Welcome back to where we’re stuck in the 80s. I mean if those two iconic songs, “Video Killed the Radio Star” and “I Want My MTV”, were a blog, it would be The Circular Journey!
I always listen to Rick Springfield's show that airs each week on Sirius XM radio. The songs he plays on each show are related to a specific theme.
I think you'll know exactly where I'm coming from as soon as I begin listing some of the songs. Before I do, I must tell you that the list wasn't compiled by the magazine's editors; it's the result of a readers' poll.
10. Rick Astley – ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’
So this is one of the worst songs of the 80s? But consider that the song was so popular back in 1987 when it was released, that decades later, in 2008, the song became part of a meme that was inescapable. Maybe the people responding to the poll had simply heard the song too often. As for me, I can't get enough of it, and that goes for most of Rick's work.
9. Taco – ‘Puttin’ On The Ritz’
Really? Irving freakin' Berlin, the greatest American songwriter, gave us this song way back in 1929. It has been recorded by some of the best, from Ella Fitzgerald to Fred Astaire to Judy Garland. Sure, the über-European performer Taco recorded a sweet/creepy synth-pop version of it, but I think it's awesome, and everyone who voted for this song is just plain wrong. Shame on you.
8. Toni Basil – ‘Hey Mickey’
"Oh Mickey, you're so fine, you're so fine, you blow my mind..."
The readers have a point with this one. It is a pretty annoying song, but maybe Toni Basil deserves to be graded on a curve. She was a cheerleader in high school, and besides, MTV didn't have a lot of videos to choose from in 1982, so they played it all the time.
7. Bobby McFerrin – ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’
This song makes me happy, and that's all that matters to me. Interestingly, Mr. McFerrin isn't all that fond of the song, according to Rolling Stone editors: Mr. McFerrin stopped performing the song years ago, saying he "just got sick of it."
6. Falco – ‘Rock Me Amadeus’
I understand this one making the list. I never appreciated the song, not now and not then. It just doesn't have much going for it.
5. Men Without Hats – ‘The Safety Dance’
OK, if you don't at least smile when this song begins to play, then you aren’t completely human. The song is pure joy. In the early 1980s, New Wave music fans began dancing by what became known as "pogoing," bouncing up and down to the upbeat, exciting songs. Some dance club managers considered the movements dangerous on a crowded dance floor.
1. Starship – ‘We Built This City’
This song was a blow-out for the most hated song by the Rolling Stone Readers Poll. It has appeared on several lists of the Worst Songs of All Time. But we all know the real reason it's hated. Not so much because it's a terrible song but because to the Woodstock generation, their great rock band of the 1960s was reborn as a sleek, corporate band named Starship. And that seemed like the final nail in the coffin of their youth.
7. Bobby McFerrin – ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’
This song makes me happy, and that's all that matters to me. Interestingly, Mr. McFerrin isn't all that fond of the song, according to Rolling Stone editors: Mr. McFerrin stopped performing the song years ago, saying he "just got sick of it."
6. Falco – ‘Rock Me Amadeus’
I understand this one making the list. I never appreciated the song, not now and not then. It just doesn't have much going for it.
5. Men Without Hats – ‘The Safety Dance’
OK, if you don't at least smile when this song begins to play, then you aren’t completely human. The song is pure joy. In the early 1980s, New Wave music fans began dancing by what became known as "pogoing," bouncing up and down to the upbeat, exciting songs. Some dance club managers considered the movements dangerous on a crowded dance floor.
The frontman for the Canadian group, Men Without Hats, wrote the song in protest of being thrown out of dance clubs:
“We can dance if we want to. We can leave your friends behind, cause your friends don’t dance, and if they don’t dance, well, they’re no friends of mine.”
4. Wham! – ‘Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)’
Admittedly, this song isn't Wham!'s best work, but even their bad songs are good. This one was a massive worldwide hit. Too bad they broke up soon after its release. Anything Wham! recorded is good with me.
3. Chris de Burgh – ‘Lady In Red’
The closer the songs get to the top of the most hated list, the better they seem to be. Even the Rolling Stone editors called this a "wussy" song, but you know what, I sing along every time it begins playing. De Burgh wrote this song about his wife after seeing her in a red dress across a crowded room and not realizing it was her. How can you not love the song?
2. Europe – ‘The Final Countdown’
I take back what I said about the songs getting closer to the worst song. The Rolling Stone readers were right about this one; it's a bad song. But still, I can’t hear this song without thinking of Gob on Arrested Development. He used it as the intro to his magic act. Will Arnett was a hoot on that show.
4. Wham! – ‘Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go)’
Admittedly, this song isn't Wham!'s best work, but even their bad songs are good. This one was a massive worldwide hit. Too bad they broke up soon after its release. Anything Wham! recorded is good with me.
3. Chris de Burgh – ‘Lady In Red’
The closer the songs get to the top of the most hated list, the better they seem to be. Even the Rolling Stone editors called this a "wussy" song, but you know what, I sing along every time it begins playing. De Burgh wrote this song about his wife after seeing her in a red dress across a crowded room and not realizing it was her. How can you not love the song?
2. Europe – ‘The Final Countdown’
I take back what I said about the songs getting closer to the worst song. The Rolling Stone readers were right about this one; it's a bad song. But still, I can’t hear this song without thinking of Gob on Arrested Development. He used it as the intro to his magic act. Will Arnett was a hoot on that show.
1. Starship – ‘We Built This City’
This song was a blow-out for the most hated song by the Rolling Stone Readers Poll. It has appeared on several lists of the Worst Songs of All Time. But we all know the real reason it's hated. Not so much because it's a terrible song but because to the Woodstock generation, their great rock band of the 1960s was reborn as a sleek, corporate band named Starship. And that seemed like the final nail in the coffin of their youth.
And before I leave the subject of Rolling Stone's worst 80s songs, I want to ask, How is it possible these songs didn't make the list?
- It's Raining Men by the Weather Girls
- Pac-Man Fever by Buckner & Garcia
- Eye of the Tiger by Survivor (I know, some of you are going manic; put it in the comments--flame on!
And in closing, I must wonder, if these songs are considered the worst songs of the 80s, just what do Rolling Stones readers consider the best songs of the 1980s? I'll attempt to answer that question in a future post.
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