And here we go again. It's time to reveal the Top 25 Songs of 1986, as determined by Me.

1. "Pink and Velvet" - Berlin

Terri Nunn turns in some her best vocals on the haunting, soaring song. The lyrics are based on the novel and movie Christine F, about a teenage drug addicted baby prostitute in the city of Berlin. (Ironic, ain't it?) The song examines the damage herion has done to two lovers. Having once been in love with a girl with a serious drug problem, I can very definitely relate to the words. The music are funereal in tone. The highlight is the guitarwork by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour. Yes, the outro Gilmour plays sounds like it was patterned on the one he did for "Comfortably Numb", but that doesn't diminish its power in the least. Touching and moving and devastating.

2. "Superman" - R.E.M.

One of the best things Michael Stipe and the boys ever recorded. It's just not something they wrote themselves. Doesn't matter. Peter Buck's jangling guitar struts and bulldozes throughout the song. And for once, the words Stipe is singing can be more readily made out. (Actually, that holds true for the entire Lifes Rich Pageant album from which this song comes.) Michael actually manages to pull off a very credible and passionate sneer in his vocals for this one. Musically, Pageant may be one of the better IRS albums R.E.M. put out. This is the best cut on it.

3. "The Future's So Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades)" - Timbuk3

Husband and wife Pat McDonald and Barbara K came to Austin, TX by way of Wisconsin, I believe. The two of them were really the entirety of Timbuk3 for the longest while. Live, they'd perform with a jambox, while Pat played guitar and Barbara the violin. They scored a major, almost novelty, hit, with this slyly sardonic, almost sarcastic, hit. Pat's vocals are so perfectly deadpan. They work to the song's advantage. The giddy music belie the cynicism of the lyrics. This was a priceless gem from a band that never got the respect it really deserved. Maybe they were too liberal.

4. "Rumors" - the Timex Social Club

This is the song that convinced me that rap was okay after all. It's a far more organic song than most hip-hop songs generally are. It employs no sampling and the beats take a backseat, believe it or not, to the music. The song, in one verse, seems to defend Michael Jackson. ("Did you hear the one about Michael?/Some say he must be gay/I try to argue/But they say if he was straight/He wouldn't move that way." Bet they regret that now.)

5. "French Kissin'" - Debbie Harry

Blondie's lead singer with her best solo hit. This is as catchy and danceable as anything Harry's old group ever produced. A great thumping bass and drum set the rhythm. The song is very bouyant. Debbie's vocals are her usual deadpan. And the lines in French are an added plus.

6. "Willie the Wimp" - Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble

Does a studio version of this song exist? I'd love to hear it. Until they unveil such a find, I'll have to settle for this excellent track from Live Alive. The music is a driven blues song, chugglin' along rather nicely. Reportedly, because of how badly SRV had fallen into his drugs and alcohol addictions, much of this album had to be redubbed and recorded in the studio. It's hard to tell what, if any, tinkering has been done to this track. Maybe it doesn't show off Stevie's skills on the guitar, but it's a well constructed tune, nonetheless.

7. "Dancin' In the Ruins" - Blue Öyster Cult

Supposedly this is a sequel to "Burnin' For You". Not sure about that. By this point B.Ö.C. was reduced to three original members - Eric Bloom, Buck Dharma and Joe Bouchard. It's Buck on this song. While he doesn't turn in any guitar playing that's above and beyond the call..., Buck does lay down some tough licks anyway.

8. "Blood and Roses" - the Smithereens

Mike Mesaros' bass is the first thing you hear on this killer song by this great New Jersey band. This is the first alt/rock hit by Pat DiNizio and the band. It rocks big time. Consider it a warning shot. The quartet would have greater success with their next two albums. But this is still a song fans fondly remember.

9. "That Was Then, This Is Now" - the Monkees/Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork

Boy! Was this a helluva a surprise for this lifelong Monkees fan - and a pleasant one at that. Davy Jones didn't participate in the creation of the song because he felt Arista Records wasn't providing the group a good deal. Officially, this is a Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork production. But given that it can only be found on Monkees albums, I think it's safe to call it a Monkees song. Besides, it's not like there wasn't a precedent for there being two members in the band.

Micky, of course, was the group's primary lead singer, and he does an excellent job on this song. Peter provides some nice backup vocals, though regretfully, he wasn't given a chance to play anything on the song. The music is a beautiful update of the Monkees' pop sound. It fits their repetoire, while at the same time being very much a product of the Eighties. The guitarist, btw, is former Wings guitarist Laurence Juber (Back to the Egg, "Coming Up", "Goodnight Tonight").

10. "Wild Wild Life" - Talking Heads

From the True Stories album, this was a breathlessly fun song from these intellectuals. Singer-guitarist David Byrne finally allowed himself to cut loose and have fun. It's an unrestrained, exubilant track.

11. "Fight For Your Right" - the Beastie Boys

Linkin Park and all these other nu-metal bands owe a lot of their existence to this song, a classic rap-metal frat song. Frat rap, you could call it. The lyrics are clever and the music is tough and relentless. Come to think of it, Eminem owes these Jewish kids a lot of credit, too.

12. "I Touch Roses" - Book of Love

Huh. The second song on this list to mention "roses". Strange coincidence, eh? This is admittedly, a robotic dance tune, almost soulless, really. Yet the production, instrumentation and vocals are so well done that it's easy to overlook these faults of the song. It's incredibly captivating. This is the only hit, such as it is, that Book of Love would have. It's a keeper.

13. "West End Girls" - the Pet Shop Boys

One of Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe's best songs. Totally artificial musically (it's all Lowe's keyboard, IIRC), this dance song is tough and edgy. I love Tennant's vocals. And the bass line created by the synths is a great hook.

