#49 - I'm On Fire

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Album: Born In The U.S.A.
Video: From YouTube.

This song was featured on the very first album I ever bought (actually a cassette tape).  Bruce Springsteen was, and remains, an all-time favorite of mine.  I've been lucky to see him perform live three times.  Nobody is better in concert than Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band.

New Jersey’s working class hero initially burst into the public consciousness with the 1975 masterpiece “Born To Run”.  Ten years later, his popularity peaked again on a much larger scale with the “Born In The U.S.A.” album.  Baseball, apple pie, Bruce Springsteen and all that.

The album produced a record-tying seven top 10 singles, including “I’m On Fire”, the fourth single released.  A spare, haunting track featuring little more than Bruce’s vocals and a synthesizer, it peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song has been covered by dozens of artists, ranging from Johnny Cash to John Mayer to Tori Amos.

Clearly, “I’m On Fire” is about a man wrestling with his prurient urges.  But the dark and suggestive lyrics leave the song’s deeper meaning up for debate.  Taken literally, it can be inferred that the protagonist is a pedophile.  I disagree.  I happen to believe the song is multi-layered.

The video won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video in 1985.  The Boss gets to demonstrate some acting chops, portraying an auto mechanic tormented by his desire for a leggy female customer in a white Ford Thunderbird. 

Returning her car, he drives through the city and arrives at her mansion in the hills.  He walks up the stairs to her door and gazes into her open window.  He begins to ring the doorbell, but instead just smiles and shakes his head, placing the keys in her mailbox and walking away.  It’s an interesting look at Bruce’s shy and uncertain side.

#50 - Too Late For Goodbyes

Artist: Julian Lennon

Album: Valotte
Video: From YouTube.

Here's a fun fact: Julian Lennon's father also played music.  Amazing, huh?

In fact, Julian achieved mainstream success at a younger age than The Great John Lennon.  He was just 21 when "Valotte" was released.  It was the best album he ever recorded, and his musical career didn’t develop very much after that.  "Too Late For Goodbyes" was his highest charting single, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song has a light and upbeat tempo.  "Valotte" is my favorite song of Julian's, but this one holds its own.  I can definitely hear the family resemblance in the quality of his voice. It just kills me to think of all the great music the world was gypped out of by John’s murder.

While "Too Late For Goodbyes" was on the charts, Julian stated that the lyrics were about a breakup with a girlfriend.  But many have speculated that the song is a reaction to his feelings of being abandoned by his father.  It must be a difficult road to hoe, being the offspring of one of rock ‘n’ roll’s all-time greatest.  I give him credit for choosing a music career and thriving in the face of the constant comparisons.

There’s not much going on in the video, just Julian performing with the band in an empty auditorium.  Every once in a while we see a guy in the hallway, goofing around, making funny movements.  Could it be…?  Nah…

The Forgotten Hits of 1985

In 1985, twenty-seven songs reached #1 in the Billboard Hot 100.  I've already written about five of them.  Twenty more will be featured among the top 50 videos of this countdown.  But there were two #1 hits that didn't make the MTV Top 100 countdown at all.

The first was Whitney Houston's "Saving All My Love For You". Whitney had a huge 1985, as she rose to international prominence with her self-titled debut album.  This song was just the first of a record seven consecutive #1 hits.

The second was Jan Hammer’s instrumental Miami Vice Theme.  To date, it is the last instrumental song to top the chart.  The Miami Vice soundtrack ruled the album charts for eleven weeks in 1985.

I don’t know why these songs didn't make the MTV countdown.  I remember "Saving All My Love" playing on VH-1 all the time.  Was there some exclusivity governing which channel got to play videos back then?  I’m not sure how that would have worked.  I recall the "How Will I Know" video being played in heavy rotation on MTV.

I wondered if it could be because the songs reached #1 late in 1985, so maybe they were part of the 1986 countdown.  But they are not.  And several songs that topped the charts after these two are included in the 1985 countdown.

So, even though these two #1 songs were neglected in MTV’s honor roll, they find their proper recognition where it counts.  Here.  I believe Whitney would have been proud.

#51 - Heaven

Artist: Bryan Adams

Album: Reckless
Video: From YouTube.

