1,001 songs to listen to before you die...

[gunnar hendershow]

The other two songs on here are merely good (Chaka Khan has some much better songs) but "The Killing Moon" is definitely in the conversation for my favorite song ever. I've listened to it so many times, and much like @Liam when I start listening to it again I listen to it a ton. Just such a great song.

And, yes, Donnie Darko exposed me to it.

[METALMAN]

Chaka Khan had so many great songs around this period. This one up there with the best.

You know I've never actually seen Donnie Darko (no great surprise there because I'm crap at films) but I really like this song. The ambience is great. I've never really enjoyed much by Echo and the Bunnymen except the Killing Moon, but this is enough.

I like YSMR(LAR). But it is still shit.

[Skummy]

I saw Echo and The Bunnymen last year; they were superb, and similar to when I saw The Buzzcocks in terms of just being constantly surprised how many of their songs I knew. Killing Moon was, unsurprisingly, the first song of the encore (they closed on Bring On The Dancing Horses), and started with a blacked out stage and then spotlight on someone playing electric mandolin for that intro - really spine-tingling stuff. 

[Liam]

621.      

‘Boys of Summer’, Don Henley (1984)

Influenced by: Caney Creek • The Dillards (1973)   

Influence on: Runaway Trains • Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (1987)   

Covered by: Roger Daltrey (1998) • DJ Sammy (2002) • Bree Sharp (2002) • The Ataris (2003) • Paul Young (2006)

The introduction to this always reminds me of the Terminator soundtrack for some reason, while the song as a whole to me seems to somehow occupy a space where it feels like it is both older and newer than the actual year it came out. I had no idea that Henley was the singer for the Eagles, making this by far the best song to come out of that band’s existence. There’s nostalgia – admittedly not nostalgia that I belong to – alongside a smoothness that makes something that could seem quite cheesy actually feel kinda cool. It has one of the hookiest choruses you could find in music, making it ripe for multiple covers.

622.      

‘Rock You Like A Hurricane’, The Scorpions (1984)

I mentioned cheese in the last entry, a concept that definitely defines this song by The Scorpions. This is 80s metal at its finest or worst depending on your mileage when it comes to this style of music. This is the perfect example of a song that you don’t need to overthink: it completely fits the niche it aimed for and with aplomb.

623.      

‘Plauteau’, The Meat Puppets (1984)

Unsurprisingly, my first exposure to the Meat Puppets was through the Nirvana Unplugged album. However, I did go back to check out the originals and have a lot of time for them as well. While I prefer ‘Oh, Me’ and ‘Lake of Fire’ as songs, this is an arguably better slice of popular music. Pop it isn’t, but the chorus is undeniably catchy. The whole thing has this sun-drenched vibe to it that adds a touch of melancholy to the proceedings. I definitely dig it, I know that much.

624.      

‘Tenderness’, General Public (1984)

Influenced by: Wings of a Dove • Madness (1983)   

Influence on: Cherish • Madonna (1989)  

Covered by: Galactic (2003)   

Other key tracks: Never You Done That (1984) • Hot You’re Cool (1984) • As a Matter of Fact (1984) • Burning Bright (1984)

This was a song I assumed I’d know when I heard it – perhaps attached to a music soundtrack that I’d heard in passing. However, I couldn’t place it at all. The book even mentioned the films it did end up in, including Clueless, but I have no memory of it whatsoever. That either speaks to my poor memory or the lack of real staying power that the song had. It is definitely a bouncy power pop tune that I can understand why people like, yet I’m not quite sure why it ended up in the book. That isn’t a knock, but sometimes a good song is just a good song and that’s it.

[METALMAN]

Boys of Summer is great, and yes you are right, it is definitely the best Eagles-associated tune, much as I love Take It Easy and a few Joe Walsh solo tunes. I first heard the DJ Sammy version, which was everywhere when I was a little 11 year old.

Rock You Like a Hurricane is okay. I'm generally not very fond of these big glossy 80s rockers with the splashy snare drums, but this is okay I guess. Good riff, nice feel in the verse, boring chorus. Def Leppard and Van Halen were the only bands that were consistently any good at this style of music.

I also came to Plateau from the Nirvana Unplugged album. But - and this is probably only the 100th time I've mentioned it on this forum - I think the Nirvana Unplugged album is trash, so I didn't come to the original version with particularly elevated expectations. Which is just as well, because I don't think it is very good. Think I actually prefer the version with Kurtco Bain singing. And yes, Lake of Fire is better.

