On February 17th, 1984 "Footloose" was set footloose on the world. That was a tidge over 34 years ago. I'm not going to say it was world beating or one of the most important movies of the 80s. I will tell you it is one of my all-time favorite movies. Why? I love the story, it has a great cast (Kevin Bacon, John Liftgow, Dianne Wiest, Lori Singer and of course the hilarious Chris Penn), the story is great (sure it's cheesy, but who cares), it was filmed in my home state of Utah and of course one of the best soundtracks ever. From the percolating rhythms of the title song, to the joyous ode of love of "Let's Hear It For The Boy", the amazing love ballad "Almost Paradise" and the pounding rock of "Holding Out For A Hero". Yes, those are the first four songs, but I love the other five songs just as much. It's just a great, great soundtrack.
The 15th year anniversary soundtrack adds the unnecessary Quiet Riot's "Metal Health (Bang Your Head), Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You", John Cougar Mellencamps' "Hurts So Good" and an extended version of "Dancing In The Sheets". All perfectly fine songs, but what 80's child didn't have those songs in their music collection already?
I've never had the need to see the 2011 remake, knowing there's no way it would be as good as the original. There's also a new musical, I listened to a couple of songs from that play. Sadly they aren't very good.
Kenny Loggins "Footloose":
One of the most joyous songs ever. Denise Williams "Let's Hear It For The Boy":
Mike Reno and Ann Wilson "Almost Paradise":
Bonnie Tyler "Holding Out For A Hero":
One of the many great funktastic songs from the 80s. Shalamar "Dancing In The Sheets":
Mr. Loggins again, "I'm Free (Heaven Helps The Man)":
Where have you gone Karla Bonoff, this is a great song. "Somebody's Eyes":
They Might Be Giants are coming to Salt Lake City on March 9th and I'm seriously thinking about going. One of my favorite CD's is their "Flood". Sure it's a bit zany and outside the normal, but it's a collection of great songs. I've loved TMBG since discovering that CD. Now that was their peak, but they do have a lot of other great CDs. I decided to blog one of their recent setlists over two blogs to check my own excitement level as they perform a lot of songs I don't know.
1) "New York City":
2) "I Left My Body":
3) "Damn Good Times":
4) "Don't Let Start":
5) "Mrs. Bluebeard":
6) "Your Racist Friend":
7) "The Statute Got Me High":
8) "All Time What":
9) "Letterbox":
10) "Hearing Aid":
11) "Mammal":
12) "The Mesopotamians":
13) "Whistling In The Dark":
14) "Hey Mr. DJ, I Thought You Said We Had A Deal":
15) "Particle Man/ Here You Come Again/ Particle Man":
I spent all afternoon listening to the music of Sinead O'Connor in order to start writing the countdown blogs for my #20 Greatest 80's Era Musicians for O'Connor. Then I started watching TV and watched the first two episodes of the 90's based "Everything Sucks". This show is based in 1996 at a high school in Boring, Oregon. The show is okay, but the music is amazing. No decade will ever top the 80's for quantity and quality of music, however there were some very sweet tunes during the 90's.
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones "The Impression I Get":
Kate says "This song is kinda saving my life right now". This is one of the best songs of all-time. Oasis "Wonderwall":
"Don't you think?"Alanis Morrissette "Ironic":
The Spin Doctors "Two Princes":
Weezer "Pink Triangle":
Tori Amos "Silent All These Years":
The Verve Pipe "The Freshman":
Elastica "Connection":
The Cardigans "Lovefool":
Duran Duran "Ordinary World":
R.E.M. "Bang and Blame":
Jill Sobule "I Kissed A Girl":
White Zombie "More Human Than Human":
Rentals "Friends of P":
Bush "Everything Zen":
Rancid "Ruby Soho":
Alanis Morissette "You Oughta Know":
The Smashing Pumpkins "Bullet With Butterfly Wings":
I've really been enjoying listening again to all the great songs of Alabama again, it made me start thinking about other great 80's country musicians. One of those great musicians I came up with is Mr. Kenny Rogers, the man sang some great songs. He was particularly good with love songs, he has some of the best love songs ever created. As the lyric states "no one sings a love song like you".
