"THIS MUST BE THE PLACE (NAIVE MELODY)" TALKING HEADS (1983)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Wall Street

Talking Heads is one of the quintessential music acts of the decade. They helped round out the new wave genre with songs that dared to mingle in the universe of world music. No else did this. Songs like “I Zimbra”, “Slippery People”, “Born Under Punches” and “(Nothing But) Flowers” were global in scope. No one else could’ve made those songs. Their recording studios and concert stages were strewn with instruments most bands have never touched. But, if I’m honest, my favorite Talking Heads anthem is almost the antithesis of what made them so unique. The song is called “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)”, which played on the closing credits of Wall Street.

It lacked funk. There was not a single polyrhythm to be heard. No djembe. No congas. No surdo. It was almost all synthesizers, with Weymouth switching to guitar while Harrison played the bass lines off a Prophet synthesizer. And here’s the kicker. It was repetitive as hell. Almost monotonous. Which is the brilliance of the song. Truly a naive melody, the song hypnotizes you with its sameness. It always puts me in a good space. It always gets me good. Locks me in its groove. After hearing it, I know. This truly must be the place.

“Home, is where I want to be. But I guess I'm already there.”

"A WHITER SHADE OF PALE" PROCOL HARUM (1967)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: The Big Chill

I’ve yet to see this movie. It was about another generation, not mine. It must’ve created a sense of relevancy and solace for the older generation as we were all swimming inside the world of John Hughes. I was a little on the young side for these Brat Pack flicks, but I looked up at Jake, looked down on Bender, and probably fantasized about some weird combination of Claire, Allison and Watts. But I digress. This post is about The Big Chill, a movie whose soundtrack didn’t hold back. It boasts some of the 60s’ and 70s’ most iconic songs: “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine”, “Ain’t Too Proud To Beg”, “The Weight”, “Bad Moon Rising"", “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, and today’s Mental Jukebox pick: “A Whiter Shade Of Pale”.

I still remember the day my brother introduced me to this song. He did it knowing full well it was far more than just a great song, it’s a timeless treasure. An absolute grand slam of a song from a band that had maybe two other songs that are somewhat known in classic rock circles. – and that’s being a bit generous. There are two elements of the track that make it the achingly beautiful song that it is. Of course, there’s the voice of Gary Brooker, an underrated, soulful delivery that has been overshadowed by the Van Morrisons and the Eric Burdons of his era. And then there’s the Hammond organ, with a simple, unforgettable, melody-defining riff. That sound melts my heart to a pile of mush every time I hear it.

“And although my eyes were open, they might just as well have been closed.”

"IN THE NAME OF LOVE" THOMPSON TWINS (1982)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Ghostbusters

“Hold Me Now”. “Doctor! Doctor!”. “Lies”. “Lay Your Hands On Me”. “Love On Your Side”. “In The Name Of Love”. These are the songs of The Thompson Twins. The songs that made us move. Above all things, the trio knew how to do one thing exceptionally well: get us to dance. It didn’t matter where you were – club, party, car, bedroom, shower. Thompson Twins songs used every tool in their arsenal to this end, and they often did it with mid-tempo tracks, relying less on speed and more on substance.

I remember playing “In The Name Of Love ‘88” over and over again when I first got my Best of Thompson Twins Remix CD. Nearly obsessed with it, I peeled it apart like an onion. Every element on the track gives it a danceability. The church organ-esque chords. The vocal echoes. The squirmy synth sequences. The John Lydon-like exclamations. It was a proven party track that instantly elevated the Ghostbusters soundtrack and gave it added dimension beyond the Ray Parker Jr. classic.

“Well it's fun to think that I'm having the time of my life. And it's true if all this around us is paradise.”

"WALK THIS WAY" RUN-D.M.C. & AEROSMITH (1986)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: The Lost Boys

The Lost Boys soundtrack might be most well known for the Echo & The Bunnymen cover of the The Doors classic “People Are Strange”. It plays over the end credits, a slot which always seems to give the songs placed there an extra gravitas. But there’s another song on the soundtrack that can never be overshadowed: “Walk This Way”. Gracing the esteemed soundtrack, it’s a difficult song to ignore given how ambitious it was as one of the most iconic examples of rap rock.