Bryan Adams is one of many great rock stars from Canada.  I was always a big fan.  "Reckless" was one of the first albums I ever bought.  When I was 14 I went to Target and bought my first six music cassette tapes for $40.  They were: 


"Born In The U.S.A." - Bruce Springsteen
"Vital Signs" - Survivor
"Standing On The Edge" - Cheap Trick
"No Jacket Required" - Phil Collins
"Like A Virgin" - Madonna
"Reckless" - Bryan Adams

So how about a "first albums" tag for this blog?  Great idea.  Done.

"Heaven" made it all the way to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It’s kind of like a soft rock song with lyrics about a man unable to believe how lucky he is to be with his woman.  But it also has elements of a power ballad, with a stellar drum riff leading into the chorus, an understated but excellent lead guitar, and Adams’ gravelly voice completing the package.  It’s a hybrid soft rock power ballad.  Totally awesome.

The video features Adams alone on stage, singing to an auditorium with seats filled with televisions.  Adoring fans fill the screens.  In the end, we see him sleeping in front of the TV, the picture having turned to snow.   Was it all a dream?  Is he actually in Heaven?
 
And with that, this blog is halfway finished.  Tomorrow, I have a surprise for you.

#52 - Easy Lover

Artist: Philip Bailey & Phil Collins

Album: Chinese Wall
Video: From YouTube.

Ah, “Easy Lover”.  She’ll get a hold on you, believe it! 

This is a great tune by two key members of legendary bands.  Phil Collins of Genesis and Philip Bailey from Earth, Wind & Fire both bring their A game.  The song is about a woman whose carefree attitude towards romance ends in heartbreak for her lovers.  She’s an easy lover as in “easy come, easy go”. 

“Easy Lover” peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the charts in three countries.  It won an MTV Video Music Award.  Perhaps most importantly, it was frequently used in television ads promoting the very first WrestleMania.

1985 was a very busy year for both artists.  Most 80’s music fans know that Phil Collins released his most successful album, “No Jacket Required”, in 1985.  But Philip Bailey also released a gospel album that year, “The Wonders Of His Love”, right on the heels of 1984’s “Chinese Wall”.

The video features a lot of goofing around between the two Phils.  It’s a video about the making of the video, as we see them rehearsing, dancing and getting made up in the dressing room.  It is enjoyable to see how much fun these guys had working together.

#53 - Tough All Over

Artist: John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band

Album: Tough All Over
Video: From YouTube.

This band is most famous for performing in the Eddie and the Cruisers movies.  They also contributed songs to two Sylvester Stallone movie soundtracks: Rocky IV ("Heart's On Fire") and Cobra ("Voice of America's Sons").  Although they still perform live today, they have not released a studio album since the 80's. 

I used to get John Cafferty mixed up with John Fogerty, just because their names sounded so similar.  He's actually more like a poor man's Bruce Springsteen.

"Tough All Over" peaked at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It’s not a bad song.  It's not really that good either.  I would rate it decidedly adequate.  Does it deserve to be ranked higher than Material Girl and every other video we've talked about so far?  Hmmmm.

The video is mostly a live performance, mixed with scenes from the band's hometown of Narragansett, Rhode Island. 

Finally, you might have noticed a new poll is up.  Since this blog is nearly half finished, we will have to seriously pick up the pace if we're going to crown a best song of 1985 winner.

#54 - Material Girl

Artist: Madonna

Album: Like A Virgin
Video: From YouTube.

“Material Girl”, of course, is a nickname that has stuck with Madonna for decades.  For this reason she has expressed regret over recording the song, but I’m certainly glad she did.  It’s top shelf.

This is the third of four Madonna videos in the 1985 MTV Top 100 countdown.  She also had a fifth smash hit in 1985 that is not included, “Into The Groove”.  That might be my favorite Madonna song of all.

However, she’s not the artist with the most videos in this countdown.  Someone else has five.  Can you guess who it is? 

"Material Girl" peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song has a lasting legacy, both as a celebration of 80’s excess and an assault on mindless consumerism.  Academic stuffed shirts can continue to debate its meaning.  I just think it’s playful and catchy.  Not to mention the effect that the 1985 Madonna had on a 15-year-old boy.  Yipe!