He would definitely land in my top 80's era musicians, but I haven't decided if I'm going to include him or not. That would be 18 CDs I'd have to listen to, I don't know that's something I want to devote time to. The bulk of his career was during the 80's era of 1977-1993 and so he would be high on the countdown. For now I'll just post some of his greatest 80's era songs.
This is one of the great country songs I grew up on, I'm sure I've heard this song hundreds of times, "Lucille":
"Daytime Friends":
"Sweet Music Man":
"Love Or Something Like It":
"The Gambler":
Next up two of the greatest love songs ever. "She Believes In Me":
"You Decorated My Life":
"Coward of The Country":
"Don't Fall in Love With a Dreamer" (With Kim Carnes):
"Love The World Away":
"Lady":
"Share Your Love With Me":
"Blaze of Glory":
Another one of the greatest ever love songs. "Through The Years":
Brian Fallon, former lead singer of Gaslight Anthem, recently released a very good new CD. It's called "Sleepwalkers" and I highly recommend it to anyone that loves rock music with a old school feel. In this blog are going to be the best songs of their 2008 CD "The '59 Sound" and their 2012 CD "Handwritten".
The Gaslight Anthem are reuniting for a 10 year anniversary of "The '59 Sound". They'll be playing the entirety of that CD, which is their most famous CD. They'll be touring May 27th to August 11th, with a lot of space to add in additional shows.
"The '59 Sound":
"The '59 Sound":
"High Lonesome":
"The Patient Ferris Wheel":
"Meet Me By The River's Edge":
"The Backseat":
I like the Gaslight Anthem, but "Handwritten" is at best a mediocre CD.
"Handwritten":
"45":
"Handwritten":
This is my favorite song on this CD. "Keepsake":
"Howl":
"Blue Dahlia":
A cover of the Tom Petty classic. "You Got Lucky":
Originally this blog was suppose to be the first blog in the best of Gaslight Anthem/ Brian Fallon. But while surfing the 'net I stumbled across a story about Seal. It then had a link to information about his "Standards" CD. I listened to it and loved it. And it is Valentine's Day so I thought this was very appropriate for today.
"Standards" is Seal's 10th CD, it's not a collection of new pop songs. As the title suggests these are standards from a bygone era. These were songs recorded by Frank Sinatra and others. This is what Seal said about creating this CD, "This is the album I have always wanted to make. I grew up listening to music from the Rat Pack era, so recording these timeless tunes was a lifelong dream. It was a true honour to collaborate with the same musicians who performed with Frank Sinatra and so many of my favourite artists, in the very same studios where the magic was first made – it was one of the greatest days of my recording career."
I listened to this CD today and thought this would be a great Valentine's Day CD to listen to for any romantic mood.
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
"Luck Be A Lady":
"Autumn Leaves":
"I Put A Spell On You":
"They Can't Take That Away From Me":
"Anyone Who Knows What Love Is":
"Love For Sale":
"My Funny Valentine":
"I've Got You Under My Skin":
"Smile":
"I'm Beginning To See The Light (featuring the Puppini Sisters):
"It Was A Very Good Year":
"The Nearness of You":
"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow":
"Christmas Song":
My thoughts and prayers to those victims at the Florida high school today.
Most of the remaining tickets for the touring production of "Hamilton": went on sale today. However those tickets sold out in just a few hours today. I was hoping to get "my shot" to see "Hamilton".
"Hamilton":
"My Shot":
"Wait For It":
"Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story":
"Yorktown" from the Tonys:
"The Schuyler Sisters":
"Ten Duel Commandments":
"Washington On Your Side":
One of the most beautiful songs ever "It's Quiet Uptown":
Alabama was definitely at their best in the 80's and early 90s, they had an amazing run from 1980's "My Homes In Alabama" to 1993's "Cheap Seats". Ironically that's the same period this blog covers. After that very prolific period, Alabama has continued touring and releasing new music. They have been as good as they were in their heyday, but they still do continue to make good music. These are some of the best of their non-80's era songs. I hope you enjoy it, these are in no particular order.
