Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Women (1997)

This is one of four companion CDs to the 15 volume New Wave Hits of the '80s set released in the mid-'90s by Rhino Records. The usually reliable Allmusic somewhat misses the mark with this one. Their review states that this volume "features surprisingly few repeats from the other volumes." My count is 8 of 16 tracks are featured on other volumes in the series, so that's disappointing. Unfortunately, the reviewer gets it right when she writes that "the majority of the album's tracks are also somewhat predictable." So that's a little disappointing as well. Never fear, this is the only compilation I have that includes a track from Joan Armatrading and I had not even heard of The Pandoras until the purchase of this disc, so all is not lost. Plus, its a great compilation that's fun to listen to regardless of that other stuff. I'm a compulsive completist and music addict, so while the purchase of this CD wasn't necessary, it was absolutely necessary.

Tracks:

• How Much More - The Go-Go's (1980)
  I've crushed on Belinda Carlisle for 30 years now. Plus those drums and harmony vocals. Love it. It immediately followed Our Lips Are Sealed on the album, didn't it? For some reason, it's currently making me copy the dance moves of Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club.
• Walk Like An Egyptian - Bangles (#1, 1986)
  I've crushed on Susanna Hoffs for 30 years now, but after falling in love with Hero Takes A Fall, I was disappointed with this follow-up. Judging by sales and chart success, I was in the minority.
• Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) - Eurythmics (#1, 1983)
  Not my favorite Eurythmics tune, but I can't deny that I like it and it made me listen to the album over and over. These days, that bass line is heavily sampled, but to my 1983 ears, it was magnificently fresh.
• Brass In Pocket (I'm Special) - Pretenders (#14, 1979)
  So good. Beautifully distinctive voice over a catchy guitar riff. Putting me in the mood for a Pretenders marathon this afternoon.
• Sex (I'm A...) - Berlin (#62, 1983)
  My favorite Berlin song. I would listen to this song in private as a teenager in 1983 because my parents would have strongly disapproved of this wonderful x-rated nonsense. Plus the album title was Pleasure Victim and I couldn't have gotten away with having that in the house. I still find the atypical electronic drum part underneath those analog synth pads irresistible. I often state I'm not much of lyrics guy, but I'm hanging on every word coming out of Terri Nunn's mouth.
• I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow (#62, 1982)
  Previously heard on Volume 5 of this series. Here's what I wrote then: "You'd never know it, but this song only reached #62 on the singles charts. You can't get away from it now. I have an embarrassing confession: until just recently, I was unaware of the fact that this is a cover. The original version by The Strangeloves was a #11 hit back in 1965."
• I Touch Myself - Divinyls (#4, 1990)
  Not New Wave, not even '80s, and I could care less. This is a sexy song that fits right in on this disc. Growling, provocative vocals over solid guitar work. Fortunately, by the time this song was released, I was living on my own and could listen to it as often as I wanted without fear of disapproving looks from family members. And I did. Lyrically, this was a groundbreaking song and it was a brave move to write/perform/record/release it. Sadly, singer Chrissy Amphlett died earlier this year.
• Johnny, Are You Queer? - Josie Cotton (1981)
  Previously heard on Valley Girl: Music From The Soundtrack and Volume 6 of this series. Here's what I wrote then: "A fun song heard during the climatic prom scene in the movie. The lyrics were probably more controversial than they should have been because the joke is on the singer, not Johnny: typical teenager 'he's not interested in her that way, so clearly he must not like girls' kind of logic."
• Never Say Never - Romeo Void (1982)
  Previously heard on three other CDs in my collection including Volume 6 of this series. Here's what I wrote then: "Contains the classic lyric 'I might like you better if we slept together.' It also contains some horrid saxophone playing. Still, this is a catchy little number. I liked it back in '82 and I still like it 30 years later."
• Obsession - Animotion (#6, 1984)
  Previously heard on Here and Now: The Very Best of the 80s and Volume 15 of this series. Here's what I wrote then: "Even with lots of synths and a strong dance beat, I've always been indifferent to this song. I'd dance to it in a club, but would change the radio station if it came on."
• I Could Be Happy - Altered Images (1981)
  Previously heard on Volume 4 of this series. Here's what I wrote then: "I've always liked the songs I've heard from this band. This is certainly an upbeat, happy song. I would imagine it was the singer's voice that kept this band from being popular in the US."
• New Toy - Lene Lovich (1981)
  Previously heard on Volume 3 of this series. Here's what I wrote then: "a great song written by Thomas Dolby. The only problem I have with this song is the fact that I didn't hear it until the '90s."
• (I Love It When You) Call Me Names - Joan Armatrading (1983)
  I bet I haven't heard this song since my buddy Jim played The Key album for me in 1983. I didn't pick up on the S&M vibe back then, for sure. This song rocks harder than I remember and now I'm wondering why I didn't listen to it more back then. Typical guitar solo by Adrian Belew: I have no idea what he's playing and it sounds great.
• Sign Of The Times - The Belle Stars (#75, 1982)
  Previously heard on Volume 9 of this series. Here's what I wrote then: "good, but not great. Sounds like Bananarama (you have to decide for yourself if that's a compliment or an insult)."
• In And Out Of My Life (In A Day) - The Pandoras (1985)
  I was previously unfamiliar with this one. Sort of a cross between The Kinks and The Cars. Repetitive, but lots of energy. I like it.
• O Superman (For Massenet) - Laurie Anderson (1981)
  Previously heard on Volume 7 of this series. Here's what I wrote then: "ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah.... Now heavily sampled, you will either love this piece or hate it. This minimalist performance is hard to explain so just watch the video. I recently heard this piece used in a HTC smartphone commercial and it didn't seem out of place at all. Was this piece just 30 years ahead of its time?? In the early '80s, I heard Laurie Anderson's Big Science LP and, for a few days, considered moving to NYC and becoming a performance artist. In my mind, I could totally do that. Fortunately, a calmer head eventually prevailed. Ah, the naïveté of youth."

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I was completely unaware of the existence of this disc until I read this post over at Herc's Hideaway. I immediately located a copy of the disc and the collection is now complete (I think).

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 1	Volume 2	Volume 3
Volume 4	Volume 5	Volume 6
Volume 7	Volume 8	Volume 9
Volume 10	Volume 11	Volume 12
Volume 13	Volume 14	Volume 15
New Wave Xmas	New Wave Dance Hits	New Wave Halloween

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Halloween (1998)

This is one of four companion CDs to the 15 volume New Wave Hits of the '80s set released in the mid-'90s by Rhino Records. I'm not a big fan of Halloween, so I want to be upfront about that bias, but I am a bit of a completist so I needed this disc to fill out my Just Can't Get Enough collection. While most of the selections are from the early '80s, there's not a lot of New Wave music on this disc (I guess post-punk will have to be close enough). Not all the songs are related to Halloween, but they all have a spooky or horror movie theme to them, so that's easily forgivable. And while I enjoy occasionally hearing The Time Warp as much as the next guy, there's really not many good songs on this disc. In a weak attempt to be fair, I'll admit the focus here is more on lyrics than music.

h/t to Herc over at Herc's Hideaway for providing me with copies of this disc's liner notes to replace my missing booklet. The liner notes aren't up to Rhino's usual high standards, but then, neither is the compilation.