The video pays homage to Marilyn Monroe's performance of "Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend"  in the film "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes".  Clad in hot pink dress, fancy jewelry and furs, she coyly rebuffs the advances of a legion of tuxedo-clad men who shower her with gifts.  Although the video is basically a remake, Madonna puts her unique stamp on it.

In the end of the video, the twist is revealed.  Madonna is not a material girl after all.  She is won over by Keith Carradine and his simple flowers and pick-up truck.

#55 - Cannonball

Artist: Supertramp

Album: Brother Where You Bound
Video: From YouTube.

I was not aware of this song in 1985.  In fact, it has managed to escape my consciousness completely until right now.

It was years before I became aware of Supertramp at all, since the band's greatest successes occurred before I discovered music.  I have a greatest hits collection of theirs which I like, but I've never been a huge fan.  I appreciate their work, they've just never really struck a chord with me.

"Cannonball" was not a tremendous hit, although I do enjoy the horn section.  It only reached #28 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song is about a betrayal of trust.  Maybe I’m naïve, but I was really hoping it had something to do with the Cannonball Run movies with Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise.  Apparently there is no connection whatsoever.  That's a shame.

The video features a caveman as the main character, which is nice; it’s been eight videos since we’ve seen cave dwellers.  He is quite agitated, taking part in one chase scene after another with no discernible goal.  The “Brother Where You Bound” album features a caveman on the cover, so there is probably a connection there, but I wasn’t able to discover it.  I’d be interested to hear what it is.

And, unless I missed it, there is not a cannonball to be found.  What a gyp.

#56 - Raspberry Beret

Artist: Prince

Album: Around The World In A Day
Video: From DailyMotion.  Prince doesn't do YouTube.

Prince has always been one of my favorites.  I attended the Lovesexy tour in 1988 when he played about 40 songs.  The only problem was he couldn't seem to finish a song, after a couple of minutes he would segue right into the next one.

I even visited his store in his hometown of Minneapolis, which no longer exists.  It was full of all kinds of memorabilia from his concerts and films.

This little purple man is extremely prolific, having composed over 1,000 songs.  To me, his greatest works come from the mid 80's.  The "Around The World In A Day" album was a bit weak to me, but maybe that’s just in comparison to the epic albums immediately preceding it (“1999” and “Purple Rain”).

Lyrically, Prince is at his best with “Raspberry Beret”.  The song features some of his richest storytelling, with colorful characters described in vivid detail.  Combine that with a groovy, funky beat, you have one of his greatest songs.  It peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

The video is equally colorful, filled with bright purples, pinks and blues.  Prince wears a sky blue outfit with clouds.  Also included is a cartoon sequence that illustrates the narrative.

#57 - Invincible

Artist: Pat Benatar

Album: Legend Of Billie Jean Soundtrack
Video: From YouTube.

This is the second consecutive song from a powerhouse female artist which is also featured on a movie soundtrack.  First Mad Max, now Billie Jean.  I love it.

Pat Benatar always seemed like she could kick some ass if the situation called for it.  She conveys an interesting mixture of rebelliousness and vulnerability, as well as a sense of danger.  On this song in particular, she sings with conviction and intensity.  I was a fan.

"Invincible" peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It is an inspirational song about fighting for your beliefs.  It was also featured on the "Seven The Hard Way" album.  But first, it was the theme from the movie “The Legend Of Billie Jean".

A box-office flop, the film later became a cult classic.  Benatar hated the movie, often introducing this song in concert with "This is from the worst movie ever made".  I never saw it, but now I'll have to check it out.  It is also Christian Slater's feature film debut.

The video includes a montage of scenes from the film along with tight close-ups of Benatar singing, and the band performing sans audience.  Hot pinks and bright oranges are featured liberally; her eye shadow, blouse, lipstick, and the fiery backgrounds.

"We can't afford to be innocent”…

#58 - We Don't Need Another Hero

Artist: Tina Turner

Album: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Soundtrack
Video: From YouTube.

The owner of the most famous legs in show biz, Tina Turner was at the pinnacle of her commercial success in 1985.

