A lot of bands have songs that sound very similar, ZZ Top comes to mind. But I hadn't noticed that with RUN-D.M.C., until I took a deep dive into their music. After listening to their very similar sounding first five CDs I realized the songs don't sound different enough to be able to properly count them down. When I listened to each song, any song that I consider worthy enough to actually be on a countdown blog I rated it on a score of 3.0 to 5.0. I'm going to use those initial ratings to countdown their songs, the process is usually more thorough. That's why songs are grouped together and not counted down one by one.
My #33 Greatest 80's era band is RUN-D.M.C. This blog covers 1984's "Run-D.M.C." to 1993's "Down With The King". I have 30 RUN-D.M.C. songs on my iTunes and I probably won't be adding more songs to my iTunes.
RUN-D.M.C. was Joseph Simmons (Run) , Daryl McDaniel (not McDonalds, aka D.M.C.) and Jason Mizell (Jam Master Jay).
In my opinion the best rap CD of all-time is their 1986 classic CD "Raising Hell". It's a collection of great songs, mixing the genres of rock and rap to those songs best possible songs. Listen to their collaboration with Aerosmith with fresh ears and it's amazing how great "Walk This Way" sounds. But that CD also features "Hit It Run", "You Be Illin'", "Peter Piper", "Raising Hell" and their best song "It's Tricky".
What makes "Raising Hell" sound so fresh today is that the songs were the first songs that mixed rock and rap in a very enjoyable way. Also they weren't sexually graphic, had few swear words and didn't glorify drugs. They also didn't refer to women as "ho's". Fusing rock into their sound made them accessible to both rap and rock fans. Although that probably also turned off some rock and rap fans as well.
The only problem with that sound is that they had a tendency to repeat it over their next few CDs. As the CDs continued being released, the use of the "n" word and swear words increased. With few exceptions that sound grew tiresome and the songs started sounding the same. By the time I got to 1993's "Down With The King" the sameness sounds of songs was too much. It seemed like I was listening to the same CD for the third time. I was no longer listening to songs to determine their quality, but to see if there was a song that sounded different. From the last 3 CDs being considered for this blog, the most unique sounding song is "Christmas In Hollis".
Here are a couple of songs that aren't on the actual countdown, but still have some interest:
As with many RUN-D.M.C. songs I love the bass on this song. This is the edited version and would be higher on my countdown, but the song on "King Of Rock" goes on too long. It sadly loses it's charm when played at it's full 5:59 length. "You Talk Too Much":
A tribute to the man who would become a legendaryDJ. He was taken too soon from us. R.I.P. Jason "Jam Master Jay":
The fourth in a continuing series of the greatest songs of 1977, an amazing year of music. Lovers of music are all celebrating it's 40th anniversary right now. This is about the best music of 1977. I scoured several genres of songs from 1977, scouring lists and websites of pop, rock, soul, funk, country and even novelty songs. For the most part I took the word of the websites that said these songs were from 1977. If I'm incorrect, please forgive me.
Bill Conti "Gonna Fly Now (Theme From Rocky)":
Another great song from Fleetwood Mac, "Rumours" is an amazing CD. "Go Your Own Way":
Supertramp "Give A Little Bit":
Dolly Parton "Here You Come Again":
The Kendalls "Heaven's Just A Sin Away":
Another one of the most dominant musical acts of 1977. Could you imagine how different a year 1977 would have been without The Bee Gees? Neither can I. The Bee Gees "How Deep Is Your Love":
The Marshall Tucker Band "Heard It In A Love Song":
The third in a continuing series of the greatest songs of 1977, an amazing year of music. Lovers of music are all celebrating it's 40th anniversary right now. This is about the best music of 1977. I scoured several genres of songs from 1977, scouring lists and websites of pop, rock, soul, funk, country and even novelty songs. For the most part I took the word of the websites that said these songs were from 1977. If I'm incorrect, please forgive me.