“Walk This Way” is a mash-up of east coast rap and east coast hard rock. It was a double-dose of music royalty. The thing is, you didn’t have to be a Run-D.M.C. fan or an Aerosmith fan to like it. In fact, if you weren’t a fan of either of those artists, you may have actually been more swept up by the swagger of this track. What did it? It was the way the two genres blended so effortlessly together. The rap and the rock were so closely intertwined, it was hard to tell them apart. It’s as good an example of rap rock as the best Beastie Boys tracks ever recorded. At the end of the day, I think this ingenious blend makes it stronger than the Aerosmith original.

“Cause she knew what was she was doin when she told me how to walk this way.”

"KOKOMO" THE BEACH BOYS (1988)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Cocktail

Sometimes we come across songs that exhibit characteristics that are core to a band’s persona, while other songs are complete departures. “Kokomo” is somewhere in between those two ends of the spectrum. The most obvious Beach Boy traits in the song are the song’s theme and its vocal approach. Thematically it lived right in the band’s sweet spot. It’s a song about escapism and good times. On the vocal front, it features those beautiful, wide-spanning harmonies that the band is well known for. And that’s pretty much where the Beach Boy qualities end.

“Kokomo” is, in many ways, the antithesis of Beach Boy musicality. It’s not written by Brian Wilson, or by any other band member for that matter. In fact, Brian Wilson doesn’t even appear on the recording in any shape or form – no vocals, no instrumentation, not even the role of producer. While “Kokomo” was being conceived, Wilson was focused on a solo project, and by some accounts it seemed like the band pushed ahead with the project without waiting for his schedule to free up. It might be one of the lesser heralded songs from The Beach Boys fanbase, but the song soared up the charts and isn’t as detestable as you might expect. Look, if I had to choose between “Kokomo” and Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville”, I’ll choose “Kokomo" every single time.

“We'll put out to sea, and we'll perfect our chemistry.”

"BACK IN TIME" HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS (1985)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Back To The Future

“The Power of Love” is one of the quintessential songs of the decade. There’s no doubt about it. Every time I hear it, it brings me back, lifts me up and reminds me of that incredible nostalgic high of the eighties. It’s also one of the premier soundtrack theme songs of that period. It opened with those epic synth chords that become the bedrock of the song. It had the mellow bridge. It had the guitar solo. And, of course, it had that awesome vocal performance from Huey Lewis. But while it may be one of the quintessential songs of the decade, one could make the argument that “Back In Time”, the lesser celebrated song from Back To The Future, is actually the quintessential track for the movie. Here’s why:

First off, “Back In Time” is played more times throughout the movie compared to “The Power Of Love”, including two of the movie’s most pivotal moments: the scene where Marty McFly’s alarm clock wakes him up from what he thinks is a nightmare as well as the end credits. Second, the song’s lyrics are tightly connected to the theme and ethos of the movie with lyrics like: “Tell me, Doctor, where are we going this time? Is this the 50’s, or 1999?” “So take me away, I don't mind. But you better promise me I'll be back in time.” “You'd better remember, lightning never strikes twice.” And lastly, “Back In Time” was more of a team effort on the songwriting front. involving Lewis and three other members of the News. It’s an underrated, under-appreciated soundtrack gem. And sometimes, those are the best ones to play nice and loud.

“Don't bet your future on one roll of the dice. You'd better remember, lightning never strikes twice.”

"CITIES IN DUST" SIOUXSIE & THE BANSHEES (1985)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Out of Bounds

Let’s salute one of the most underrated bands of our time. A group that inspired bands who ended up inspiring other bands in turn. (The Cure, I’m looking at you.) Let’s also salute one of the greatest, most unique singers in Siouxsie Sioux. She could howl like a wolf in one moment, and then sing with a majestic stance in another. The instrumentalists were all exceptional as well. There was a revolving door of guitarists, but bassist Steven Severin and drummer Budgie stayed by Siouxsie’s side for many years. There are so many great rockers from Siouxsie & The Banshees – and one of them is certainly “Cities in Dust”.