Fresh off the heels of the multi-platinum album “Private Dancer”, Tina landed a role as the lead actress in “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome”.  One of her contributions to the soundtrack, “We Don’t Need Another Hero” shot all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

With its insistent and driving chorus, the song has an anthemic quality.  I definitely enjoyed it, I even think I may have underrated it at the time.  And when I went to college at UC Santa Barbara, the basketball team played in a stadium known as "The Thunderdome".  So there was also that connection.

I didn’t see any of the Mad Max movies, I was more of a “Lethal Weapon” guy.  So I couldn’t really appreciate the scenes from the movie which comprise most of the video.  I didn’t even realize that she was one of the stars until I did research, as she doesn't appear in any of the film scenes.  That really is some getup she's wearing.  And those crazy earrings?!  Damn.

Finally, the video ends with a children’s choir joining in the chorus.  I think anytime you can add a children’s choir to a pop song, that is a nice touch.

#59 - Things Can Only Get Better

Artist: Howard Jones

Album: Dream Into Action
Video: From YouTube.

Yes, Howie is here to save us!  As an astute reader guessed, I cryptically foreshadowed the appearance of this song in my last post.

"Things Can Only Get Better" is such a happy and optimistic song.  It's about having the courage to pursue your dreams and living each day as if it was your last.  The jubilant wordless chorus is a generational call to arms.

The song is one of two top 5 hits that Howard Jones recorded in his career, peaking at #5 on the Billboard Hot 100.  His first two albums were his best, "Human's Lib" and "Dream Into Action".  In the fall of 2011, he toured and performed each track on these classic 80's albums in their entirety.  I wish I had known at the time, that would have been an awesome show to see.

The video includes many hues of orange, including Jones’ snazzy jacket and coiffure.  We see our hero preparing for a show and delivering a live performance.  Keeping with the upbeat theme, several colorful characters are featured, including a Charlie Chaplin impersonator and a board-breaking ninja.

Finally…I thought for sure I’d be writing the poll’s obituary, but you all have saved it for now.  Three votes in the last poll were barely enough to declare a winner.  A new poll is up.  It may be this blog’s last, we’ll have to see the response.

#60 - Face The Face

Artist: Pete Townshend

Album: White City
Video: From YouTube.

In 1985, I disliked this song more than any other.  I think what disturbed me the most was the cadence.  The way “Face The Face” was repeated over and over with no variation, like a needle stuck on a record.  You young-uns may not have experienced that before.  I can promise it’s not a pleasant listening experience.

Later, I would learn that Pete Townshend was also in a band called The Who, and made some decent music at one time.

Today?  I feel the same way.  Fingernails on a chalkboard.  We will move on.

I have to believe that things can only get better.

#61 - The Big Money

Artist: Rush

Album: Power Windows
Video: From DailyMotion.

MTV referred to this song as "Big Money", although its correct title is "The Big Money".  It is the second consecutive song on this countdown to miss Billboard's top 40, peaking at #45.

The song’s title comes from a 1936 novel written by John Dos Passos, one of the great novelists and poets of the Lost Generation.  How progressive of Rush.

I respect Rush for their influence and craftsmanship over the course of a 40+ year career.  However, I am not a huge fan personally.  Their music has never really spoken to me.  I like a few of their songs though, “Tom Sawyer” in particular.

The video features computer graphics that were cutting edge for the time, but appear quite dated today.  The band is performing on a huge Monopoly board, which is awesome. 

But I think if a music video is going to feature Monopoly, they should totally commit to it.  I want to see the thimble, the wheelbarrow, the shoe and the racecar.  This guy should make an appearance...is that too much to ask?

#62 - After The Fire

Artist: Roger Daltrey

Album: Under A Raging Moon
Video: From YouTube.

Not only is Roger Daltrey the lead singer and founder of The Who, he is also an accomplished actor.  His solo album "Under A Raging Moon" was named in a tribute to the late Who drummer Keith Moon.

"After The Fire" received a fair amount of airplay on MTV, but the single missed the top 40 completely, peaking at #48.  I could never quite decide whether I found this song adequate, mildly annoying, or if I was totally indifferent.

Now, I think it’s mildly annoying.  For one thing, I find fault with the premise.  “After the fire, the fire still burns”?  How can the fire continue to burn, if it has been established that the fire has in fact completed?

Also, can someone explain to me why the lyrics reference both Matt Dillon and Dom DeLuise?  I’m so confused.

