10 posts tagged “80s”

I think I have never heard this version of "Tarzan Boy" and really, I must have it!

The video is kinda funny, in a so-bad-it's-good sort of way.

But seriously, this version of the song is different. Listen for the bells/chimes/synths under the vocals when he sings "Jungle Life...." then later at 2:03 in, there is additional production. Sadly, I have the 12" singe (hate to admit it) and this isn't the 12" remix. Any idea where can I get this version of the song?

Anyone remember Matthew Wilder's "Don't Break My Stride?"

It was a pretty big hit, and I think, the "bouncy shoulder" move the dancers make, really make this a wonderful video. Don't miss Matthew's awesome "Sway" move at the end - not to be missed! Scroll down for some re-makes of the song too.

 

If you'd like to add the MP3 of the extended version (does it really need to be a longer song?), then be sure to visit (and bookmark/subscribe to feed of) "The Born Again 80s Blog!"

Less of a hit, but my favorite of the 2 Matthew Wilder hits, is "The Kids American."

 

 

Here are a few re-makes of the song, by groups I've never heard of. Not bad, though.

 

 

Wow, makes me wann get up and GROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!

In an effort to preserve the insanity that was the 80s, I am taking a frightening look back at Male Fashions in the world of 80s Music Videos. I realize I may be overlooking some of the chief offenders, so please leave your suggestions in the comments section.

Jeremy Healey of Haysi Fantyzee in "Shiny Shiny." I think Clamhead's description of his "scarecrow-looking" get-up sums it up well.

 

 

Ivan Doroschuk of "Men Without Hats" in "Safety Dance." I think this was a dress rehearsal for Pirates of the Caribbean. video link 

 

 

 

Jimmy McShane of "Baltimoria" in "Tarzan Boy." Halfway into the video he shocks us by lowering his snazzy pleather jacket to reveal a Tarzan-like sash - as if the eye make-up wasn't scary enough! video link

 

 

 

 

Pete Burns of "Dead or Alive" in "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)." I am not sure if it is the fake "bejeweled"eyepatch or the saucy kimono that landed him on this list. video link

 

 

Kevin Rowland of "Dexys Midnight Runners" in "Come On Eileen." Can't say I am a big fan of the all-overalls look for a band, but hairy armputs and the beret with the fuzzy ball on top sure completes the look. How could Eileen ever refuse? However, I can't deny that as a teen, I couldn't take my eyes off the blonde in the overalls. video link

 

 

 

Adam Ant in "Ant Music" or any Adam and the Ants video. You have to hand it to Stuart Goddard, no one has ever masterd the Indian-Pirate look as well as he did. video link

Larry Blackmon from Cameo in "Word Up." Red. Codpiece. What more needs to be said? Note that the detective in the video is non other than Star Trek TNGs Llevar Burton. video link

 

 

 

 

 

George Michael of "Wham" and the cast of "Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)." Wow, where do I begin? The "Choose Life" shirt? The neon colored clothes? The Andrew wearing a Painter's Hat? Goodness, this video has just about everything but a mullet! Wait, it has that too! Man, this one has it all!  video link

 

...to be continued!

(be sure to add more badly dressed 80s dudes in the comments!) 

For me, almost every bit of music contains a memory. Here is one:

A church youth group friend of mine, David, committed suicide when we were both teenagers. He was really into punk and new wave (he loved "Missing Persons") and was generally a great guy. To this day, I don't know why he did it. His parents were devastated and his friends were confused.

Clearly, I wasn't as good of a friend as I could have, or should have been. Not that I could have stopped him, but who knows, I guess I will always wonder if I could have done something.

The reason I associate David with this song? I had a reputation for collecting dance music (12" singles) and one time at a youth get-together he told me about this great medley he'd heard on the radio one night. It had been on some syndicated program, and it was a medley of Thompson Twins songs called "Out of the Gap." He thought I'd really like it and wanted to let me know.

I was never able to find it in a record store. Now, this is the 80s, and there was no such thing as MP3s on the internet. You had to go to Dallas to get the "good" records (imports, DJ only, etc). Once or twice a year I'd drive down to Oaklawn, VVV and RPM I'd look. But I never found it.

I began to wonder if it really existed. Flash forward 20+ years to now. And look what I have! True, it is a really bad quality. I really don't care, because finding this is better than the feeling of finding a $20 bill in an old pair of jeans.

But for now, I am just glad that I finally get to listen to it, after all these years. And yeah, I can't help but think of David and be a little bit sad. But happy too, because he thought of me when he heard it. So in a sense, we both thought of each other thanks to this tune, so to me, that's a connection.

Here's to you David, may the music never end, where ever you are!

I had a great post composed for this, but my browser  crashed (wanna guess which one? shame on me).

Anyway, for now I am just posting it. I have no info on who made this, nor what the actual title is. I love the transitions in this megamix, the way it goes from one tune to the next. That leads me to think this is a professional production.

I've had this for at least 7 years, so it isn't new, but it sure is good!

(Um, I had to compress this down to 64kbps due to the upload cap of 25MB on Vox, but it still sounds good)

 

 

Let's face it, I love 80s megamixes (which are type of mash-up, if you use your imagination). And I have a lot of them. This is one of my favorites and it isn't really called the "Awesome 80s Megamix."

It was actually labeled "Rock And Roll Megamix Part 1 (of 4)" which I know is not accurate. I think it was re-named this by someone and got passed around. But when you listen to it, it isn't a Rock megamix, it is an 80s Pop megamix and it is Awesome. So, that's why I re-named it.

It sounds like it was a digitized from a vynil record, so the quality isn't the best. If you know the creator of this Megamix, please let me know.

While you listen, notice how long into the mix the drums from "Mickey" keep playing. And too, how far ahead the motorcylce/drums sound from Billy Idol play before the track comes up. Great stuff!

 

DJ Shooter posted a two-part 1987 Flashback Megamix, download-able in 2 parts. Since they were made to be one complete mix, I just edited them together.

I don't think I did that great of a job. I did a slight cross-fade since the beats really didn't match up. I am sure if I spent more than 15 minutes on it I could have done a better job. But for a blog post, that's as good as it gets from me.

Enjoy the flashback!

Got 14 minutes to spare? Then check out this retro-tastic megamix - it should take you back a ways!

 

This song takes me back. And oddly, it is still one of my very favorite "pop" Christmas songs. You don't hear it much on the radio, but if you grew up watching MTV in the 80s then you probably have a special place in your heart for  Billy Squier and the original MTV VJs singing "Chistmas is the Time To Say I Love You."

I can't seem to find much trace of it online, but I know that when Yes released the video for "Leave It" that they had at least 8 versions of it.

Maybe 10. 12?

MTV made a HUGE deal out of this too. They did a "World Premiere" for every single version, which of course, was true. Each video was a little different. All by the masterminds of Godley and Creme. In one the band would bounce all around. In another, their heads or bodies would spin around. One was acapella. I can't recall all of the versions, though I tried to video tape them all on my Betamax.

After the debut, MTV would air the various versions randomly, putting a # beside the title of the song ("Leave It" #5). Eventually, once they had released all of the versions, a final version was made that incorporated parts of the many other versions. Sort of a "Best Of" if you will.  See below

 

I find it very odd that in the age of DVD that Yes would release a collection of videos and NOT include all of these different versions for "Leave It." Odder still, that the internet has very little record of this odd little moment in music (video) history.