Song: Tainted Love (1981) Artist: Soft Cell Album: Non-Stop Erotic Caberet Label: Some Bizzare/ Sire/ Warner Bros. Records Writer: Ed Cobb When Tainted Love was first released in 1964 as the B-side of a record called ‘My Bad Boy’s Comin’ Home’ it was a total commercial failure. No, you are not experiencing a senior moment. … Read more
Song: Eat It (1984) Artist: Weird Al Yankovich Label: Scotti Brothers Writers: Michael Jackson, Al Yankovic Just as Michael Jackson’s album Thriller and the mega-hit Beat It was reaching its height, propelled by MTV and the 1984 Grammy Award for Record of the Year as well as a vocal performance Grammy for Jackson, Weird Al … Read more
Song: I Love Rock ‘n Roll (1982) Artist: Joan Jett & the Blackhearts Album: I Love Rock ‘n Roll (Boardwalk) Writers: Jake Hooker, Alan Merrill Joan Jett has had a storied career. Before she was the frontman of her own band, she was a part of the band The Runaways, famous for such songs as “Cherry … Read more
Song: Once in a Lifetime (1980) Artist: Talking Heads Album: Remain in Light Writers: David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Jerry Harrison, Brian Eno, Chris Frantz Same as it ever was, same as it ever was, same as it ever was…. You may find yourself wondering what that catchy but weird song is called where the guy … Read more
Song: Runaway (1984) Artist: Bon Jovi Album: Bon Jovi (Mercury) Writers: Jon Bon Jovi, George Karak The first major US hit for Bon Jovi was Runaway, from their self-titled debut album, in 1984. It reached no. 39 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1984, spending 13 weeks on the chart. Although the album … Read more
Song: Every Breath You Take (1983) Artist: Police Album: Synchronicity (A&M) Writer: Gordon Summer (Sting) I cringe every time I hear someone covering The Police song (by Sting) Every Breath You Take or using it as part of another song. The reason this is so cringeworthy is that people use this song as if it … Read more
Song: Don’t Know Much (1980, 1989) Artist: Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville Album: Cry Like a Rainstorm – Howl Like the Wind Writers: Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil, Tom Snow Don’t Know Much is perhaps one of the most famous duets ever recorded. Like many such songs, though, it was not written as a duet. It was first … Read more