For the second day in a row I'm using a video created by daveinprogress3. Thanks Dave and you have great taste in music. Thelma Houston "Don't Leave Me This Way (The Long Version)":
What a great band, what a great song and what a great singer. I love Stevie Nicks and her amazing voice. Fleetwood Mac "Dreams":
Fleetwood Mac "Don't Stop":
Just a great, great song. Steely Dan "Deacon Blues":
Back when she might have been known more for her long hair than her singing. Crystal Gayle "Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue":
Back when Bon Scott was AC/DC's singer, which was before Brian Johnson, which was before Axl Rose. AC/DC "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap":
I wasn't a big fan of "The Get Down", but I'll be ever grateful for discovering this song.
C.J. & Co. "Devil's Gun":
Some of the videos I share have only a few hundred views, however this song has 201 million views. Abba's "Dancing Queen":
As I always say I'm a sucker for a great pop song. Shaun Cassidy "Da Doo Ron Ron":
The above song is an enjoyable trifle, but there aren't too many things as good as mid 70's Commodores slow songs. The Commodores "Easy":
Steve Miller Band "Fly Like An Eagle":
Foreigner "Feels Like The First Time":
Not the greatest sound unfortunately. Boston "Foreplay/Longtime":
Eight of these Top Ten Knack songs are from their fantastic debut CD, "Get The Knack". That's not a reflection of the Knack's catalog overall, that's a reflection of how amazing their debut CD is. Check it out if you've never listened to "Get The Knack".
10) "Maybe Tonight":
9) "Lucinda":
8) "Heartbeat":
7) "Rocket of Love":
6) "Oh Tara":
5) "Let Me Out":
The person that posted this video also posted this: "Such a shame that most folks think of The Knack at best as a two hit wonder and at worst a one hit wonder! The power pop group stormed the charts in 1979 with Get the Knack' and the monster hit 'My Sharona', earning platinum sellers and Grammy nods. The follow up single 'Good Girls Don't' was a moderate hit but the follow up LP, "... But The Little Girls Understand", the next year generated only one very minor hit, "Baby Talks Dirty" and the subsequent recordings fared no better. "I Want Love", is a great selection from the band's 1991 set 'Serious Fun'. I don't own any of the images or sound in this clip but do possess a great love of feel good pop music like this. Enjoy! (Written by daveinprogress3).
I completely agree with the above commenter, I edited the above paragraph a bit to make it more grammatical and fill in a couple of blanks. 4) "I Want Love":
3) "Good Girls Don't":
2) "Your Number Or Your Name":
I hate posting a band's most obvious song as their #1 song. I try to resist that urge as much as possible, including in this case. That was just not feasible here, The Knack will always be known for "My Sharona" than for any thing else. That's a shame, but it is what it is. 1) "My Sharona":
All 12 songs from The Knack's debut CD, "Get The Knack" are in this Top 20. It's one of the best CDs of the 70s, one of the best debut CDs and a CD that still sounds great today. I fell in love with the Knack with this CD. While they never made another CD as good as their debut, they still had a few good songs on most of their CDs.
This is part 2 of U2 live in San Diego on September 22nd, 2017 and videos of a few other songs they could have played. Their San Diego setlist was a very good setlist, it's hard to go wrong with songs from "The Joshua Tree".
Encore
“Miss Sarajevo”:
“Beautiful Day”:
“Elevation”:
“Vertigo”:
“You're the Best Thing About Me”:
“Ultraviolet (Light My Way)”:
“One”:
themusicaddict encore
"Desire":
"Until The End of the World":
"Angel of Harlem":
"The Sweetest Thing":
"Acrobat":
"Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me":
"In A Little While":
"Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Of":
"Discotheque": "Walk On": "Mysterious Ways": "Even Better Than The Real Thing":
Three of my most favoritest females were able to go see U2 in San Diego last night. I'm so jealous, they said it was an amazing concert. It would have been an awesome weekend to hang out with them and see the concert. But I don't have enough money. Thus I've been able to enjoy it through them and their pictures and the following videos below. This is "The Joshua Tree" Tour where they play all 11 songs from "The Joshua Tree". This is the 30th anniversary of the release of "The Joshua Tree".