14. "Calling America" - Electric Light Orchestra

By this time, ELO was a trio - Jeff Lynne, Bev Bevan and Richard Tandy. Jeff seemingly was very indifferent to the creation of this album, Balance of Power. The album is almost totally synthesizers and is even more lifeless than a lot of New Wave was. There were exceptions, however. This song for one. It was ELO's last hit of the decade and despite how bored Lynne seems, the song more than amply demonstates Jeff's gift for writing a great hook. Kelly Groucutt's backing vocals (not to mention bass playing) are sorely missed. So are the strings. If this was another band, it might rank higher. Trouble is, it sounds like another band. It is very catchy, though.

15. "Madness to the Method" - Blue Öyster Cult

The last track on the Club Ninja album and it's a pretty damned good one, too. Once again, this is a Buck Dharma vehicle. The production is dense and tense and the music is violent without being speed metal. Hired gun, Tommy Zvoncheck does some very nice keyboard work, blending in quite well with Buck and Eric's guitar playing. Thommy Price, a Billy Idol alumni, I believe, does some first rate drumming. This may not be the real Blue Öyster Cult, but it's a good substitute.

16. "Just Another Movie" - Timbuk3

Another great cut from Greetings From Timbuk3. The song is somewhat downcast and forlorn, but it's still very listenable. The lyrics are superb.

17. "Coming Around Again/The Itsy Bitsy Spider" - Carly Simon

Carly's impassioned vocals keep this lush syntheziser driven song from becoming soulless. The sound is rather simple, but it doesn't harm the tune at all. The lyrics about a failing marriage, are wonderful. A very heartfelt song.

18. "Hideaway" - Berlin

I think this is the Cars' Eliot Easton on lead guitar. It may be Rob Diamond, Berlin's regular guitarist. The guitar, at any rate, sounds like wind chimes. The bass slides in under it and supports it. Terri Nunn once again provides some compelling great vocals. Hell, her voice is downright sexy on this one. More sexy than they were on "Sex (I'm A...)". A beautiful song.

19. "Dance Along the Edge" - Concrete Blonde

From the debut album by Johnette Napolitano. It's a nice pop Goth song about love. Believe it or not. Johnette's bass playing holds the song together, as do her vocals. The song moves along at a fair clip, without ever becoming metal, much less hard rock. It's not as dark as Concrete Blonde would get, but it's not exactly Pat Boone territory, either.

20. "Behind the Wall of Sleep" - the Smithereens

Harder rockin' and more macho than "Blood and Roses", it features many of the best elements that the general public would know about the Smithereens. Pat DiNizio's guitar is sharp and crisp, with a nice guitar solo thrown in. Nothing spectacular, but it ain't trash either.

21. "Good Girls Go to Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere)" - Cheap Trick

Another Seventies band reduced to three original members. By this point, original bass player, Tom Peterson had left, to pursue a solo career. It bombed. Cheap Trick was just regaining its feet after a series of albums that were bad missteps. Admittedly, The Doctor didn't have anything on it that could rival "Surrender" or "The Dream Police" or "I Want You to Want Me" on it, but this is still a cool song. Rick Nielson does some excellent guitar playing, as per usual and Robin Zander's vocals aren't too shabby, either. Just a song full of good dirty fun.

22. "Something About You" - Level 42

This pop song is a bit of an oxymoron - smooth and choppy at the same time. The keyboards play a staccato rhythm, almost becoming a purely percussive instrument. It's the falsetto that sells the song, though. It's not of the same caliber as a Prince, Bee Gees or Earth, Wind and Fire falsetto, mind you, but it still sounds good. It even has a serviceable lead guitar solo. Nothing too wild, though. Mustn't scare the AOR listeners. An excellent example of disposable pop.

23. "Song For Kim (She Said)" - Concrete Blonde

R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe suggest the name Concrete Blonde to Johnette Napolitano. Just so you'll know. This melancholy little number is about the suicide of someone who seemed so full of life. Johnette's vocals are heartfelt and powerful.

24. "Is It Alright" - Electric Light Orchestra

This sounds more like a traditional ELO song than most of the other cuts on Balance of Power. Unfortunately, the strings sound was created by Richard Tandy's keyboards. Lynne doesn't quite sound as bored on this song as he does on "Calling America", which helps considerably. Not a great ELO song, just better than a lot of the other stuff that came out this year.

25. "Harlem Shuffle" - the Rolling Stones

The Glimmer Twins pay tribute to one of their influences, or so it seems. This is a wonderfully funky tune. Prince Mick's vocals are both sassy and salacious on this one. When Jagger sings "Move to the left" the music seems to do so. Infectious as all get out. This is the best dance tune the Stones ever did, the whole Some Girls album notwithstanding.

np - Mistrial - Lou Reed

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

A minor correction; the book to which I refered in my comments on "Pink and Velvet" is Christiane F. We regret the error.

np - Then and Now...the Best of the Monkees - the Monkees

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

On R.E.M.'s "Superman," that's bassist Mike Mills on lead vocals. Michael Stipes sings backing vocals. It's about one of three R.E.M. songs I can remember that Mills sang. The other two were on "Out of Time."

Pretty cool list, Benn.

I had totally forgotten about that Level 42 song. Loved the video, too, featuring the totally lovely Cherie Lunghi of Excalibur fame.

Good call on both the Smithereens songs, but how 'bout we throw "Alone at Midnight" into the mix as well...

Oh, and Johnette Napolitano is totally hot too, but in a different way.

I am probably in the minority amongst REM fans because I love both Fables... and Life's Rich Pageant. Anyway, to me "Cuyahoga" was always the standout track on that one.

The I don't know when any singles were released but I know when the album came out section:

Graceland- Paul Simon
"Boy in the Bubble", perhaps...oh just pick anything...

Skylarking- XTC
"Earn Enough for Us", or "Dear God" if you insist...

Crowded House- Crowded House
"Now We're Getting Somewhere"...or that other one...

Love&Hope&Sex&Dreams- BoDeans
"She's a Runaway" from the amazing debut.

