By the way, check out Kickin’ It Old School’s Movie Madness Tournament, and be sure to vote for the best movies of 1984. The opening matches are still open to voting.
I can’t believe the news today
Oh, I can’t close my eyes and make it go away
10. I’ve Had the Time of My Life – Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
9. Songbird – Kenny G
8. I Think We’re Alone Now – Tiffany
7. With or Without You – U2
6. Head to Toe – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
5. Wanted Dead or Alive – Bon Jovi
4. Respect Yourself – Bruce Willis
3. La Isla Bonita – Madonna
2. Always – Atlantic Starr
1. Heaven is a Place on Earth
I had a lot of great music memories from this year. But, there were also so many bad songs, that I couldn’t just whittle it down to 5 like I have done for all my other Horrible lists. So here are my 10 Horrible Hits of 1987:
The very first time I heard this song was at a dance/mixer. I got there early to set up, and the DJ played this song first, before the rest of the people showed up. I thought it sounded pretty good when it was being blasted on the big speakers. But upon further listening on normal radio, it slowly drove me crazy. “Everybody Have Fun Tonight! Everybody Wang Chung tonight?” Really?!? It seemed a bit desperate (or arrogant) to try to make their band name a part of our vocabulary. Well, it didn’t work, and they didn’t have too many hits after this song.
I was really sick of George Michael by the time this came out. The only song I really liked by him was “Faith”. Remember when this song was the most controversial thing that George Michael did? We all long for those days again!
I love Lionel. But after an extremely long sting of successful hits, this stinker was kind of a jump-the-shark moment for him in my eyes. I even liked “Hello” better than this. I couldn’t listen to the whole song back then, and I can’t do it now.
This song is just meh to me. It might not have made my horrible list if it didn’t make the top 10. But, not only was this a top 10 song, it was a #1 hit! Not my cup of tea.
This was kind of boring for a dance song. I’ll take anything by Janet Jackson over this any day!
5. Hip to Be Square – Huey Lewis and the News
I don’t know why, but this song just rubs me the wrong way.
4. Mandolin Rain – Bruce Hornsby and the Range
Bruce Hornsby has a unique sound on his piano. Unfortunately, every song I’ve heard by him sounds exactly the same. And they are all horrible. I can’t turn this song off fast enough as soon as I hear it.
I love Madonna’s early music, and I even liked her music through the ’90s. But, this crappy boring song was the valley between her coned mountains of hits.
2. The Lady In Red – Chris DeBurgh
Let me know if there is anybody out there that hasn’t danced with a girl/woman in a red dress that actually still likes this song. This is too boring and whiny for me. I don’t care much for male singers that have wussy voices. However, I must admit that I do like DeBurgh’s “Carry Me (Like a Fire in Your Heart)“.
1. Songbird – Kenny G
This was the death of the sax in pop/rock songs, until Lady Ga Ga and the late, great Clarence Clemons brought it back last month. I don’t like the thought of elevator music appearing in the top 100, never mind topping at #4! I have a suggestion if you are planning a wedding. Do as I did, and tell the DJ: “NO KENNY G!!!”
“You Give Love a Bad Name” sent Bon Jovi into the stratosphere, and their follow-up song. “Livin’ on a Prayer” kept them there. I get sick of hearing the same song over and over again, but I could not get enough of this song when it came out. It was inspiring hearing about Tommy and Gina, who would go on to reappear in Bon Jovi’s 2000 smash hit “It’s My Life”.
Georgia Satellites were a one-hit wonder with this song. I think this song might irritate some people, but I really like it. It’s a great Southern Rock song that makes you want to move to the beat.
This is one of my favorite Huey Lewis songs, if not my favorite. Unfortunately, this song was overshadowed by the other songs from the Fore! album, such as “Stuck With You”, “Doing It All for My Baby”, and “Hip to Be Square”. This song was actually written by Bruce Hornsby and his brother John Hornsby. If Hornsby did this song instead of Huey Lewis, I would either hate this song, or I would like Bruce Hornsby.
