1001 Song You Must Hear Before You Die - 1985

Personally I consider 1985 to have been a much weaker year for pop music than the years before it, but this is still a pretty good list. Torn between Madonna, Kate Bush, a-ha, Bangles, Pet Shop Boys and The Cure. Also great songs by Dream Academy, Suzanne Vega and actually by Whitney Houston.

Going for a-ha in the end then.... Because they are Norwegians :) (and because "The Sun Always Shines On TV" is a better song than "Take On Me")

That photo reminds me, I'm still waiting for my Live Aid t-shirt.

Voted "Sun City."

K Bush, PSB, The Cure, Whitney

There are some other good ones but this year is p boring imo.

OK, voting Close to Me. I have to really - it's all-time for me.

Damn, the other two are too though. OK, sticking with Close to Me.

Madonna: Into The Groove
Kate Bush: Running Up That Hill
Pet Shop Boys: West End Girls

these three are eternal. otherwise this list is, as the kids say, random.

I like the Cure, Whitney and Fall songs

Artists United Against Apartheid: Sun City

lol (@ the song, not the sentiment)

"Into the Groove" vs. "Running up that Hill" for me. I'm leaning toward Madonna this morning. ("Running up that Hill" turns into something amazing, but I've never really liked the synth sounds at the beginning. I hope that doesn't get me excommunicated.)

oh I'd forgotten about "Marlene On The Wall"

I didn't even notice Into the Groove at first tbh.

"Sun City" is by far the worst song on this list.

Love it, unapologetically. I mean, jeez, Miles, Dylan, Run-DMC, Pete Townshend, ON THE SAME SONG.

Small group, but three great ones (consecutively): 1. "West End Girls," 2. "Into the Groove," 3. "Running Up That Hill." For my own amusement, I'll post an addendum list when I'm home later.

Love it, unapologetically. I mean, jeez, Miles, Dylan, Run-DMC, Pete Townshend, ON THE SAME SONG.

um, did you happen to notice that, despite the personnel, the actual song is terrible

and the singing is horrible.

"Sun City" - Artists United Against Apartheid - Classic or Dud?

I mean, I did love this when I was 12, but it's an objectively terrible song

I'm the rare person who prefers "Sun City" to those other two monstrosities. At least it has Joey Ramone.

Seriously, I have no idea where the hatred for this song comes from. Well, I mean, I know why Botha hated it, but presumably for different reasons than the folks here.

when I, a person who likes lots of acid techno and trance, am tempted to pull the "this is 4 measures of music played ad nauseum" argument out, you know have a really tedious, repetitive song

but "We Are The World" has Daryl Hall and Dionne Warwick!

I have no idea what that song even is but you all sure aren't making me want to investigate any further.

at the end, you will know that they (they) they (they) they (they) ain't gonna play Sun Citay-ayay-ay-ay

na nana na-a-a nanana YEAH

and it has rappers in it because it was you know hip and "street."

but back to the list: I have never heard of this Wayne Smith or his sieng teng. Is that Mandarin for "diddle my prostate"?

Yes. Yes it is.

http://open.spotify.com/track/52RFvIM7MZBne0GQZ6L3uk

I didn't recognize this by title but this has been sampled by like a bazillion dance producers

oh yeah I've heard this.

"West End Girls" over "Cruiser's Creek"

I don't remember The Fall appearing previously in these polls. "Cruiser's Creek" seems like a pretty random song to pick to represent their ouevre.

bunch of good stuff on here altho nothing really remarkable/totally fantastic. seems like a really random collection of songs tbh, some good some bad.

voted Dream Academy

the lack of hip hop here is really baffling

no The Show or La Di Da Di? No Double Dee & Steinski? Schooly D? Rock the Bells?

did you notice who started the poll

there's some very good songs on here, and we could argue about what constitutes a song, but "Sleng Teng" is one of the most influential records ever made and the best on this list by a league.

well sure Alfred, but he didn't make this list

i am baffled that anyone would vote anything other than Kate Bush here.

Between The Cult and Wayne Smith for me. Have to go with The Cult, just because I haven't seen it mentioned yet and it deserves at least a vote.

Appendix: Songs You Must Hear Before You Die 1985 (Non-featured)

Alaska & Dinarama - Ni tu ni nadie
Anthony Red Rose - Tempo
Art of Noise - Moments in Love
Bruce Springsteen - I'm on fire
Doug E Fresh - The Show / La Di Da Di
Doug Wimbish - Don't forget that beat
Einstürzende Neubauten - Yü-Gung
Felt - Primitive Painters
The Jesus & Mary Chain - Never Understand / Just Like Honey
Kate Bush - Cloudbusting
Max & Intro - Ostavi Sve
Prince - Strawberry Beret
Propaganda - Duel
Rah Band - Clouds Across the Moon
Siekiera - Misiowie Puszyści
Tenor Saw - Ring the Alarm
Tom Waits - Clap Hands / Singapore

Woulda voted for Tenor Saw.

Strawberry?

Tenor Saw vs Wayne Smith wd've been harder

Wayne Smith vs. Kate Bush for me. The Fall track isn't one of my favourites, so can discount that. Surprised and kind of appalled at people not knowing 'Under Mi Sleng Teng', though, which may tip the balance in Smith's favour.

SHE SELLS SANCTUARY!!

I can think of at least three Hüsker Dü songs that should have been listed. Kind of a dire year though. Mid-80's sucked imho.

Duel and p-Machinery were both released in 85, their omission has been noted by the authorities

Strawberry?

