Mare's Mess

A year ago I prepared a list of my favorite songs from the 70's and Matt downloaded them and put them on a CD. I think it's awesome, but I'm also totally aware that many might think that some of the songs I picked are aweful. I didn't pick them because of their great musical style or their brilliant lyrics. I picked them because they speak to me in one way or another. Some of them are songs I'm embarrassed to admit that I like. Thank God I'm a Country Boy by John Denver comes to mind. But they remind me of a time or place from my youth, or the intense emotions of my early adolescence, or I just like them and can give you no good reason why.


For a few months now I've been working on my 80's list. I thought this list would be much harder to compile. I was older and had more experiences in the 80's that I associate certain songs to. I thought I would have a hard time narrowing the list down to 25 (my self-imposed number). This list has been harder than my 70's list, but not because I'm finding too many I want on it, but because the songs I remember loving in the 80's just don't speak to me now the way they did then. One reason is that the 80's more produced sound just doesn't hold up as well with time as music from the 70's did. I was a HUGE Michael Jackson fan and was sure there would be several of his songs on my list, but when I go back and listen to them now, they just don't hold the magic for me that they did in the 80's. The only MJ song to make it on my list was Rock With You. I'm not sure if it's because he turned into a freak, but maybe.


I've got a list of the definites for the CD. Besides Rock With You, I've got:


One Thing Leads to Another – The Fixx
Jessie’s Girl – Rick Springfield

867-5309 – Tommy Tutone
You Dropped a Bomb on Me – Gap Band

Jeopardy – Greg Kihn Band
Can You Feel It – The Jacksons

Life’s Been Good – Joe Walsh
Somebody’s Baby – Jackson Browne

Lady – Commodores
Fire – Pointer Sisters

I Can Dream About You – Dan Hartman
Cuts Like a Knife – Bryan Adams

Wild, Wild West – Escape Club
If This Is It – Huey Lewis


Feel free to comment, criticize, or congratulate me for my great taste in music. This list makes 15. I still need 10 more. I've got a list of maybe's, but most of them aren't reaching out and grabbing me. The ones I'm leaning towards most strongly are Hold On by Kansas, Emergency by Kool & the Gang, and We Got the Beat by the Go-Go's. But I'm not married to any of them. I also have a few songs that I like, but I'm not sure when they came out. Anyone know of a site where I can find the year songs came out? Amazon has been no help in this regard.


Anyway, this is where you come in. Give me your suggestions for songs from the 80's that speak to you. They may or may not speak to me, but it will be fun to hear your ideas nonetheless. And I really need some suggestions. I'll let you know my final 10 once I've decided on them.



By the way, they need to be songs I can listen to with my kids around. I've got a list of songs from the 70's, 80's and 90's for my "After Hours" CD that I'll listen to when the kids aren't around. I'll share that list with you if anyone cares, but right now I've got to get ready to go to work.