Thursday, June 17, 2010

I LOVE THE 80's!

My random obsession of the moment - acoustic covers of sweet 80's music!

For the two of my three readers who really know me, it's a known fact that I absolutely love 80's music. While everyone else around me - kids who don't remember the 80s enough to give it the proper respect - is always looking for the 'new' song and bashing on rockin' 80s and 90s music, I've stayed true to the music that raised me. That reminds me of being too young to be as in love with the radio as I was; hanging out with my older siblings, singing songs as loud as I possibly can - knowing the words better than someone as young as I was probably should. These were the songs of my siblings, and therefore my songs as well. I remember listening to 94.5, "home of the 80s and 90s" all growing up (they added, "and Today" once we hit 2000). I knew the old by heart and the new before anyone else. And I loved them both.

Every once in a while I get a little embarrassed by my rapture when a really good 80s song comes on. Some people give me weird looks when I start singing out loud to Heart's 'Alone,' or when I have to stand up and bust a move to 'Bust A Move' (obviously. You gotta do what the song says). But those people are idiots, and I get a little more into it once I remember that.

And now I get a sweet, glazed look across my face everytime I hear an old-school 80s hit remade with a contemporary twist. It's the uniting of my two music worlds - the old AND the new. It's great because I already know all the words, but the acoustic beats that the covers usually have are a nice touch to really make the song sink in. Because I have to admit, sometimes I'm just not up for the electro-keyboard beats that most of the songs are made of. But the sultry guitar rhythms and pure voices make the songs a little more relevant. And they make my lame friends realize just how great an old song really is.

Which is why I can't stop listening to Jamestown Story's "Take Me Home Tonight" - I already loved that song, but now I extra love it (and this band has a few other good ones, too). And I found another new favorite tonight: Florence + the Machine covering "Addicted to Love." I'm really feeling this one. Seriously Flo, nice touch with the backup strings. And hello, whether you like him or not, that crazy guy Adam Lambert did a rockin' 'Mad World' on American Idol. I'm not much of an American Idol fan, but I was impressed when that song came on my Pandora - its the only AI song that's ever graced my station...and I was totally okay with it.

My Wednesday night recommendation to you, my three readers: blast your rad 80s music, hunker down with some sweet 80s covers, and remind all your lame, jaded, "too cool for old school" friends just why the 80s ruled the school!

1 comment:

Chris said...

lamberts was ok. but i still like the gary jules version a lot more(lamberts was based on that) and of course when i want a good laugh i watch the tears for fears music video of it.