The video features a raging inferno and various volcanic images.  I enjoy that.  However, I do not enjoy the extreme close-ups on Daltrey’s sweaty mug.  And that open shirt is really bugging me.  Clean up yer act, mister.

#63 - Loverboy

Artist: Billy Ocean

Album: Suddenly
Video: From DailyMotion.  Beware of the 30-second commercial intro.

Billy Ocean's birth name is Leslie Sebastian Charles.  I think choosing "Billy Ocean" as a stage name was a great move.

I liked some of Billy’s songs all right, but he was a little bit too VH-1 for me.  “Loverboy” was one that I enjoyed.  Compared to many of his other hits, this was a hard rocker.  I like that he expresses a clear, unmistakable desire to be “loverboy” to the woman he is singing about.

Here's an interesting fact about Billy Ocean's chart success: he has had three #1 hits, and the title of each of those songs is exactly eight words long.  I leave it to you to look up the names.  This one-word hit nearly crashed that party, peaking at #2.

The video includes many interesting looking, uh, creatures.  Apparently this is some type of homage to Star Wars.  I didn’t get that since I’m not a fan of that movie.  To me, it looked more like the Muppets on an acid trip.  My favorite scene is the odd, cartoonish-looking horse galloping across the ocean in the opening scene.  The closing beach shot provides a nice bookend to the story.

Lastly, please remember to vote in the poll shown on the upper-right portion of the blog.  I've been extending the ending time of these polls because not many people are voting.  Every vote counts, and your vote will ultimately help determine the blog's favorite song of 1985.

#64 - Rhythm Of The Night

Artist: DeBarge

Album: Rhythm Of The Night
Video: From YouTube.

“Rhythm Of The Night” was another favorite of mine.  An easy, breezy, carefree song about going out and having a good time.

In 1985, I imagined that an exciting night out looked exactly like this video.  Dancing in the streets, stopping traffic, skipping in perfect choreography.  The promise of celebration and romance.  Obviously, I never went out.

The sibling act DeBarge was at the peak of their success in 1985 with the “Rhythm Of The Night” album.  With El DeBarge on lead vocals, the title track peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The following year, El left the group to record a successful solo album, and DeBarge the family act disbanded shortly after that.

Since the height of their success, the DeBarge family has provided enough material for several seasons worth of reality shows.  Several siblings have battled drug addiction.  James DeBarge reportedly had a secret love child with Janet Jackson.  Sadly, Bobby DeBarge died of AIDS in 1995. 

But I will always remember the DeBarge five cruising the streets, and forgetting about the worries on their minds.  Because you can leave them all behind.


#65 - The Boys Of Summer

Artist: Don Henley

Album: Building The Perfect Beast
Video: From DailyMotion.

This is one of my all-time favorite songs.  It was like a "gateway drug" that led to my discovery of the Eagles' classic tunes.  It was a rare positive 1985 introduction to a rock 'n' roll legend.

"The Boys Of Summer" peaked at #5 in the Billboard Hot 100.  Filled with beautifully poetic lyrics, the song is a melancholy lament of lost youth and innocence.  The “Dead-Head sticker on a Cadillac” line is a condemnation of yuppie hypocrisy.

The video won the MTV Video of the Year award in 1985.  So why isn't it #1 in the countdown?  Or at least in the top 64?  The order of MTV's list continues to baffle me.

Shot entirely in black and white, this is one of MTV's classic videos.  We see a number of scenes in which Henley appears to hover above Los Angeles.  He is actually being filmed while riding in the back of a pickup truck. 

The enduring image is of two young lovers running and playing on the beach.  It recurs as if it were a memory of the video's characters, who appear haunted and touched by the theme of lost innocence.  In particular, the small, intense-looking boy playing drums bears a striking resemblance to Henley.

I saw Don Henley live during the "End Of The Innocence" tour in 1989.  It was a terrific show, much better than the disappointing and overhyped Eagles' "Hell Freezes Over" tour, which devoted a ridiculous amount of time to the individual band members singing their solo hits.  Seriously, I paid a premium for Eagles tickets so I could hear Joe Walsh sing "Ordinary Average Guy"?  If you're going to get the band back together, sing the songs that made the band great in the first place.