Tracks:

15 tracks, 64 minutes, recordings originally released 1975-89. The better tracks are the contributions from Ministry, The B-52's, Dave Edmunds, and The Dream Syndicate.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 1	Volume 2	Volume 3
Volume 4	Volume 5	Volume 6
Volume 7	Volume 8	Volume 9
Volume 10	Volume 11	Volume 12
Volume 13	Volume 14	Volume 15
New Wave Xmas	New Wave Dance Hits

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 15 (1995)

This is the final volume of a fantastic 15 volume set released in the mid-'90s by the always wonderful Rhino Records. This is also the final volume of the set to be covered on this blog. Songs on this compilation were originally released during the years 1983-1985. This edition may contain some of the worse band names from that time (and that's really saying something).

Why did New Wave music seemingly end in 1985? That topic is beyond the scope of this blog, but I recommend finding the answers by reading the excellent books I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution by Craig Marks & Rob Tannenbaum and Are We Not New Wave?: Modern Pop at the Turn of the 1980s by Theodore Cateforis.

Tracks:

• Walking On Sunshine - Katrina & The Waves (US #9, UK #8)
  Sometimes the simple way is the best. This elementary I-IV-V-IV-I chord progression proved to be a feel-good money maker for this band. Even when it was popular, I could take it or leave it. These days, the song reminds me of various anti-depressant television ads and this scene from the movie High Fidelity.
• Head Over Heels - Tears For Fears (US #3, UK #12)
  I was always a big fan of this group's Songs From The Big Chair album. I had it on cassette but instead of later buying the CD, I replaced it with a greatest hits package. If I'm in the right mood, I might consider this to be the best song on the 1985 album.
• It's A Mistake - Men At Work (US #6, UK #33)
  A fantastic song from another album (Cargo) I should have bought on CD but bought a greatest hits compilation instead. Most New Wave music had a nervous quality, but this song took it up a notch with Cold War lyrics concerning the threat of a nuclear holocaust. Great guitar solo - I love the way it builds.
• Life In A Northern Town - The Dream Academy (US #7, UK #15)
  A remix of this tune was previously heard on 80's/12" the extended collection. Here's what I wrote then: "This one of the better songs from winter '85-'86. A better remix is actually Dario G's Sunchyme from 1997." I'm told this band has Pink Floyd connection via David Gilmour, but I can't hear any influence on this track.
• Beat's So Lonely - Charlie Sexton (US #17)
  Considering I'm from Texas, I should be more familiar with this song from a Texas native. I don't recall hearing it before buying this CD, which is strange considering it reached #17 on the pop singles chart. It's hardly what I would consider New Wave, but it's a great rock tune.
• Guitar, Talk, Love & Drums - Gary Myrick
  I've heard Myrick before with his backing band The Figures on the Valley Girl soundtrack and its sequel and have been unimpressed. This song is better than the other two I've heard, but still not something that would send me scrambling to find a full album.
• Since Yesterday - Strawberry Switchblade (UK #5)
  Not only is this group a one-hit wonder, the one hit didn't even chart in the US, so they wouldn't even achieve one hit wonder status here is The States. This song is forgettable peppy synthpop, but it doesn't make want to push the skip button.
• Obsession - Animotion (US #6, UK #5)
  Previously heard on Here and Now: The Very Best of the 80s. Here's what I wrote then: "Even with lots of synths and a strong dance beat, I've always been indifferent to this song. I'd dance to it in a club, but would change the radio station if it came on."
• Endicott - Kid Creole & The Coconuts
  I can't explain it, but damn if it's not catchy.
• Perfect Way - Scritti Politti (US #11, UK #48)
  I like this song so much that I bought Cupid & Psyche 85 on cassette in 1985 and later replaced that tape with a CD. This group (really just singer/songwriter Green Gartside) should have received more recognition. Maybe the ill-advised group name hurt marketing efforts?
• So In Love - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark (US #26, UK #27)
  I preferred OMD's moodier stuff from earlier in the decade. I was unfamiliar with this single, but it is an obvious predecessor to the group's 1986 hit, If You Leave. This isn't a track I'll rip to iTunes.
• Election Day - Arcadia (US #6, UK #7)
  I never gave Arcadia a chance because I was upset that Duran Duran wasn't recording together anymore (turns out I needn't have worried). This songs sounds just like any other average DD single - I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I just liked the other DD splinter group, Power Station, better. Still do.
• 19 - Paul Hardcastle (US #15, UK #1)
  Man, I loved this song back in '85, probably because of the novelty of sampling and processed speech. A protest song, I guess, protesting a war that ended 10 years earlier? In any case, it has a nice dance beat if that means anything to ya. Hardcastle has gone on to make some good smooth jazz albums, solo and with Jazzmasters.
• Why? - Bronski Beat (UK #6)
  I prefer this synthpop song to the group's other politically charged single, Smalltown Boy from Volume 14 of this series. This still gets a lot of dance club play.
• Some People - Belouis Some (US #67, UK #33)
  I've heard other songs from Belouis Some on Volume 14 of this series and on the Pretty In Pink soundtrack. All three songs are just ok.
• Like A Virgin - The Lords Of The New Church
  At first listen, this cover sounds like a bad idea, but then you realize (around the time of the first belch) that the band is intentionally trying to make this sound like drunken karaoke. I remember listening to the band's self-titled debut album over at Jim's house back in 1982. That post-punk music is preferable to this Madonna "tribute."

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: most of the songs remind me of my freshman year in college. I didn't have a great time in college, but I met my future wife that freshman year and that's been the best thing that's ever happened to me.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 1	Volume 2	Volume 3
Volume 4	Volume 5	Volume 6
Volume 7	Volume 8	Volume 9
Volume 10	Volume 11	Volume 12
Volume 13	Volume 14	New Wave Xmas
New Wave Dance Hits

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 11 (1995)

This is the 11th volume of a fantastic 15 volume set released in the mid-'90s by the always wonderful Rhino Records. Songs on this volume are from the years 1981-1983. Like most compilations, this disc is hit-or-miss, but the misses on this one are exceptionally bad.