Even when Siouxsie & the Banshees veered toward more accessible pop melodies, they never lost their brash post-punk edge. “Cities in Dust” is a case in point. Here’s a history lesson on Pompeii, put to a dance rock beat. Non-Banshee fans could appreciate this stuff. Alarming guitar riffs in the bridge. Haunting toy piano crescendos. And that unmistakeable falsetto howl from Siouxsie Sioux, one of the more underrated singer-songwriters of our time.

“Your former glories and all the stories. Dragged and washed with eager hands.”

"AXEL F" HAROLD FALTERMEYER (1984)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Beverly Hills Cop

Growing up playing piano, I studied all the legends. Bach. Beethoven. Chopin. Liszt. Mozart. The list goes on. But as a kid, all I really ever wanted was some Axel F. I played the upright piano reluctantly. But I played my Casiotone with passion and fervor. Learning how to play the main keyboard sequence from “Axel F” on this instrument was like a rite of passage. I felt like I could hang with Faltermeyer. Of course, that’s a delusion. Harold Faltermeyer is a bit of a legend himself, crafting some of the most memorable movie soundtracks like Beverly Hills Cop and Top Gun.

Together with Glenn Frey’s “The Heat Is On” and The Pointer Sisters’ “Neutron Dance”, Harold Faltermeyer’s “Axel F” formed a formidable soundtrack triumvirate. And the latter was a rarity. Movie soundtrack instrumentals don’t normally become radio darlings, but this one was played everywhere. It hasn’t aged so gracefully. (Those keyboard riffs were 80’s to the core). But it’s a track that carries with it so much nostalgia and free spirit that it’s no wonder it got as far as it did without a single lyric.

"JUMPIN' JACK FLASH" THE ROLLING STONES (1968)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Jumpin’ Jack Flash

The Rolling Stones found their sweet spot somewhere halfway between the blues and rock ‘n roll. Other acts had their own success ushering blues into other genres, including Zeppelin, Cream and The Dead. But The Stones did it in a way that made them the perfect band to hear on a bar stool or on the stadium floor. There was something epic about the way the strung together Jagger’s vocals and moves with the dual guitar attack of Richards and Wood.

I probably can’t count the number of times this song lifted me up. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” is a song of redemption. It’s the reset button. It’s about getting knocked on your ass and getting back up again. It’s uttered in Jagger’s snarl. And it’s flowing in those sweet guitar riffs from Richards. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” is a caffeinated jolt to your head. The kind of song that can help you get over a bad week or even a very bad year.

“I was schooled with a strap right across my back. But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas.”

"TAKE MY BREATH AWAY" BERLIN (1986)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Top Gun

Those who grew up in the 80’s often wonder why their minds are filled with such useless song lyrics and movie lines. They have taken up permanent residence in our heads. Sometimes I wonder why I remember these seemingly unimportant cultural moments. But then I remember, they actually were important. They helped us get through the Cold War, Middle Eastern conflict, and puberty. The decade had numerous expressions of synth pop. It had countless ballads. And it had Top Gun. At the intersection of all of these was Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away”.

This was a song that made hearts race in the lovemaking scene far more than the fighter jet scenes. You fell for it whether you had reached puberty or not. Maybe only bested by The Police’s “Every Breath You Take” or U2’s “With or Without You”, “Take My Breath Away” is one of the 80’s greatest and most memorable ballads. The synth sounds were era-defining. The bass lines were ominous. The key change delivered the gravitas. And the melody still stands as an icon of the decade.

“Haunted by the notion somewhere there's a love in flames.”