#66 - Tonight She Comes

Artist: The Cars

Album: Greatest Hits
Video: From YouTube.

The Cars were a classic rock band with a new wave twist.  Or maybe vice versa.  Featuring Ric Ocasek and the late Benjamin Orr on lead vocals, this Bostonian crew released a string of rollicking good-time songs in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

“Tonight She Comes” didn't make much of an impact on me in 1985.  The first Cars songs I really liked were "Drive" and "You Might Think", which led me to buy this very Greatest Hits album and discover their classic songs.  I never did buy any of their studio albums, but The Cars’ Greatest Hits is a great listen.

Actually, the song wasn’t a Greatest Hit when the compilation was released.  It was a brand new song that ultimately proved worthy of the album title, as it peaked at #7 in the Billboard Hot 100.  I was surprised to learn this song was one of only 4 top 10 singles recorded by The Cars.  The others were "Drive" (#3), "Shake It Up" (#4), and "You Might Think" (#7).

This song is about.....hell, just read the title.

The video is mildly reminiscent of the "You Might Think" video, which won the first Video of the Year award in 1984.  The creativity was not at that level, but the style includes many of the same fun, psychedelic elements.  It has kind of a crazy fun house quality, full of funky shapes, patterns and polka dots, and Ocasek appearing in miniature size next to the titular woman of the song.

#67 - Oh Sheila

Artist: Ready For The World

Album: Ready For The World
Video: From YouTube.

When I first heard "Oh Sheila", I thought it was a Prince song.  It took me a while to figure out that it was a completely different band.

Ready For The World is an R&B band from Flint, Michigan.  The band recorded three top 40 singles in their career, all during the 80's.  They released a new album as recently as 2011. 

“Oh Sheila” made it all the way to the toppermost of the poppermost in 1985, reaching #1 in the Billboard Hot 100.  That surprises me, because I thought this song was just incredibly average.  I preferred “Digital Display” from the same album, which wasn’t even a top 20 hit.  The lyrics were much more imaginative and also a lot dirtier.

As for the video, it's pretty boring.  The band on stage in an empty concert hall.  Looks like they tried to spice things up with some clumsy cinematography tricks.  On the positive side, the band is wearing some dapper white suits.

In other blog news: there is a new poll!

#68 - One Night In Bangkok

Artist: Murray Head

Album: Chess (The Musical)
Video: From YouTube.

Bangkok!  Oriental City!  You seen one crowded, stinking, polluted town…

Before this song, Murray Head was best known for his performance as Judas Iscariot on the original Jesus Christ Superstar album in 1970.  But "One Night In Bangkok" is his greatest legacy.  Good for him.

In my objective, critical opinion, everything about this song is completely, totally awesome.  It’s packed full of more classic lines that can be repeated.  Just Google the lyrics.

The song is about a sophisticated intellectual who asserts his preference for the cerebral world of chess while snarkily mocking the simple common folk who would dare to sample the, er…..colorful Bangkok nightlife.  I didn’t have any idea about that in 1985.  I just thought it was funny that he said he gets his kicks above the waistline (sunshine).   I’ve still never seen the musical, but I think I would enjoy it.  I mean, it's about chess.  How awesome is that?

And of course, Mike Tyson is a big fan.

The video is full of chess imagery, colorful characters and scenes from Thailand.  It’s a winning combination.

#69 - What About Love

Artist: Heart

Album: Heart
Video: From YouTube.

"What About Love" was the first single from Heart's 1985 self-titled comeback album.  The song represented the band's first top 10 effort in five years, peaking at #10 in the Billboard Hot 100.

Heart, led by sisters Ann & Nancy Wilson, first achieved success in the late 70's.  After an early 80's decline, they enjoyed a resurgence in the mid-80's with several hit singles from this album and the follow-up, "Bad Animals" in 1987.

Not quite a hard rocker and not quite a ballad, "What About Love" was a powerful hybrid of the two.  Along with "Never" (which will be featured later in this countdown), this song was my introduction to Heart and led me to discover older classics such as "Barracuda" and "Magic Man". 

The video includes lots of fire and smoke imagery.  Like the fiery passion of hot burning love!

One more thing.  Enjoy this hilarious analysis from Grantland on the 1985 American Music Awards.