Tracks:

• In A Big Country - Big Country (US #17, UK #17)
  I remember loving this song and their other hit, Fields Of Fire. I bought their album because I liked the electric guitar/bagpipe sound they were able to create, although it gets old pretty quick.
• 99 Luftballons - Nena (US #2, UK #1)
  A huge hit here in the States. I'll admit it is catchy, but I never really was much of a fan. I'm just enough of a contrarian that I probably didn't like the song simply because everyone else did like it.
• Just Got Lucky - JoBoxers (US #36, UK #7)
  A call-and-response UK mod/soul tune in the same vein as The Jam. Not bad in a Motown-tribute kind of way.
• Jukebox (Don't Put Another Dime) - The Flirts
  Previously heard on Valley Girl: Music From The Soundtrack.  Here's what I wrote then: "An obvious Go-Go's knock-off, they've become one of the '80s better one hit wonders. This is the one hit." My friend Scott loved the song so much he went out and bought The Flirts' 1982 album, 10¢ A Dance. If memory serves, he regretted that decision.
• Change - Tears For Fears (US #73, UK #4)
  I listened to The Hurting, the album from which this song was taken and it didn't do much for me.  My opinion of the band changed in 1985 with their release of Songs From The Big Chair which I owned on cassette.
• Talking In Your Sleep - The Romantics (US #3)
  I owned the cassette of the album In Heat. It got a little play in my car in late '83/early '84. The song is just OK, but it reminds me of leaving the high school campus for lunch with friends Brett and Roy.
• Emotion - DFX2
  Not really New Wave. This sounds like a bad knock off of the Rolling Stones, ca. 1979. I'll pass. Is the name pronounced "Dee Eff Ex Two" or "Defects 2"?
• President Am I - Slow Children
  Typical bouncy west coast New Wave with vocals that sound like Dale Bozzio. Unfortunately, the production is better than the songwriting.
• One Thing Leads To Another - The Fixx (US #4)
  A great guitar lick and catchy melody. I can't tell you how many times I picked up the Reach The Beach album and then put it back. I have no idea why I never bought it. I saw the group at Astroworld in the summer of 1984 on their Phantoms tour.
• The Fanatic - Felony (US #42)
  Previously heard on Valley Girl: Music From The Soundtrack.  Here's what I wrote then:  "A great New Wave song, complete with bouncy bass and synths, with just a splash of guitar. It might have been a hit if they had edited out the out-of-tune piano solo that sounds like it was played on an instrument from a wild west saloon."
• Shiny Shiny - Haysi Fantayzee (US #74, UK, #16)
  Trouser Press calls this group's debut album "one of the most willfully annoying records of all time" and "like having painful dentistry performed by an overbearing three-year-old." That should tell you all you need to know. Please make it stop.
• Mirror Mirror (Mon Amour) - Dollar (UK #4)
  Written by Trevor Horn and Bruce Woolley, who wrote Video Killed The Radio Star. Produced by Horn. I hadn't heard this song before buying this CD, but I can almost guarantee that I would have loved this song back in '81. Maybe I can find a cheap copy of the album...
• The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum) - The Fun Boy Three (UK #7)
  This song might be OK for album filler, but as a single? But what do I know? Another skip.
• Black Coffee In Bed - Squeeze (US #103, UK #51)
  Previously heard on Sweets From A Stranger. Here's what I wrote then: "...Black Coffee In Bed, an obvious attempt to capitalize on the minor success of their previous single, Tempted. To me, Black Coffee In Bed is a poor imitation, containing none of the soulfulness of Tempted, while rambling on for far too long. Just when you think the song is ending, it goes back for a second attempt at the bridge about 4 minutes in. (Also, the video was horrible and, in 1982, that counted for something)."
• Send Me An Angel - Real Life (US #29)
  I'm indifferent to this moody, minor hit.  I don't skip it, but I don't go out looking to hear it.
• True - Spandau Ballet (US #4, UK #1)
  Ahhhh.  Great to end the album.  I know all the lyrics and will also vocalize the sax solo.  Not long after the following commercial was released, my buddy Blake sent me this text message: "in the annoying spandau ballet car commercial, you are the dude in the backseat."  He's right, of course.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see above

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 1	Volume 2
Volume 3	Volume 4
Volume 5	Volume 6
Volume 7	Volume 8
Volume 9	Volume 10
Volume 12	Volume 13
Volume 14	New Wave Xmas
New Wave Dance Hits

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 10 (1994)

This is the 10th volume of a fantastic 15 volume set released in the mid-'90s by the always wonderful Rhino Records. Songs on this volume are from the years 1982-1983. One the stronger volumes of the series, this compilation contains many of my favorites from those years.

Tracks:

• Desperate But Not Serious - Adam Ant (US #66, UK #33)
  from his first solo album, Friend or Foe, it's no Goody Two-Shoes, but the juxtaposition of twangy spaghetti western guitar and a horn section is fun.
• Do You Wanna Hold Me? - Bow Wow Wow (US #77, UK #47)
  this group was essentially Adam Ant's band, the Ants, with the addition of a jailbait tease of a singer, Anabella Lwin. This bouncy pop tune keeps all the busy tribal drumming as it asks a rhetorical question.
• China - Red Rockers (US #53)
  much like Do You Wanna Hold Me?, this is a great pop tune that should have at least cracked the Top 40. I didn't hear this song until I picked it up the budget compilation, Just Say New Wave.
• (Keep Feeling) Fascination - The Human League (US #8, UK #2)
  Yeah! I love this cheesy piece of synth-funk as much now as I did when it was released. Even the horrible synth-horn sounds don't bother me. Previously reviewed here and here: "To be honest, (Keep Feeling) Fascination is one of my favorite songs not only of this CD, but of the entire decade."
• Beat Surrender - The Jam (UK #1)
  One of the mod group's best songs, a blatant rip-off (or homage) of Motown. Also included in their greatest hits package.
• The Walls Came Down - The Call (US #74)
  For a mid-tempo song using a simple blues progression, this is really good (and hard to get out of your head). Sadly, the anti-military industrial establishment lyrics still ring true today.  Because of its simplicity, this was one of the very first songs I taught myself to play by ear. I thought of The Call as a one-hit wonder back in the '80s and have only recently come to appreciate them with the purchase of two of their later albums, Reconciled from 1986 and Let The Day Begin from 1989.
• Amanda Ruth - Rank & File
  This cowpunk tune doesn't have me singing along. The band didn't last long, but band member Alejandro Escovedo went on to critically successful solo career.
• A Million Miles Away - The Plimsouls (US #82)
  I'm not as wild about this band as the people at Rhino. Also included on the Rhino compilation for the movie Valley Girl.
• Our House - Madness: (US #7, UK #5)
  Exasperatingly arresting. Now heard on countless TV ads, this song is as catchy these days as it was when it was released. Madness is a ska band, but this isn't a ska tune. It had an amusing video, however, which played a big part in its success. The video reminds me of watching videos on MTV at Jim's place (my house didn't have cable). The song also makes an appearance in the CD collection here. Side note: a musical called Our House, featuring Madness songs, ran in London's West End between October 2002 and August 2003.
• Shy Boy (Don't It Make You Feel Good) - Bananarama (US #83, UK #4)
  I have to admit that this trio had some catchy tunes, including this one. I don't remember it from the '80s, but I like its inclusion here.
• Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You) - A Flock Of Seagulls (US #26, UK #10)
  I can name 4 songs by this group, but I only like 1 of them. This isn't it. The inverse proportion of this group's success to its actual talent amazes me to this day.
• Promises, Promises - Naked Eyes (US #11)
  I bought a copy of the group's self-titled debut LP on the strength of their well-known cover of Bacharach's Always Something There To Remind Me. As I recall, it had two good songs on it, that cover and this tune. This original version is much, much better than the acoustic version reviewed here.
• Stand By - Roman Holliday (US #54, UK #61)
  I hate myself for liking this Stray Cats-meets-Sha Na Na rockabilly number. I like it now, but I would have hated it in 1983.
• Whistle Down The Wind - Nick Heyward (UK #13)
  I'm a confessed fan of Heyward's bubblegum pop, so it shouldn't be a surprise that I think this is one of the better tracks on the disc. This song also made an appearance at the school dance scene in the classic '80s John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles.
• Earthquake Song - Little Girls
  Also included on one of Rhino's Valley Girl compilations: "a bad Beach Boys knock off with some of the most horrible lyrics I've ever heard. Ex: 'There's a building chasing me.' There's nothing quite like a bouncy pop song about a natural disaster. [eye roll]"
• Puttin' On The Ritz - Taco (US #4)
  I really liked this drum-machine remake back in high school because I considered myself a "renaissance man" [snicker] that could appreciate Irving Berlin. I didn't buy the LP, After Eight, but I thought about it. When he was about 11, my youngest son went through a month-long phase where he listened to this version all the time. Now when I hear the name Taco, I think of the FX series The League.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see above

