (still a great Steve Goodman song)



I guess they picked the songs that charted at #1 the longest which means that you will never see Creedence Clearwater Revival on one of these lists. Their songs would stay on the charts for weeks and weeks and never get higher than #2. Still they sold lots of records, filled up concert venues and you can't really discuss this era of music without mentioning them.

Songs that just sucked:
28. A Horse With No Name, America(that chord progression was so annoying)
21. The Lion Sleeps Tonight, Robert John (needs no explanation)
20. Ben, Michael Jackson (a song for a rat!)
65. Hurting Each Other, Carpenters
(can anybody say saccarin?)
44. Morning Has Broken, Cat Stevens
(yuck! just yuck!!)
91. Roundabout, Yes (Ive never been into this group, They seemed to be the fore runners of disco)

Lots of other good stuff and some that I had forgotten about. A fun site for sure.

Unknown said...

meant to say one of Clapton's biggest hits..he had already done Cream, Traffic and some other great stuff.

Mona said...

In India we get to hear only a few singers . But singers from Europe & England are quite popular. I like to hear Dido & Robbie Williams & also some very old numbers that the nuns used to teach us during our choir classes when we were in our primary school & that time we sang without even knowing what they meant.
I have a very old number called summer wine playing at my radio blog these days. I saw it being aired on MTV featuring my favorite actor Johnny Depp. If sister ( nun) were to see the video with nude scenes now, she would have regretted teaching us that :D.
I guess she taught us because there was the word 'angel' in it :D

I enjoyed listening to Madonna & Two Unlimited. Also Britney's first song was good & Christina Aguliera. & Ricky martin & Enrique Iglesias . I also like country music & Faith Hill & Shania Twain are good. So is J Lo & Natalie Imbruaglia & also Meat Loaf & Sting. I Love listening to Santana too

SignGurl said...

I hate to say it, but most of your Huh songs are in my top songs, lol. Funny!

(M)ary said...

some of those songs wouldn't been ok if they were played once instead of 10 million times...ugh! familiarity breeds contempt with pop music.

lime said...

desmond, i think i feel about paul simon the way you feel about paul mccartney

jeni, kinda crazy how many i couldn't remember

seventh sis, ooh, layla and long cool woman were goodies!

mona, i will admit i like christina aguilera's most recent album

signgurl, ok but we agree on the horror that was lionel richie, right?

mary, you got that right..ODing on the stuff

~Tim said...

Fun idea, but I'm afraid to look at my list....

Moosekahl said...

Danger Zone is on the bad list...I love that song. I played it as a solo on a tenor saxophone for a spring music concert one here. I have the whole sound track on tape still.

david mcmahon said...

Suldog and you - now there's a winning combination, any day!

G-Man said...

Are you kidding?...1968..

Hey Jude
Sunshine of your Love
I wish It Would Rain
(Sittin on the)Dock Of The Bay.
Hello I Love You
Revolution
Mrs, Robinson.

The list goes on and on, it was a FABULOUS year in music!!!!

Desmond Jones said...

I'm a big fan of Paul Simon, too. But, just like McCartney was better with the Beatles than anything he's done since (with the possible exception of 'Band on the Run'), Paul Simon was better when Art Garfunkel was singing along. . .

And G-Man, I am so envious. '68 was a great music year. And the Tigers won the World Series, too!

lime said...

tim, don't be afraid

moose, band did that to you, huh?

david, look out boston!

gman, 1968 was an AWESOME year for music ...and for me, since it's when i was born. great music that year.

desmond, the harmonies those two guys did were what hooked me in the first place

Commander Zaius said...

I'm in deep trouble here because I've always been a huge Mike and the Mechanics fan. In fact I was listening to "All I need is a miracle" when I read this post. I'll just go to the back of the room for a musical time out.