#70 - And We Danced

Artist: Hooters

Album: Nervous Night
Video: From YouTube.

This restaurant has the best chicken wings. Oh, not that "Hooters"?  My mistake....

These Hooters are a rock band from Philadelphia, and they achieved their first mainstream success in 1985.  Founding member Eric Bazilian wrote the Grammy nominated hit "One Of Us", most famously sung by Joan Osborne.

"And We Danced" just missed the top 20 in the U.S., peaking at #21 in the Billboard Hot 100. Only one Hooters song achieved greater chart success: "Day By Day", also from the "Nervous Night" album, reached #18.

I wasn't a fan of this song in 1985.  I'm not sure why, but now I realize I totally missed the boat.  Listening to it again today, "And We Danced" is thoroughly enjoyable.  It's a catchy, up-tempo rocker about a magical evening of romance.  "She was a bebop baby on a hard day's night"...good stuff.  I would love to know what that wind instrument is with the keyboard attachment in the opening notes.

The video includes live footage of the band performing at a Pennsylvania drive-in. We also see the crowd's antics in the concession stands and parking lot.  I found a really interesting story on the making of this video and I was going to link to it, but now the site is not accessible.  Too bad.  I can't be posting no broken links.

#71 - Freeway Of Love

Artist: Aretha Franklin

Album: Who's Zoomin' Who?
Video: From YouTube.

“Freeway of Love” peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985, winning two Grammy Awards.  It features Clarence Clemons, my all-time favorite saxophone player.  The video was filmed in Detroit and is filled with automobile footage: factories, tollbooths, junkyards, even lines at the DMV.

However, I did not enjoy “Freeway of Love”.  I found the song vaguely annoying in 1985.

Look, I appreciate that Aretha Franklin is the Queen of Soul.  She is one of the top female recording artists of all-time, if not the greatest.  R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.  She's amazing.  But this was the problem with 1985.  Aretha was just one of several legendary rockers who laid an egg in our Year of the McFly.  Let’s review just those already featured on this blog:

David Bowie - This is Not America
Stevie Wonder - Part-Time Lover
Mick Jagger - Lucky In Love
Michael McDonald - No Lookin’ Back

I actually did enjoy Part-Time Lover, but it pales in comparison to Stevie’s artistic peak.  The rest of these songs are duds.  And yes, McDonald doesn’t really belong on the same level historically as these other folks, but he made some outstanding music with the Doobie Brothers. 

Anyway, that’s five underperforming superstars so far, including Aretha, and we’ve got 70 more videos to go.  By the time we’re done, Pete Townshend (The Who) and Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) will join this group.  I’m just thankful that the 1985 contributions of Bob Dylan and Neil Young were too lousy to even make the chart, so my later appreciation of them was untarnished.

Fortunately, I learned years later that David Bowie, Steve Wonder, The Rolling Stones, The Doobie Brothers, Aretha Franklin, The Who, and Led Zeppelin created some of the greatest music the world has ever known. 

But in 1985?  Please.  Give me more Katrina & The Waves and Teena Marie. 

#72 - Voices Carry

Artist: 'til Tuesday

Album: Voices Carry
Video: In all its glory.

 “Voices Carry” is quite simply a great song.  From ‘til Tuesday’s debut album, it is their most successful single, peaking at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The band recorded three albums together, breaking up in 1988.  In 1993, Aimee Mann began a successful solo career that continues to this day.

The song is about an abusive relationship.   It features a woman struggling with her desire to express herself and her wishes to please her boyfriend, who wants to control every aspect of her behavior.  Quite a bold narrative choice and certainly not the typical 80’s pop song.

The video is absolutely classic.  It won the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist in 1985.  The greatest and most famous scene takes place in Carnegie Hall.  Mann shocks the stoic audience by singing at full volume, causing deep embarrassment to her controlling boyfriend.

From start to finish the video is packed with unintentional comedy.  It features awesome spoken-word sections from Mr. Control Freak in the intro and before the bridge.  “You know, this little hobby of yours has gone too far!”  He mercilessly ridicules her musical aspirations.  The degree to which he is a complete asshole makes Aimee Mann’s final rebellion that much more satisfying.

This is the last song in the streak of favorites that began with “Smooth Operator” at #77.  Unfortunately, the tide is about to turn.