1980s Medley

Here are 3 songs I was listening to this morning through Alexa on our Echo Dot smart speaker.

First Song

The first song is “Don’t You Forget About Me” by the Scottish rock band Simple Minds. It was released on February 20, 1985. The song was featured in the movie “The Breakfast Club.” It became a number 1 hit in the US in May 1985. “The Breakfast Club” was enormously successful and fueled the song’s popularity.

Lyrics

Hey, hey, hey, hey
Ooh, woah

Won’t you come see about me?
I’ll be alone, dancing you know it, baby
Tell me your troubles and doubts
Giving me everything inside and out and
Love’s strange so real in the dark
Think of the tender things that we were working on
Slow change may pull us apart
When the light gets into your heart, baby

Don’t you forget about me
Don’t don’t don’t don’t
Don’t you forget about me

Will you stand above me
Look my way, never love me
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, down
Will you recognise me
Call my name or walk on by
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, down, down

Hey, hey, hey, hey
Ooh, woah

Don’t you try to pretend
It’s my feeling we’ll win in the end
I won’t harm you or touch your defenses
Vanity, insecurity ah

Don’t you forget about me
I’ll be alone, dancing you know it baby
Going to take you apart
I’ll put us back together at heart, baby

Don’t you forget about me
Don’t don’t don’t don’t
Don’t you forget about me

As you walk on by
Will you call my name?
As you walk on by
Will you call my name?
When you walk away
Oh will you walk away?
Will you walk on by?
Come on, call my name
Will you call my name?

I say:
La la la…

When you walk on by
And you call my name…

Second Song

The second song is “Out of Touch” by Hall & Oates. They dominated the 1980s with one hit after another. It was released on October 4, 1984. The song was a number 1 hit on the charts in the US. I remember when this song came out. I was 9 years old. I didn’t understand all the lyrics then, but I loved the song then and love it even more now as an adult. By the way, many younger gamers know this song because it was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002).

In a 1985 interview with the New York City Tribune, John Oates, who came up with the original idea for the song and wrote the chorus, explained the importance of the line in the song, “We’re soul alone and soul really matters to me”:

“‘Don’t lose your soul’ is one of our central themes. Soul matters. Roots matter. They’re the source of your power, your core, the energy that sets you apart from the molecules in the wallpaper.”

Lyrics

Shake it up is all that we know
Using the bodies up as we go
I’m waking up to fantasy
The shades all around
Aren’t the colors we used to see
Broken ice still melts in the sun
And times that are broken
Can often be one again
We’re soul alone
And soul really matters to me
Take a look around

You’re out of touch
I’m out of time (time)
But I’m out of my head
When you’re not around
You’re out of touch
I’m out of time (time)
But I’m out of my head
When you’re not around
Oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh, oh-oh, oh

Reaching out for something to hold
Looking for a love
Where the climate is cold
Manic moves and drowsy dreams
Or living in the middle
Between the two extremes
Smoking guns hot to the touch
Would cool down
If we didn’t use them so much
We’re soul alone
And soul really matters to me
Too much

You’re out of touch
I’m out of time (time)
But I’m out of my head
When you’re not around
You’re out of touch
I’m out of time (time)
But I’m out of my head
When you’re not around
Oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh, oh-oh, oh…

(Out of touch)
Out of touch

You’re out of touch
I’m out of time (time)
But I’m out of my head
When you’re not around
You’re out of touch
I’m out of time (time)
But I’m out of my head
When you’re not around..

Third Song

The third and final song in my medley is “Your Love” by the English rock band The Outfield. It was released on February 14, 1986. It’s a New Wave, power pop and pop rock song.

Josie’s on a vacation far away
Come around and talk it over
So many things that I want to say
You know I like my girls a little bit older
I just wanna use your love tonight
I don’t wanna lose your love tonight

I ain’t got many friends left to talk to
No one’s around when I’m in trouble
You know I’d do anything for you
Stay the night but keep it undercover
I just wanna use your love tonight, whoa
I don’t wanna lose your love tonight

Try to stop my hands from shakin’
Somethin’ in my mind’s not makin’ sense
It’s been awhile since we were all alone
I can’t hide the way I’m feelin’

As you leave me, please, would you close the door?
And don’t forget what I told you
Just ’cause you’re right, that don’t mean I’m wrong
Another shoulder to cry upon
I just wanna use your love tonight, yeah
I don’t wanna lose your love tonight
Yeah, I just wanna use your love tonight
I don’t wanna lose your love tonight
I just wanna use your love tonight
I don’t wanna lose your love tonight

(Lose your love)
(Lose your love)
Tonight (Lose your love)
I don’t wanna lose (Lose your love tonight)
I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna (Lose your love tonight)
No, no (Lose your love tonight)
(Lose your love tonight)
No, no (I don’t wanna lose your love tonight)
(Lose your love tonight)