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 1	Volume 2
Volume 3	Volume 4
Volume 5	Volume 6
Volume 7	Volume 8
Volume 9	Volume 12
Volume 13	Volume 14
New Wave Dance Hits	New Wave Xmas

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 13 (1995)

This is the 13th volume of a fantastic 15 volume set released in the mid-'90s by Rhino Records. Songs on this volume are from the years 1983-1984. New Wave was waning by that time, so some of these songs don't come close to being New Wave (I'm sure Dwight Twilley was surprised when he found out he was included here). Still, this turns out to be one the stronger volumes of the series.

This CD was selected today because, out of the blue, I received this text message from my friend Jim this morning: "Do you remember a group call The Busboys?" I do remember them; this CD is the only one in my collection to have a song by the group, so here ya go.

Tracks:

• Relax - Frankie Goes To Hollywood (US #10, UK #1)
  From Welcome To The Pleasuredome during Trevor Horn's heyday. Still hard to believe these lyrics got radio airplay in '84. It peaked at #10 here in the US, but topped the charts in many countries.
• Dance Hall Days - Wang Chung (US #16, UK #21)
  This song grabbed me from the first time I heard it on the radio. I think it had something to do with the saxophone lick in the chorus being strangely laid-back and cool. Strangely, it didn't intrigue me enough to buy the LP. Reviewed previously here.
• Hero Takes A Fall - Bangles
  The first Bangles song I ever heard and still my favorite. I had the debut album All Over The Place and enjoyed the '60s retro sound the band were cultivating back then. (Love ya, Susanna, call me!)
• Wouldn't It Be Good - Nik Kershaw (US #46, UK #4)
  One of the great, underrated songs of the '80s. Sadly, it peaked at only #46 in the US despite being included on two of his first albums released here.
• Hold Me Now - Thompson Twins (US #3, UK #4)
  Previously reviewed here. This is what I wrote then: "Great song. Reminds me of driving in my car listening to the Into The Gap cassette during the spring of my senior year in high school." When I listen now, I still try (and usually fail) to hit the high falsetto notes during the last chorus - "Oh, will you stay with me?" - just like I did all those years ago.
• Cruel Summer - Bananarama (US #9, UK #8)
  Not my favorite Bananarama song, but I can appreciate a song about oppressive heat and loneliness during the long summer months.
• Working With Fire And Steel - China Crisis (UK #48)
  Now here's some New Wave synthpop. It might have hit had it been released 2 years earlier. It's not bad, just not memorable.
• Cleanin' Up The Town - The Bus Boys (US #68)
  I always associated this roots rock group with Eddie Murphy because of their appearance in the movie 48 Hrs. and also because they were Murphy's opening act on his Delirious comedy tour. However, this tune is from Ghostbusters. An African-American quintet performing this kind of music in the mid-'80s just didn't quite work out for them. Sadly, I think they were always considered more of a novelty act.
• Girls - Dwight Twilley (US #16)
  Catchy tune, reminds me of Donnie Iris. The liner notes here claim the song reached #16 on the Billboard pop single charts, but I have no recollection of hearing this song until I bought this CD.
• The Stand - The Alarm
  An admirable attempt to be a "message band" like The Clash or U2. This isn't a bad tune, but I prefer Sixty Eight Guns which appears on Volume 12 of this series.
• Free Nelson Mandela - The Special AKA (UK #9)
  Even though The Specials had re-formed without mastermind Terry Hall as The Special AKA, this is still classic ska and the rare upbeat protest song.
• General Public - General Public (UK #60)
  I should like General Public because of their connection with The English Beat, The Specials, and The Clash, but I think, at the time, I was so upset the The English Beat had split, I never gave the supergroup a chance. Maybe I should rethink that now. I'm sure I can find All The Rage on the cheap at eBay.
• (Feels Like) Heaven - Fiction Factory (UK #6)
  Don't remember this UK pop band? Me, either. The first skippable track on the CD.
• Dancing With Tears In My Eyes - Ultravox (US #108, UK #3)
  I was an Ultravox fan in high school, owning their albums Vienna and Quartet. I don't know why I never bought Lament, the album that contained this single, because it is a solid effort (if you like keyboards and drum machines).
• Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly) - Icicle Works (US #37, UK #53)
  A one-hit wonder, but what a hit. I can't believe that this song didn't take on a life of its own, à la Modern English's I Melt With You.
• The Killing Moon - Echo & The Bunnymen (UK #9)
  I think I've said this before - I wish I had listened to Echo back in the '80s. Not too long ago, I was in a car with a woman who I had just met. This song came on the radio and she looked up at the night sky and said, "Yes, it IS a killing moon tonight." That made me a little uncomfortable. She turned out to be a decent person, but that was a strange first impression.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: see above

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 1	Volume 2
Volume 3	Volume 4
Volume 5	Volume 6
Volume 7	Volume 8
Volume 9	Volume 12
Volume 14	New Wave Xmas
New Wave Dance Hits

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 6 (1994)

This is the 6th volume of a fantastic 15 volume set released in the mid-'90s by Rhino Records. Songs on this volume are from the years 1980-1983. Starting with volume 6, the series starts to feature songs that were in heavy rotation in the heyday of MTV, ca. 1982-83. There's a lot of crossover between this CD and the two Valley Girl soundtrack compilations because they are all released by Rhino. Normally this would upset me, but I'm such a fan of Rhino's compilations and re-releases, that I'll give them a break.

