#25 - The Heat Is On

Artist: Glenn Frey

Album: Beverly Hills Cop Soundtrack
Video: From YouTube.

After spending the ‘70s with Don Henley headlining the Eagles, Glenn Frey tried his hand at a solo career in the ‘80s.  After a slow start to the decade, he hit the jackpot in 1985 with hit songs from movies and TV.

“The Heat Is On” is the third song in this countdown from the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack, and also the most successful.  It’s a catchy tune that was frequently played at sporting events to excite the crowd.  Up-tempo beat, cool sax solo, and easily digestible lyrics, albeit a bit repetitive.

The song peaked at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It was actually his first of two #2 songs in 1985, we’ll get to the other one a little bit later.  It's the kind of song that sticks in your head, usually reminding you of the hilarious hi-jinks that was the Beverly Hills Cop movie.

The video plays like a trailer for said movie, giving nearly equal time to Glenn Frey performing.  We see a lot of Eddie Murphy getting into crazy adventures.  It is also the second straight video in the countdown that features a healthy dose of car chases.

I must say that in the final analysis, I enjoyed this song.  Especially the oh-whoa-whoa-oh's.  You know what I'm talking about.

#26 - Sleeping Bag

Artist: ZZ Top

Album: Afterburner
Video: From DailyMotion with 45-second commercial, booo.  Hard to find this video online.

The only appearance in the countdown for the classic beards.  I always dug these groovy cats.  To me ZZ Top was edgy, mysterious and somewhat forbidden.  Like cigarettes or PCP. 

ZZ Top has been around since the late ‘60s, and they even released a critically acclaimed album this year.  But it was during the mid ‘80s that they experienced their greatest commercial successes.  “Eliminator” produced more recognizable hits, but “Afterburner” actually sold more records.

 “Sleeping Bag” is a groovy rocker with an irresistible baseline.  It peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100, equaling the performance of the group’s other top 10 hit, “Legs”.  Most of the lyrics are incomprehensible, but there's no mistake about “slip inside my sleeping bag”.  Great line.

The video is a menagerie of all kinds of fun stuff.  Monster trucks, sexy ladies, car chases, an exploding pyramid, a bag of cash.  A young innocent couple being chased by ne’er-do-wells, as the ZZ Top guys play heroes by making helpful objects appear out of thin air, including said sleeping bag.  The classic red Eliminator (a 1933 Ford coupe) is also prominent.

The video concludes with the promise “To Be Continued…”.  However, I was not able to learn whether or not this convoluted story was actually continued.  “Stages”, the following video from the “Afterburner” album, did not revisit this ridiculously entertaining sequence of events.

#27 - Crazy For You

Artist: Madonna

Album: Vision Quest Motion Picture Soundtrack
Video: From YouTube.

OMG Crazy For You!  I love this song!  Very tough to pick a personal favorite from 1985, but along with this song it’s a front runner.  At least it better get serious consideration for favorite song in the reader’s choice poll on this blog, or I just might have to rig the thing.  Not that I would ever do that.  By the way a new poll is up, don’t forget to vote!

Anyway, "Crazy For You".  OMG!  When it was released, Madonna had the #1 album in the U.S. and this song wasn’t even on it.  Her record company didn’t want the single released because she was essentially competing with herself for sales.  Then when "Into The Groove" surfaced just a few months later, that couldn’t be released as a single in the U.S. because nobody could handle all the awesomeness. 

No matter, everyone involved got rich.  Madonna’s first ballad soared to the top of the pops, knocking "We Are The World" out of its 4-week reign at the top spot.  The bigwigs at Warner Brothers didn’t want her singing it at first, they didn’t know if she could handle it since she was being typecast as a dance club singer.  Well, she nailed it.  The song is a naked expression of physical desire, filled with wantonly brazen sexual lyrics.

The song is featured in the 1985 film "Vision Quest", a coming of age wrestling film starring Matthew Modine and Linda Fiorentino.  "Crazy For You" makes two appearances in the film.  The first time is a scene featuring Madonna performing in a nightclub, and the main characters dance together without passion.  However, when the song is reprised later in the film, they get their smooch on during a walk in the woods.

The video features a montage of scenes from the film, chronicling the developing relationship between the main characters.  There is also plenty of Madonna performing in the same nightclub from the movie scene.  The enduring image is her swaying gently on a poorly lit stage highlighted with pink neon accents, crucifix earring prominently jangling.

#28 - Little By Little

Artist: Robert Plant

Album: Shaken 'n' Stirred
Video: From YouTube.

