Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 15

Perfect Way without hesitation

Funny how...TIIIIIIIIIIME FLIIIIIIIIIES

I can never bring myself to vote for the foundational 80s songs like Head Over Heels on these, no matter how good they are. It has to be something like 19 by Paul Hardcastle, which was everywhere and then vanished, never to truly be part of 80s shorthand.

^i don't remember 19 off the top of my head, proving your point.

1. Head Over Heels
2. Walking on Sunshine
3. Life in a Northern Town
4. Endicott

1. Head Over Heels
2. Walking on Sunshine
3. Life in a Northern Town
4. Endicott

'Since Yesterday'.

Beat's So Lonely

that's New Wave?

Goddamn. This one feels specifically catered to me, personally.

life in a northern town

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Beat's So Lonely

God I love it so much

I voted Life in a Northern Town too, but Beat's So Lonely was so close.

can we do AM Gold next

..or Have A Nice Day? 25 Volumes!

Also I've wanted to share this somewhere, but I recently stumbled over Amazon listings for later HAND installments, and people are asking ridiculous money for sealed copies, like $75-140 a disc.

I would have voted for 'Head Over Heels' but then I saw 'So In Love', so that. Love the production on that.

"So In Love" & "Northern Town" are great, but "Since Yesterday" may be one of my favorite all-time singles (including an ace VU cover on the b-side).

Strawberry Switchblade because Strawberry Switchblade.

Love "Obsession", "Walking on Sunshine", "Head over Heels" and "It's a Mistake", but yes, obv. Strawberry Switchblade.

19 by Paul Hardcastle was everywhere and then vanished, never to truly be part of 80s shorthand

b-b-b-but it did have a legacy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3bl4xaFZMM

voted Scritti btw

Love:
Head Over Heels - Tears For Fears
Life In A Northern Town - Dream Academy
Perfect Way - Scritti Politti

Really like:
Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves
19 - Paul Hardcastle
Some People - Belouis Some

TFF almost always gets my vote, and that Dream Academy song still transfixes me whenever I hear it, but "Perfect Way" is, well, perfect.

Went with "Head Over Heels" partly because "Life in a Northern Town" is not a New Wave song, and because I ALSO love the Go-Gos song of the same name.

Right, the go-gos song keeps popping in my head first, then I have to remind myself what the melody is for the tears of fears song.
I would have voted for either one though.

not a New Wave song...

Dream Academy, Tears for Fears, Scritti Politti, Belouis Some, all have that big glossy mid 80s production that didn't really do much for me at the time.

Voting Kid Creole, also not really new wave, but came along right at the time I was really getting into reggae, soca, James Brown and Cab Calloway.

I love Life in a Northern Town, partly because of the big glossy production. It has this kind of stately panoramic vibe, nostalgic in that vague way that so many '80s songs were -- for smalltowns, the 50s, the 60s, whatever imaginary lost innocent time and place. Total bullshit, but winsome bullshit in this case.

voted dario g

19 was number one in the uk when i was born which is always nice to hear for nostalgia purposes

I don't know many of these. Never liked Life in a Northern Town. The OMD song's OK but there's about 100 OMD songs better than that one. 19 was absolutely everywhere all the time in the 80s so it's strange if it's been forgotten.

Strawberry Switchblade is the only song I actually own, so that one.

If the choice WAS the Go-Go's "Head Over Heels" it would be a mortal lock. But instead, if you ask me which of these songs I want to hear *right now* the answer is always

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55SgSEKmnnY

I love Life in a Northern Town, partly because of the big glossy production

Dead on. I had their debut album, sold it, and then later bought the two disc best-of and love it! It's my kind of cheese now, I can admit it.

Voted for "Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows" "Walking on Sunshine"

19 was absolutely everywhere all the time in the 80s so it's strange if it's been forgotten.

Yeah this. It seemed like it was Number 1 for ages but I think it was very much of its time as you never hear it on the radio now.

I don't especially want to hear it again even though I bought at least three versions. The last one had some nice FM marimbas at least IIRC and the B-sides were sort of interesting for a synth obsessed kid.

as a prior soft boys yuge fan and teen owner of bible of bop and adorer of first release versh of going down to liverpool, hearing walking on sunshine makes me remember when rew got wrote off my teen cool list.

older now, its all good, still dislike the song.