Tracks:

• Who Can It Be Now - Men At Work (#1 pop, #46 rock, #33 dance)
  Previously reviewed here. Here's what I said then: "A definitive New Wave single. That awesome sax lick is immediately recognizable, but I also love the lyrics about someone who just wants to be left alone."
• Twilight Zone - Golden Earring (#10 pop, #1 rock)
  A bad song that was semi-popular (peaked at #10 in March '83) solely because of its video's airplay.
• Talk Talk - Talk Talk (#75 pop, #26 rock, #63 dance)
  A great synthpop New Wave single by a band that should have been more popular here in the US. Produced by Colin Thurston who was also working with Duran Duran at that time.
• Johnny Are You Queer? - Josie Cotton (#38 dance)
  Previously reviewed here. Here's what I said then: "A fun song heard during the climatic prom scene in the movie. The lyrics were probably more controversial than they should have been because the joke is on the singer, not Johnny: typical teenager 'he's not interested in her that way, so clearly he must not like girls' kind of logic."
• White Girl - X
  Not as frantic as their usual punk songs, this song's chord progression reminds me a lot of Ants Invasion by Adam And The Ants (but with a better chorus and better lyrics).
• People Who Died - The Jim Carroll Band (#103 pop, #50 rock, #51 dance)
  Literally a semi-sung list of people who died played over a blues chord progression played in a manic punk style. That description sounds worse than it really is.
• Face To Face - Code Blue
  Sounds like a filler track from an album by The Knack. Guitar player from The Motels, bass player would later work with Adam Ant.
• Wot - Captain Sensible (#24 dance)
  A shameless knock-off of Rapper's Delight, right down to the Chic-like bassline. Exhibit A in the trial of Rap Music v. White People.
• Numbers With Wings - The Bongos
  I bought a cassette of this EP based solely on the cool band name and cover. Disappointment followed. Still like the EP cover, though:
  
  
  
• The Look Of Love (Part One) - ABC (#18 pop, #32 rock, #1 dance)
  Fantastic New Romantic song produced by Trevor Horn. From the classic album, The Lexicon Of Love.
• Do You Really Want To Hurt Me - Culture Club (#2 pop, #21 rock, #34 dance)
  Previously reviewed here. Here's what I said then: "I want to dislike Culture Club because Boy George is a mess, but I can't help but like this smooth pseudo-reggae hit."
• Never Say Never - Romeo Void (#27 rock, #17 dance)
  Previously reviewed here. Here's what I said then: "Contains the classic lyric 'I might like you better if we slept together.' It also contains some horrid saxophone playing." Still, this is a catchy little number. I liked it back in '82 and I still like it 30 years later.
• The Unguarded Moment - The Church
  To me, this now sounds like '90s indie-pop. Maybe they were just ahead of their time. Nothing outstanding, but its got a catchy chorus.
• Second Choice - Any Trouble (#103 pop)
  A hook-filled pub song in the vein of Marshall Crenshaw. Good stuff.
• A Woman's Got The Power - The A's (#106 pop, #18 rock)
  A weird mix of Elvis Costello and Bruce Springsteen. It doesn't work for me.
• I Predict - Sparks (#60 pop)
  Sounds like John Jett's I Hate Myself For Loving You. This band could always write catchy songs, they just didn't have a good vocalist.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I'll be honest- the first time we saw the video for Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, my friend (who shall remain nameless) and I both thought Boy George was female and spent some time debating whether or not "she" was attractive. To our credit, I remember we decided she wasn't. Being a very naïve teenager, I had little, if any, experience with androgyny. Of course, a few days later we discovered Boy George's gender and name. A very uncomfortable silence ensued.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 1	Volume 2
Volume 3	Volume 4
Volume 5	Volume 7
Volume 8	Volume 9
Volume 12	Volume 14
New Wave Xmas
New Wave Dance Hits

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 7 (1994)

I'm currently wading through the 600+ pages of I Want My MTV by Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum. So far, it's an entertaining read and if you, like me, experienced MTV as it was introduced, you should definitely give it a shot. Anyway, it has understandably put me in the mood for some early '80s music. This is the 7th volume of a fantastic 15 volume set released in the mid-'90s by the always wonderful Rhino Records. Songs on this volume are from the years 1981-1983. This is probably the most diverse volume in the series; we're treated to roots rock, soul pop, New Romantic, performance art, Tex-Mex, reggae, ska, and retread sounds from the '40s, '50s, and '60s.

Tracks:

