"The Sun Always Shines on T.V." is the second single from a-ha's debut album Hunting High and Low and the follow-up single to their smash hit "Take on Me". Released in the autumn of 1985, the song went Top 5 in Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the band's home country of Norway, and reached number one in Ireland and the U.K. U.S. audiences were not quite as eager to "take on" a-ha again, but the single did manage to reach #20 on the Billboard charts.

"Wishing (If I had a Photograph of You)"  was the opening song from A Flock of Seagulls' second album Listen.  Although not as big in the US as the group's breakout hit "I Ran (So Far Away), "Wishing" managed to reach #26 in the summer of 1983.  The song holds the rare distinction of having been performed almost entirely on the black keys of a keyboard.

"Come On Eileen" was voted by the nice people at VH1 (and their viewers, I assume) as the Number 1 "One Hit Wonder of the 80's".  Dexy's never had another Top 100 hit in the States, but they did have a couple more Top 10 hits in their native England (yeah, sorry, they're not Irish as you may have thought, but lead singer Kevin Rowland loved to pay tribute to his Irish ancestry.)  "Geno" was actually their first hit in the UK, reaching number 1 in May of 1980.   Part of Dexy's appeal was most definitely their unique look, whether it was the "soulful" leather jacket look from "Geno" or the rural-Irish dungaree attire they famously adopted 2 years later for the album "Too-Rye-Ay".  said Rowland "we didn't want to become part of anyone else's movement. We'd rather be our own movement."  And, indeed, there will never be another band quite like Dexy's...

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Wow, has it really been 4 months since my last venture into the 80s???? Well, VH1 has brought me out of the woodwork with their latest countdown extravaganza "The 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders of the 80s". I know, I know, we're all upset that "Rock Me Amadeus" wasn't even on the list (well, I don't know about you but I was livid) but at least they took some time out of their busy Celebreality schedule to thrust some gems from our favorite decade back into the limelight, no? 

Now, all of the artists on the list only had one mega hit, but in most cases it certainly wasn't for a lack of trying.  A Flock of Seagulls had 2 other Top 40 hits, Men Without Hats and Dead or Alive each had other Top 20 hits, and Animotion had another Top 10 hit (albeit with some different group members).  Nena, A-Ha, Big Country and Madness may have only had one Top 40 hit in the States, but they were big-name stars with multiple hits in their home countries.  So, in honor of these artists who really deserve to be called more than just a "One Hit Wonder" I have decided to devote the next couple of weeks to showcasing the songs that (really should have but) never quite caught on with the American public.

Oh, and by the way, I regret to inform that I will not be playing any other songs by Eddie Murphy, Don Johnson, Bruce Willis or Rappin' Rodney Dangerfield, even though I'm sure these fine gentlemen have a plethora of wondrous singles for me to chose from.  Apologies in advance.

So technically recorded in 1977, but it was actually released as a recording in 1982, so I think that counts as an 80's song!




( Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy...Collapse )

I know, i know. This is the 3rd song by Run D.M.C. I've had on "80's Song of the Day". It's not like they're the most influential rap band of all time, or anything...



( Christmas In Hollis...Collapse )

B-B-B-B-B-B-Bad...Bad to the bone...



( Rock N Roll Christmas...Collapse )

Anyone who says they don't have at least one Hall and Oates song on their i-Pod is a liar!

The man who went through more name changes than Prince...they were just less confusing


( I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus...Collapse )