"PET SEMATARY" RAMONES (1989)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Pet Sematary

Stephen King is a huge Ramones fan. So if King wants a Ramones song to be featured in his next film, then Kings gets a Ramones song. As the story goes, he handed the band a copy of the novel in his home in Maine. Bassist Dee Dee Ramone took it with him to the basement and returned with the lyrics for the song an hour later. I remember hearing it on Long Island’s WDRE. It had been a while since I last heard a new Ramones song. In fact, my knowledge of the band is so closely tied to the 70’s, that I’m not even sure I’m familiar with anything that the band produced in the 80’s with the exception of this single.

The thing about the Ramones is that I actually don’t like them that much. They make for fun party music. But I just get bored too fast with that two-minute, three-chord formula. The songs all sound too similar to me. At least the 5-6 well known ones. And they all seem to run at the same speed. But “Pet Sematary” was something else. It still sounded like a Ramones song, but it had a bit more dimension to it. The chorus had more legs. Not to mention the instrumentation. (I could’ve sworn I heard some synth in there). “Pet Sematary” ironically gave the band some new life as well as newfound relevance among modern rock fans like me.

“I don't want to be buried in a pet sematary. I don't want to live my life again.”

"EIGHTIES" KILLING JOKE (1985)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Weird Science

As a young teenager growing up in the 80’s, “Weird Science” was pure fantasy. Kelly LeBrock was like a goddess that stirred the hormones of boys with just a blink of her eye. We all wanted it to be real. The characters were extreme. Anthony Michael Hall, the epitome of the nerd. Bill Paxton, the definition of dirtbag. Robert Downey Jr., the false facade of cool. The music was extreme, too. Everything was fueled with large doses of testosterone. The highlight of the soundtrack is Killing Joke’s “Eighties”.

Killing Joke played it hard. They were louder and brasher than other post punk outfits. Listening back to the track, I can hear foreshadowings of Nine Inch Nails, Soundgarden and Nirvana. It sounds eerily similar to the trio of Cobain, Grohl and Novoselic. The guitar is relentless in “Eighties”, tearing through the song like a hurricane with a variety of hooks. The song appears in a party scene in Weird Science, while the lyrics seem to function like an ode to a grittier, darker, dystopian version of the decade.

“Eighties - I got the best, I'll take all I can get.”

"SOUL FINGER" THE BAR-KAYS (1967)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Spies Like Us

If you’re an 80’s child, chances are you can’t think of Soviet missile control personnel parties without remembering this song. Spies Like Us’ unforgettable scene went back a couple of decades to uncover this instrumental soul fest from the late 60s. The movie itself featured some of the decade’s best comedians on the silver screen: Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd. “Doctor, doctor, doctor, doctor.” The campiness of the acting, the film sets and the movie at large certainly extended its way into the soundtrack, which is most known for “Soul Finger”.

Overly simple and repetitious, “Soul Finger” checks two boxes for likability. First, it’s infectious. The kind of song you can’t get out of your head even if you tried. Second, it’s nostalgic, whether you grew up in the 60’s or in the 80’s. The electric guitar has its moment, but the soul of the song is the trumpet and saxophone. The two instruments are thoroughly irritating and whiny throughout the song, yet strangely irresistible. The band doubles down on the brass in later renditions, adding a trombone. The song is about as ludicrous as having a dance party at a missile control site, which makes it a perfect accompaniment for the iconic Spies Like Us scene.

"TOGETHER IN ELECTRIC DREAMS" PHILIP OAKEY & GIORGIO MORODER (1984)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Electric Dreams

Like a Human League song on sonic steroids. Growing up I always thought it was The Human League, and I didn’t know who Giorgio Moroder was until Daft Punk paid homage to him on their Random Access Memories album. And what a shame it is that Giovanni Giorgio Moroder doesn’t receive more acclaim. This man unleashed the power of the synthesizer. He was the one with the vision that saw it as the future of music. There would be no euro disco, synth pop and a key swath of new wave without him. “Together In Electric Dreams” is just as much his song as it’s Philip Oakey’s, if not more.

