Hi Everybody! Welcome back to this week’s countdown! If you missed the first 10 songs, you can go ahead and check them out. Today we have quite the variety of music we come to expect from the mid-to-late ’80s. Let’s just jump right into it today, and Return to the week ending May 21, 1988, and continue the countdown.
What a great way to kick things off! Lita Ford just flat out rocks! This would be Lita’s signature hit. Before this song, I was unaware of The Runaways, so I had no idea that she was such a pioneer for women in rock, along with Joan Jett. Lita’s still rockin’ it today. Her 2012 album, Living Like a Runaway is awesome.
Being a rock fan, this is one of my favorite Michael Jackson songs. This was the fifth single released from the Bad album, and would go on to be a number 1 hit. Jackson scored Eddie Van Halen for “Beat It” from the Thriller album. This time, he got Billy Idol’s guitarist Steve Stevens to play on this song. So good!
I love when Paul Carrack sings with Mike + The Mechanics and I love his solo hit, “Don’t Shed a Tear“. I didn’t remember this song until I heard the chorus. This is a pretty good one.
Wow, Prince’s handlers must be slacking off. Last year when I started these countdowns, it was almost impossible to find a Prince video. He’s still not on YouTube, but it is way easier to find his videos now.
I’m not really a post-Revolution Prince fan. I do like his music if I’m in the mood for it. Right now, I’m not in the mood for it.
Taylor Dayne’s follow-up single to her hit “Tell It to My Heart” was a success. This is another high energy freestyle song, just like it’s predecessor. “Prove Your Love” would peak at #7 on the Hot 100.
This is a typical Bruce Hornsby song. I do tolerate this one a little more than “The Way It Is” and “Mandolin Rain“. But, this is another song that I really need to be in the mood for in order to make it through the song. I made it to around a minute today.
Some of the younger crowd may know this song pretty well. Mariah Carey made this song a big hit in 1998. But, this song was originally done 10 years earlier by Brenda K. Starr. Mariah Carey actually sang backup on this original version. It would be Brenda K. Starr’s only top 20 hit. Mariah Carey did her version as a tribute to Starr because Starr had helped jump-start Carey’s career by handing a demo tape to CBS Records executive Tommy Mottola, who then signed Carey to her first recording contract.
This song often gets overlooked by radio. This was a good song in the middle of one of Cher’s many comebacks. This song was produced by David Geffen and written by Jon Bon Jovi, Desmond Child and Richie Sambora
This song is from Times Two’s 1988 debut album,X2. It would be their only hit song. It peaked at #20 on the Hot 100. This same year, Times Two was Debbie Gibson’s opening act for her Out of the Blue tour.
That wraps up today’s list of songs. It was kind of a mixed bag for me today. I hope you enjoyed it. We will be back tomorrow with some awesome songs. As always, please let me know what you think of the countdown so far, and if you have any memories from 1988 that you’d like to share..
Here is a wrap-up of the Horrible and Great hits of the ’80s. I threw all the songs from my previous lists of each year, and picked my least favorite and favorite songs of the decade.
So, this is basically a Greatest Hits compilation of the Hits – Horrible and Great series.
The Horrible Hits came quite easy to me, and fell right into place. My favorites were a little tougher. They are always rotating in and out. Since I love so much ’80s music, it is difficult leaving some songs off the list.
Well, without further adieu:
Horrible
10. If This Is It – Huey Lewis and The News
Stick with the up-tempo songs, Huey! I loved every song on the Sports album – except for this one. It’s slow, boring, and there’s no feeling in it.
9. Harden My Heart – Quarterflash
This is one of the most overplayed ’80s songs out there. I’ve heard this song more in the past couple of years than I did during the entire ’80s decade! And it’s not even on my iPod! This may not have made the list if it were not so overplayed. This song is a little to slow for me, but not slow enough to be a good ballad. I can’t change the station fast enough when it comes on the radio.
8. Two Hearts – Phil Collins
I love Phil Collins, but this was probably the most overplayed among his overplayed songs.
7. Smooth Operator – Sade
The Stuck in the 80s guys were told to keep this song off their Horrible list. It did sound like they wanted it on there though. So, I will place it on my list yet again. Is this even a song? It is more like slow torture! Slow, slow torture.
6. True – Spandau Ballet
Ah, Ah-Ah-ah, AAAAAAARRRGGGHHHH!!! I can’t stomach this song. It is too boring, and it high on some kind of wuss factor. I’ll have to admit that it was funny seeing Steve Buscemi singing this song at the end of The Wedding Singer:
Unfortunately, since the song was included in the movie, it was also included on the movie’s soundtrack. Why didn’t they leave this song off, and put on “Do You Believe In Love”?
