My Top Ten 80s Songs (Vol.2) To The #SoundtrackofMyLife

And while the early 80s in my soundscape had been fuelled with electronica and synth, the later part of 80s begun taking me on more a ... "soulful" journey of sounds, including appreciating jazzy and funky pop music, and where my appetite needed variety and ironically a hark back to much earlier era of music (Big Bands etc), and of course beyond the British New Wave (which will remain an essential part of my youth, going forward). This is jut some of my favs, in My Top Ten 80s Songs (Vol.2) To The #SoundtrackofMyLife



Truth be told, I think I'd clued unto Swing Out Sister more likely in the 90s, having discovered them as I'd somewhat tire of the 90s grunge/Hard Rock Cafe-tunnage, and was seeking a return to the early days of music which made me happier ... and entered SOS! "Breakout" was invigorating, and as inspired as it's release was circa 1987, with its album "It's Better to Travel" being one of my all-time Top Ten Fav Albums!

SOS continues to tour and make music, with the last studio album "Almost Persuaded" released in 2017.

Having had a wonder opportunity to watch them LIVE in Singapore (2009) was a perfect topper to my music experience! I have images posted here on my personal Facebook-page (which I plan to repost here instead someday)... I still marathon-listens these days, courtesy of youtube :)



Matt Bianco was a beast of a sound for me, also discovered much later in the 90s - where tracking down older albums was not as difficult these days (Thanks Tower Records and HMV!), parallel to youtube these days somewhat LOL "Get Out Of Your Lazy Bed" (February 1984) is a prime example of their sound! I have continued to listen to their music subsequently.

Their last studio album, "Gravity" was released in 2017. "Matt Bianco" is actually a band name, and not a individual performer's name. Vocals is by Mark Reilly, while the late Mark Fisher being the songwriter, producer, and keyboard player (Info Wiki).



A distinct singer with Matt Bianco, Basia ventured forth with her own solo album ("Time and Tide"), with tons of songs that remain close to my memories of the era, chief of which was her first single "Time and Tide".

Barbara Stanisława Trzetrzelewska released her fifth solo studio album, "Butterflies", was finally released in May 2018 (Wiki), which I've have alas never really followed her musical career after "Time and Tide".



To choose one sole track from Sade is pretty "cruel" for me (LOL), but in lieu of a full-on individual post, I'd offer up instead her 1985-released "The Sweetest Taboo" (Album: Promise), as a classic example of her sound. She still makes music til this day, with "Soldier of Love" being her last studio album released in 2010.



Level 42 was somewhat of a "guilt-pleasure" not of the "Top Pop 40s"-variety, but the verve which I relished, chief of which was "Something About You" (1985).

And while I do own whole album(s) and ever so often marathon their music, Lvel42 disbanded in 1994, and reformed in 2001. I have not followed their music since "Running in the Family" (1987), alas.



One of the more rounded sounds (to me) of the late 80s was from Curiosity Killed The Cat, with 1987's "Down To Earth" (Album: "Keep Your Distance") being that one-hit-wonder going down in history as a champion track, IMHO.

On another note, and with the hindsight of decades behind me, I appreciate their fashion sensibilities and color palette, which matches current age quite decently, especially with the resurgence of denim too! This MV aged well, indeed.



Fine Young Cannibals is known for their track "She Drives Me Crazy", but my fav had to be "Good Thing" (1988 / Album: "The Raw and the Cooked") instead, with their visuals gone all (classic) Brit Mod ... and even with the black-n-white visuals, they look to be clad in very sensible fashions too! I am imagining earth tones and neutrals...

"Fine Young Cannibals disbanded in 1992 ... In the early 2000s, Gift (without Steele or Cox) reactivated the band name and toured as Roland Gift and the Fine Young Cannibals." (Wiki)



Somewhere in my cassette collection, is a Terence Trent D'Arby album ("Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby") which I may not be able to listen to now (*Actuay not true, I do have a tape player... just need to find the tape :p), and I thank YouTube for hosting select single, of which "Sign Your Name" (1987) was an example of the sound which led to the early 90s of pop-funk of my soundtrack of life.

I have not actively followed his music, but according to Wiki, D'Arby legally changed his name to "Sananda Maitreya" (on October 4, 2001), and makes music til this day.



Suzanne Vega's "Luka" (1987) was a beginning of a sound that brought me forward to the early-90s as well, along with a more serious lyrics, heralding the fading of 80s' "innocence", and embracing the none-too-glamourous 90s.

Her last studio album was 2016's "Lover, Beloved: Songs from an Evening with Carson McCullers". Find out more on her Wiki-page.



The late-80s cannot be mentioned without Australia's INXS in the same sentence, with 1987's "Need You Tonight" (Album: "Kick") being the eternal classic. I ten to share their discography on my Facebook page more than my friends might want to tolerate, maybe ... LOL

Charismatic lead singer Michael Hutchence passed away on 22 November 1997, Chile the band continues to make music until this day (Wiki).


This "Top Ten 80s Songs (Vol.2) To The #SoundtrackofMyLife"-feature was the last feature on my flashback80s blog, before I stopped updating (Posted Jan 12/2019), and henceforth I'll move forward with NEW lists/"Volumes" on THIS blog instead, reliving my teenhood one song at a time LOL

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