Music
5 Songs from 1980 That Could Never Be Hits Today
For some of us, 1980 was like yesterday, and hearing a song from that year can bring you back faster than a shoe box full of blurry Polaroids.
Michael Jackson ruled the airwaves with five singles from Off the Wall including “Rock With You” that stayed at number one for over a month. That song still sounds fresh today, as do hits like “Call Me” from Blondie, “Upside Down” from Diana Ross, and “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen. These were all number one songs in 1980., and it’s not inconceivable that these could be hits today… but there are plenty of songs from 1980 that couldn’t make it passed the velvet rope that is 2016. Not because they weren’t good, but because what’s popular has certainly changed. For the most part.
Could the Captain & Tennille have gold or platinum records in 2016? what are their chances in a sea of Biebers and Rhiannas? Yet, not only did they have a variety show on network television, they had several big hits including “Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Muskrat Love,” and this one from 1980.
Now you know him as that bearded lady on that GEICO commercial, but Kenny Roger’s nearly owned 1980 with this Lionel Richie written track “Lady.” It was pretty clever including this brand new track on Kenny’s 1980 Greatest Hits package, too.
Written by Barry and Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees, Barbara Streisand’s “Woman in Love” is a song Adele should add to her live act, now that I think about it. This was Streisand’s last number one song. She has since retired and manages a Chik-fil-A on US Route 1/9 in Hackensack.
Remember that guy that wrote the musical Drood? Me either, but you probably heard his big hit. In fact, between you and me, I actually saw him perform this live in the 80’s to a roomful of politicians. Anyway, this song had housewives everywhere placing ads in local newspapers for their husbands to ignore.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mt2VBqYX0BU
Here’s some irresistible yacht rock from smooth-as-a-dolphin Christopher Cross. If you don’t like his other great song “Ride Like The Wind,” there’s probably not a whole hell of a lot we’ll agree on. Also, if you haven’t heard “Sailing,” you never went to a dentist in the 80’s.
Janita’s newest album Here Be Dragons is another in a progression of finely crafted hymns for the empowered. Whether by love, as in the silky “I Do,” or by subverting expectations, in the Beatlesesque “Not What You’re Used To,” Janita draws on lessons learned during a positively unique career that spans decades and continents. We caught up with Janita on the heels of her latest single “When It’s All Up To You” to find out three songs she’d love to have written.
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Elliott Smith — “L.A.”
This is one of my favorite songs by Elliott Smith. I listened to the full album Figure 8 a lot while I was writing the songs on my new album, and it was a huge influence on me both melodically and lyrically. This song in particular has also informed some of the production choices we made later, like the heavier guitars you hear on my song “Not What You’re Used To.”
“L.A.” is incredibly melodic, but there’s an elusive, haunting quality to it. It feels like you’re always trying to reach it, catch up to it somehow. The backing vocals accentuate that feeling. In my mind, the song paints such a vivid picture of the ephemeral, fickle nature of L.A., and the similarly transient nature of the main character. Elliott Smith himself? I don’t know exactly how he does (did) it, but I’m certainly in awe of it.
Radiohead — “There There”
So hypnotic. So badass. Could the production possibly be any cooler? The melody is intricate and beautiful, and I can relate to the lyric from every which angle: as the singer, as the one being sung to, and whether in love relationships, friendships, or with total strangers. The subject matter simply comes up in life in so many ways all the time… I recently tried to express similar notions as I was writing a song, only to remember that it was already done here perfectly. Goddammit.
Punch Brothers — “Julep”
This song is simply magical to me. It’s made me bawl my eyes out at a Punch Brothers concert two separate times. It’s like that viral video that was circulating some years ago of a baby moved to tears when her mom sings a sad tune. I’m that baby when it comes to this song. It simply hits some sort of primal button in me and keeps pressing it until the very end.
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While you’re at it, check out Janita’s video for “Digging in the Dirt,” a funky and faithful rendition of the Peter Gabriel classic.
Jay Som’s Melina Duterte and Palehound’s Ellen Kempner join forces as Bachelor – a musical powerhouse whose new record Doomin’ Sun drops May 28th on Polyvinyl.
Kemper and Duterter recorded the album during two weeks of mutual appreciation in California. Three visceral singles have been released in the lead-up, including the Pixies-flavored “Stay in the Car” and the sprawling “Anything At All.”
Bachelor has also announced the Doomin’ Sun Fest, a one-day livestream featuring Tegan & Sara, Courtney Barnett, Adrianne Lenker, Jeff Tweedy, Japanese Breakfast, Julien Baker, and more.
Two men that look suspiciously alike meet outside a fictitious Brooklyn hot-spot – six feet apart.
MC Krispy E: Very nice to meet you. (squints) Have we met before?
Electronic Device: Maybe?
MC Krispy E: Is the rest of the band joining us?
Electronic Device: (pause) I am the rest of the band.
MC Krispy E: You are Electronic Device? What’s that about?
Electronic Device: Uhm, yeah, it’s like a pen name. You know what that is, right?
MC Krispy E: I have some idea.
Electronic Device: It was actually the name of one of my dad’s companies back in the day before…
MC Krispy E: (looking at his watch) Wonderful. So… it says here you have a new single called “All Things Come to an End” inspired by the death of your brother.
Electronic Device: Yeah, after my brother died I recorded songs as a form of therapy in his old bedroom in Staten Island.
MC Krispy E: And now I read that you have cancer. Am I supposed to feel extra sorry for you?
Electronic Device: Uhm…
MC Krispy E: It sounds like this album is going to be super depressing.
Electronic Device: It’s not, I swear. I was looking for some happiness while recording these songs, there’s not much of an agenda beyond that.
MC Krispy E: What kind of music is it?
Electronic Device: I wasn’t really thinking about influences while recording, but listening back I hear some Concrete Blonde, some Cracker.
MC Krispy: So bands no one is interested in?
Electronic Device: What the hell, man?
MC Krispy: Sorry, it’s almost like I can’t help it. What’s the single about?
Electronic Device: I hate saying what a song is about because everything is up for interpretation.
MC Krispy E: Humor us.
Electronic Device: I can say that “All Things Come to an End” has multiple narrators, some of which are unreliable.
MC Krispy E: (stares)
Electronic Device: And that one day I was at my Dad’s house and when I turned the corner into the hallway my Dad thought I was my brother for a moment, which was super sad because of course I couldn’t be.
MC Krispy E: And then you wrote a whole song about that.
Electronic Device: I guess so. When you put it that way…
MC Krispy E: (yawning) Tell us when the single come out.
Electronic Device: The single is out now. The album comes out in 2021.
MC Krispy E: Well, good for you. And good luck with that cancer thing.
Electronic Device: Yeah, you too.
MC Krispy E: Thanks. What?