I’m a kid of the 80’s. I can probably compile 20 different playlists with 80’s music, all thoroughly enjoyable and all equally plausible as the ultimate 80’s playlist. This is just a version. It contains old favourites like ‘All lined up’ (Shriekback), ‘Road to Nowhere’ (Talking Heads), ‘A song from under the floorboards’ and ‘Repetition’ (the Au Pairs). I still remember we used to imitate the way David Byrne danced in the video clip of Road to Nowhere. And that Magazine was my favourite band for a long time during my teenage years. In all its screepy weirdness ‘Permafrost’ is probably the Magazine song I liked best (but mmmm…not on this list). ‘This nat-ions saving grace’, the 1985 The Fall album from which I selected ‘L.A.’, I bought on a market in Krakow in 1992, and ‘Repetition’ is probably the best, and definitely the most harrowing cover versions of a Bowie song I ever had the pleasure (?) of listening to. So many old stories, half of which I probably forgot and still, even though I knew the band for a very long time, ‘Johnny hit and run Pauline’ is a relatively fresh find. never too old to learn.
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Mixtape – My own favourite 80’s list (or at least one possible version)
01/04/2017
Aksel van Elteren
17 Comments
I’ll never forget shot-parties with the Road to Nowhere dance. I saw it there before I saw it was from the video:)
It’s funny how some memories are more ‘salient’ than others, like I wrote the Road to nowhere dance is one of my very vivid memories 🙂
Funny how some of these bands would probably be in mine but with different songs. (except Road to Nowhere, I’m always voting that for the top 2000 as well)
B52’s would be Give me Back my Man.
The Fall a choice between Edinburgh Man or Mr Pharmacist.
Gang of Four – Damaged Goods probably.
Magazine, loóóoove that song but would pick another.
Smiths… that’s a tough one.
Thinking of, I like this. Gonna try to make my one as well.
Hmm.. just realise the Magazine songs I have in my head may still be 70’s.
Yep, Magazine is roughly ’78 till ’81 🙂
Please do, would be fun to compare
Mr Pharmacist is a great song. I just love the simplicity and the drive of L.A. Alternative for me would be Dr.Faustus. And…many great magazine songs…my all time favourite is Permafrost, but that one is from the 70’s 🙂
Tremendous issues here. I’m very glad to look your article.
Thanks so much and I’m looking forward to touch you.
Will you please drop me a mail?
Sure, will do
Hey, thanks for the post.Really thank you! Awesome.
You’e welcome
If only I had a better memory Almost forgot, but as promised.
Must admit that some of it is a bit rushed because I got a little annoyed that apparently I like more of the 90’s than I thought;)
But I stand by all the songs.
In no particular order:
Nick Cave – Black Crow King
Sonic Youth – Schizofrenia
Echo & The Bunnyman – Show of Strength
New Model Army- Green and Grey
Talking Heads – Road to Nowhere
The Smiths – Panic
The Cure – Siamese Twins
The Fall – Mr Pharmacist
Poison girls – Rio Tinto Zink/Cry no More (counts as one imo)
Bauhaus – Third Uncle
The Nits – In the Dutch Mountains
Pet Shop Boys – Rent
New Order – Doubts Even Here
Front 242 – Until Death do us Part
OMD – Electricity
Depeche Mode – Fly on the Windscreen
Stray Cats – Rock this Town
The Sound – New Dark Age
Primus – John the Fisherman
B52’s – Gimme Back my Man
Here we go. I forgot The Pixies – Hey!
Correct…although I prefer Tame 🙂
Some interesting, and unexpected choices (Nits, Stray Cats..). Didn’t I once tape Poison Girls for you? And did you ever listen to Brian Eno’s original of Third Uncle?
Not surprised by The Pet Shop Boys?:)
And yes to Poison Girls. Fear of Freedom was the first. I know them thanks to that. And then I ran into a cool 4 CD box in ‘t Oortje in Hilversum. Where’s the Pleasure will be ranked high in my all time favourite album list.
I know Eno’s original. It doesn’t happen often but I like Bauhaus’ cover better.
Funnily I just discovered another cover I like better even though I love the original artist. Natural Mystic by Bob Marley. Albarosie’s version is amazing.
It’s a nice idea to make a list of cover versions better than the original…even if you exclude the obvious ‘all along the watchtower’…think I will do some digging into it