― shake it, shake it, sugary pee (Tarfumes The Escape Goat)

Whoops. I had a strawberry beret yesterday and it was delicious. It was wishful thinking.

Rah Band - Clouds Across the Moon

Kind of a good song, actually.

No room for any Tears for Fears on this list?

running up that hill is the only song here i've had any desire to listen to in the past year

Kate Bush, no competition here.

"Marlene on the Wall". So unusual and refreshing at the time.

Into The Groove / Running Up That Hill sound eerily like two sides of the same coin. Having trouble deciding which one I prefer.

psb ftw

Who the fuck are all these straight guys allegedly getting hard over Aimee Mann and voting on that basis? I love Aimee Mann and count "Whatever" and "Bachelor No. 2" among my GOAT, but "boner-inducing" is … not a factor here. To say the least.

ESPECIALLY IN 1985 WHEN SHE HAD A FUCKING RATTAIL HAIRCUT.

Ugh, straight guys.

That fucking 'Voices Carry' video. Thanks for making me think about it again. I had almost banished it from my mind.

Kate easy. Sun Always Shines is a brilliant glacial pop song and I hop it gets some votes.

I'll be all over Schoolly-D, but his first album doesn't come out till '86.

dunno if someone already said this but PSK is '85

PSK owns my soul, but Into The Groove and Running Up That Hill are beyond classic (West End Girls very close to that status too)

Ultimately, I chose Running Up That Hill, but it hurt not to be able to pick Into the Groove, too.
But let's not underappreciate How Will I Know. Ah, pre-crack Whitney.

big KB fan but hill isnt a fav of mine

the cult easy

I love Aimee Mann and count "Whatever" and "Bachelor No. 2" among my GOAT, but "boner-inducing" is … not a factor here. To say the least.

Explain Samantha Fox and Sabrina. :)

Voted for the song I still listen to the most.

dunno if someone already said this but PSK is '85

Discogs lists it as '85, you're right. I strongly identify it with '86 because that's when the album came out, and also because Leland's Spin review, which is where I'm guessing most people first heard about it at the time, was in May of '86:

http://books.google.com/books?id=ELfnhp4T-T4C&pg=PA41&dq=schoolly&hl=en&ei=UMtvTvaRDoLbgQftlqyNBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=9&ved=0CE4Q6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=schoolly&f=false

I've got to boast a bit here: I interviewed Schoolly in October of '86, which I'm sure must have been his first Canadian interview.

Susannah Hoffs = way hawter than Aimee Mann.

Might vote Manic Monday in protest for no Raspberry Beret, but leaning towards Madonna.

Come on! "King of Rock" and "I Can't Live Without My Radio," please!

cure is all-time but this is WATERBOYS it has a cannon in it

I really identify "How Will I Know" and "West End Girls" with 1986 also.

This may be the year with the best selection so far for me. I'm gonna go with PSB but I absolutely love Kate Bush, 'Til Tuesday, Madonna, and quite like a few more.

some songs here are more like "Songs You Must Die Before You Hear"

Things I've learned from this thread:

1. Aimee Mann was once apparently someone's idea of pinup material.

2. There are people who don't like "Voices Carry."

I was happier a day ago.

hush hush
keep it down down
pull my rat-tail

Sympathizing with Aimee Mann's boyfriend in the "Voices Carry" video - C or D?

sigh, i miss vh1 classics

Sally MacLennane!!

where's alex in nyc when you need him?

"She Sells Sanctuary" by the Cult....in actuality the BEST SONG EVER.

Susannah Hoffs = way hawter than Aimee Mann.

well DUH

because I couldn't choose between Running Up That Hill and Into The Groove, I went the challopsy route of picking Sally Maclenanne. If ever you want to convince people that you're having a rollicking time, but really you're just sitting alone in your house drinking tea, just crank this one up.

cultural divide never wider than when a british guy opines that sitting in your house drinking tea is somehow not 'having a rollicking good time'

"Cruiser's Creek" rules; it was a great great song on one of their best-by-reputation and a moderate college-radio hit if I recall correctly, but I don't pretend to know anything about the Fall--would be VERY curious about a tracks poll for them.

Though I voted "Into the Groove," the moment (as you can guess from the pattern) critics gave in and started loving Madonna, or admitting to themselves they loved her all along.

Nearly every time I see "Running Up That Hill" is mentioned on ILM, I'll watch the video, thinking maybe it won't seem so laughably bad and I won't be utterly perplexed why people love it. Still giggling at the whole thing, so maybe next time...

X-Post: I actually don't recall that happening until "Papa Don't Preach".

Running Up That Hill is the aural equivalent of a steaming hot mug of coffee on a stormy Autumn night.

a steaming cup of sex more like

sex would happen after.

i actually like Cruisers Creek less than Totally Wired :\

but that's just my grouchy opinion. am way excited about the Fall tracks poll!

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

u brits and your steaming mugs

2. There are people who don't like "Voices Carry."

I only know the Gang Green cover of this song :(

Was it a hit in the UK? (Til Tuesday, obviously the Gang Green version wasn't)

Was it a hit in the UK?

Not at all. I think we were over Thompson Twins haircuts before the end of 1984.

For once, the results were largely as predicted.

Except I thought The Fall had more fans here than this.

"Cruisers Creek" not being galvanizing doesn't reflect on the number of people on ILM who like the Fall, I wouldn't think.

Went with "The Whole of the Moon".

timellison otm

Hey Luciani from 86 a much better single

Wayne Smith: Under Mi Sleng Teng 4

swear this is the last of these polls i look at