Mumbo Jumbo- The Tailgators
"Mumbo Jumbo". This one caused a minor stir in indieland as it kept selling out on word of mouth and there were waiting lists to get one. Still timeless blend of cajun/blues/surf/rockabilly.

thought of another one, probably because I had Jules Shear on the brain from earlier today:

"If She Knew What She Wants"- The Bangles

On R.E.M.'s "Superman," that's bassist Mike Mills on lead vocals. Michael Stipes sings backing vocals. It's about one of three R.E.M. songs I can remember that Mills sang. The other two were on "Out of Time." - Trike

You know, I probably knew that Mike Mills was the lead singer on that song. And I forgot. Thanks for the correction. BTW, I know Mills sang lead on "Belong". Was "Low" the other one? The only other R.E.M. he sang lead on was their cover of the Troggs' "Love Is All Around." (Yeah, the group that's most famous for the garage band hit, "Wild Thing" did that gorgeous pop tune, too.)

Good call on both the Smithereens songs, but how 'bout we throw "Alone at Midnight" into the mix as well... - MrPorter

I almost listed "Cigarette", too. It's the only other cut, that looking at the album's song set, I could even half-way remember. I had to d/l the two songs I did rank to refresh my memory of them. (And, yeah, Mr. Greedy-lawsuit-happy-hope-you-die-soon-RIAA Man, I did delete them afterwards.) I really need to get me a new copy of Especially For You. It's been too long since I've heard the album.

I am probably in the minority amongst REM fans because I love both Fables... and Life's Rich Pageant. Anyway, to me "Cuyahoga" was always the standout track on that one. - MrPorter

That album (it's properly titled Lifes Rich Pageant, no apostrophe. Check the album.) marked the end of a streak of great albums by R.E.M. as far as I'm concerned. Reckoning is the first great album by Stipe and the gang. Document is a good album. But the spark of the previous three albums is missing. Song for song, it's not as good as what had come before it. But then again, I don't think any of the Warner Brothers era records are great. The best is Automatic For the People. But that just IMHO.

Graceland- Paul Simon
"Boy in the Bubble", perhaps...oh just pick anything... - MrPorter

I love Simon's Graceland album. The trouble is I think it's one of those albums that works better when taken as a whole rather than its individual tracks. That would make it difficult for me to rank anything off of it. But, yeah, it is a classic. Definitely.

Skylarking- XTC
"Earn Enough for Us", or "Dear God" if you insist... - MrPorter

Much as I love "Dear God", I don't think it would have bumped anything off my Top 25 if I had remembered it. But it is a good call, Miko.

Love&Hope&Sex&Dreams- BoDeans
"She's a Runaway" from the amazing debut. - MrPorter

It's been too long since I've heard that album. I like the BoDeans, mind you. I'll almost certainly be ranking a song or two off Home if this project continues long enough, though. They were a great roots rock band, weren't they?

"If She Knew What She Wants"- The Bangles - MrPorter

Actually, I had "Walk Like an Egyptian" on my master list. But that's about as far as it went, though. I like it, but not that much. But gawd wasn't Susanna Hoff gorgeous & sexy?!

np - Document - R.E.M.

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

Wow, I've actually got a full list of ten this time! Who knew? Anyway, I can't bring myself to declare any one as better than another, so I've just got 'em in alphabetical order:

“Christmas At Ground Zero” Weird Al Yankovic

This ranks right up there with "Grandma Got Run Over By A Raindeer" as one of the best Christmas songs ever

“Clara Bow” The Cleaners From Venus

This is the only Cleaners From Venus song I've ever heard, featured on the Unknown Legends of Rock 'n' Roll CD. Singer Martin Newell sounds more like Graham Nash than Graham Nash does.

“Everything Right Is Wrong Again” They Might Be Giants

Ah, the Twin Quazars of Rock, what list would be complete without them?

“Fall On Me” R.E.M.

As if there wasn't already enough R.E.M. being thrown around this year. Actually, there's only a few songs they did that I really like, this being one of them.

“I Love Her Still, I Always Will” The Lyres

I've mentioned these guys' faster, louder rave ups, but this song looks to the slower, moodier, more Zombie influenced side of garage band rock. Brilliant.

“If You Want My Love” The Lyres

See above.

“She’s An Angel” They Might Be Giants

I wanted to include more of their weirder stuff, but this one gets picked just for the great tune

“That Was Then (this is now)” Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork (of The Monkees)

OK, I was trying to avoid including stuff that was already listed, but I already typed it, so here it is.

“With You” The Flaming Lips

More great acid guitar rock from when there should have been no such thing

“You Won’t Be Sad Any More” The Lyres

Speaking of when there should have been no such thing, I've got to include one more entry from The Lyre's criminaly under acclaimed library...

np - Whatcha Doin'? - The Go

I'm making a change to my 1986 list. The Rolling Stones' version of "Harlem Shuffle" is being omitted. In its place will now be

25. "Shelter" - Lone Justice

This is a great piece of Southern Rock and a bit of a rarity, too. Women are rarely allowed into the Southern Rock fraternity. Usually when they are, they're like Cassie Gaines in Lynyrd Skynyrd; backup singers for the all male rednecks rockers. (And don't get me wrong. I'm a big Southern Rock fan. I'm just painfully aware of its failings.) Lyrically, this is a beautiful song. The music is tough and powerful, while Maria McKee's vocals are gentle and yet sturdy at the same time. This is really a great romantic song.

BTW, I'm in the process of putting my 1987 list. If I can't chop it down any further, I may be doing a Top 30 list. I'm kinda surprised at how many strong contenders there were in '87.

np - The Joshua Tree - U2

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

Benn said: "I know Mills sang lead on 'Belong'. Was 'Low' the other one? The only other R.E.M. he sang lead on was their cover of the Troggs' 'Love Is All Around.'"

Sorry, strikes 2 and 3. Mills sang vocals on "Near Wild Heaven" and "Texarkana" off of Out of Time. I've not heard the cover of the Troggs song. Was their version of "Love is All Around" different from Sonny Curtis'? By the way, I think Out of Time ranks up there with Automatic as far as their output with Warner Bros. is concerned.

