Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Mount Rushmore: Songs of the 1980s


For installment #5 of my periodic series in which I select who/what I think are the 4 ultimate in a given category, I'm focusing on songs from the 1980s. I had to make some hard choices (my apologies to Def Leppard and The Police just to name two), but for me, the following quartet best typify the decade of Jem, Jordache jeans, and the Jheri curl.


1. Billie Jean by Michael Jackson
















2. When Doves Cry by Prince
















3. Blister In the Sun by The Violent Femmes
















4. The Message by Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five










What four songs from the 1980s would make your Mount Rushmore?

6 comments:

Penny said...

off the top..without thinking:

Don't Stop Believin'-Journey
PYT- Michael Jackson
Faith-George Michael
Jessie's Girl-Rick Springfield

Candy Minx said...

Gee, I think that is a very very good list.

I'd hate to knock out one but here one I would put in...

Love Will Tear Us Apart-Joy Division

Malcolm said...

Comments via Facebook:

Rich Meyer said:

Hmm ...
1. "Twilight Zone" by Golden Earring
2. "Limelight" by Rush
3. "I Ran" by A Flock of Seagulls
4. "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell

Michael Panchula said:
My 4:
4. "Here I go again" Whitesnake
3. "You've got another thing coming"Judas Priest
2. Flying High Again" Ozzy
1." Free Will" Rush

Bret Barker said:

Songs that typify the 80's:
Too Shy-Kajagoogoo, because it reeks of 80's cheesiness
Twilight Zone-Golden Earring, representing the European sound
Don't You Want Me-Human League, the quintessential synthesizer song
Billie Jean-MJ, because no 80's list is complete without a song off of Thriller

Dina Belefonte Rodrigues said:

Money For Nothing, Take On Me, One Night In Bangkok, Video Killed The Radio Star

This was a tough one--there are too many 80s songs that I like.

Bob Gorney said:

My 80's choices would be
Take On Me by Ah Ha
Rockit by Herbie Hancock
Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel

Unknown said...

4. Don't Stop Believing - Journey
3. Like A Prayer - Madonna
2. 1999 - Prince
1. We Are the World - USA for Africa

Jamie R

Anonymous said...

Malcolm - I like your choices and I can't fault anyone for their's, but here's my idea of the Mt. Rushmore of 80's rock. Todd M.
TalkingHeads-Burning Down the House
Madonna-Live To Tell
U2- With of Without You
The Specials- Ghost Town

Malcolm said...

Penny: Thanks for weighing in... Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" seems to have grown in stature over the years. The piano intro is one of my favorite openings.

Candy: Thank you! Love Will Tear Us Apart... good choice.

Jamie: I considered both "We Are the World" and "1999" for my list. I sometimes wish that Mt. Rushmore had more than four faces.

Todd: Your choice of "Live To Tell" surprises me. I say that because I didn't know you cared much for Madonna. To me, the outstanding "With or Without You" is the moment when U2 became U2... I hope that makes sense.

 
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