• Favourite Shirts (Boy Meets Girl) - Haircut 100 (US #101, UK #4)
  From one of my favorite "summer" albums, Pelican West, I've always enjoyed this soul-dance-pop song.
• He Could Be The One - Josie Cotton (US #74)
  Previously reviewed here. Here's what I said then: "I can't figure out how Cotton wasn't a bigger star. Her retro-60's pop sound is immediately accessible. Cotton sings the entire song as if she's on talking on the phone to her girlfriend, on the verge of a giggle fit, which makes the whole song completely endearing."
• I'm Shakin' - The Blasters
  Rockabilly/roots-rock, a cover of a '50s hit by Little Willie John. Seek out the original. I wasn't a rockabilly guy in the early '80s, but now I understand what they were trying to do.
• Six Months In A Leaky Boat - Split Enz (US #104)
  After seeing this video on MTV, I was a fan of the song, but when I heard the rest of album, it didn't hold up to this tune.
• I Need You - Paul Carrack (US #37)
  From the album Suburban Voodoo, this soulful love song should have reached higher than #37 on the charts.
• Love Is Just The Great Pretender - Animal Nightlife (UK #28)
  Bland pseudo-'40s jive meets '80s R&B that might have hit during the swing revival of the '90s - maybe. The problem with doing this in the '80s is that Kid Creole was already doing it better. Not for me.
• Ride Your Pony - Fleshtones
  Average garage rockers trying to play New Wave by adding bouncy keyboards. An awesome band name wasted.
• Blue Spark - X
  Best described in the liner notes as "126 seconds of noirish sexual tension." X was one of those critics' darlings that never got the commercial success they probably deserved. This was too rough for me back in the '80s, but I like it now.
• Pass The Dutchie - Musical Youth (US#10, UK #1)
  Fun, harmless reggae from the UK. The story of the lyrics is better than the music itself: this is a cover version of Pass the Kouchie by The Mighty Diamonds, which deals with the recreational use of cannabis, "kouchie" being slang for a cannabis pipe. For the cover version, the song's title was bowdlerized to Pass the Dutchie, and all obvious drug references were removed from the lyrics; e.g., when the original croons "How does it feel when you got no herb?", the cover version refers to "food" instead. "Dutchie" has since become a drug reference in itself, denoting a blunt stuffed with marijuana and rolled in a wrapper from a Dutch Masters cigar.
• Samson And Delilah - Bad Manners (UK #58)
  2 Tone ska-pop in the manner of early Madness. Not bad if you like that kind of sound.
• Chicken Outlaw - Wide Boy Awake
  If someone wanted to point out the stupidity of New Wave music, they need look no further for an example. If the title wasn't bad enough, they stoop to having chicken sounds in the background. This song should be outlawed.
• Da Da Da I Don't Love You You Don't Love Me Aha Aha Aha - Trio (UK #2)
  This minimalist three-chord number from Germany is hard to get out of your head. It sure is catchy. Last heard in a late '90s VW ad. If you played this song on a continuous loop, however, you could clear a room in a matter of minutes.
• Party Weekend - Joe "King" Carrasco & The Crowns
  Great song where Tex-Mex accordion meets New Wave keyboards. I spent a fair amount of time in Austin in the early '80s and Carrasco was everywhere. These days, he's still touring around Texas, but mainly plays at his Puerto Vallarta club, Nacho Daddy.
• Love Shadow - Fashion (UK #51)
  Smooth New Wave R&B, a style that would become very popular in the later part of the decade. The band couldn't make it in their native Britain, so there was no way they were going to get much promotion over here in the States.
• Flaming Desire - Bill Nelson
  I love this electronic number. It was right up my alley in '82; in the same vein as Gary Numan's Cars.
• O Superman (For Massenet) - Laurie Anderson (UK #2)
  ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah.... Now heavily sampled, you will either love this piece or hate it. This minimalist performance is hard to explain so just watch the video. I recently heard this piece used in a HTC smartphone commercial and it didn't seem out of place at all. Was this piece just 30 years ahead of its time??

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: In the early '80s, I heard Laurie Anderson's Big Science LP and, for a few days, considered moving to NYC and becoming a performance artist. In my mind, I could totally do that. Fortunately, a calmer head eventually prevailed. Ah, the naïveté of youth.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 1	Volume 2
Volume 3	Volume 4
Volume 5	Volume 8
Volume 9	Volume 12
Volume 14
New Wave Xmas
New Wave Dance Hits

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 4 (1994)

This is the 4th volume of a fantastic 15 volume set released in the mid-'90s by the always wonderful Rhino Records. This is one of the weaker volumes in the series. Songs on this volume are from the years 1980-1982. I just recently acquired volume 6 of this series, completing my set.

Tracks:

• Freedom Of Choice - Devo (US #103)
  This follow-up to the band's hit, Whip It, is more of the same.
• Generals And Majors - XTC (US #104, UK #32)
  I can't explain why XTC wasn't bigger in the US. Maybe they were a bit too quirky. The band's pop songwriting was always top-notch and this song is no exception. The band's 1989 album Oranges & Lemons has been on my wishlist for a few years. I should go ahead and pull the trigger on that.
• Switchin' To Glide - The Kings (US #43)
  Canadian one-hit wonders. 'Nuff said.
• Up All Night - The Boomtown Rats
  Despite an awesome band name, I always felt this group was overrated. I'm more familiar with this song as bumper music from the syndicated Jim Rome radio show than as a '80s song.
• The Breakup Song (They Don't Write 'Em) - Greg Kihn Band (US #15)
  More power pop than new wave, I remember this song from the radio back in '81. I prefer the band's later hit, Jeopardy, but I not really crazy about that one, either.
• Love And Loneliness - The Motors (US #78, UK #58)
  Over the top epic in the style of Jim Steinman. Easily forgettable.
• About the Weather - Magazine
  I like the piano riff and how it moves into a Motown feel. The singer's voice isn't the best, but certainly not a bad mod song along the lines of The Jam.
• Precious To Me - Phil Seymour (US #22)
  Not exactly a New Wave song, this is a catchy pop/rock number. Before buying this CD, I hadn't heard the song in 30+ years, but I remembered it immediately.
• Girls On Film - Duran Duran (UK #5)
  Great early New Romantic song. This song also in my collection on The Singles 81-85 and Decade.
• Everywhere That I'm Not - Translator
  There's nothing about this song that I like. Can't believe a record exec thought it was worth recording and releasing. Maybe I'm missing something.
• I Could Be Happy - Altered Images (UK #7)
  I've always liked the songs I've heard from this band. This is certainly an upbeat, happy song. I would imagine it was the singer's voice that kept this band from being popular in the US.
• Working Girl - The Members
  Most of the music I've heard from this group is more punk-ish, but this is a good pop song with a catchy chorus.
• What Do All The People Know - The Monroes (US #59)
  This hook-filled song should have reached higher on the charts and I should have heard of this San Diego band before now. Alas, neither happened.
• It's Going To Happen! - The Undertones (UK #18)
  Another tune that should have been more well-known in the US. The chunky guitars and horn parts are good enough for me to overlook Feargal Sharkey's vocal quaver.
• Ziggy Stardust - Bauhaus (UK #15)
  I was never a fan of this Bowie song or of Bauhaus.
• Tainted Love - Soft Cell (US #8, UK #1)
  Previously reviewed here. Here's what I said then: "Another cover, this was a big hit and the all-time favorite song of my friend Scott. Me, I can take it or leave it." Thankfully, the version on this disc doesn't segue into the group's unnecessary cover of Where Did Our Love Go.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: None

Previously revisited for the blog:
Volume 1
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 5
Volume 8
Volume 9
Volume 12
Volume 14
New Wave Xmas
New Wave Dance Hits

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 1 (1994)

This is the 1st volume of a fantastic 15 volume set released in the mid-'90s by the wonderful Rhino Records. Contrary to the CD title, songs on this volume are from the years 1977-1979, strengthening my argument that eighties music really began around 1978 with the debut album from The Cars and ended sometime around 1988 (I can't in good conscience consider Paula Abdul an eighties artist.)

