Best 80's songs?

[geek the girl]

I'm helping a friend organising a 1980's theme party this coming weekend. Since I'm the resident music geek, I'm in charge of the music and have agreed to burn a few mixed CD's with 80's music. Now, I think I have a pretty good idea of which songs to include, but I have to bear in mind that I was just a kid back then, so I've probably missed out on a whole bunch of campy one hit wonders. What songs from the 1980's do you love/hate? Think eclectic; I'm putting New Order and The Smiths next to 99 Luftballong and Rick Astley. I'm trying to keep the mood light and breezy, but I still want to sneak in the occasional 80's indie gem just to prove that a lot of good music did come out of the 80's.

Sooo, fancy helping me put together THE ultimate 80's collection for THE ultimate 80's party? So far I've got The Bangles, Roxy Music, Dexy's Midnight Runners, Kylie Minogue, Madonna, Simple Minds, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Echo and the Bunnymen, Cyndi Lauper, and U2, but I need loads more. Like I said, one-hit-wonder tips are especially helpful since I'm bound to have missed a few of them, being born in the 80's myself, but all tips are more than welcome.

[cablejockey]

I hope your friend appreciates all the work you are going thru! Here's some suggestions I hope you can use. Jessie's Girl by Rick Springfield--Don't Stop Til You Get Enough by Michael Jackson--Girls On Film by Duran Duran--Homosapien Man by Pete Shelly--Talking In Your Sleep by The Romantics--Shattered Dreams by Johnny Hates Jazz--Dancing By Myself by Billy Idol--What I Like About You by The Romantics--Sweet Dreams by The Eurythmics--Fresh by Kool and the Gang--I Get Weak by Belinda Carlisle--Love My Way by The Psycedelic Furs.

[DesertRose]

Depeche Mode, The Cure, OMD, Men without hats, Flock of Seagulls, (Sunglasses at Night) Corey Hart, The Cars, Chicago, The Police, Toto...to name a few

[geek the girl]

Thanks so much, cablejockey and DesertRose! I can't believe I forgot all about Girls on Film. Can't have an 80's mixed CD without Duran Duran, can you? And I must confess I have a particularly soft spot for Chicago, so there's another must.

I don't mind the work at all. Dating back since elementary school, I've always been in charge of the music for all the parties and events. I wouldn't have it any other way. And with the help from my FORT friends, I'm bound to have people grooving well into the wee hours. Did I tell you we'll also be wearing 80's outfits? Scrunchies, leg warmers, poufy hair and blue mascara, here I come!

[Ana Bannana]

I graduated high school in 1981, and I remember some, but they may be from the late 70's:
Boy George (Watch the movie "THE WEDDING SINGER")
J Geils Band - Centerfold
Queen - We will Rock You/We are the Champions
Madonna - Like a Virgin
REO Speedwagon - Roll with the Changes
Journey - Open Arms
Styx - Babe
(Oh class was full of ROCKERS!!)

[lildago]

Love the idea of an 80's themed party! What fun! I graduated in '88 and am an 80's music junkie!

Everybody Have Fun Tonight - Wang Chung
Hungry Like The Wolf - Duran Duran
Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Tears For Fears
Tainted Love - Soft Cell
Obsession - Animotion
Kharma Chameleon - Culture Club
Our House - Madness
Get It On (Bang a Gong) - The Power Station
Mickey - Toni Basil
Only The Lonely - The Motels
Abracadabra - The Steve Miller Band
Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Higher Love - Steve Winwood
Addicted To Love - Robert Palmer

OK, I better stop now! I could go on and on!

[geek the girl]

Alright, so here's the first CD. A pretty good mix, right? Thanks so much everyone for your input - you gave me some really good ideas. Now: CD numero dos. I'll make sure to put plenty of your suggestions on there.