More U2 blogs will be arriving relatively soon, they are in my Top Ten Greatest 80's era bands. Look out for that. But here now is a lot of U2's best songs live. If I don't like the videos from San Diego, I'll get them from elsewhere. My preference is to get them from last night's performance.
If you would like to read a review of what appears to be an amazing show, go here:
U2: “The Joshua Tree Tour 2017” — San Diego setlist
“Sunday Bloody Sunday”
“New Year’s Day”
“Bad” (with a tag of Simon and Garfunkel's "America")
“Pride (In the Name of Love)”:
“The Joshua Tree”
“Where the Streets Have No Name”:
“I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For”: “With or Without You”: “Bullet the Blue Sky”: “Running to Stand Still”: “Red Hill Mining Town”: “In God's Country”: “Trip Through Your Wires”: “One Tree Hill”: “Exit”: "Exit" and “Mothers of the Disappeared”:
Yeah I know this is really cheesy, but I like it. #11) Wham! "Wham Rap (Enjoy What You Do?):
I know this and the above song is the same, but they were different enough for me to count them as two different songs. 10) Wham! "Wham Rap '86":
Wham! 9) "Young Guns (Go For It)":
I was surprised this song isn't closer to the top five, that's just how many great songs he created in his life. Too bad he died so young. George Michael 8) "Monkey":
7) George Michael "Freedom":
6) George Michael "One More Try":
5) George Michael "Freedom '90":
4) George Michael "Faith":
3) Wham "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go":
Although a Christmas song, this is definitely one of the best songs of George Michael's career.
2) Wham! "Last Christmas":
When a day is tough, as this one was for me, there's two ways you can go musically. One, you can play some loud and catharsis providing music. Two, you can listen to great, happy and uplifting songs. Tonight I decided to listen to great and happy music.
Jason Mraz "The Remedy (I Won't Worry)":
Joe Diffie "Third Rock From The Sun":
Ed Sheeran "Nancy Mulligan":
Avicii "Wake Me Up":
Swedish House Mafia featuring John Martin "Don't You Worry Child":
To go along with regret, sorrow and all the similar feelings there's also the pain of heartbreak. Here are a few songs about that. These are Billboard's Top 30 Heartbreak songs, I've picked selected songs of that list. I also used songs I thought of on my own and songs from upvenue.com Songs That Will Make You Cry. I also got some of these songs from an Esquire.com list of the 50 best songs about heart breaks.
Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam "All Cried Out":
Bananarama "Cruel Summer":
Tiffany "Could've Been":
Expose "I'll Never Get Over You Getting Over Me":
Expose "Seasons Change":
What an amazing and powerful song! Skeeter Davis "The End of The World":
Debbie Gibson "Foolish Beat":
Sheena Easton "Almost Over You":
Great song and incredibly sad video. Rascal Flatts "Here Comes Goodbye":
Rascal Flatts "What Hurts The Most":
Going a bit outside of the theme, but still similar in theme to heart break songs, this is my favorite Rascal Flatts song "These Days":
Joe Nichols "Brokenheartsville":
"I spent a week away from you last night." Lifehouse "All In":
Dan Seals "Addicted":
Dan Seals "Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold)":
Taylor Swift "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together":
Psychedelic Furs "Heartbreak Beat":
Ultrabox "Dancing With Tears In My Eyes":
Billy Dean "Somewhere In My Broken Heart":
Patsy Cline "I Fall To Pieces":
Collin Raye "Someone You Used To Know":
Collin Raye "I Can Still Feel You":
Marc Chesnutt "I Just Wanted You To Know":
Marc Chesnutt "Bubba Shot The Jukebox":
Ronnie Milsap "I Wouldn't Have Missed It For The World":
To go along with regret, sorrow and all the similar feelings there's also the pain of heartbreak. Here are a few songs about that. These are Billboard's Top 30 Heartbreak songs, I've picked selected songs off that list. I used songs I thought of on my own and songs from upvenue.com Songs That Will Make You Cry. I also picked some of these songs from an Esquire.com list of the 50 best songs about heart breaks.