I've never heard this General Public song. I've never heard of General Public. It didn't chart that highly. It's a nice song, sounds a bit like the Style Council, but I still wonder why it was put in the book. Is there something special about it that I'm missing?

Edited September 12, 2020 by metalman

[Bobfoc]

I like The Scorpions. Rock You Like a Hurricane is one of the great air guitar songs. They still put on a great live show too, even though Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine are in their seventies now. 

[Liam]

425.      

‘Wood Beez (Pray Like Aretha Franklin)’, Scritti Politti (1984)

Influenced by: Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough Michael Jackson (1979)   

Influence on: I Feel for You • Chaka Khan (1984)  

Covered by: Audio Thieves (2006)   

Other key tracks: The Sweetest Girl (1981) • Hypnotize (1985) • Perfect Way (1985)

Coming into this song, I thought it might be like ‘Sir Duke’ by Stevie Wonder – a song I assumed I’d never heard of, but was immediately recognisable. That wasn’t the case whatsoever as I couldn’t place this at all, yet the overall sound felt familiar. That is probably because the song doesn’t do too much out of the ordinary and Green Gartside’s vocals offer a polished take on funk. Similar to the song that just went, I don’t necessarily get the placement in the book, but this is definitely a groove.

426.      

‘I Will Dare’, The Replacements (1984)

This is hard to age, probably as much due to any timelessness on its behalf to the amount of bands trying to pedal this sort of sound in the 90s, 00s and beyond. The book even points out The Goo Goo Dolls in particular, which I didn’t hear until I read those words, yet now can’t quite shake from my mind. The jangly alt-pop that seemed to speak to adolescent worry and positioned itself as more than your average pop song always has its fans and I was one of them, though I do feel like I have grown out of this style of music as I’ve got older.

427.      

‘How Soon Is Now?’, The Smiths (1984)

There probably was a time – around my early 20s – where I could claim this song as possibly my favourite of all time. Lyrically, it is maudlin as all hell and won’t appeal to anyone who likes their music to look on the bright side, but it captured something for me at that time. Unlike the previous offering from the band on this list, I would say that Morrissey’s lyrics and delivery are more central to my enjoyment of the song, though the notes that ripple out to punctuate these moments add a sense of grandiose melancholy to the whole situation. Still a cracking song, if not one I can recommend to everyone.

[VerbalPuke]

The Meat Puppets have some cool tunes. They're kind of a limited doses band for me though. 

I've never quite gotten into the Replacements but this is good. Could very well be my tastes have matured or changed a bit? I think I'll revisit. I like the guitar work here.

Speaking of guitar work, Johnny Marr with that vibrato effect on How Soon is Now is excellent. Good song that is.

[mattman1624]

That guitar part from The Smiths song was used in a lot of movie trailers and TV commercials, right? I know I've heard it a bunch of times, but not before the '90s.

[apsham]

I think I just realized that the only Replacements song that I've heard before now is Alex Chilton.

[Liam]

Job has me busy, so will be posting a new group tomorrow.

[gunnar hendershow]

"How Soon is Now?" is such a wonderful song. As soon as it that guitar hits I just have to stop what I'm doing and listen. Though it is quite dark.

That song by The Replacements is great as well. It slots in perfectly in that huge swath of music between 1976 and 1996. The jangly sound really did take off around 84 though, what with REM and everything. The Goo Goo Dolls comparison are extremely apt and now I don't envision I'll be able to unhear it.

Other artists did what Scritti Politti did better, but perhaps without as much polish which I guess helped them in terms of popularity. Strange inclusion.

[METALMAN]

I love Scritti Politti and I'm not sure other artists did do what they did better. This is a great song but it is only the third best single to be taken from the album. My dad had this album on cassette - remember those things? I transferred that cassette to mp3 but had all the interference you get from tapes. Still a bit weird to hear it without a hiss.

I Will Dare is also really good. I think the Goo Goo Dolls are terrible though.

How Soon Is Now is obviously a classic.

[Liam]

I'm back....and better than ever! Or something.

628.      

‘Rattlesnake’, Lloyd Cole and the Commotions (1984)

Influenced by: Walk on the Wild Side • Lou Reed (1972)   

Influence on: Lloyd, I’m Ready to be Heartbroken • Camera Obscura (2006)  

Covered by: Tori Amos (2001)   

Other key track: Perfect Skin (1984)

I believe that this is a song I’d have enjoyed a fair bit more when I was younger. Not to say I didn’t like what I heard, but the highfaluting literary references and oblique references are something that would have appealed to the more pretentious, early 20s me. The best part of the song for me was the guitar – there is something appealingly twangy from the first note that works. By the end of it, I was finally getting used to Cole’s vocal delivery, which had initially left me cold but formed a key part of the sound by the end.

