1980s

80s Song of the Day: Last Christmas by Wham!

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Last Christmas by Wham! was released on December 10, 1984, on a double-A side with the single Everything She Wants, from the Make It Big album. Two years after its release as a single, Last Christmas appeared on two Wham! album releases – The Final, a compilation album released in the United Kingdom; and Music from the Edge of Heaven, considered the duo’s third studio album, released in North America and Japan.

In the United Kingdom, Last Christmas reached No. 2 on the UK Singles chart, behind Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas? to which George Michael contributed vocals. Wham! donated all of their Last Christmas/Everything She Wants royalties to famine in Ethiopia, which sales of Do They Know It’s Christmas? benefited as well.

Last Christmas is the biggest selling single in UK chart history not to reach No. 1.

 

 

Ultimate 80s Christmas Grooves Mixtape: Side A

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We’re feeling festive here at Eighties Grooves, and what better way to get into the holiday spirit than with Christmas songs from our favorite decade? So grab a pair of leg warmers and a cup of hot chocolate, and check out side A of the Ultimate 80s Christmas Grooves mixtape.

1. Christmas Time by Bryan Adams

christmas-time

Christmas Time by Bryan Adams is one of my favorites from the 1980s. The single was released on clear, green vinyl in 1985, with Reggae Christmas as the B side – another great 80s Christmas song. If we’re strictly going by music videos, you can’t beat the one for Reggae Christmas, filmed in the MTV studios with special guest Pee-Wee Herman.

2. Do They Know It’s Christmas? by Band Aid

What can I say about the gold standard, be-all end-all of 80s Christmas songs? This song meant so much to me that I still remember buying the 12″ version in Sam Goody while Christmas shopping with my mom at the local mall – and I still have that same record I bought 32 years ago. I also still remember the excitement of watching the song’s music video and seeing footage of all my favorite artists arriving to record the song together.

Continue reading →

80s Song of the Day: Axel F by Harold Faltermeyer

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Axel F by Harold Faltermeyer was released in the United States on December 5, 1984, with Shoot Out as the B side. The instrumental song appeared on the soundtrack for the movie Beverly Hills Cop and was named after the movie’s title character, Axel Foley, played by Eddie Murphy. axel-fIt also appears as a bonus track on Faltermeyer’s album Harold F. Faltermeyer was the musical director for Beverly Hills Cop.

The song was an international success. It was a Top 5 hit around the world, reaching No. 1 in several countries, including Canada, Ireland, and the Netherlands. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 3 in the United States and the UK Singles chart at No. 2.

The Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack won a Grammy for Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special.

80s Song of the Day: 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton

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9 to 5 by Dolly Parton was released on November 29, 1980, with Sing for the Common Man as the B side. The song appeared on the soundtrack album for the film of the same name, which starred Parton, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin. It also appeared on Parton’s album 9 to 5 and Odd Jobs.

The song was a No. 1 hit in the United States, reaching the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100, Hot Country Songs, and Adult Contemporary charts. It was also nominated for an Academy Award and four Grammy Awards, winning for Best Country Song and Best Country Vocal Performance, Female. Continue reading →

80s Song of the Day: I Would Die 4 U by Prince and the Revolution

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I Would Die 4 U by Prince and the Revolution was released November 28, 1984, with Another Lonely Christmas as the B side. It was the fourth single from the album Purple Rain.

The song reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, the last Top 10 single from Purple Rain. It re-charted after Prince’s death, reaching No. 39 on the Hot 100 the week of May 14, 2016.

i-would-die-4-u

Picture sleeve for the US 7″ release

80s Song of the Day: Don’t You Want Me by The Human League

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Don’t You Want Me by The Human League was released November 27, 1981, with Seconds as the B side. It was the fourth single from the band’s fourth studio album Dare.

In the United Kingdom, the song was the 1981 Christmas number one. The Human League’s first single released in the United States, Don’t You Want Me topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks in July 1982. Continue reading →

80s Song of the Day: Christmas in Hollis by Run-DMC

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Christmas in Hollis by Run-DMC was released November 25, 1987, with Peter Piper as the B side. It was originally released as a single from the Christmas compilation album A Very Special Christmas, which included artists such as Madonna, Pretenders, U2, Sting, and Whitney Houston. Proceeds from the sales of the album were donated to the Special Olympics. Christmas in Hollis was the only original composition on the album.

christmas-in-hollis-variantChristmas in Hollis, which refers to the Hollis, Queens neighborhood where Run-DMC grew up, samples Back Door Santa, a 1968 release by Clarence Carter, as well as holiday classics Frosty the Snowman, Joy to the World, and Jingle Bells.

The song didn’t chart upon its original release. In 2000, it reached No. 78 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.

80s Song of the Day: Fresh by Kool and the Gang

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Fresh by Kool and the Gang was released November 24, 1984, with In the Heart as the B side. It was a single from the band’s sixteenth studio album Emergency, which would become their biggest selling album.

fresh-kool-and-the-gangAlthough it wasn’t released until 1984, Fresh dates back to 1978. According to Wikipedia and Songfacts.com, the song is credited for coining the slang “fresh” to mean “cool.”

The song peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was a No. 1 hit on the R&B and dance charts. In the United Kingdom, it reached No. 11 on the UK Singles chart.

80s Song of the Day: Obsession by Animotion

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Obsession by Animotion was released November 23, 1984, with Turn Around as the B side. It was the debut single from the group’s self-titled debut album.

The song originally was written and recorded by Holly Knight and Michael Des Barres in 1983. This version was featured in the 1983 film A Night in Heaven; however, Animotion’s version was by far the big success of the two. It reached No. 5 in the United Kingdom and No. 6 in the United States. Continue reading →

80s Song of the Day: Straight Up by Paula Abdul

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Straight Up By Paula Abdul was released November 22, 1988, with Cold Hearted as the B side. It was a single from Abdul’s debut album Forever Your Girl. Before launching her singing career, Abdul was a cheerleader and dancer for the Los Angeles Lakers and choreographed several popular music videos for artists like Janet Jackson, Debbie Gibson, and Duran Duran.

straight-upStraight Up was a No. 1 hit in the United States and the best-selling single of 1989. A huge hit internationally, the song also went to No. 1 in Norway and Canada and was a Top 5 hit in several other countries, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The music video was directed by now famous movie director David Fincher (Seven, Fight Club, The Social Network) and featured comedian Arsenio Hall, whose talk show had premiered a few weeks prior to the video shoot. The video went on to win four 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, including for Best Female Video, Best Dance, Best Choreography, and Best Editing.