The couple in the song hasn't broken up yet, but maybe they should. James Ingram "Just Once":
James Ingram "I Don't Have The Heart":
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts "I Hate Myself For Loving You":
Since No Doubt wrote this song about Gwen's heartbreak about the end of a relationship with a fellow band member, you can really feel the ache in her voice. And 529 million You Tube watchers must agree. No Doubt "Don't Speak":
Not as many views as "Don't Speak", this video "only" has 113 million views. Three Days Grace "Pain":
The Four Seasons' "Breaking Up Is Hard To Do":
Dixie Chicks "You Were Mine":
Just one of the many amazing songs from her amazing first CD. Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry":
Christina Perri "Jar of Hearts":
The greatest band ever with one of their most delicious treats. Led Zeppelin "Heartbreaker":
Loverboy "Destination Heartbreak":
Loverboy "Heaven In Your Eyes":
Adele "Rolling In The Deep":
Bonnie Raitt (featuring Bruce Hornsby on piano here) "I Can't Make You Love Me":
Passenger "Let Her Go":
I'm going to go see this guy Summer of 2018, I'm so excited. Boz Scaggs "Heart of Mine":
We miss you Steve Perry!!! Journey "I'll Be Alright Without You":
April 15th, 2018: Again I'm going through and trying to finish off all of these blogs. Why are songs about heartbreak so good?
September 17th, 2017 To go along with regret, sorrow and all the similar feelings there's also the pain of heartbreak. Here are a few songs about that. These are Billboard's Top 30 Heartbreak songs, I've picked selected songs of that list. I also used songs I thought of on my own and songs from upvenue.com Songs That Will Make You Cry. I also got some of these songs from an Esquire.com list of the 50 best songs about heartbreaks.
Lady Antebellum "Need You Know":
A top 100 all-time greatest song, The Platters "Smoke Gets In Your Eye":
Roxette "It Must Have Been Love":
The Eagles "Heartache Tonight":
The Greg Kihn Band "The Break Up Song (They Don't Write 'Em):
Billy and the Beaters "At This Moment":
The A Teens "Hi and Goodbye":
Don McLean "American Pie":
Elton John and Kiki Dee "Don't Go Breaking My Heart":
Elton John "Sad Songs Say So Much":
Elton John "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues":
This is an angry heartbreak song. Ben Folds Five "Song For The Dumped":
The Joy Division "Love Will Tear Us Apart":
I'm still not a big Kanye fan, but I love this song. Kanye West "Heartless":
Bill Withers "Ain't No Sunshine":
Sinead O'Connor "Nothing Compares To U":
Kelly Clarkson "Since You Been Gone":
Pink and Kelly Clarkson singing R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts":
This blog is inspired by a concert and a family friend went to last night. They went to see The Eagles tribute band, Hotel California. She came home talking about the Don Henley song "Heart of the Matter". That's an amazing song, it's a great song for dealing with the effects of divorce or any break up.
Sadly this is the best video of this song, but you can still feel the power of these amazing lyrics. Don Henley's "Heart Of The Matter":
R.E.M. "So Central Rain":
Elton John "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word":
John Lennon "Jealous Guy":
Chicago "Hard To Say I'm Sorry":
Sometimes sorry doesn't help, Madonna's "Sorry":
"Forgiveness, can you imagine?". From "Hamilton", the song is "It's Quiet Uptown":
Brenda Lee "I'm Sorry":
An apology with a little more force. Flyleaf "I'm Sorry":
Cher "If I Could Tear Back Time":
I know I really screwed up, but is there anyway there's still a chance? Travis Tritt "Help Me Hold On":
Eddie Money "Walk On Water":
Darius Rucker "Don't Think I Don't Think About It":
And some times you just don't care any more, Paul Carrack "Don't Shed A Tear":
"You know what I'm glad you're not in my life any more." John Parr "St. Elmo's Fire (Man In Motion)": "You broke the boy in me, but you can't break the man.":
Then you have that dag nab fool that won't take responsibility for a thing, Milli Vanilli "Blame It On The Rain":
April 5th, 2018: I can't believe how many of these blogs I've left unfinished, I'm going to try and finish a few of these partial blogs. Just like any genre in the 80s, the New Wave genre had several classic songs. Here are just a few.
