music

80s Song of the Day: Cruel Summer by Bananarama

/ Janet / 1 Comment

The city is crowded
My friends are away
And I’m on my own

cruel summer

Cruel Summer by Bananarama was released in the United Kingdom on June 27, 1983, with Cairo as the B side. It was a single from the album Bananarama.

The song reached No. 8 in the United Kingdom. Its inclusion in the 1984 film The Karate Kid ignited the song’s international success (the group did not, however, allow the song to appear on the film’s soundtrack). Cruel Summer reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1984, becoming Bananarama’s first Top 10 hit in the States.

Watch the music video for the song, which was shot in New York City in the summer of 1983.

80s Song of the Day: Electric Youth by Debbie Gibson

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The future only belongs to the future itself
And the future is electric youth

electric youth

Electric Youth by Debbie Gibson was released in the United States on June 26, 1989, with We Could Be Together as the B side. It was the second single released from the album of the same name. Continue reading →

80s Song of the Day: Love Shack by The B-52’s

/ Janet / 1 Comment

I got me a Chrysler, it seats about 20
So hurry up and bring your jukebox money

Love Shack 2Love Shack by The B-52’s was released on June 20, 1989, with Channel Z as the B side. The song was a single from the album Cosmic Thing.

Love Shack was The B-52’s biggest hit song and first million-copy seller. It reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, the band’s first single to crack the Top 40. It reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart and was a No. 1 hit in several other countries, including Australia and New Zealand.

Watch the official music video for the song.

80s Song of the Day: Our Lips Are Sealed by The Go-Go’s

/ Janet / 4 Comments

Can you hear them
They talk about us
Telling lies
Well that’s no surprise

our lips are sealedOur Lips Are Sealed by The Go-Go’s was released June 12, 1981, with Surfing and Spying as the B side. It was the first single from the band’s debut album, Beauty and the Beat.

The song reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 47 on the UK Singles chart. It was a Top 5 hit in Australia and Canada.

Watch the official music video for the song.

80s Song of the Day: Who Can It Be Now? by Men at Work

/ Janet / 1 Comment

If he hears, he’ll knock all day
I’ll be trapped and here I’ll have to stay

Who can it be nowWho Can It Be Now? by Men at Work was released in Australia on June 6, 1981, with Anyone for Tennis? as the B side. The song was released prior to the recording of the band’s debut album, Business as Usual. It was later included on the album.

The song reached No. 2 on the Australian singles chart. In the United States, it went all the way to No. 1 when it was released there more than a year after its Australian release. It had mixed reception elsewhere, only reaching No. 45 in the United Kingdom and in New Zealand.

Watch the music video for the song.

80s Song of the Day: Shout by Tears for Fears

/ Janet / 1 Comment

Come on
I’m talking to you
Come on

ShoutShout by Tears for Fears was released in the United States on June 4, 1985, with The Big Chair as the B side. It was the second single released from the album Songs from the Big Chair.

Shout was a No.1 hit for Tears for Fears in the United States. It reached No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart. An international success, it was a Top 10 hit in more than 20 other countries.

Watch the official music video for the song.

80s Song of the Day: I Want Your Sex by George Michael

/ Janet / 1 Comment

There’s things that you guess
And things that you know
There’s boys that you can trust
And girls that you don’t

I want yourI Want Your Sex by George Michael was released on June 1, 1987. The song consisted of three separate parts called Rhythms. The first, titled Rhythm One: Lust, was the version released as a single from the Beverly Hills Cop II soundtrack.

The first version mixed with the second version, Rhythm Two: Brass in Love, appeared on George Michael’s debut solo album Faith. The second version also appeared by itself as the B side of the single.

A third part, Rhythm Three: A Last Request, appeared as a B side to the Hard Day 7″ and Kissing a Fool 12″ singles, and as a bonus track on the CD version of Faith. All three versions were mixed continuously as one 13-minute song for the 12″ single release.

The controversial song reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart.

Watch the music video for the song.