“Everything Right Is Wrong Again” They Might Be Giants

Ah, the Twin Quazars of Rock, what list would be complete without them? - Blitz

OMG!!! You are so right! I've simply got to be more thorough. Lets add "Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet's Head" as well.


I like the BoDeans, mind you. I'll almost certainly be ranking a song or two off Home if this project continues long enough, though. - Benn

I'll second that- great disc. I don't understand why it takes the critical flack that it does.


25. "Shelter" - Lone Justice - Benn

Good call, though at this point one could look at what happened to Lone Justice as textbook corporate meddling. McKee is talented enough to rise above it on this one as well as her first solo disc. She finally got control in the 90's.

Sorry, strikes 2 and 3. Mills sang vocals on "Near Wild Heaven" and "Texarkana" off of Out of Time. - Trike

Ouch! So much for me being perfect. I need to relisten to those tracks again, then. Especially "Wild Heaven". That's actually one of my favorite cuts off that album.

I've not heard the cover of the Troggs song. Was their version of "Love is All Around" different from Sonny Curtis'? - Trike

You know, I almost didn't get the joke, Trike. Almost. But no, this isn't anything like the theme to The Mary Tyler Moore Show. On the other hand, Joan Jett did cover that "Love Is All Around." Another source for R.E.M.'s cover of the Trogg's "Love Is All Around" was MTV Unplugged. They did it on that program. There's bound to be other bootleg sources for it.

By the way, I think Out of Time ranks up there with Automatic as far as their output with Warner Bros. is concerned. - Trike

Time drags too much in too many places for me. Plus, I'm at a point where I have a strong aversion to "Losing My Religion". It's become the most annoying R.E.M. IMHO.

I'll second that- great disc. I don't understand why it (Home) takes the critical flack that it does. - MrPorter

I suspect that it's because it is such a commercial album in comparison to the BoDeans' other output. There's about three songs off that album that I can see myself listing on a chart.

np - Sonic Temple - the Cult

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

it's properly titled Lifes Rich Pageant, no apostrophe. Check the album- Benn

I just did- and since my copy has an incomplete track listing (2 songs missing) and the order completely different from the way the disc is sequenced I'm inclined to think that the missing apostrophe is a mistake as well. :P

Actually, "Underneath the Bunker" and "Superman" have never been listed on the album (in any format). Nor have the songs ever been listed in order. You'd think after all these years, they'd correct those errors. But nooo!

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

I'll get my '86 list posted this evening, thanks for everyone's patience. I'm just getting back online, that b*tch Isabella knocked out my power for the last 20 hours. Trashed my front patio, too.

Boy, I'll make sure not to date her... what's her last name? Oh, you mean Isabel.
Seriously, glad you're OK, and that your abode didn't suffer greater damage!

Yeah, Todd, I'll second that. I'm glad to hear you survived the hurricane safe and sound. I look forward to seeing your '86 list when you're ready to post it. No hurry.

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

Thanks for the well wishes, guys. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much, after all I got a four-day weekend out of the whole thing and I got off pretty light.

Here's a quick roundup for '86. Sorry for the long wait.

1. "This Is The Time", BILLY JOEL
Chart-topping ballad to impermanence by the piano man.

2. "Dreams", VAN HALEN
A new sleeked-down version of VH debuts with this anthemic single with some good hooks and flourishes.

3. "When I Was Young", BOB GELDOF
St. Bob's {Deep In The Heart Of Nowhere} gets my vote as album of the year. Full of great songs, among which this incredibly powerful track stands out.

4. "Throwing It All Away", GENESIS
Easily one of the most palatable tracks of eighties Genesis. Although, I find most of the Invisible Touch album downright unlistenable after the virtuoso musicianship of such works as Nursery Cryme, Foxtrot and Lamb.

5. "Don't Dream It's Over", CROWDED HOUSE
One of those songs everybody recognizes from being played on the soundtrack of movies and TV shows, but few actually know who did it.

6. "Dancing In The Ruins", BLUE OYSTER CULT
Arguably the best and most marketable song from the underrated Club Ninja.

7. "In Your Wildest Dreams", MOODY BLUES
A comeback hit of sorts for the Moodies.

8. "Without Someone", ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA
Hey, there's at least one great song on every ELO album. This is one of Lynne's best.

9. "Why Can't This Night Go On Forever", JOURNEY
Another great ballad by Journey, this one has a strange, haunting, longing atmosphere about it that makes it unique among their other slow hits.

10. "Jane", PERSIAN RISK
Great little had rocker with really neat instrumental fills.

11. "Shot Through The Heart", BON JOVI
It's hard to ignore Jon in any retrospective of '86. The Slippery When Wet album is a guilty pleasure.

12. "Perfect Water", BLUE OYSTER CULT
Incredibly textured lovely little song that showcases the excellent production values of CN.

13. "Love Like A Rocket", BOB GELDOF
Eric Clapton guests on this infectuous number.

14. "Love Walks In", VAN HALEN
The other standout track from 5150 draws a little from a previous track, {1984}'s "I'll Wait".

15. "Turbo Lover", JUDAS PRIEST
Although the chorus is kind of a bringdown, most of this rocker is fantastic, chord driven commerical metal with the real feel of acceleration.

Todd- great list once again except for one minor fault- "Shot Through The Heart" came off the self-titled debut album, not "Slippery When Wet". (And for my liking, "She Don't Know Me" and "Runaway" are two of BJ's finest earlier tracks)

Sorry, my bad. The correct title of that BJ song is "You Give Love A Bad Name".