September 11th, 2017: A month ago today I wrote a blog about a new station here in Salt Lake, the Wave 103.1. It plays a lot of the most popular 80's new wave songs and a few obscurities. They even play some songs I've never heard before. Also they don't play a whole lot of commercials, they've been a blast of fresh air here in the Salt Lake market. In fact there are a few playing radio stations playing mainly 80's music. I've actually started listening to radio again, after swearing off music radio for the last several years. The song that inspired tonight's blog is a song I heard on The Wave tonight. It's The Psychedelic Furs "Pretty In Pink". It's from the great John Hughes movie, which probably has the best new wave soundtrack.
The Psychedelic Furs "Pretty In Pink":
Big Country "In A Big Country":
The Sundays "Here's Where The Story Ends":
Dream Academy "Life In A Northern Town":
Sparks (featuring Jane Wiedlin) "Cool Places":
Modern English "Melt With You":
I still remember hearing this song at a high school introduction dance and I thought high school was going to be awesome. I was wrong, but this is still a great song. Missing Persons "Words":
They are more than just "Our House". Madness "One Step Beyond":
Siouxsie and the Banshees "Cities In Dust":
The Human League "Mirror Man":
Devo "Girl U Want":
You have to have the long version of this song. The B-52's "Rock Lobster":
My favorite all-time favorite band is Led Zeppelin and I'm so disappointed that I'll never be able to see them live. But thanks to YouTube I can still relive some of their greatest performances. In May, 1973 Led Zeppelin was the hottest band in the world. They released their 5th CD, "Houses of The Holy" on March 28th, 1973. Led Zeppelin came to my town, Salt Lake City, a couple of months later. On May 26th, 1973 Led Zeppelin was at the height of their powers.
I was just short of my 6th birthday, so obviously I didn't go. So as close as I can I'm going to try and recreate that setlist from that night. If there are any performances from Salt Lake that night I will include those. If not I'll find a equivalent performance from another city from the same year. Where I don't mention a city, that performance is from Salt Lake. All other performances I'll mention the city where that song was recorded at.
The greatest band of all time:
Robert Plant, vocals and the golden god of the band
Jimmy Page, guitars and a few other instruments and the musical heart of the band
John Bonham, drummer extraordinaire and the backbone of the band
John Paul Jones, keyboards and the soul of the band
Here's a complete live performance on January 22nd, 1973 from Southampton University:
The sound isn't very good on this song. "Rock and Roll":
The sound is so much better on this 1973 New York City performance of "Rock and Roll":
Live from Texas: "Celebration Day":
This is from Seattle "Bring It On Home (Intro)/ Black Dog":
"Over The Hills and Far Away":
"Georgia On My Mind" (partial):
At Madison Square Garden: "Misty Mountain Hop":
"Since I've Been Loving You":
"No Quarter":
Madison Square Garden and looks to be from the film of the same name. "The Song Remains The Same": /"The Rain Song":
All of these are from Seattle: "Dazed and Confused" (Part 1):
"Dazed and Confused" (Part 2):
"Dazed and Confused" (Part 3):
There's four parts, but I think you get the idea.
For those of you that want a full video, here's "Dazed and Confused" from "The Song Remains The Same":
From Vancouver "Stairway To Heaven":
From England "Heartbreaker":
"Whole Lotta Love":
Live in Kezar (no idea what that is or where it is) "Communication Breakdown":