629.      

‘Im Nin’Alu’, Ofra Haza (1984)

Influenced by: Hayyaati Albi • Om Kalsoum (1950)   

Influence on: Temple of Love (1992) • The Sisters of Mercy (1992)  

Covered by: Anjali (2006)  

Other key tracks: Yachilvi Veyachali (1984) • Lefelach Harimon (1984)

Having ended up representing Israel in the Eurovision Song Contest a year earlier, Ofra Haza reached back into her cultural heritage in order to bring Diwan – religious songs from special festivals – to the masses. Thus, we have very stylistically ethnic music with a poppier overtone and gloss to proceedings. The big thing here is that not only did the album as a whole further Haza’s reach as a performer, but this song was used as a sample in a number of other songs. I love these odd couple style pairings and though it sounds like it shouldn’t work, the ear for what makes a song catchy in terms of the overarching whole makes this one to enjoy.

630.      

‘Purple Rain’, Prince and The Revolution (1984)

Influenced by: We’ve Got Tonite • Bob Seger (1978)   

Influence on: Like You’ll Never See Me Again • Alicia Keys (2007)   

Covered by: The Flying Pickets (1991) • Randy Crawford (1995) • Teddybears (1995) • LeAnn Rimes (1998) • Etta James (2006)

Prince has always been the perfect example of someone I should give more listening time to. An artist I never heard much from when I was younger outside of the odd tune, every additional song that I’ve been exposed to have been almost universally bangers. This is no exception. An anthem that saw Prince move from funkier climes into a crossover rock ballad sound, the emotiveness of the lyrics coupled with the slow build up of the rhythm create a timeless classic.

[METALMAN]

Rattlesnakes is AMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAZING. Is it the best song of the 80s? It could be.  LC&tCs had so many good songs, really underrated band. Lloyd Cole as a solo artist is very good too.

I'd never heard that Ofra Haza one. Very interesting, I liked it. I'll make a note to listen to it again.

So. I like Prince. Prince is very good. Is this the first Prince song in this book? I think it might be but that means we've missed out 1999, LRC, IWBYL and Controversy and if so it is super weird that at least one of them wasn't featured. But here we are with Purple Rain. And you know what, I don't mind it, but it's a bit of a dirge. Don't get why it so highly regarded. Might just be because it is the Prince song that sounds closest to something Bon Jovi would do.

Edited September 18, 2020 by metalman

[gunnar hendershow]

Rattlesnakes is a really neat song and I think I've only heard it a couple times. I should listen to more Lloyd Cole.

That Ofra Haza song is immediately recognized due it being sampled elsewhere but I don't think I've ever heard it in full before.

Prince was brilliant but "Purple Rain" is not one of his marquee songs in my eyes. It's got the attachment of nostalgia though. It's a memorable song from one of the most memorable music years (at least in the US) ever. 1984 was a great year for music as the saying goes. It's a shame it doesn't appear we're getting as much Prince in this list as we could. So many people of a certain age just have an attachment to this song like so many people of a certain age have an attachment to "Stairway to Heaven". And as with Led Zeppelin, Prince did much better work than the song everyone remembers him for.

That said I think nowadays "Purple Rain" isn't Prince's most remembered song. "1999" was heavily played in, well, 1999 and for a lot of younger people that's the Prince song they remember. Prince was so controlling with his music too that a lot of his great songs kind of faded into obscurity, much like Sinatra (also famously controlling of his music) people only remember the hits when the artist did so much more.

[GoGo Yubari]

"Purple Rain" is the most popular Prince song on Spotify, actually. I checked Apple Music to compare but I don't see a single song off Purple Rain on the top played songs which makes me think there's some Prince vs. Prince and the Revolution labeling confusion going on there. People love a ballad. It's not close to being my favorite Prince song (that's "Let's Go Crazy" by a mile) but I get it.

For me with "1999" I heard the phrase everywhere as a kid but not really the song, I think. Prince was weird because I knew exactly who he was because of the constant jokes and references to him on TV, especially given The Artist Formerly Known As phase, but I have no clue when I first actually heard a Prince song in full. If I'm including covers then it's probably the version of "When Doves Cry" from Romeo + Juliet.

[Liam]

631.      