Still don't work for 1986- I think you'll find Slippery came out in 1988. At the earliest 87.
(yeah, yeah, I know, pick, pick, pick)

Nope. Slippery When Wet was indeed a 1986 release. August of 1986 to be precise. Of course, it's possible that you all in Australia got it years after it was given its domestic release here in Jon Bon Jovi's home country.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&uid=CASS70308251157&sql=Ar69ds32ba3bg

np - The Joshua Tree - U2

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

It's certainly possible, given that at that the time, they were virtually unknown over here. It still happens here- bands that aren't big have albums delayed in their release by up to 6 months.
It can be very frustrating. Well, if that's the case I will humbly acknowledge my fault (but not without saying that "Slippery" is nowhere near as good as "Keep The Faith" or "New Jersey")

And now it's time for the Top 30 of 1987. (I tried, but I really couldn't cut this list down sufficiently to make it a Top 25. Sorry for the use of space.)

1. "Touch of Grey" - the Grateful Dead

The Dead was always one of Rock's greatest cult band, famous for its followers, the Deadheads - fans that went from Dead show to show, like a band of gypsies, living an almost communal lifestyle. The public at large knew very little about the band. Maybe they knew about the Deadheads (thank you, Don Henley). Maybe they knew about the incredibly long guitar solos the band was notorious for in their live performances. Maybe they just associated the group with drugs, after all, this was an acid rock band. Whatever that meant. Then in 1987, this psychedelic relic blindsided the music world by having an honest to god hit! Like the rest of the album, In the Dark, "Touch of Grey", a Jerry Garcia/Robert Hunter composition, is a smooth, easy-going song. A chuggin' bass guides the song into its groove. The vocals are calm and laid back. Hell that really describes the whole song. But the tune is so great, a meditation on growing old, with the implicit message that getting older isn't the end of one's life. The Dead wouldn't be able to maintain the momentum this hit gave them. But then again, you got the feeling they didn't care.

2. "It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" - R.E.M.

My absolute favorite R.E.M. song. This song is in the spirit of Bob Dylan's "Subteranean Homesick Blues" and Reunion's "Life Is a Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)". Billy Joel would jump on the bandwagon with his hit "We Didn't Start the Fire". Basically, the lyrics are a hodge-podge listing of disparate items and phrases sung over a frenetic beat. Peter Buck does some nice guitar work, of course. (He's a very underrated guitarist, IMHO.) The added sounds of the piano is just icing on the cake. This may be an obvious choice by R.E.M., by I'm sticking with it.

3. "Pipeline" - Dick Dale and Stevie Ray Vaughan

The King of the Surf Guitar meets the hotshot Blues Guitarslinger from Texas. The result is this hot and badass bit of rock. While it sounds as if the two guitar gods are trying to outdo each, they miraculously complement each other's styles. They drive each other and the music to a frenzy. Dick Dale, more famous for the song "Miserlou", the song that opens Pulp Fiction, and Stevie Ray manage to blow away the Chantays' original version of this Surf classic. This will definitely get your heart pumping.

4. "Sweet Child O'Mine" - Guns N' Roses

For better or worse, 1987 introduced Axl Rose and the rest of the Gunners to the public at large. This is one of the band's finest songs. GnR look like, at first glance, one of the upteenth million hair metal bands of the 80s. Thing is, they were scarier. Slash with his stove pipe hat, hair over his eyes looked almost like Keith Richard's son - by cloning. And seemed to have inherited Keith's guitar prowess. The opening chords Slash plays are taut and sublime. Throughout the song, Slash playing is killer and precise. And whatever else you might think of William Axl Rose, the man could sing with a great deal of passion in his voice, as this song amply proves. This was the first single from Appetite For Destruction. It's still my favorite GnR song.

5. "No New Tales to Tell" - Love and Rocket

From the ashes of Bauhaus, came this Goth band that took its name from an alternative comic book published by Fantagraphics. And boy, did Los. Bros. Hernandez, the creators of the comic book, resent it. They felt Love and Rockets were a sorry rock band. I disagree. Much as I love the comic book, I like this band, too. This acoustic/electric guitar song is classic. It starts out in a deceptively gentle fashion. Then it kicks out the jams. The chaotic flute solo (yes a flute. And this ain't even Jethro Tull!) is an added plus.

6. "Ship of Fools" - World Party

Ominous and doom laden, this downbeat song by Kurt Wallinger, formerly of the Waterboys, is a song warning of ecological disaster. Wallinger's vocals are desperate and pleading. The piano is the dominant instrument, giving way to some excellent saxophone playing. Despite being so negative and brooding, this song is extremely catchy. It's well crafted and well structured. Brilliant.

7. "(I Just) Died In Your Arms" - Cutting Crew

Opening with a slashing violin, this song about a doomed romance was a great pop classic. It has a terrific lead guitar solo and vocals that are terse and well-done.

8. "Bullet the Blue Sky" - U2

At one time, I'd've disagreed with the notion that this was the best album of 1987. I don't think it's U2's best album (that's a toss up between War and The Unforgettable Fire), but what I found interesting was how many songs I found myself listing on my master list for this year. A total of five. This is the album's highlight. Ponderous and even more ominous than World Party's "Ship of Fools", this song was a showcase for Dave Evans, the Edge. His guitar playing was never more authorative or devastating than on this song. Vocally, Paul "Bono Vox" Hewson has the world-weariness sound down pat. Bono and the Edge are of course, back by the rhythm section of Adam Clayton (bass) and Larry Mullens, Jr. (drums), both of whom embue this tune with the thunderous sound of artillery. But again, this is the Edge's show and his solo is the best he's ever played in the band. And who can resist the verse where Bono intones, "And he's peeling off those dollar bills/(Slapping them down)/One hundred, two hundred." The anger and passion in his voice is palpable and somewhat scary.

9. "Mr. Brownstone" - Guns N' Roses

GnR's love song to herion. The guitars skitter across this track before picking up momentum. Slash plays some hot licks on this cut. Axl's delivery of the "I used to a little/But a little wouldn't do it/So a little got more and more" is classic. This song dispassionately explores herion addiction without actually taking any sides. "Paradise City" may be the next obvious choice for a second selection from Appetite For Destruction, but frankly, I think this song is better.