Tracks:

• Ca Plane Pour Moi - Plastic Bertrand (US #47, UK #8)
  A wonderful Belgian song that combines the three blues chords of punk with the bouncy bass of new wave. Released in 1977, I guess there wasn't any room for this single on the radio because it is sung mostly in French and it isn't disco. The title is best translated as "everything's going well for me" and it's a fun, happy song.
• Warm Leatherette - The Normal
  The group was, of course, anything but normal. This experimentation with tape loops and a drum machine might have been considered groundbreaking at the time, but now is just grating.
• One Way Or Another - Blondie (US #24)
  You know this one. It's a wonderful new wave rocker about a stalker. I usually bash the Rock Hall of Fame, but they got it right when they inducted Blondie in 2006. The band was very influential and one of the first new wave bands (along with The Cars) to have Top 40 hits.
• Hey, St. Peter - Flash & The Pan (US #76)
  If only this single was as great as the band name. To call this new wave is a bit of a stretch. To me, it sounds like '70s Elton John.
• Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe (US #12, UK #12)
  3.5 minutes of hip, pure pop bliss. I loved this song in '79 and still enjoy listening to it today.
• Too Young To Date - D-Day
  Amateurish power pop from an obscure Austin band that sounds a lot like The Waitresses or Toni Basil. Released in 1979, it might have been a hit in '81 or '82.
• Local Girls - Graham Parker
  Parker is in the group of pop singer/songwriters that never got their due. (Also in that group: Nick Lowe and Marshall Crenshaw). Critics darlings. Hearing this single, it's hard to understand why Parker didn't find more success. Sort of a cross between Jackson Browne and Elvis Costello.
• Rock 'N' Roll High School - Ramones (UK #67)
  This tune has stood the test of time even though it wasn't a huge hit at the time. What's funny is that I thought the Ramones were "too hard" for me as a teenager. Now they seem tame. This isn't new wave, it's just good ol' rock 'n' roll.
• My Sharona - The Knack (US #1, UK #6)
  Maybe the first #1 new wave song. Also included on Rhino's Super Hits of the '70s: Have a Nice Day, Vol. 22. Here's what I said in that review: "A great song from a great album (which I'll get to later on the blog). I like to tell people that my wife's nickname is Sharona and that the song was written about her. Apparently, the real Sharona is a real estate agent in L.A."
• Girls Talk - Dave Edmunds (US #65, UK #4)
  A great song in the vein of Nick Lowe and Paul Carrack. This song was written by Elvis Costello, whose early albums were produced by Lowe.
• Video Killed The Radio Star - Buggles (US #40, UK #1)
  It was love at first hearing for me and this song. Even though I've heard it thousands of times, I never skip it or change the radio channel when it comes on. Previously on this blog: versions by Erasure, Asia, and Bruce Woolley, the latter of which is kinda the original version, having been recorded about the same time as Buggles' version.
• I Do The Rock - Tim Curry (US #91)
  Riding the wave of his success in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Curry released 3 albums. Didn't know that? Me, either. This song sounds like it could have come from the soundtrack of Rocky Horror. It's a weak attempt to start a dance craze - how does one "do the rock"?
• Dirty Water - The Inmates (US #51)
  A cover of the garage band classic. This sounds like The Stones to me. What's it doing on a New Wave compilation?
• I'm A Believer - Tin Huey
  A forgettable cover of Neil Diamond's song made famous by the Monkees. Again, not very new wavish, although you can hear the beginnings of what would become the Akron sound.
• Gidget Goes To Hell - Suburban Lawns
  A Suburban Lawns poster is seen in the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High, hanging on the wall in the bedroom of the character Damone. That was probably the career highlight of these Devo wannabes from Long Beach.
  
  
  
  
• Money (That's What I Want) - The Flying Lizards (US #50, UK #5)
  There's something about this quirky cover of a soul classic that I can't resist. Maybe it's the amateurish banjo-sounding synth or the vocals by the girl with an accent. In any case, it's just weird enough to be an awesome cover.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: To call these songs "hits" is a bit much, Rhino. I can remember hearing only 3 of the 16 on the radio back in the late '70s: One Way Or Another, My Sharona, and Cruel To Be Kind.

Previously revisited for the blog:

Volume 2	Volume 12
Volume 3	Volume 14
Volume 5	New Wave Xmas
Volume 8	New Wave Dance Hits
Volume 9

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Dance Hits of the '80s (1997)

This is a companion piece to the 15 volume New Wave Hits of the '80s set released in the mid-'90s by Rhino Records. Songs on this volume were released in the years 1980 - 1985. While these songs weren't chart hits, they were big hits in the clubs of New York (Danceteria, Trax, etc.) around the time that "disco music" morphed into "dance music" with the help of the monthly Rockpool bundle for DJ's. While I like these songs, it's difficult to listen to the whole thing in one listening. At 80 minutes, that's a lot of experimental dance music. A great musical companion to the book, New York Noise: Art and Music from the New York Underground 1978-88.

Tracks:

• Lawnchairs - Our Daughters Wedding (#31 dance, 1981)
  Imagine Yaz with Stan Ridgway on vocals.
• Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag (Extended Version) - Pigbag (#56 dance, 1981)
  I would like this song just for the awesome title, but it has a catchy hook that I'm sure will become today's earworm for me. With manic percussion and screeching solos from saxophones and trumpets, this sometimes sounds likes a college band half-time show gone way out of control. For the record, this extended version is only 3:46, making me wonder how long the original version is.
• Bostich (Extended Remix) - Yello (#23 dance, 1982)
  Like many people, I was introduced to Yello via their song Oh Yeah from the Ferris Bueller movie. This earlier tune is similar territory, but with more interesting lyrics, rhyming "everybody" with "pizza party." N'est-ce pas?
• Ball Of Confusion (Extended Version) - Love & Rockets (1985)
  Previously reviewed on 80's/12" The Extended Collection: a fair cover of the Temptations 1970 hit. If you want to hear the definitive version of this song, check out Tina Turner's version on the 1982 album Music of Quality And Distinction Volume One, by the B.E.F. (to be revisited later on this blog.)
• Rapture (Special Disco Mix) - Blondie (#1 dance, 1980)
  10 minutes of remix here. The band's biggest hit, it didn't appear on their best album, 1978's Parallel Lines, but instead on 1980's Autoamerican. This single which was one of the earliest songs containing elements of rap vocals to reach #1 in the U.S. This mix has a long percussion break following the first verse of Deborah Harry's awesome nonsensical rap. Perfect for the dance floor.
• Precious (Extended Version) - The Jam (#45 dance, 1982)
  Earlier Jam punk/mod tunes wouldn't have been included on a dance album, but this later single is given a good remix here that hints at the R&B of Paul Weller's next project, The Style Council. Here, the band single-handedly tries to bring back disco music's incredibly fun wah-wah guitar sound.
• Beat Box - Art Of Noise (#1 dance, 1983)
  Great song and my fav on this CD. This mix is different from the one on (Who's Afraid Of?) The Art Of Noise! which is different from the one on The Best of The Art of Noise. Trevor Horn is a freakin' genius.
• The Wildstyle - Time Zone (#45 dance, 1984)
  An early hip-hop breakdance song cowritten by Afrika Bambaataa. Contains an uncredited sample of Chic's Good Times.
• The Dominatrix Sleeps Tonight (Dominant Mix) - Dominatrix (#2 dance, 1984)
  A one-off freestyle single by a band with an awesome name. Unfortunately, this isn't a great tune - at least not in this mix. It's more than a little disturbing to hear what sounds like a ten-year girl saying "doh-dominate - dominatrix."
• Think (About It) - Justin (1982)
  A fun, funky party DJ remake of a James Brown tune (made popular by Lyn Collins). You may know the lyrics of this tune from another hit: 1988's It Take Two by Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, which is weaker than the Collins original. Now that I think about it (pun intended), just listen to the 1972 Collins version and forget this remake as well as It Takes Two.
• Moody - E.S.G. (#40, 1981)
  I like the beat and it's easy to dance to. I give it a 72.
• Cavern - Liquid Liquid (#50 dance, 1983)
  You will recognize this as what became the backing track to Grandmaster + Melle Mel's White Lines (Don't Do It). I hope these boys got paid, but I doubt think they did. Extremely unauthorized appropriation.
• Too Many Creeps- Bush Tetras (#57 dance, 1980)
  I don't know what a bush tetra is (some sort of fish, maybe?), but I think it sounds like The Waitresses or Romeo Void.
• Konk Party (Master Cylinder's Jam) (New York City Club Mix) - Konk (1982)
  A dance song so fun it needs three names. A smooth blend of Latin, disco, and New Wave music.

