summer blooms ~ canon digital rebel xt
It's the summer of love, love, love
I'm in love with love, love, love
For everyone transcends here
I'm thinking of you
Love energy is giving us a shove
Making this the summer of love
~ The B-52's, Summer of Love
My friend Kristen came over for dinner a few weeks back and I had set the Sirius channel to something called "Classic Alternative Rock" (channel 6022 if you have Dish) which translates to 80's music. As we were talking, we would all just stop when a new song came on and break out into spontaneous karaoke. This channel plays, in my opinion, the good 80's music and not just the mainstream stuff.
It was all Peter Gabriel, Simple Minds, Duran Duran, Depeche Mode, Roxy Music, XTC, Lone Justice, Squeeze, INXS, The Smiths, Paul Young, Haircut 100, ABC, Heaven 17, Thompson Twins, The Style Council, Joy Division, The Cure (old cure, not pop cure), all the music that contributed to my teenage angst, but that I love and have really good memories of. Well, of the stuff I can remember from that time. {wink}
I haven't been able to turn the channel since discovering this station on my Dish Network; it has become my soundtrack for the summer it would seem. Sunday while Jimmy and I opened all the windows letting the warm L.A. breezes flow through each room and cleaned all the nooks and crannies of our home, we turned the music up loud and I often found myself stopping to get my groove on and singing at the top of my lungs to these songs I grew up with in the living room, dust rag in hand.
What is it about eighties music that makes me so happy and playful?
*Since it's summer, and I have been feeling a bit giddy lately, I think I am going to title the remainder of my summer posts to eighties song titles. Just for fun.
Tell me, what are your favorite songs, or bands, from the 80's?
Well, Stacie, you just had to ask, didn't you?! If you scroll down on my blog (or click on category "NaPo backlash"), you will find an entire week of '80's nonsense and my Junior Prom picture! Big hair!
As for music, first that comes to mind is the Cure (all of it) and General Public ("Tenderness"), and I was a Cars fan too. :) Also English Beat... The Pretenders... '80s music makes me happy too!
Posted by: Angie | July 11, 2007 at 11:21 AM
definitely love and rockets no new tale to tell... THAT song started it all for me.
Posted by: me-nikk | July 11, 2007 at 01:50 PM
oh my gosh ... i can not possibly list all my favourites but yes, the cure, xtc (swoon), depeche mode, the police (tee hee), the smiths, violent femmes and the women, blondie, pat benatar, joan jett, L7 and madonna (swoon) and ... oh my gosh ... must stop ;-)
80s music always makes me jump around happy especially when its accompanied by warm breezes, cleaning smiles and sunshine sparkle ...
and tee hee ~ yeah, those that i remember too, lol ... lots of love, xoxox
Posted by: daisies | July 11, 2007 at 01:50 PM
I am going to find that channel when I get home..
Posted by: denise | July 11, 2007 at 02:06 PM
Okay, loved all the bands you mentioned, let's see who else...
Soft Cell, Bananarama, Go-Go's, Spandau Ballet, Adam and the Ants, Bauhaus, Siouxie and the Banshees, Tears For Fears, Howard Jones, Berlin, Squeeze, Bronski Beat, The Clash (LOVE them!), Tom Tom Club, Human League, English Beat, Prince, Madonna, Eurythmics, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Real Life (Send Me An Angel), Aztec Camera, Modern English, and so many more that I can't think of.
Damn, back in the 80's I could literally list all the bands by heart. I remember doing that on my binder in high school
Man, I loved the music back in the 80's and how fortunate we were to be able to be in high school during that time.
I can't wait to see the rest of your titles this summer! :)
And now I'm going to have to find that station on my cable box. :P
Posted by: Tina | July 11, 2007 at 05:48 PM
Angie ~ I LOVE the Cars.
me-nikk ~ They just played Love & Rockets.
daisy ~ my little riot grrrl. hee hee. I also love Pat Benatar, Joan Jett and L7 (were they 80's?) and of course it was all about Madonna. Still is some days. ; )
denise ~ it's 6022 here. Hope you find it.
Tina ~ Like, totally, for sure. I LOVE all those bands you mention.