10. "Luka" - Suzanne Vega

I think by now just about everyone hates this song. I know of about four or five parodies that were done of it. Still, I stand by it. It's a great song about hidden child abuse. ("If you hear something late at night/Some kind of trouble/Some kind of fight/Just don't ask me what it was." "Yes I think I'm okay/I walked into the door again.") Vega plays a supple, almost sweet guitar on this tune. It acts as a counterpoint to the tragedy and nightmare of the lyrics. Even if you now hate it, you gotta admit that at one time this song was da bomb.

11. "I Wanna Be a Flintstone" - the Screaming Blue Messiahs

The opening guitar sounds like it's being turned like a crank on an old-timey car. Once the gears click, this song takes off in a hurry. It's a goofy, bizarre number by these alt-rockers. The song is actually pretty damned funny, with the vocals by Bill Carter sounding very off-kilter. The song, of course, features some sound clips from the cartoon. It's a lot of fun, and if you can find this song, it's worth hearing. "I wander around the Twilight Zone/A little baby Flintstone on my own."

12. "One Tree Hill" - U2

My second choice from The Joshua Tree. This haunting track is an elegy to Greg Carroll, a New Zealand friend of the band. The tune is soft and lilting. Bono sings with an ache in his heart. This is probably the quietest cut on the album, but nonetheless, one of its best.

13. "When Was Fab" - George Harrison

Aided and abetted by Beatles disciple, Jeff Lynne, Lonesome George Harrison, the Quiet Beatle, enjoyed a new surge of popularity beginning with his Cloud Nine album. On this tune, Harrison reminisces about his days with the Beatles. Lynne's production perfectly captures the baroque period of the Beatles. I believe former Beatle Ringo Starr is the drummer on this one. He was certianly in the great video for the tune. Harrison's trip down memory lane is gorgeous, lush and heartfelt. One feels glad, after listening to this song, that he shared his feelings with the listeners.

14. "Should I See" - Frozen Ghost

Canadian act, Frozen Ghost was built from the remnants of another band, Sherrif, which would posthumously have a hit with the annoying ballad, "When I'm With You". But that was later. This song is a slashing condemnation of the Religious Right who wish to force their belief system on the rest of the world. The first time I heard this was in a club in Dallas called the Ritz. (It's now a bingo parlor. Gahgh!) I was waiting for Bachman-Turner Overdrive to hit the stage, when the club's DJ played this song. After it played, I went and asked the DJ who did that song and what was it. The moron said he didn't know. (Note to all DJs: If you're gonna play a song, know who and what it is. Know your material.) Years later I was riding in a car with a friend, Valerie Hake, when Val popped a tape into her cassette deck. I freaked when I heard this song, a song I'd only heard once before. That was when I found out who did it and what it was called. Fortunately, through eBay, I have a copy of the CD.

15. "Just Like Heaven" - the Cure

The Kings of Mope Goth Rock. Despite how gloomy this is, it actually is kind of giddy, in a weird way. Definitely pop and catchy. As with most tunes by the Cure, the dominant instrument is the keyboards. Singer Robert Smith, best known for how much weight he's gained over the years and hair that looks like it was combed with a blender, sings in rather dour voice (what else is new?). This tune was the breakout tune for the band. With the next two albums, the Cure would become even more popular Stateside. For now, they're still a cult band.

16. "Hysteria" - Def Leppard

I suppose the real album to pick some of Def Leppard's songs from should have been Pyromania. The Hysteria album was the first album to really make use of the CD format, instead of recording a forty-minute album, the band crammed as much material as they could unto an 80 minute disc. The result was somewhat uneven. When the album clicks, it's dead on. Otherwise, it drags in too many places. Mostly on the songs between the hits. This of course, was one of the hits from the album. Loping, gentle, almost melancholy, I heard this song I lot at the topless clubs I was going to in those days. (It's not the only Def Leppard song I heard at Geno's Southern Belle or Dallas Gentlemen's Club, though.) Joe Elliot's vocals are wonderful on this ballad. A great song, no matter where you heard it.

17. "Heartbreak Beat" - the Psychedlic Furs

A nice straight forward rock and roller from this New Wave band. Richard Butler sings in an earnest and heartfelt manner on this one. The keyboards aren't as important to the song's arrangement as the guitar is.

18. "Star Trekkin'" - the Firm

Heheheh. I had to include this one. If you're a Trekkie (and how many people at Nitcentral aren't?) and you haven't heard this terrific novelty/salute to the Original Series, go out and find a copy! Now! You'll love it! It's classic. It perfectly captures the cliches of the Original Trek: "It's life Jim, but not as we know, not as we know it, not as we know it." This was fixture on Dr. Demento's Funny Five during the year 1987. Oh, and this Firm isn't the Paul Rodgers/Jimmy Page one that had the hit with "Radioactive". But if it was, that'd've been even funnier.

19. "Crazy" - Icehouse

I think Rodney mentioned this one awhile back. Great song. Slashing guitars, Iva Davies perfect vocals make this Icehouse's best song. The lyrics are superb. Sometimes it captures the way I feel. "You gotta be crazy, baby/To want a guy like me/Yeah, you gotta be out of your mind/It's crazy."

20. "4^th of July" - X

For their See How We Are album, this LA band pretty much jettisoned the punk sound for a lighter touch. They scored big time with their cover of this roots-rocker composition by Dave Alvin. John Doe's voice is perfect on this one. X actually turns in the better performance on this track, easily beating Dave Alvin's version (also an '87 release).


21. "Red Hill Mining Town" - U2

Yet another selection from The Joshua Tree. This is a gorgeous slice of life from the working man's point of view. The working man in this case being a miner. The bleak, hopeless rut of such a life is borne through on this track. Beautifully executed and understated.

22. "Who Will You Run To" - Heart

The last great song by Ann and Nancy Wilson. This is a rocker in the classic Heart mode. It marked the last time the Wilson Sisters will put it to use. Which is a shame, because that's what Heart did best.

