plonq | And now (fanfare) The Answers

No, I don't sit around listening to just 80s music. This came off one of the CD compilations that I listen to at work, and this one happened to be my mostly-80s one.

1) Hey Hey Joe Joe Whatcha know whatcha know

Dink - Green Mind

I'd never heard of this band until I married a girl from Ohio. Since then I have seen more than one person list it as one of the more under-rated songs from the 90s.

2) The newspapers shout a new style is growing, but it don't know if it's coming or going,

Propellerheads - History Repeating

I have no idea how or where I heard of this song, but it's a very catchy tune that has a permanent place in my playlist.

3) Down in the street where lovers meet, that's where I'm waiting for you

Glass Tiger - Someday

"Someday you'll be shedding your tears to cry over me. Someday I'll be losing this fear." Very pretty song. 80s pop.

4) We can dance if we want to, we've got all your life and mine

Men Without Hats - Safety Dance

Come on, this one was a gimme. =)

5) I've got twelve disciples and a Buddha smile

Rush - Totem

Not their biggest hit, but it got decent airplay up here.

6) Try as I might - try as I may, yes I'll try anything to make you stay

Robert Plant - Burning Down One Side

This is off his first post-Zepplin album that came out back in... 1982ish I think. As far as I know this was the only hit off "Pictures At Eleven". I think most people associate "Now And Zen" with Plant's solo stuff.

7) He has his future in a british steel

XTC - Making Plans For Nigel

Who had his future in a british steel? Poor little Nigel, of course.

8) I'm seeing my way for the first time in years

"INXS - Bitter Tears"

Curiously, my favourite song by them was "Elegantly Wasted", which was (as far as I know) their only hit after Michael Hutchence's suicide.

9) Being real is one thing, being nothing is something, but at this point there's something wrong

I Mother Earth - Not Quite Sonic

This is one of those songs that just begs to be cranked. I can't turn it loud enough to do it justice at work.

10) Don't tell me that they're anti-social, somehow not anti-social enough

The Tragically Hip - Poets

According to my brother, "Road Apples" was the last good album these guys put out. I hate to break it to him but "Day For Night" is my favourite. This song came from neither.

11) It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things and people tend to pass you over because you're not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water or stars in the sky.

Kermit The Frog - It's Not Easy Being Green

But Kermit... green is the colour of money.

12) It's getting harder just keeping life and soul together, I'm sick of fighting even though I know I should

Nik Kershaw - Wouldn't It Be Good

The first (and only) time I saw the video for this song was when Terry David Mulligan aired it on CBC and then at the end declared, "Meh, I don't like it."

13) Waitin', watchin' the clock, it's four o'clock, it's got to stop

Pearl Jam - Better Man

This is the only song that kept Vitalogy from being a complete waste of vinyl and plastic. If the rest of the songs had been half as good as this one it would have been a killer album.

14) One man on a lonely platform, one case sitting by his side. Two eyes staring cold and silent show fear as he turns to hide.

Visage - Fade To Grey

This is another one of those gems that I found in a list of "the best songs of the 80s that you missed". This is a very moody piece.

15) Don't be afraid to be weak, don't be too proud to be strong

Enigma - Return to Innocence

Yes, my CD collection has a bit more new-age stuff than I'd care to admit.