Posted by: schmoops | July 11, 2007 at 06:07 PM
Oh, I would LOVE this station too! The favorites list is long, but here's a sampling: New Order (in the top-five of all time favorites...love love love "Shell Shock), The Police, The Cure, Roxy Music (and later Bryan Ferry...oh how I remember when Kiss and Tell cam out!), English Beat, Psych Furs, Depeche Mode, Sade (loved her..still do)....and on and on. (many are also listed above)
I too have danced and sang at the top of my lungs while cleaning the house. It's the only proper way, really!
Thank you for the walk down memory lane!
xoxoxo
Posted by: ceanandjen | July 11, 2007 at 09:59 PM
How funny because we just watched a cool documentary last weekend about the beginnings of all of this post-punk music....and it featured Human League, ABC, Heaven 17 and a few others that did not hit it as big. It was interesting to learn that all these bands stemmed from a few close friends in Sheffield, England & eventually, all branched outward & went onward. Ahhhh...the good old days! Many of those 80's bands, I could do without (sorry kids, never liked Depeche Mode at all), but some still can bring a smile to my face (Bauhaus, the Cure, Adam & the Ants, Berlin, ABC, Human Legaue....) as I dig out my leggings & over-sized striped tops. HA ha!!! CHRIST, I am old!
Oh, and let's not forget Missing Persons, Visage, Joy Division & countless others that I can't recall & have yet to be named in this post!
Thanks for the walk down memory lane!!! Oh, and if you like Berlin "Sex, I'm A...." check out a lovely gal named PEACHES who does a cover of it -- she's my new old fave, but don't allow any kids to listen to her tunes -- she's a nasty girl! XOXO
Posted by: Sue | July 12, 2007 at 09:19 AM
Jen ~ I LOVE New Order, and don't even get me started on Bryan Ferry. Swoon.
Sue ~ What a cool documentary, what is it called? I might have to check it out. I was just mentioning the bands that I had heard so far on this station that I remember and love, I had Joy Division up there, girl. {wink} and you know I love all those bands you mentioned. Bauhaus and Visage always remind me of you. Peaches is funny, I think she was on an L Word episode once.
Posted by: schmoops | July 12, 2007 at 09:39 AM
To all of you... what about Alphaville, "Forever Young?" Because THAT is what WE all are indeed!!!
I want to invite you ALL over right now for our own little 80's party! We can drink lots of red and sing our hearts out.
Something about the sun makes me want to throw party after party. Theme party's are the best.
xoxoxo
Posted by: me-nikk | July 12, 2007 at 11:39 AM
I always loved Blondie ( Heart of Glass). Funny she is older than I am.
Posted by: linda | July 12, 2007 at 06:40 PM
New Order, Echo and the Bunnymen and Siouxie Sioux are some of favorites from the 80's, especially Echo. Oh and X although I don't consider them in this genre of music.
I'm wondering if the 80's station on Sirius is channel 22?
Posted by: kristen | July 13, 2007 at 04:25 AM
Stacie- Since you asked: The documentary I mentioned was called MADE IN SHEFFIELD and you can "google" it. I don't recall what channel it was on, but it was pretty cool.....and, if memory serves, my fave newer band is also from there (Arctic Monkeys)....but I could be wrong. Oh, and PEACHES rocks!!! She will tell you so herself. HA ha! XOXO -Sueberry
Posted by: Sue | July 13, 2007 at 08:31 AM
me-nikk ~ I can cater the party. hee hee
linda ~ Hi Mom!
kristen ~ I remember playing Echo's " The Killing Moon" over and over, god I loved that song, and loved them. I also tried (keyword being tried) to learn how to play Siouxie's "Spellbound" on the guitar, without much success. I am pretty sure it's channel 22, because at my house it's 6022.
Sue ~ Thanks for the info! I will have to check that out.
Posted by: schmoops | July 13, 2007 at 08:41 AM
I've been reading your blog for awhile and had to comment on this one! My absolute favorite band is Erasure - in fact, I'm seeing them in concert on July 31st! Can't wait! I also love New Order, Depeche Mode, Gary Numan, Pet Shop Boys . . . so many more. Did you see Marie Antoinette? I loved the 80's soundtrack they used.