23. "Hourglass" - Squeeze

Not as good as "Tempted" by any means, this was just a nice little pop-rocker from these former New Wavers.

24. "Running to Stand Still" - U2

My final selection from The Joshua Tree. Once again, the band sings a song about drug addiction. The song more than adequately captures the desperation of addiction. It's a country-styled companion piece to their earlier tune, "Bad".

25. "Heart and Soul" - the Monkees

The only good song off Pool It!, the group's first reunion album. The guitars snap and grind as Micky Dolenz once again takes the lead vocals. As catchy as anything the Pre-Fab Four ever recorded. It's a nice slice of Bubblegum Rock.

26. "Heart and Soul" - T'Pau

That title seems familiar. It is, of course, a completely different song. This one is more atmospheric than the one by the Monkees. A stuttering bass, fog-like keyboard and Caroline Decker's whispery vocals make this a fantastic tune. And yes, the band did get its name from the STAR TREK character seen in "The Amok Time".

27. "Check It Out" - John Cougar Mellencamp

Mellencamp must have been starting to feel his age by the time he put together this album. This is the second song on The Lonesome Jubilee to deal with getting older. ("Cherry Bomb" was the other.) This is the better one.

28. "Animal" - Def Leppard

The only other song I really, really like from Hysteria. This song almost gallops on its way to the chorus. I love how Rick Allen's drums slam on the bridge to the chorus ("I've got this feeling in my head.") The band is best known for having what seems like a curse on it. Before recording Hysteria, Allen was involved in a car accident in which he lost one of his arms. A specially rigged drum set was created so he could continue to perform with the band. As this song demonstrates, Rick Allen could still play with the best of them.

29. "There's the Girl" - Heart

Not exactly a classic Heart song by any stretch of the imagination. But the bubbly keyboard and Ann's spritely vocals makes this a charming pop song anyhow.

30. Special Secret Song Inside - the Red Hot Chili Peppers

Well, that's how it's listed on the album, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan. Thankfully. I'm not sure I could get away with posting its actual title. All I'm gonna say about this song is that it's about sex, it's dirty, it's fun and I like it - a lot. For more information, get your own copy of The Uplift Mofo Party Plan.

And finally, that's it! Next, 1988!

np - Changes - the Monkees

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

Yeesh, "Luka!" I didn't wait 'til now to hate it; I couldn't stand it the first time I heard it! Even if the lyrics are profound, I just can't get past the annoying sound of that tune. Vega's had better songs before this one, and (thankfully) after this one as well.
I gotta agree with Benn about Heart... they were better when they rocked. And "Who Will You Run To?" is about their only 80's tune I like.
Frozen Ghost, or at least "Should I See," got a bit of airplay where I lived, and ended up on a compilation tape I made from radio way back in the late 80's. (I should go through those tapes I made and see if they even work anymore...) I found a used CD a couple years ago for only $2US. (I actually have their self tilted LP and their next one, "A Nice Place to Visit..." on vinyl, but it's been years since I listened to them.)
"No New Tale to Tell" was indeed a good rocker by Love and Rockets, but some of their stuff from their 1986 release Express (such as "Kundalini Express" & "Ball of Confusion" among others) is also quite good. (Going back to my vinyl collection again with that one... I really need to upgrade!) Benn, you may want to check it out if you can find it.

I'm not surprised that you didn't like "Luka" at the time, CR. I'm sure it's one of those songs that annoyed millions at the time it came out. I just think that in the intervening years more people have come to decide they hate.

I have Frozen Ghost on tape as well as CD. I also have the band's follow up album, "Nice Place to Visit". I've never been too impressed with it, though. I may have to give it another play, though.

I used to have most, if not all of Love and Rockets albums by the mid-Nineties. Today, I only have Love and Rockets, the one with "So Alive" and "No Big Deal" on it. I will eventually get the rest of them again. I have "No New Tale to Tell" on a tape I've recorded, though. But I still want to get the song's parent album, Earth*Moon*Sun again. I know I liked "Waiting For the Flood" and probably several other cuts off that album, so...

np - Eyewitness - Shades Apart

"It's all one song." = Neil Young

Great list, Benn! You beat me to a couple of 'em so I'll just offer alternates in their place:

X- "See How We Are" (Title track)

World Party- "World Party" (the song, and it's brilliant as well)

Vega's had better songs before this one, and (thankfully) after this one as well. - CR
I was going to list "Solitude Standing", actually.

Plus...

“Levitate Me”- Pixies
The legendary quartet arrives on the scene fully formed in all their idiosyncratic glory, a major influence on most of the bands that would follow them including a certain threesome from Seattle.

“We’re the Replacements”- They Might Be Giants
“…and we play in a rock-n-roll band!” Where’s Tommy?

“Pulsar”- Julian Cope
A year or two before the Copester declared himself an archDruid and went very publicly insane (with spectacular results) he released a very smart and well executed pop/rock album called Saint Julian. Many highlights.

“Could You Be the One?”- Husker Du
They go out in style with the Warehouse… album. Too many highlights to mention, this is one of Bob Mould’s more pop oriented efforts.

“Memphis in the Meantime”- John Hiatt
Hiatt finally gets his stylistic act together in a big way on Bring the Family, forgoing the attempts to be an American Elvis Costello and focusing on being more of a roots rocker. He opens up the set with this one which has a subtextual dig at Nashville as well. Bonnie Raitt would later score a hit with an essentially carbon copied version of “Thing Called Love”. A landmark recording.

“If I Should Fall From Grace With God”- Pogues
The best song from their best recording.

“Sludgefest”- Dinosaur Jr.
Just how many distortion boxes does J Macsis own, anyway?

“Teenage Riot”- Sonic Youth
The remarkable leadoff track from their remarkable breakout album Daydream Nation.

“Hang on Saint Christopher”- Tom Waits
Both recklessly joyous and ominously foreboding, one of the great road trip songs of all time.

