Beware: I am about to open Pandora’s Box.
’80s new wave music is my true love. This is the music of MTV. KROQ. Valley Girl. Martha Quinn. The Atari 2600. Members Only. Friday Night Videos. Nina Blackwood. Ms. Pac-Man. Night Flight. Richard Blade. Sixteen Candles. Alan Hunter. Jam boxes. Revenge Of The Nerds. Cabbage Patch Dolls. Parachute pants. J.J. Jackson. Live Aid. Mark Goodman. Rubik’s Cube. Donkey Kong.
This is the music that still makes me feel like a perpetual teenager.
Ecstatic ’80s New Wave: 1983
Here are five great new wave cuts from 1983. I am limiting myself to five songs per post– otherwise, you and I would be here ALL DAY LONG.
Sparks & Jane Wiedlin: “Cool Places” [Long Mix] (Mael/Mael)
From the U.S. 12″ single Cool Places
Atlantic Records, 1983
Vinyl rip courtesy of the Analog Kid
Did you know that Sparks have never had a Top 40 hit in America? “Cool Places” came close– it peaked at #49, likely thanks to the effervescent presence of Go-Go Jane Wiedlin. The Mael brothers have been making endearingly quirky music since 1971, and they still continue to play live (including a slot at last year’s Coachella Festival).
Kajagoogoo: “Kajagoogoo” (Kajagoogoo)
From the album White Feathers
EMI Records, 1983
Vinyl rip courtesy of the Analog Kid
Quick: name a Kajagoogoo song other than “Too Shy.” You can’t, can you? (Well, maybe if you live in the UK you can. Cheers, mates!) Lead singer Limahl was sacked a few months after the success of “Too Shy,” and the band never had another hit in America.
Still, the song “Kajagoogoo” sounds really familiar to you, doesn’t it? Any guesses as to how you might know it?
Anyone?
Bueller?
OK, no more yankie your wankie. John Hughes used the instrumental “Kajagoogoo” over the opening credits of Sixteen Candles. I’ll have to create a full Sixteen Candles soundtrack on a future blog, as the released version only contained five of the movie’s songs.
Tears For Fears: “Change” [Extended Version] (Orzabal)
From the U.K. 12″ single Change
Mercury Records, 1983
MTV introduced me to Tears For Fears with “Change” in the summer of 1983. It was the band’s first hit in America, and of course Roland and Curt would go on to rule the world two years later with Songs From The Big Chair. I often cite The Hurting as one of my ten all-time favorite albums– it’s about as perfect as a record can be.
Bow Wow Wow: “The Man Mountain” (Ashman/Barbarossa/Gorman/Lwin)
From the album When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going
RCA Records, 1983
“The Man Mountain” doesn’t really sound like anything else in the Bow Wow Wow catalog, and I think that’s one of the reasons I love it so much. When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going was Bow Wow Wow’s last album, even though Annabella Lwin was still only sixteen years old at the time of its release.
Trio: “Boom Boom” (Remmler/Kralle)
From the album Trio And Error
Mercury Records, 1983
Everybody remembers “Da Da Da I Don’t Love You You Don’t Love Me Aha Aha Aha,” but “Boom Boom” has always been my favorite Trio song. Like the rest of the Trio And Error album, it was produced by German artist Klaus Voorman. Klaus, of course, designed the famous cover for the Beatles’ Revolver album. He also played bass for Manfred Mann and John Lennon’s Plastic Ono Band. Klaus is one cool dude.
Little-known fact: if the Analog Kid ever fulfills his dream of playing in the major leagues, “Boom Boom” is going to be my at-bat music. I am 100% serious about this. A guy can dream, right?
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Bonus Tracks!
The first rule of The Analog Kid blog is that if you write about a song on the Analog Kid blog, you share the song on the Analog Kid blog.
Kajagoogoo: “Too Shy” [Midnight Mix] (Kajagoogoo)
From the U.S. 12″ single Too Shy
EMI Records, 1983
Vinyl rip courtesy of the Analog Kid
Tears For Fears: “The Conflict” (Smith/Orzabal)
B-side of the U.K. 12″ single Change
Mercury Records, 1983
Trio: “Da Da Da I Don’t Love You You Don’t Love Me Aha Aha Aha” (Remmler/Kralle)
Mercury Records, 1982
The Analog Kid 
If you say “Kajagoogoo” three times in a row, does Kajagoogoo appear?
Only if you also say “Limahl” backwards in front of a mirror…
Look forward to your Sixteen Candles mix, especially if you have access to the Stray Cats and Annie Golden tunes. Feel free to use my list if you need it: http://myfavoritedecade.blogspot.com/2013/12/sixteen-candles-soundtrack-1984.html
The Stray Cats song is one of the few that is actually on the soundtrack EP! I actually own two copies of the vinyl. Thanks for that list– it will be very helpful!
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