Lost Songs of the 80s

It's not often that I indulge in pure, self-interested nostalgia... but this is one of those times. As a musician and a child of the '80s, it should come as no surprise that I retain as much of the music from that era as I do. Even so, I'm often amazed at how much of it I seem to be the only one who remembers! As a tribute to this "lost" music, here is a brief list of the top five songs from the eighties that no one seems to remember but me.

5. Summer of Love - Jefferson Airplane, 1989
   It may have been ten years before I was even born when the actual Summer of Love took place, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate a song about it. Despite the 1989 reunion of Jefferson Airplane having been called the "most unwelcome comeback of the year" by Rolling Stone, I remember this song being all over the radio that summer. I didn't know the artist at the time, but I recognized Grace Slick's voice and mistakenly thought it to be Starship, though I could never find a recording of the song under that name. Years later, I heard it in a grocery store and remembered the unsolved mystery, which was put to bed that very evening by a quick web search. I love the Internet.

4. My Brave Face - Paul McCartney, 1989
   Even Sir Paul seems to have forgotten this song. It's not on any of his greatest hits albums (I've checked). This is another one that I remember getting lots of air play in summer of '89. Not only did I not know the artist of this one, but for years I didn't even know the name. My brother and I variously misheard it as "My Great Place" and "My Baby." Ah, the mysteries Google can solve.

3. The Different Story (World of Lust and Crime) - Peter Schilling, 1988
   You may know Peter Schilling of Major Tom fame. This song was not nearly as popular, but is a much better song IMHO. Another one that I for searched for for years without knowing the artist.

2. Video Romeo - Kidd Video, 1984
   I remember seeing this video at the end of a Saturday morning cartoon once, but did not remember the show. When I discovered what it was, I laughed hysterically. I still don't remember watching the actual show, but the fact that this video was my main take-away from it tells me that it's probably not worth remembering.

1. AEIOU, Sometimes Y - Ebn-Ozn, 1983
   This song has the distinction of being the only one on the list whose artist I knew from the time I heard it. I saw the video once (and never again) on MTV, and for years afterward searched (without success) for a recording of this song. I once met someone else who actually recognized it. Upon hearing it, he said, "Oh yeah, this is that 'A-B-C-D-E-F-G' song." Yep, that's the one.