‘State of Shock’, The Jacksons featuring Mick Jagger (1984)

Influenced by: State of Shock • Ted Nugent (1979)   

Influence on: Hooked on Polkas • “Weird Al” Yankovic (1985)   

Covered by: DJ Flash & King MC (1984)   

Other key tracks: Torture (1984) • Body (1984) • One More Chance (1984)

There are many things about this I didn’t know. I wasn’t aware that Michael Jackson still recorded with his brothers after his breakout as a solo artist, nor did I realise that he had ever done a song with Mick Jagger. As mentioned in the book, their vocals largely complement each other pretty well, though I don’t think much of the track as a whole. It seems to be here for the novelty as much as anything, although I guess it is another example of rock encroaching on more urban styles of music.

632.      

‘Private Dancer’, Tina Turner (1984)

Continuing the theme of things I didn’t know, this was a song that was originally written by Mark Knopfler and destined for Dire Straits. However, the lyrics didn’t fit a male vocalist and it ended up passed onto Turner instead. With Jeff Beck taking over from Knopfler on lead guitar but the rest of the band involved, Turner produced a song that thrust her – as a solo artist at least – into stardom. This is a pretty good song and I’ve always liked how Turner sound like she is throwing her vocals out into the world; it doesn’t sound like it comes naturally in the same way as some of the women on the list so far, yet works great for a song like this. If anything, it could all be a little bit punchier in places, but I can see the allure all in all.

633.      

‘Freedom’, Wham (1984)

The first of what I assume will be a couple of songs from either Wham or George Michael, this came from their second album and launched them internationally. This was chosen over ‘Wake Me Up…’ and ‘Careless Whisper’, which I find interesting, though the book explains it as the song that best encapsulated what Wham offered musically. Upbeat pop clashing with earnest vocals and lyrics from Michael was the tone set by the band and while this isn’t my favourite song by them, it isn’t hard to see the appeal of this tune and the band as a whole. This is earworm pop.

634.      

‘I Want You Back’, Hoodoo Gurus (1984)

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, but I was pleasantly surprised. Sounding like a song that could have easily been released in the 90s or 00s, this power pop/garage rock (whatever label you want to apply) came out of the gates fast and maintained a happy mixture of noise and catchiness that it maintained all the way through. This is really good in my opinion – that’s all there is.

635.      

‘Sally Maclennane’, The Pogues (1985)

I love The Pogues. I’m going to attribute that to my Irish heritage, though that would be doing their raucous brand of Irish folk-rock-punk (again, whatever you want to label it) a complete disservice. When they land, the Pogues create some of the best, feel good – even when generally lyrically less than happy – music I’ve ever come across. Grab a drink, grab a friend, and singalong. This is another example of their being better songs by the band in my own opinion, but ‘Sally Mclennane’ is a stormer from start to finish.

[Skummy]

Hoodoo Gurus! Bloody hell. I can only assume they're on here because they seem duty-bound to include an Australian band every now and then, but I'm glad to see them. A couple of my muso friends count them among their all-time favourites, and they make some lovely tunes, but I'd struggle to justify them making The List.

I adore The Pogues, and that's such a good song. The best Pogues stuff has the feel of a song that's so much older than it is; it's sometimes hard to distinguish the traditional folk tunes from MacGowan's own writing, it all just feels of a piece, and utterly timeless. You can picture pubs full of people drunkenly singing along to the chorus of this one at almost any point in time.

I love Purple Rain, it's something slightly magical. It's a really simple guitar part but no one can make it sound quite like Prince does. As someone who grew up largely on wanky heavy metal guitar solos, it was a revelation that he could do so much more with, musically, so much less. It's not his best work, but Prince was so good that any track on the Purple Rain album could have been another artist's best. 

[gunnar hendershow]

"Freedom" is a good Wham! song but it feels like they're skipping over their best song "Careless Whisper" for something a little out of the blue that the reader wasn't expecting. People spend their whole careers making great pop songs and never coming close to how powerful of a song "Careless Whisper" is. Overuse of the sax is often a bit corny and cheesy but George Michael just made it work so fucking well in that song. But not to disparage "Freedom", it's a good tune.

"State of Shock" is a weird inclusion, significant because of who is on the song but it's never been one I've gone back to listen to.

"Private Dancer" wouldn't have been my expected Tina Turner mid-80s song and it might not be her last but it's a worthy inclusion showing how much she could accomplish vocally.

"I Want You Back" is absolutely a song I thought came out 15 years later. The jangly guitars are perhaps a giveaway to the mid-80s but the vocals and structure feel so much later in the game.

The Pogues are just a blast. I wish I listened to more of them in my formative years, that's my only regret about them. I waited too long to really give them a focused listen.