This song was originally released in 1981, and topped out at #79. But, thanks to Family Ties, “At This Moment” made the charts again, and skyrocketed to #1. “At This Moment” will now forever be linked with Family Ties – which is not a bad thing.
5. Shakedown – Bob Seger
Kenny Loggins may be the king of ’80s movie soundtracks, but Bob Seger made a pretty good mark on movie soundtracks himself. He scored big time with “Old Time Rock and Roll” in an iconic scene in Risky Business. Then he had “Shakedown” for the Beverly Hills Cop II. I like Bob Seger alot, and this is one of my favorite songs by him.
4. Alone – Heart
In my opinion, Ann and Nancy Wilson are among the greatest females in Rock history. This is one of my favorite Heart songs. Ann sings this song with so much power and passion.
Here is an awesome acoustic version:
3. With or Without You – U2
U2 had some great rockin’ songs that I love. But this slower song is probably my favorite U2 tune. I love songs that starts slow, and becomes more and more powerful as it goes on.
2. Will You Still Love Me? – Chicago
Chicago, one of my favorite bands, proved that they could move on without Peter Cetera. Their rock songs are underrated. But, when they do great ballads like this, you can see why these are the ones that get the radio air play.
1. Here I Go Again – Whitesnake
This is a great song without the video. But, much like “At This Moment” is linked with Family Ties, “Here I Go Again” will forever be linked with the video and Tawny Kitaen. How many of us guys wished that we were that car?!? 24 years later I still love this song. It stands the test of time for me.
Return the Artist, Song and Lyrics. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver may have this song in their heads right now:
You love her
But she loves him
And he loves somebody else
You just can’t win
And so it goes
Till the day you die
This thing they call love
It’s gonna ____ ___ ___
Here is Yesterday’s: “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2 :
I have climbed highest mountain I have run through the fields Only to be with you Only to be with you
I have run I have crawled I have scaled these city walls These city walls Only to be with you
Since the New Year starts this week, why shouldn’t the video be U2’s “New Year’s Day”:
“New Year’s Day” was the first single off of U2’s 1983 album War. Here are some facts about the song from Songfacts:
– The lyrics refer to the movement for solidarity lead by Lech Walesa in Poland. After this was recorded, Poland announced they would abolish martial law, coincidentally, on New Year’s Day, 1983.
– This was U2’s first UK Top 10 and their first single to chart in America.
– This almost didn’t make the album because Bono was having fits writing the lyrics.
– The Edge played piano on this as well as guitar.
– This was the first U2 video to get heavy airplay on MTV.
– The themes of understanding in a time of global unrest were a focal point for the album War, whose title was inspired by the various worldwide conflicts of 1982.
– The line “Under a blood red sky” was used as the title for a video and live album U2 released in 1983. The video was recorded at Red Rocks, Colorado, June 5, 1982. The album contains performances from that show as well as 2 others.
– Bono considers this a love song. While it is about war, it deals with “The struggle for love.”
– Bono wrote this shortly after he married his childhood sweetheart, Ali.
– The video shows the band riding horses in the snow. The Edge used a stunt-double because he was having trouble with his horse.
In the interview, Bono said, “The thought of the world waiting for The Joshua Tree is a bit ridiculous. It sounds as if it will sell about three copies.”
However, The Joshua Tree was the band’s first number one album in the US and within 48 hours after it was released on March 9, 1987, it went platinum in Britain becoming the fastest selling album of all time.
The album is dedicated to lead singer Bono’s assistant, Greg Carroll, who was killed in a motorcycle accident during the album’s recording.
The album contained the hits “Where the Streets Have No Name”, “With or Without You”, and “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”. The album won Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal in 1988.
The Joshua Tree is the band’s best-selling album, having sold 25 million copies worldwide. That’s a lot more than three!!
Last Song: “Pride (In the Name of Love)” by U2 from The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
In the interview, Bono said, “The thought of the world waiting for The Joshua Tree is a bit ridiculous. It sounds as if it will sell about three copies.”