Posted by: lymielisa | July 13, 2007 at 10:33 PM
"The Promise" from When In Rome - absolutely loved this - along with Erasure's "A Little Respect"! The Bellagio in Vegas did a water-fountain show to this song. Oh, and certainly cannot forget Depeche Mode (or Depressed Mode as they became later in the 90s.) So many fave songs, and so strange that we were on the same wave length! My family and I just drove 8 hours or so on a road trip, and we had sirius blasting this station for the ride!
Posted by: PixieDust | July 14, 2007 at 02:49 PM
Can you say "Thriller" Michael Jackson or "Purple Rain" and anything by Prince.
Hip Hop was in it's early stages, but it sure was good back then.
California Dreamin'
Posted by: Carnell | July 15, 2007 at 01:14 PM
As I am recovering from Surgery I watched VH1! yesterday. They have a show titled get the band back together and one show was about,ABC ( Poison Arrow), one was the Motels and the other was The beat!
Wow it is crazy to see these people after a twenty year breakup. Most were very, very cool!
Posted by: linda | July 15, 2007 at 06:40 PM
I've just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say HELLO! I look forward to exploring. :)
Posted by: Molly | July 16, 2007 at 11:27 PM
80's music is so bouncy and light and joyful i agree -
just like your sweet mood in this blog:)
Posted by: madelyn | July 17, 2007 at 08:13 AM
there is a local station around here that i recently found and i am totally addicted to it! i find myself jamming out to Michael Jackson's "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" in my car and then realizing the world can hear me. It's slightly embarassing, but I'm getting over it. I'm with you 80's music rocks: Depeche Mode, Squeeze, Howard Jones...well I could go on, but I won't. Fun post, Stacie!
Posted by: nicole (aka rubyslippers) | July 18, 2007 at 08:42 AM
that's the music of my memories too...and so good! but i must admit that one day i was listening to the classic rock station here and when a bon jovi song came on i wondered, when did they become classic rock? am i already THAT old??? it slips up on ya...
Posted by: la vie en rose | July 18, 2007 at 11:25 AM
What a great post! I love to rock out to Sirius channels on the t.v.! My favorite is the songs from the 70's. My husband is amazed that I know the words to most all the songs. My mom was a sort of hippie chick that loved to play music. What great memories songs can bring back. Thanks for such a fun post.
Posted by: Jessica | July 18, 2007 at 01:52 PM
oh yeah, baby - lots of excellent english music there :-) i was all about Wham (really) Duran, the Damned (i was a mini goth), Thompson Twins, Kajagoogoo (did you get them in the States?), Sade, ABC, Heaven 17, Human League... and Madonna, but *only* the era around Desperately Seeking Susan. the minute she bleached her hair i went off her... sigh.. the good old days
;-) xo
Posted by: susannah | July 19, 2007 at 12:15 PM
lymielisa ~ great bands! Have fun at Erasure. I haven't seen Marie Antoinette yet. Soon.
PixieDust ~ What a fun road trip that must have been!
Carnell ~ I hear you on Prince and Michael Jackson. I think I have seen Purple Rain about 53 times.
linda ~ I have seen that show with ABC. I love Martin Frye. Hope you are feeling better post surgery.
Molly ~ Hi, and welcome! I am happy you said hello.
madelyn ~ bouncy, light and joyful. Great words to describe most 80's music... and also what I am feeling these days. ; )
nicole ~ Keep singing in your car!!
la vie en rose ~ HA! I understand completely what you mean. ; )
Jessica ~ My mom too. I need to explore more channels on Sirius, if I can just change the station. ; )
susannah ~ Yes, I LOVED Kajagoogoo and all those lovely English bands you mention. I also forgot Spandau Ballet, lovely english boys as well. I went through a mini-goth stage, and a Madonna stage, as well. xoxo
Posted by: schmoops | July 20, 2007 at 08:35 AM
Do see Marie Antionette. It is so Campy.
Posted by: linda | July 20, 2007 at 12:44 PM
hey schmoopy... we've ya been? I'm kinda missing you. hope all is well... xoxoxo
Posted by: me-nikk | July 21, 2007 at 09:51 PM