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Friday Coffee Break: Back To The Future, 1982

Posted at 8:51 AM on July 29, 2011 by Steve Seel (52 Comments)
Filed under: 9:30 Coffee Break

It's time once again for us to fire up the way-back machine for the 9:30 Coffee Break and enjoy another edition of Back To The Future. This time, we're heading back to the dangerous musical year of 1982 - it's a mine-field of cheese and frighteningly bad hairstyles and clothes, yes, but there are also tons of gems to enjoy. What are some of your 1982 musical memories? (Feel free to enlist Google to help jog your memory).

Songs played:
The Jam "Town Called Malice"
Romeo Void "Never Say Never"
Michael Jackson "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)
The Suburbs "Waiting"
Psychedelic Furs "Love My Way"
The Clash "Know Your Rights"

Comments (52)


A Strange Day - The Cure

Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaata

Come on Eileen - Dexy's Midnight Runners

Posted by wellst | July 29, 2011 9:05 AM

The Clash - Rock the Casbah

Posted by Oj | July 29, 2011 9:06 AM

Jack & Diane - John Cougar (Mellencamp)

Posted by Cathryn | July 29, 2011 9:07 AM

I love Rock & Roll - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Eye of the Tiger - Survivor

Posted by Cathryn | July 29, 2011 9:09 AM

The Look of Love or Poison Arrow -- ABC

The Hungry Wolf -- X [from Under the Big Black Sun]

ANYTHING from Marshall Crenshaw's debut disc

Posted by lou | July 29, 2011 9:09 AM

"Melt With You" - Modern English

"Vacation" - Go Gos

"Gardening At Night" - REM

and

"PacMan Fever" - Buckner & Garcia ( If you really want to set the mood)

Posted by Patrick | July 29, 2011 9:10 AM

Please, please. PLEASE play me some Squeeze! It was the year of 'Black Coffee in Bed' - and that video was constantly in rotation on MTV. I should know, as I was a teenager then with nothing better to do than sit slack-jawed in front of MTV all day long.

Posted by cal | July 29, 2011 9:11 AM

Earth, Wind & Fire - Let's Groove

Jackson Browne - Got To Be Somebody's Baby

Flock Of Seagulls - I Ran

Rick Springfield - Don't Talk To Strangers

Human League - Don't You Want Me

Soft Cell - Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go

and no 80's set would be complete without a little... Hall & Oates - Maneater, or I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)

Posted by Chris | July 29, 2011 9:13 AM

Crimson & Clover - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts

Posted by Maggie | July 29, 2011 9:13 AM

Only the Lonely - Motels

Private Eyes - Hall and Oates

Posted by Rusty | July 29, 2011 9:13 AM

One of the most influential songs ever

Planet Rock - Afrika Bambaataa

Posted by Brandon | July 29, 2011 9:13 AM

The The - Uncertain Smile
XTC - Sense Working Overtime
Peter Gabriel - Shock The Monkey (can we hear the German version again?)

Posted by dave | July 29, 2011 9:14 AM

"I Ran (So Far Away)," Flock Of Seagulls

"Micky" Toni Basil

Maneater," Daryl Hall & John Oates

"we've got the beat" The Go-go's

Posted by Christine | July 29, 2011 9:14 AM

Rosanna – Toto
867-5309/Jenny – Tommy Tutone
1999 - Prince
Shake It Up – The Cars
Heat of the Moment – Asia

Posted by Todd | July 29, 2011 9:15 AM

So much to choose from:

Marshall Crenshaw debut
Joan Jett - I Love rock and Roll
The Waitresses - Wasn't Tomorrow Wonderful
XTC - English Settlement
Talking Heads - The Name of this band...
Richard and Lind Thompson - Shoot out the lights
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
Oh No! It's Devo -

and of course - Come on Eileen

Posted by Ira | July 29, 2011 9:17 AM

I was born two years later, sooooo I pulled a few of my favorite synth-heavy songs from the top 100 of '82:
Rosanna by Toto
I ran- Flock of Seagulls
Tained Love-Soft Cells


Thanks for the Deelite, for my money, the best dance song of the 90s.

Posted by John Moore | July 29, 2011 9:18 AM

"Tainted Love" -- Soft Cell
"Shake It Up" -- The Cars
"Freeze Frame" -- J. Geils Band
"We Got The Beat" -- The Go-Go's
And a great summertime track off "American Fool" that never got any airplay:
"Thundering Hearts" -- John Cougar

Posted by (JL) | July 29, 2011 9:18 AM

"Eminence Front" - The Who
"1999" - Prince
"Should I Stay or Should I Go" - The Clash

Posted by Mark | July 29, 2011 9:18 AM

I got the Cars "Shake It Up" album for Christmas.
"Shake It Up" , "A Dream Away" and "Think It Over" are my favorites off that album.

Posted by rob | July 29, 2011 9:19 AM

I could totally go for some J Geils. 'Centerfold' or 'Freeze Frame'.

Posted by ann | July 29, 2011 9:20 AM

Empty Garden-Elton John (About John Lennon)
The Simon and Garfunkel Live In Central Park is from that year. It would be great to hear "The Boxer" or "50 ways to leave your lover."