1. Maria Magdalena – Sandra
2. Manic Monday – The Bangles
3. More Than This – Roxy Music
4. 99 Luftballong – Nena
5. I Should Be So Lucky – Kylie Minogue
6. Blue Monday – New Order
7. The Power of Love – Frankie Goes To Hollywood
8. The Killing Moon – Echo and the Bunnymen
9. Heaven Is a Place on Earth – Belinda Carlisle
10. Kids In America – Kim Wilde
11. Never Gonna Give You Up – Rick Astley
12. You’re My Heart, You’re My Soul – Modern Talking
13. Jump – Val Halen
14. I Wanna Know What Love Is – Foreigner
15. Walking On Sunshine – Katrina and the Waves
16. Papa Don’t Preach – Madonna
17. Girls on Film – Duran Duran
18. Kharma Chameleon - Culture Club
19. Straight Up – Paula Abdul
20. Our House - Madness

[ArchieComic Fan]

The 80's was my time and I have lots of 80's cd's. Some of these might be repeats of what's been mentioned:

We Built This City - Jefferson Starship
Private Eyes / Maneater / One on One / Kiss on My List - Hall & Oates (lots of Hall & Oates)
Harden My Heart - Quarterflash
Gloria / Self Control / Solitaire - Laura Branigan (and a few others by her)
Who Can It Be Now / Down Under - Men at Work
Centerfold - J. Geils Band
Africa - Toto (lots of Toto)
Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats
Maniac - Michael Sembello
Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
True - Spandau Ballet
Jeopardy - Greg Kihn Band
Do You Really Want to Hurt Me - Culture Club
Making Love Out of Nothing At All - Air Supply (lots of Air Supply)
When I See You Smile - Bad English
Toy Soldiers - Martika
Heaven - Warrant
Lost In Your Eyes - Debbie Gibson
Take On Me - A-Ha
The Heat Is On / The One You Love - Glenn Frey
Never Surrender / I Wear My Sunglasses at Night - Corey Hart
Who's Zoomin Who - Aretha Franklin
Let's Go All The Way - Sly Fox
Juke Box Hero / Waiting For A Girl Like You - Foreigner (lots of Foreigner)
Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band
Born in the USA / Glory Days / My Hometown - Bruce Springsteen (lots of Bruce)
Sultans of Swing / Walk of Life / Money for Nothing - Dire Straits
I Ran - Flock of Seagulls
I'll Stop the World - Modern English (from the movie Valley Girl)
If You Leave - OMD
What About Me - Moving Pictures
Eyes Without A Face / White Wedding - Billy Idol (lots of Billy Idol)
Don't You Forget About Me - Simple Minds
Say A Prayer / Rio - Duran Duran
I Want to Be a Cowboy - Men Without Hats
Sweet Dreams - The Eurythmics
Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins
Life In A Northern Town - Dream Academy
Every Breath You Take - The Police (lots of The Police)
She Must Be Somebody's Baby - Jackson Browne
Suddenly Last Summer / Only The Lonely - The Motels
Photograph - Def Leppard (lots of Def Leppard)
There's Always Something There To Remind Me - Naked Eyes
Don't Cry / The Smile Has Left Your Eyes / Only Time Will Tell - Asia
Physical - Olivia Newton-John
1999 / Little Red Corvette - Prince (lots of Prince)
What Is Love - Haddaway
Everybody - Tears For Fears
The Stroke - Billy Squier
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
I Didn't Mean To Turn You On / Addicted to Love - Robert Palmer
Hurt So Good - John Cougar
Everybody's Working For the Weekend / Turn Me Loose - Loverboy
Danger Zone - Kenny Loggins
Jump - Van Halen (lots of Van Halen)
Sledgehammer - Peter Gabriel


Some of these might be blurred with the late 70's and early 90's

Lots of Chicago, Journey, The Cars, Lionel Ritchie, Elton John, Madonna, Fleetwood Mac (Stevie Nicks solo was big in the 80's), Whitney Houston, Billy Joel, Cyndy Lauper - too many to name

Some Linda Rondstadt, Some Sheena Easton

[ArchieComic Fan]

Oh, can't forget:

Sister Christian - Night Ranger (actually quite a few good ones by them in the 80's)

Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners

[libra1022]

Geek, ACF hit several of the ones I was going to mention as well (I'm just thinking in terms of artist though, not necessarily any particular song). Some that I'm not noticing at first glance that would be good too are Erasure, Depeche Mode, Dead or Alive, Dramarama, Scritti Politti, The Cure, The Smiths, Flesh for Lulu, Paul Young, Howard Jones, Hipsway (total 1 hit wonder with Honeythief), Nik Kershaw (Wouldn't it Be Good is his best known), Bronski Beat/Communards, Cutting Crew, Wham, David Bowie, Bow Wow Wow, ABC. Phew, I think those cover most of my music collection here that dates back to the 80's in cassette tapes/vinyl.

Just some ideas....also, when's the party and where?? Sounds like fun to me!