Oakey’s baritone vocals shine like crystals on the track. Simultaneously weighty and lofty, they give the song its upbeat demeanor together with that feel good melody. But the magic of the song is Moroder. He not only crafts gorgeous synth hooks, he uses it to create guitar-like riffs multiple times throughout the song. Moroder unleashed the synthesizer in ways we weren’t accustomed to hearing it. “Together In Electric Dreams” is much more than just a catchy synth pop song. It’s a foreshadowing of the dual vocal attacks of Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield, the synth chord progressions of early Erasure, and the disco vibes of Daft Punk.

“Because the friendship that you gave has taught me to be brave.”

"BRING ON THE DANCING HORSES" ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN (1985)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Pretty In Pink

Few albums captured the essence of the 80s better than the Pretty in Pink soundtrack. It was a defining soundscape for the Brat Pack and the exciting, yet incredibly awkward teenage world of John Hughes. The title track was an obvious hit. not to mention “If You Leave” and The Smiths’ mopey ballad “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want”. But today I’m highlighting a song that’s less known in mainstream circles, but was huge for new wave kids like me: “Bring on the Dancing Horses”.

This wasn’t Echo & the Bunnymen’s most celebrated song among the masses. That distinction belongs squarely on the shoulders of “The Killing Moon” and “Lips Like Sugar”. But it was an endearing staple for the band’s fans. It was smothered in layers of synth like molasses. A sugary, pop tune that benefited from a simple, catchy melody and a somewhat cryptic commentary on the human soul by Ian McCulloch. Hearing the guys perform this at Coney Island back in 2017, the song felt like a nostalgic new wave trip down memory lane.

“First I'm gonna make it. Then I'm gonna break it till it falls apart.”

"LIKE TO GET TO KNOW YOU WELL" HOWARD JONES (1984)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Better Off Dead

I got a lot of mileage out of my Dream Into Action cassette. The album set off a wave of synth pop hits that were a bit more contemplative than the average musical fare and still managed to reach the mainstream, including “No One Is To Blame”, “Life In One Day” and “Things Can Only Get Better”. It was Howard Jones in peak form, which coincided perfectly with the height of the 80’s synth pop era. The lesser known single, “Like To Get To Know You Well”, didn’t fare well in the States, but it was my favorite track of the bunch. On the surface, the song title sounds like it’s setting us up for a romance-fueled confession. But it’s so much more than that.

The single version of the song was released during the 1984 Olympic Games. On the sleeve of this release, HoJo wrote that the song was dedicated to the original spirit of the Olympics. The song is actually about unity. About stripping away barriers and becoming one. Nearly 40 years later, this 80’s gem has even more meaning in the current climate where people don’t have much interest in really getting to know each other. Making stereotypical assumptions of one another or keeping a safe distance from one another seem to be the order of the day. Well, this little new wave song begs to differ.

“Leave the things that separate. Build on a trust that we must stand on.”

"YOUNG AMERICANS" DAVID BOWIE (1975)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Sixteen Candles

Few songs did more to prop up a movie soundtrack than “Young Americans”. It elevated the soundscape of Sixteen Candles with instant credibility. Not to downplay Thompson Twins, Spandau Ballet, Billy Idol, Oingo Boingo and the like, but the rest of the soundtrack has a one-dimensional feel to it. A mediocre combination of new wave hits at best – a couple of solid tracks surrounded by mostly forgettable songs. But the scene in the movie where the family is getting ready for Sam’s older sister’s wedding is put on a pedestal with the Bowie classic “Young Americans”.

Some consider this to be Bowie’s best song. It’s certainly up there, showcasing his ability to traverse various genres. On “Young Americans”, Bowie is all soul. The melody. His lead vocals. The piano slide. The backing vocal harmonies, featuring a young Luther Vandross. And the saxophone flourishes from David Sanborn. On the album of the same name, “Young Americans” is the throwback opener that eventually leads to the album closer, “Fame”, which stands in stark contrast with its post-modern, new wave aesthetic.