5. Stand – R.E.M.
This song is like a whiny “Hokey Pokey”. The only song I liked by R.E.M. was “What’s the Frequency, Kenneth?”, and then they disappeared.
4. Red Red Wine – UB40
Neil Diamond was a great songwriter. But, this was not one of his better songs, that’s for sure! I don’t know why it was remade, and I don’t understand why this was a hit. This is another song that comes on, and I can’t change the station fast enough.
3. Mandolin Rain – Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Bruce Hornsby has a unique sound on his piano. Unfortunately, every song I’ve heard by him sounds exactly the same. And they are all horrible. I can’t turn this song off fast enough as soon as I hear it.
2. The Girl Is Mine – Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney
Two of the greatest music artists of all time took the biggest dump on the biggest album of all time! Uggh, this song makes me want to rip my ears off and rip all the skin off my face! The “doggon” song bites the big one! Especially when they start yapping in the song. This song should be taken off of all copies of Thriller, and be replaced by “Say, Say, Say”.
1. Don’t Worry, Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin
How can I be happy when this crap comes on the radio!? Don’t tell me what to do, Bobby McFerrin! I was perfectly happy until this song came on and annoyed the crap out of me. Ooooooo! There’s no instruments. He makes all the sound effects with his mouth! Impressive! If I want that, I don’t have to subject myself to this dreck. I’ll just put on some Police Academy to watch Michael Winslow.
Great
10. Lost In Your Eyes – Debbie Gibson
My favorite Debbie Gibson song. Even people who weren’t into the teen music, at the time, liked this song. It is still great today.
9. Hard Habit to Break – Chicago
I still love this Chicago ballad! This was in the middle of their comeback during the David Foster years. I got sick of “You’re the Inspiration”, but I never got sick of this song. Unfortunately, the band became known more for their ballads. Their rock songs are just as good. But, “Hard Habit to Break” is one of my all time favorite Chicago songs.
8. Down Under – Men At Work
This song was a breakthrough for Men At Work, and basically introduced the U.S. to Australia and vegemite sandwiches. This is a fun song, and Colin Haye has a great unique voice. The band had a great string of hits. Will they get back together already?!
7. Hungry Like the Wolf – Duran Duran
This song got a lot of people into Duran Duran. The exposure on MTV didn’t hurt either. I liked it when it came out because the video reminded me of Raiders of the Lost Ark. But, even without the video, the song itself is really good.
6. Like a Prayer – Madonna
This was Madonna at the peak of her career. This is my favorite song by her.
5. Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
This is a great song without the video. But, much like “At This Moment” is linked with Family Ties, “Here I Go Again” will forever be linked with the video and Tawny Kitaen. How many of us guys wished that we were that car?!? 24 years later I still love this song. It stands the test of time for me.
4. Pour Some Sugar On Me – Def Leppard
A perfect rock anthem. This is a fun song, that really rocks, and is still popular today. With all the great smash hits that Def Leppard has, this is one of the best.
3. The Living Years – Mike and the Mechanics
A really emotional song that packs quite a punch. Paul Carrack sounds great. The music and message are just awesome.
2. Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds
The ultimate ’80s song from the ultimate ’80s movie. You can’t think of one without the other. It even has staying power as this song is played while the losing American Idols are being booted. This song does get played alot, but somehow I cannot get sick of it.
1. Don’t Stop Believin’, Journey
“Don’t Stop Believin'” is one of my all time favorite songs, even after all these years. Everybody still gets into this song. And a new generation has even found it, as it became extremely popular from the television show Glee. Don’t Stop Believin’ this song will live on forever.
10. I’ve Had the Time of My Life – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
9. Songbird – Kenny G
8. I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany
7. With or Without You – U2
6. Head to Toe – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
5. Wanted Dead or Alive – Bon Jovi
4. Respect Yourself – Bruce Willis
3. La Isla Bonita – Madonna
2. Always – Atlantic Starr
1. Heaven is a Place on Earth
I had a lot of great music memories from this year. But, there were also so many bad songs, that I couldn’t just whittle it down to 5 like I have done for all my other Horrible lists. So here are my 10 Horrible Hits of 1987:
The very first time I heard this song was at a dance/mixer. I got there early to set up, and the DJ played this song first, before the rest of the people showed up. I thought it sounded pretty good when it was being blasted on the big speakers. But upon further listening on normal radio, it slowly drove me crazy. “Everybody Have Fun Tonight! Everybody Wang Chung tonight?” Really?!? It seemed a bit desperate (or arrogant) to try to make their band name a part of our vocabulary. Well, it didn’t work, and they didn’t have too many hits after this song.
