3 underrated songs from the 1980s worth your listen
By Lee Vowell
The 1980s were so fun, weren't they? Even if you didn't live during the decade you probably understand the essence of what the early part of the years were about. New wave and English bands!
So much good music was made, there are many good songs people might have forgotten about. Even if you are a fan of one of the bands that follows - Men At Work, A Flock of Seagulls, and General Public - nearly four decades have passed since the tracks were released. It's easy to not remember everything.
So how should you start your Friday? With some great songs, right? Here are three worth your listen.
Three underrated 1980s songs for your Friday
"Maria" - Men At Work
This track from Men At Work's final album, 1985's Two Hearts, doesn't have the same kind of witty humor that songs from the band's first two albums had, but that doesn't make it less wonderful. The song is hopelessly sad as the lyrics revolve around a migrant worker just trying to make ends meet. But somehow the music carries an air of positivity.
The song also seems to mirror Men At Work's mood at the time. The band was clearly on the verge of breaking up and the song seems somewhat disjointed as well. Yet because of how good the melody is, you can listen to the tune over and over.
"Remember David" - A Flock of Seagulls
From 1984's The Story of a Young Heart LP, this track is even more dour than "Maria." The person the song is about dies. Spoiler alert! And still there is a ray of hope that comes from the song.
The entire album is a blade on an emotional open wound, so not sure what A Flock of Seagulls was going through at the time but it's likely not something fun. That actually augments some of the best tunes of the album, however. This includes "Remember David" which is a fairly straightforward rock song that some metal band somewhere should cover.
"Never You Done That" - General Public
From 1984's All the Rage album, this bit of peppy fun in the classic General Public style - a hint of reggae, a pinch of dance hall, a heap of new wave - will have you tapping your toes throughout the day. It will also serve as a respite from the two previous songs on this list. All three tracks are excellent, though.
All the Rage features one of the best songs humankind has ever created, "Tenderness," but "Never You Done That" isn't far off from that level. Does this song sound like it came from the 1980s and wouldn't belong in any other era? Yep. But that's just more reason to give it a listen.