Beat's So Lonely
that's New Wave

His haircut was

wish they'd put russian roulette on there instead of like a virgin, i could almost vote for it. but i'm still stuck between head over heels and life in a northern town.

this poll is hard in a way for me, i think several songs other than those are as good on the merits. hmm. maybe nothing is actually as good as head over heels tho. yup it's tff.

This one is actually really, really hard. I could easily vote for around seven of these. To piggy back up-thread, "Perfect Way" is perfect.

It is _soooo_ good.

Will I be the lone vote for "Why?"? I know they won the last round but that shouldn't diminish how brilliant of a song it is.

The OMD song's OK but there's about 100 OMD songs better than that one.

None of those songs are on this poll!

Also, 100? Really??

Will I be the lone vote for "Why?"?

― Blue Room

no

to me paul hardcastle will always be remembered for his work with mark mccormick, no matter how much more fleeting success he achieved in his solo career

I'm at a casino for mother's day. Not only have I heard "Perfect Way" but right now they are playing "So In Love." When did 80s music become the norm?

Remember the 80s when you couldn't go goddamn anywhere without hearing The Four Tops and Jefferson Airplane? We *are* the old people they're catering to now.

That's true but I swear everyone there was order then I am

Those were only two songs I heard from this and they were about a half an hour apart

"Contempt in your eyes
As I turn to kiss his lips
Broken I lie
All my feelings denied"

"Life in a northern town" was pretty much what happened to me, including the "leaving" bit at the end, from High Shields Station to what we were told was going to be London, but turned out to be Windsor, because "you wouldn't have understood otherwise"

Anyway, voted HoH

I will never not love the oboe.

oboe POO: "Life in a Northern Town" vs "Nightwsimming," ...

Bye Bye Pride though, innit.

Indeed

Or Your Silent Face. Someone told me once that the oboe sound is among the easiest to program in a synthesizer.

Isn't that a melodica in Your Silent Face?

Bronski Beat wins this round for me

xpost The lead is melodica, iirc, but there's fake oboe throughout.

they call it a faux-boe now fyi

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

oh wow, is that meant to be an oboe? I just thought it was the same synth setting you hear in a bunch of brian eno ambient songs

I always forget that a synth is supposed to be emulating the sounds of real instruments

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

Head Over Heels is way played out though. when I try to hear it in my head I hear it being played through a speaker above me at a retail store. it's a great song for sure but it doesn't really make my ears perk up when I hear it. maybe I should try to spend more time with it.

about what i thought it would be.

Wow, nice showing for Strawberry Switchblade at #4 which almost makes up for the absolute steaming turd that came in at #1.

Head Over Heels is way played out though

For old bastards like us who've heard it too many times, I suppose so. But then there's plenty of new wave that I've heard a million times but still adore, so I'm not sure what makes one 'played out' and the other an 'old favorite'.

Obsession - Animotion 6

It's A Mistake - Men At Work 0

Disapprovingdog.jpg

So, this the last one?

AM Gold!

Would totally be down for Rhino’s Have a Nice Day series.

I'm willing to run polls on the Have A Nice Days every Wednesday (starting tomorrow).

i did do this already...

Have a Nice Decade: The 70s Pop Culture Box CD1 Poll
through:
Have A Nice Decade: The 70s Pop Culture Box CD6 Poll

that was just the box set but the full series would be a lot of fun. i would like to run two run off polls, Bridesmaid and the Championship round for the next two weeks first if that is Ok C. Grisso McCain?

wait , there was also a 7: Have A Nice Decade: The '70s Pop Culture Box CD7 Poll (final CD)

XP Yeah, we can do that.

There's also the JCGE New Wave Women volume, which does have a little overlap with the main series, but makes room for stuff like "Brass In Pocket", and the unedited "Never Say Never".

There's a Christmas one, too.

And ... Halloween?

The Bridesmaids Poll - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s

i don't remember if i voted in this but "since yesterday" is just an incredible single