“All night, I want the young American.”

"ST. ELMO'S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION)" JOHN PARR (1985)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: St. Elmo’s Fire

There’s a certain crop of 80’s songs that I simply can’t resist despite the fact that they err heavily on the side of cheesy and awful. REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling”. Europe’s “The Final Countdown”. The Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me”. And then there’s John Parr’s “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion)”. They might be awful in many respects. There’s no use in hiding that fact. But their awfulness is their awesomeness. These songs are nostalgic, feel-good, karaoke anthems. With the St. Elmo’s Fire theme song, I salute the memories attached to it, not the musicality.

“St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion)” was a song born out of a tough bout with writer’s block. John Parr and David Foster were tasked with writing a song for the movie, but Parr was coming up empty. Foster told him a story of a Canadian athlete, Rick Hansen, who went around the world in a wheelchair to raise awareness for spinal cord injuries. This story became the inspiration behind the man in motion, which received heavy airplay on MTV and Top 40 format radio stations. You couldn’t escape it even if you tried, just like it was impossible to avoid The Brat Pack in the mid-80’s. “St. Elmo’s Fire (Man In Motion)” brings me back, lifts me up, and pushes me forward in all its cheesy spendour.

“Growin' up, you don't see the writing on the wall. Passin' by, movin' straight ahead, you knew it all.”

"A VIEW TO A KILL" DURAN DURAN (1985)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: A View To A Kill

Bassist John Taylor, a longtime James Bond fan, approached the film series producer at a party asking when he’s finally going to hire someone decent to do one of their theme songs. So the story goes. That conversation led a meeting between Duran Duran, the producer and two composers, including John Barry. And the project was on. Mental note for those with big ambitions. If you want something, sometimes you just need to talk to the right people and express a strong point of view that you can do better. The result: the biggest hit of any James Bond soundtrack song and one of the band’s all-time classics.

“A View To A Kill” was written by the band and arranged by John Barry. There was no compromise here. It feels 100% Duran Duran, and 100% James Bond at the same time. It took Duran Duran to the next level. The self-titled debut, Rio and Seven and the Ragged Tiger were chock full of synth-laden hits. But “A View To A Kill” put the band on a more aggressive tilt. In the very first second of the track, Roger Taylor unleashes his pounding percussion agenda while Andy Taylor adds a raw guitar hook that sounds like a foreshadowing of his approach with The Power Station. John Taylor’s bass lines still have those characteristic John Taylor hooks, but they’re more calculated here. Simon Le Bon delivers one of his finest vocal performances, hovering dangerous and low in the verses and soaring high in the chorus. And Nick Rhodes is the connective tissue, constructing synth sounds that fully encapsulate the Bond aura.

“Dance into the fire. That fatal kiss is all we need.”

"IN YOUR EYES" PETER GABRIEL (1986)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Say Anything

If you’re an 80’s child, you simply can’t forget the scene. Lloyd Dobler hoists a boombox above his head outside Diane Court’s bedroom window. He doesn’t say anything. He just lets a masterpiece by Peter Gabriel do all the talking, to prove he loves her. Most teenage boys have pathetically tried to copy Lloyd’s move or at least thought about doing it. Which is ridiculous when you think about it. What made Lloyd cool was the fact that no one else thought of that before him. Everyone else post-Lloyd is simply uncool. The song he played, of course, is “In Your Eyes”.

This is not your average ballad. It’s a cultural phenomenon, partly due to its unique persona. It’s one of the greatest recordings ever to merge pop with worldbeat – and do so in a way that didn’t cheapen either genre. But it’s also a phenomenon because of the movie scene. Say Anything, without a doubt, gave “In Your Eyes” an identity that was attached to the movie’s hip. In fact, when Gabriel played the first few bars of the song during a performance at the Hollywood Bowl about ten years ago, John Cusack walked onto the stage, handed him a boombox and took a bow, before quickly walking off again. The scene and the music are forever inseparable.

“I see the doorway to a thousand churches in your eyes.”