Posted by C | July 29, 2011 9:20 AM

From the golden age of synthesizers:

Don't you Want Me: The Human League
Rosanna: Toto
I ran: A Flock of Seagulls

Posted by John Moore | July 29, 2011 9:21 AM

I second Joan Jett's "I Love Rock N Roll" and I'll add Soft Cell's "Tainted Love" and "Abracadabra" by the Steve Miller Band.

If only "Jesse's Girl" had been a year later. *sigh*

Posted by Drae | July 29, 2011 9:21 AM

Get Down On It - Kool & The Gang
Steppin' Out - Joe Jackson
And I'll second "Planet Rock" - looooove it

Posted by Sarah | July 29, 2011 9:21 AM

For the cheese factor:
"Centerfold" J. Geils Band
"Don't Stop Believin'"- Journey
"Heat of the Moment"-Asia
"Jack and Diane"

Posted by caryn | July 29, 2011 9:25 AM

Gardening At Night- REM

Who Can It Be Now? Men At Work

Do You Really Want to Hurt Me? Culture Club

Posted by Mark | July 29, 2011 9:25 AM

Checked my iTunes list and only had two hits

Prove My Love - Violent Femmes
Avalon - Roxy Music

Imagine being the only kid in a small midwest town blaring Violent Femmes from your car stereo.

Posted by loran | July 29, 2011 9:27 AM

"Kids in America" - Kim Wilde

Posted by Jennifer | July 29, 2011 9:27 AM

"She Blinded Me With Science" - Thomas Dolby
"Situation" - Yaz
"I Want Candy" - Bow Wow Wow
"Save It For Later" - The English Beat
"Beat Surrender" - The Jam

Posted by Rachel Ahrndt | July 29, 2011 9:27 AM

Rush's album Signals...
so probably "New World Man"

Posted by Mickey | July 29, 2011 9:27 AM

Love plus One - Haircut 100

Posted by monica | July 29, 2011 9:28 AM

Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
Come on Eileen - Dexys Midnight Runners
Physical - Olivia Newton John
Abracadabra - Steve Miller Band

Posted by Mike | July 29, 2011 9:28 AM

XTC - Senses Working Overtime
Squeeze - Black Coffee in Bed

Posted by EJ | July 29, 2011 9:30 AM

Gardening at Night - R.E.M.

When I think of 1982, I think of Chronic Town

Posted by eric | July 29, 2011 9:30 AM

Roxy Music
"More Than This"
April 1982

Posted by Dave | July 29, 2011 9:31 AM

Sitting here in Leeds in the UK a few miles north of Sheffield, for 1982 how about Sheffield band the Human League and "Mirror Man"

Posted by Russell | July 29, 2011 9:31 AM

(Oh) Pretty Woman - Van Halen

seconding Who Can it Be Now?, by Men at Work

and Eye in the Sky - Alan Parsons Project

Posted by Gray | July 29, 2011 9:32 AM

Haircut 100 - Love Plus One
X - The Hungry Wolf
Pete Townshend - Slit Skirts
English Beat - I Confess

Posted by Erik | July 29, 2011 9:33 AM

Oh, and I loved "Freeze Frame." Unfortunately it was released in 1981, but it was a hit in 1982, so I guess that counts too.

Posted by Gray | July 29, 2011 9:33 AM

Devo, "That's Good"

Posted by Debrah | July 29, 2011 9:33 AM

"You Got Lucky" - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Let's hear some eighty's music that's still worth listening to!

Posted by sarah | July 29, 2011 9:35 AM

Devo, "That's Good"

Posted by Debrah | July 29, 2011 9:35 AM

Throw That Beat in the Garbage Can - B-52s

The Back of Love - Echo and the Bunnymen

Posted by anjanette | July 29, 2011 9:37 AM

New Order "Temptation". Greatest song by a great band. Gotta play it.

Posted by Mike | July 29, 2011 9:39 AM

Never heard it but, "Sunshine Superman" by Husker Du!

Posted by Topher Boyd | July 29, 2011 9:39 AM

JIZZ IN MY PANTS!!!!!! by Lonely Island bitcheeessssss.

Posted by Roy | July 29, 2011 9:42 AM

Pretty depressing thinking back to those days. I loved a lot of th emusic then but now I realize I was just another puppet that listened to what th emusic industry told me to listen to and that includes Michael Jackson, The Cars and XTC. I guess if I would pick an artist I listened a hell of a lot to in those days is Chic but I think they are from '81. F** this topic.

Posted by Ramon | July 29, 2011 9:45 AM

please god, anything but mickey by toni basil - please no, please.....

Posted by dnewby | July 29, 2011 9:45 AM

Who else, but Michael Jackson, would hire the chipmunks as back-up singers.

Posted by rob | July 29, 2011 9:46 AM

Love The Suburbs! Thank you!

Posted by Debster | July 29, 2011 9:50 AM

Great coffee break today. Thanks for the Clash!

Posted by Jessica | July 29, 2011 9:57 AM

Forget Me Nots
("Sending you, forget-me-nots.....to help you to remember!")
-Patrice Rushen

Mexican Radio
-Wall of Voodoo

You Got Lucky
-Tom Petty

Only the Lonely
-Motels

Posted by Dave | July 29, 2011 9:58 AM

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