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: Even though I fancied myself an expert on new music in the early '80s, I was unfamiliar with most of these songs before buying this CD.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 5
Volume 8
Volume 9
Volume 12
Volume 14
New Wave Xmas

Various Artists - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Hits of the '80s, Vol. 5 (1994)

This is the 5th volume of a fantastic 15 volume set released in the mid-'90s by the always wonderful Rhino Records. This CD was the first I bought of the series, purchased almost immediately after my 10 year high school reunion in 1994. The first half of the compilation is much stronger than the second half. Songs on this volume were released in the years 1981 - 1982.

Tracks:

• I Want Candy - Bow Wow Wow (#62 pop, #22 rock, #36 dance)
  You'd never know it these days, but this song only reached #62 on the singles charts. Between advertisments and retro radio airplay, you can't get away from it now. I have an embarrassing confession: until just recently, I was unaware of the fact that this is a cover. The original version by The Strangeloves was a #11 hit back in 1965.
• I Know What Boys Like - The Waitresses (#62 pop, #23 rock)
  I remember this quirky song's video from MTV. You can be assured it never played on the radio in my area. This group also recorded the theme to the TV show Square Pegs, but this is the group's best song.
• Kids In America - Kim Wilde (#25 pop, #29 rock)
  From the first time I heard this song, I was a Kim Wilde fan. I quickly bought her debut album and was subsequently disappointed in her sophomore effort. I never understood why the lyric was written as "New York to East California." Why leave out the people in the western part of California?
• Love Plus One - Haircut One Hundred (#37 pop, #18 rock, #8 dance)
  From one of my favorite albums of the '80s, Pelican West.
• Someday, Someway - Marshall Crenshaw (#36 pop, #25 rock)
  One of the best songs of the '80s that I didn't hear until the '90s. This is Crenshaw's biggest hit, but he's one of those fantastic singer/songwriters that never got the major success to equal his talent. Highly recommended.
• Hold On To Something - Great Buildings
  Typical early '80s west coast power pop. I wouldn't seek it out to listen to, but I don't skip this track. Two members of this band went on to form The Rembrandts who scored a huge hit in the '90s with the theme to the TV show Friends.
• Town Called Malice - The Jam (#31 rock, #45 dance)
  A #1 chart-topper in the UK, this tune is a fantastic tribute to soul music by Paul Weller and The Jam (the bass line is ripped off from You Can't Hurry Love). The Jam started as a more of a punk band, but then veered towards soul before they broke up and Paul Weller formed The Style Council.
• 867-5309/Jenny - Tommy Tutone (#4 pop, #1 rock)
  I can't get away from this song, either. Young program directors must think this is the quintessential '80s song. It's played about 6 times a day on XM radio's '80s on 8.
• Vacation - The Go-Go's (#8 pop, #13 rock, #17 dance)
  Possibly my least favorite Go-Go's single. I guess Beauty And The Beat was so awesome that it was hard to write a follow-up. Nonetheless, Belinda Carlisle sounds (and looks) great. Love ya, Belinda, call me!
• Valley Girl - Frank & Moon Zappa (#32 pop, #12 rock)
  I've never enjoyed Zappa's music and there's nothing here to change my mind, but I love the Valspeak. The best thing about this song is that it inspired the movie Valley Girl with Nicolas Cage and the lovely Deborah Foreman. Love ya, Deborah, call me!
• I Ran (So Far Away) - A Flock Of Seagulls (#9 pop, #3 rock, #8 dance)
  There's no way this rudimentary crap would have been a hit without the video being in heavy rotation on MTV. I may not care for it, but the band has made a lot of money from it, so hats off to them for that.
• Sex Dwarf - Soft Cell (#65 dance)
  Not a big fan of this song. It doesn't even appeal to my dark side. This song would have been perfect in The Silence Of The Lambs because I think this is the type of music Buffalo Bill would listen to: "It places the Soft Cell on the turntable."
• I Love A Man In A Uniform - Gang Of Four (#27 dance)
  While not one of my faves, I can't help but sing it whenever anyone says something about a man in uniform.
• The Art Of Parties - Japan
  This does nothing for me. It's sounds like a drunken King Crimson outtake and makes for a very long 4 minutes. Is this really the same outfit that gave us the lovely Gentlemen Take Polaroids?
• Homosapien - Pete Shelley (#14 dance)
  Fairly good power pop from the leader of The Buzzcocks; in fact, it sounds like The Buzzcocks with a synth part added (and better production). Apparently banned from play on the BBC for lyrical references to gay sex, e.g. "homo superior / in my interior"
• Mickey - Toni Basil (#1 pop, #3 dance)
  Not bad for a choreographer in her late 30s. This painful now even though I liked the song back in '82. Surprisingly, I never heard any controversy related to the lyrics, "So come on and give it to me anyway you can. Anyway you want to do it, I'll take it like a man." Maybe I'm reading too much into that?

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: The song Valley Girl reminds me of my late friend Scott. In the summer of 1982, between our sophomore and junior years in high school, Scott attended a summer drama camp at the University of Texas. After 6 weeks in Austin, he returned to town having adopted the 'Valspeak' parodied by Moon Zappa. His friends, including me, hoped he'd tired of talking like that, but instead we all adopted some of the phrases. Then we were, like, totally bitchin'.

I was introduced to much of this music at my friend Jim's house for two reasons: 1) he was always on the lookout for new music and would always have something new for me to listen to, and 2) he had cable at his house and I didn't. For this guy, in 1982, cable meant one thing: MTV.

Previously revisited for the blog:
Volume 2
Volume 3
Volume 8
Volume 9
Volume 12
Volume 14
New Wave Xmas