Robert Plant is the distinguished frontman from Led Zeppelin, one of the most influential and innovative groups in the history of rock ‘n’ roll.  You’d never know it from listening to this song.

Plant released his third solo album “Shaken ‘n’ Stirred” in 1985, not that I noticed.  However, I did enjoy his subsequent solo album, 1988’s “Now And Zen”.  And I probably discovered Led Zeppelin sometime after that.  Zeppelin rules, especially when played loud.

“Little By Little” peaked at a robust #36 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It won’t surprise you to learn that I’m mystified by its high placement in the MTV countdown.  The song did spend two weeks at the top of the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, so there’s that.

Maybe I’m being too harsh.  In a vacuum the song is actually kind of OK.  The message is optimistic and hopeful, and I guess the rhythm is decent.  But I expect more this deep in the countdown, and I expect more from Robert Plant.

I found the video odd.  Mimes, equestrians, sheep.  A wedding in a small village.  Probably full of deep meaning that I didn’t understand.  But there were also lots of wide open plains, and I like that.

#29 - Careless Whisper

Artist: Wham!

Album: Make It Big
Video: From DailyMotion.

Today was a great day for the blog - awesome to receive props from an MTV icon.  Regrettably, I've been an infrequent blogger as of late.  But with Martha Quinn in the audience, I need to get my game on.

And good timing, since we have arrived at one of 1985’s most sensuous songs.  I’m pretty sure statistics prove that more furtive makeout sessions were inspired by “Careless Whisper” than any other ballad of the era.  It’s a timeless classic, with tender sensitive lyrics and a killer sax solo. 

This is essentially George Michael’s first effort as a solo artist, although it is technically credited as “Wham! Featuring George Michael”.  It was released a full three years before his first solo album.  It is one of three songs from the “Make It Big” album to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The song features a man wrestling with feelings of remorse following his infidelity.  Hence, “guilty feet have got no rhythm”.  Yes, it is shocking that an internationally acclaimed pop star would be sexually involved with multiple women at the same time.  But possibly this led to his desire to explore monogamy after Wham! broke up.

The video, bookended by sweeping shots of city lights, juxtaposes plenty of face time for the lead singer with scenes of the relationship gone awry.  As his girlfriend catches him cheating, the music explodes into the “tonight the music seems so loud…” sequence.  She flies away on an airplane while the protagonist looks longingly after her.

#30 - Forever Man

Artist: Eric Clapton

Album: Behind The Sun
Video: From DailyMotion.

Here's another legend whose awesomeness I did not appreciate in 1985.  I did not discover the majesty of Clapton until his MTV Unplugged album was released in 1992.  Even today, I'm really only familiar with a small portion of his catalog.

"Behind The Sun" is one of those albums which completely escaped my attention.  Phil Collins collaborated on many of the songs.  I was blissfully unaware of all this in my youth, content to be entertained by songs like this.

"Forever Man" did not enjoy much mainstream chart success, peaking at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100.  However, it was Eric Clapton's first ever music video.  That might explain its high placement in this countdown.  Clapton finally made a video?  Put it in the top 30.

I vaguely remember hearing the song around the time it was released.  Although I wasn’t a fan then, it strikes me as moderately groovy now.  That opening guitar riff is killer. 

The music video is simply Clapton and the band performing on a large circular stage in an empty arena.  No kooky storyline.  The video was directed by Godley & Creme.  That's right, these guys.

#31 - I Want To Know What Love Is

Artist: Foreigner

Album: Agent Provocateur
Video: From DailyMotion.

In the first five years of their existence, Foreigner churned out four multi-platinum albums.  The band authored classic rock staples such as "Hot Blooded", "Cold As Ice", and "Juke Box Hero".  They even topped the pops with their "Foreigner 4" album in 1981.

But it 1985 they reached their peak with "I Want To Know What Love Is".  It is their greatest song and their only number one hit.  It makes grown women weep and has caused the upper lip of many a man to quiver.

From humble beginnings, the song builds powerfully into a thundering declaration of love desire.  The questioning verses in the opening blend into the earnest "in my life..." pre-chorus, which explodes into the titular chorus.  The second time around, that chorus features a gospel choir.  Talk about piling on. 

The song can be interpreted as a longing for romantic love, or it can be seen as a hunger for a spiritual connection to the divine.  It can also be viewed as a complete and total ass-kicking power ballad.

The video features the New Jersey Mass Choir performing with the band.  Scenes of rehearsal are interspersed with ordinary people going about their daily lives, seemingly deep in thought, united in their want of love.