zeitgeist songs

Ghost Town = 1981! The Brixton Riots and stuff. Great example though, jon.

so you want something politically/culturally zeitgeisty (is that a word?) and not just musically, er, zeitgeisty?

I think if you feel it sums up its times eloquently, either will do. Otherwise it would be a very grey c90. Pump up the Volume or some of the Aciiiid anthems are certainly musically zeitgeisty. As is Night Fever.

Dr C, bloody hell ... time flies when you're having fun

pump up the volume for 87 yes, not the streets though (i like the streets, but its not applicable for this)

so far the tapes pretty ukcentric isn't it? might be tempted by lfo for 90, incredible for 94, hallelujah for 89, 21 seconds for 01, hmm, its not that easy after all, to get something that encompasses wider context etc (ie, which contexts? as time goes on more difficult to bridge subcultures). ghost town is a great choice though

2001 - 21 seconds - so solid crew
2002 - freak like me - sugababes

i can't remember any years before that, sorry.

gareth just posted as i was writing this so there's two votes for '21 seconds'. still uk-centric, though. you'll need multiple lists otherwise.

1989: Can't Be Sure

1990: Skin & Bones

1992: Goodbye

Would be interesting to see if US or other ILMers have different 'local' variants.

I hate to say it but 'England's Rose' may just qualify ... if that also allows that iccky post Sept 11 concert, well, I'll let the Americans take that one up.

I tend to agree about the Streets, though with the right timing and inspiration he might one day do a Ghost Town, and that last single was almost promoted as such.

Hallaelujah is a good one: 89, like 67, might need several different suggestions though: perhaps something more purely Acid too. likewise 77 needs both US/studio 55 funk and UK punk? So solid good too.

PS
Can we do bands as well as song names? I don't know half of these!

1999 - re-rewind - artful dodger & craig david.

Firestarter

Also, something Live Aid related.

Common People

Some older, less UK-centric stuff:

1960: Chubby Checker - The Twist
1961: Marvelettes - Please Mr Postman (first Motown #1)
1964: Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come
a Beatles record from the Shea Stadium gig era
a James Brown record
something Vietnam war related ("Paint it Black"?)
1970: Woodstock-related song (Joni Mitchell, Hendrix live?); the Stones at Altamont
1975: Bob Marley - 'No Woman No Cry' (live at The Lyceum)

The Impressions' People Get Ready?

Don't know what impression (sorry) it made at the time, but Everyone has covered it since, and I once read it was the first 'black' hit to directly address black political culture, or at least the political agenda of a lot of black spirituality.

1991 - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Firestarter, Teen Spirit, No Woman No Cry and Common People are bang on the money examples.

Put Teen Spirit next to an acciiid anthem and the late 80s/early 90s are embodied. Here we are now. Entertain us.

1991- Smells Like... ah, someone already did that one.

The timing of "Ghost Town" is uber-important, as it wasn't just the week of the Brixton (and Toxeth?) riots, it was also the week of the Charles and Diana marriage, and around the time that the unemployment line was approaching the dreaded three million. There'd never been a time where the gap between the working and middle classes had been more apparent.

Fourmyula - "Nature"
The Clean - "Anything Could Happen"
Blam Blam Blam - "There Is No Depression In New Zealand"
DLT ft. Che-Fu - "Chains"
Shihad - "Home Again"

new zealand is another universe!

"something Vietnam war related"

How about "I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag" by Country Joe & The Fish?

1,2,3 what are we fightin' for...?

Theme from S-Express

Stewart - yes! That song would cover Woodstock nicely too.