Three of my own:

“North By North” The Bats

One of the acts on New Zeland's Flying Nun label. Sounds like what R.E.M. would sound like if they played garage rock.

“Other Days And Different Planets” The Screaming Trees

The first Screaming Trees song I ever heard. Nice, fast, loud guitar rock with just enough psychedelia.

“The One I Love” R.E.M

"End Of The World" is good and all, but I think that this is the best song of the year by these guys. Not as inventive, sure (couldn't they have written at lease one other verse?), but it sure sounds great.

I noticed "The Future's so Bright (I Gotta Wear Shades)" by Timbuk 3 was on a list here. I know someone will think I'm really not too bright for not figuring out that it was an anti-nuke protest song until someone told me. About a year and a half ago I was watching some VH1 show "100 1-hit wonders" or something (hosted by William Shatner) and this song was on there. Some guy on this show says "This is a song that is not as sarcastic as it wants to be." They also point out that a lot of people missed the message of the song and that it was getting played a lot at college graduations. But with its giddy, uptempo music and those seemingly innocuous lyrics, how were average morons like me supposed to get the message?

P.S. I heard on the same show that the words to "Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats had the same theme (no nukes). I think it went over more people's heads than the Timbuk 3 song.

You mean "Safety Dance" isn't about dancing with a midget?

My top ten from 1987:

1. "On The Turning Away", PINK FLOYD
2. "Here I Go Again", WHITESNAKE
3. "Sweet Child Of Mine", GUNS AND ROSES
4. "Black Muddy River", THE GRATEFUL DEAD
5. "Call Of The Wild", DEEP PURPLE
6. "Learning To Fly", PINK FLOYD
7. "Paradise City", GUNS AND ROSES
8. "Dreamer", T.S.O.L.
9. "The One I Love", R.E.M.
10. "Where The Streets Have No Name", U2

Once again, I find myself making a correction to my list. I'm removing the Red Hot Chili Peppers' Special Secret Song Inside (#30). In its place will now be

30. "Paint All the Flowers Black" - Shallow Reign

Odds are against you knowing of Shallow Reign. They were a Dallas area band that never signed with a major label. I only know of this song from a disc I have - The Sounds of Deep Ellum - which I used to have in cassette form. The album was released on Island Records, U2's label. That's as close as they've gotten to national exposure. Still, this is one of the best things off that compilation disc. (Other great tunes are Three On a Hill's "No More Love", Reverend Horton Heat's "The Devil's Chasin' Me", [Edie Brickel and] New Bohemian's "Jamaican Lady"*, the Daylight's "Man O' War" and the Legendary Revelations' "Sales Tax.") It was a great sample of Dallas' music scene in the mid-Eighties from the part of downtown known as Deep Ellum.

Shallow Reign were a quartet and this song is hypnotic. It's almost a psychedelic metal song. Bob Watson's vocals are aching and longing. If this is any example, I wish I had some more of Reign's music in my collection. I certainly think it's a shame they never garnered any national attention.

Just so you all will know, as it stands now, my 1988 list will include a couple more songs from another local only Dallas band. At least with this band, I'll be able to link to where you can d/l some of their songs/albums.

* This is a previously unreleased song by the New Bos. And yeah, they were listed on the Deep Ellum album as New Bohemians. It was what the band was supposed to be called before Geffin Records decided to emphasize the female lead vocalist.

np - Life Is Killing Me - Type O Negative

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

OK, here's my '88 list:

“Here’s A Heart” The Lyres w/ Stiv
I don't know who this "Stiv" is, but that really doesn't matter. This song rocks no matter what.

“I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend” The Ramones
OK, it's a little basic, even by The Ramones' standards. That's never (significantly) hurt them before, right?

“I’ll Try You Anyway” The Lyres
By '88, even The Lyres has begun to fall prey to the production values of the times (this song in particular sounds pretty thin), it's a real testament to their abilities that they remianed listenable throughout it all.

“Finish What You Started” Van Halen
I don't generally like Van Halen, so it's fitting that my favorite VH song doesn't sound much like Van Halen at all.

“Night Comes Creeping” Screaming Trees
Off "Invisible Lantern", their last indie album. Their second best song (stay tuned for the rist, kiddies!)

“No City Lights” James Gordon
Here's one that's really from out of left field. It's a little instrumental off of a Windham Hills
guitar sampler. Absolutely Gorgeous.

“She’s Got Eyes That Tell Lies” The Lyres
The best song The Lyres ever did, triumphing over tremendous competition. Be warned that I'm talking about the version found on "A Promise Is A Promise", not the inferior verson on the "Some Lyres" Compilation.

“Smokerings” Screaming Trees
Speaking of bests, this is probobly the most impresive song the Screaming Trees recorded.

“When Love Comes To Town” U2 & B.B. King
Not unlike "Finish What You Started", this is a song I really like by a band that don't particularly like as much, largely because it doesn't sound anything like their other stuff.

“Worried About Nothing” The Lyres
One more Lyres track, just for good measure.

“Here’s A Heart” The Lyres w/ Stiv
I don't know who this "Stiv" is, but that really doesn't matter. - Blitz

Just a guess, but I'd say it was Stiv Bator of the Deadboys.

“Finish What You Started” Van Halen - Blitz

Juat to be nitpicky about it, but the title is "Finish What Ya Started".

BTW, Blitz, you're not by any chance a Lyre's fan, are you?

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

Just a guess, but I'd say it was Stiv Bator of the Deadboys. - Benn

And Lords of the New Church, that's the guy. And I think it's Bators [/nitpicky]...

I wasn't sure if Stiv's last name had an "ess" at the end of it, or not. So to be safe, I left it off. I figured if I was wrong, someone would say so. And they did.

"It's all one song." - Neil Young

For my idea of a practical application of this whole Golden Age Songs project, see my recent post on the mix tapes/discs volume three board in the catchbasin.