"Most of the worst songs about Serious Issues ever recorded were made in the five years after Live Aid."

That version of "Help!" may be a charity song, but I'd be hard pressed to consider it "serious" even though the profits went to serious issues.

And... I love "I Don't Want To Be a Hero". As much as Johnny Hates Jazz were this throwaway MOR pop thing, I always loved their lyrics. There was also "Heart Of Gold" about prostitution.

formed in 85 this came out in 87
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48ubJ4iBPR8

this thread should be subtititled Why Acid House Had To Happen.

I also want to see terrible non-English language Serious Song videos from the time. Somehow I figure they'd be even more atrocious.

I really hate Pat Kane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gxMvb9VrzY

just fyi anyone who posts "The Gap" is getting suggest-banned

xp yeah the Gelodf/ Ure et al solo stuff was pretty much ALL 'issue' based for the next few years.
This Is The World Calling went to number 25 but it was his only hit of that decade and his last until this one which ALSO fits in this thread
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoweGN8cm5g

(hillarious "Are we rolling?" intro)

kinda thinking that there were several thousand bad serious issue songs before live aid. c&w alone...

(but maybe those have more charm cuz they are older or something)

The Great Song of Awful Hair.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41mMxnj_6xg

I fucking love and adore "The War Song" and do not give a fuck.

Its directness is part of its charm. I mean no ifs, ands, or buts: PEOPLE ARE STUPID.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEEPmGC_18g

Did Sting record 'Russians' before or after Live Aid?

Did the Russians love Sting too?

In soviet.. actually no.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eHUEY_UMeA

^ this is one of the great serious songs of the era imo

okay got a winner. or at least a finalist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ChwSS4kZ9c

so Prince turned down We Are The World and made 4 The Tears In Your Eyes instead:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xdkf12_prince-4-the-tears-in-your-eyes_music

i've NEVER seen this before. he looks nervous.

i wonder how come DailyMotion can host Prince vids but not You Tube? is it because WMG haven't worked out that Daily Motion even exists?

actually almost every alarm song post-liveaid would be a contender.

yeah man The Christians first album is great. they MEANT it that was the difference i guess.

I remember reading an interview with Geldof at the time where he said "This Is The World Calling" had nothing to do with Serious Issues.

Why is it all these suspects have terrible hair? Did they give up sound grooming advice in exchange for a guilty conscience?

saving the world with geldof hair

been rilly rilly loving the first two boomtown rats albums and singles from those albums lately. so great.

first time i ever saw boomtown rats was on the merv griffin show!

My goodness – "This is The World Calling" is grotesque. "No one looks as good as you" is offensive on so many levels, not least because apparently the heavenly choir of Alison Moyet and Annie Lennox didn't take a closer look at Geldof's hair and clothes.

"Winds of Change" was my senior class's song in 1992. HATE IT SO MUCH.

Same thing here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHZ79InLGRY

My senior song was "Promise of a New Day." By Paula Abdul. In a boys Catholic high school.

hahaha

I have no recollection of what our senior song was; our homecoming song was "When I See You Smile" by Bad English.

I also want to see terrible non-English language Serious Song videos from the time. Somehow I figure they'd be even more atrocious.

The Norwegian Eurovision entry from 1990. One of our worst ever. Placed at the very bottom. Not surprisingly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z891H3ulsVg

And of course it's the Norwegian Band Aid/USA For Africa:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsQOU77F7IQ

nul points
xp

what are 'Senior songs'? we never did prom nights etc in the UK.

nul points
xp

Unlike four other Norwegian entries, "Brandenburger Points" did actually get a point or two. :)

xpost I'm so glad to see you citing Planet Earth 1988, Dorian ...

It's every bit as brilliant as promised.

Who is singing "Let It Be"? Did they pull random people off the street?

Have we gotten this far without mentioning the international rise of Midnight Oil? I was a total Lisa Simpson at this time, 12 years old, obsessed with nuclear disarmament and stopping animal testing.
This song was OTM to me
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcKcjpSWmm0

I guess I don't really think this song is terrible, or Midnight Oil for that matter.
This song rules
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16bFBzx7I_0&feature=related

Some serious face while clapping going on there. (iirc)

"Just a world that we all must share, it's not enough just to stand and stare," apparently:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DODKTN3O2s

My long-held crackpot theory - now pending review, upon completion of DL's humungous tome - is that Band Aid Killed The Protest Song.

I think it did serious damage to the protest song's reputation - in the 90s Thom Yorke once said that he wanted to write political songs but not "Live Aid shit".

What is this humungous tome you speak of?

But he did want to play piano on Band aid shit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdtDtZw-p28

Song for the environment by Canadian music stars (in both official languages!). The video features Olympic medalists for some reason:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gri5mVJczMM

And the Canadian "Band Aid", written by Brian Adams:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJN3u1wAWIk

Ugh @ that last one.

This is more about Margaret Thatcher than Live Aid, isn't it? ("Money Go Round", "Money's Too Tight To Mention", et al.)

As far as narratives songs set against a world-in-crisis backdrop, I like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW-kseVoPms

I miss geir.

Someone in a boardroom somewhere said, "Get me Al Jarreau! And Iggy Pop!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD0RTawcIwg

omg that was RIDICULOUS
give me michael mcdonald and terence trent darby and some hair metal guys!
the presence of bruce hornsby makes everything around him seem unbearably poignant for some reason
i think it's just his face

also i totally remember it but hadn't thought about it in a grizillion years

lol omg