I was really sick of George Michael by the time this came out. The only song I really liked by him was “Faith”. Remember when this song was the most controversial thing that George Michael did? We all long for those days again!
I love Lionel. But after an extremely long sting of successful hits, this stinker was kind of a jump-the-shark moment for him in my eyes. I even liked “Hello” better than this. I couldn’t listen to the whole song back then, and I can’t do it now.
This song is just meh to me. It might not have made my horrible list if it didn’t make the top 10. But, not only was this a top 10 song, it was a #1 hit! Not my cup of tea.
This was kind of boring for a dance song. I’ll take anything by Janet Jackson over this any day!
5. Hip to Be Square – Huey Lewis and the News
I don’t know why, but this song just rubs me the wrong way.
4. Mandolin Rain – Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Bruce Hornsby has a unique sound on his piano. Unfortunately, every song I’ve heard by him sounds exactly the same. And they are all horrible. I can’t turn this song off fast enough as soon as I hear it.
I love Madonna’s early music, and I even liked her music through the ’90s. But, this crappy boring song was the valley between her coned mountains of hits.
2. The Lady In Red – Chris DeBurgh
Let me know if there is anybody out there that hasn’t danced with a girl/woman in a red dress that actually still likes this song. This is too boring and whiny for me. I don’t care much for male singers that have wussy voices. However, I must admit that I do like DeBurgh’s “Carry Me (Like a Fire in Your Heart)“.
1. Songbird – Kenny G
This was the death of the sax in pop/rock songs, until Lady Ga Ga and the late, great Clarence Clemons brought it back last month. I don’t like the thought of elevator music appearing in the top 100, never mind topping at #4! I have a suggestion if you are planning a wedding. Do as I did, and tell the DJ: “NO KENNY G!!!”
“You Give Love a Bad Name” sent Bon Jovi into the stratosphere, and their follow-up song. “Livin’ on a Prayer” kept them there. I get sick of hearing the same song over and over again, but I could not get enough of this song when it came out. It was inspiring hearing about Tommy and Gina, who would go on to reappear in Bon Jovi’s 2000 smash hit “It’s My Life”.
Georgia Satellites were a one-hit wonder with this song. I think this song might irritate some people, but I really like it. It’s a great Southern Rock song that makes you want to move to the beat.
This is one of my favorite Huey Lewis songs, if not my favorite. Unfortunately, this song was overshadowed by the other songs from the Fore! album, such as “Stuck With You”, “Doing It All for My Baby”, and “Hip to Be Square”. This song was actually written by Bruce Hornsby and his brother John Hornsby. If Hornsby did this song instead of Huey Lewis, I would either hate this song, or I would like Bruce Hornsby.
This song was originally released in 1981, and topped out at #79. But, thanks to Family Ties, “At This Moment” made the charts again, and skyrocketed to #1. “At This Moment” will now forever be linked with Family Ties – which is not a bad thing.
5. Shakedown – Bob Seger
Kenny Loggins may be the king of ’80s movie soundtracks, but Bob Seger made a pretty good mark on movie soundtracks himself. He scored big time with “Old Time Rock and Roll” in an iconic scene in Risky Business. Then he had “Shakedown” for the Beverly Hills Cop II. I like Bob Seger alot, and this is one of my favorite songs by him.
4. Alone – Heart
In my opinion, Ann and Nancy Wilson are among the greatest females in Rock history. This is one of my favorite Heart songs. Ann sings this song with so much power and passion.
Here is an awesome acoustic version:
3. With or Without You – U2
U2 had some great rockin’ songs that I love. But this slower song is probably my favorite U2 tune. I love songs that starts slow, and becomes more and more powerful as it goes on.
2. Will You Still Love Me? – Chicago
Chicago, one of my favorite bands, proved that they could move on without Peter Cetera. Their rock songs are underrated. But, when they do great ballads like this, you can see why these are the ones that get the radio air play.
1. Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
This is a great song without the video. But, much like “At This Moment” is linked with Family Ties, “Here I Go Again” will forever be linked with the video and Tawny Kitaen. How many of us guys wished that we were that car?!? 24 years later I still love this song. It stands the test of time for me.
Return to the 80s 