Bradley's Buzz

#35 - 31

Welcome back for another glorious fiver where we count down 5 more classic singles from the 80s on our way to the #1 Single Of The 1980s!

#35. 99 RED BALLOONS - Nena
(Karges/Fahrenkrog Peterson)
Epic/CBS Single #34-04108 (US)/ #4074 (UK)
Chart Debut: January 21, 1984 (US)/ February 4, 1984 (UK)
Chart Position: #2 US / #1 UK

I know you're all waiting with baited breath whether I'm putting the English language version or the original German version on my list, well despite my Midwest roots where kielbasa and beer free flowly, the fact is I only know about 3 German words retained from living in Germany when I was like 5, so it's the English version I always play. In fact that was the first version I heard as apparantly my radio station didn't like playing the German version. As for the song this little bit of apocolyptic dance pop is great - though perhaps slightly morbid, but in the Cold War Days of Reagan era 80s, this is exactly what we needed. As the lyrics go, our heroine and her pal buy some red balloons at the toy store and send 99 of those puppies out into the air. As is the case with shady and trigger happy politicians, the whole scenario sets off World War III. As no one can figure out what the strange objects in the air mean, they push the button and the nuclear bombs go off. As we dance through the war, the music comes to a grinding halt and we are left in the same ballad feel we were brought in with - a synthesized wind and Nena's vocals telling us she is left alone in the nuclear fallout ("in this dust that was a city"). Luckily, she finds "a souvenir/just to prove that I was here.." and she sets one last red balloon out into the atmosphere. Don't you just love the 80s? Watch the video!

#34. CRIMSON & CLOVER - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts
(James/Lucia)
Boardwalk single #144 (US)/ Epic single #2485(UK)
Chart Debut: May 15, 1982(US)/ July 10, 1982(UK)
Chart Position: #7 US / #60 UK

Joan Jett has the gift of taking any cover song and completely turning it into her own. This follow up to her mega hit "I Love Rock & Roll", was another cover, only this time it was not quite as obscure as Tommy James & The Shondells will forever be remembered for their version of this song and their somewhat creepy arrangement. But Joan tones down the psychedelic, amps up her guitar and polishes up the production on her version making one of the cleanest sounding hard rock songs ever. Beginning with Joan's breathy "aaah", the song almost breathes life through the speaker. The change in rhythmic timing and the repeated chorus at the end fall back to the psychedelic original but that Jett-kick gives it a timeless quality that still sounds fresh some 20 years after its release, and 40 years after the original. Watch the video and see Joan chew on some roses - it's hot!

#33. TURNING JAPANESE - The Vapors
(David Fenton)
Liberty single #1364 (US)/ United Artists single #334 (UK)
Chart Debut: November 15, 1980 (US)/ February 9, 1980 (UK)
Chart Position: #36 US / #3 UK

Where punk rock began its foundation with loud, short anti-politics rants, new wave began to develop as a hybrid of that punk sound with the pop hooks of 60s surf music, full of keyboards and strange innuendo - new wave was the 80s answer to teen angst. "Turning Japanese" is sleek new wave in its early form - the music makes you pogo and the melodies make you sing along, despite the fact you're not quite sure what the real subject matter is. For years, this song has been in debate over what the lyrics actually mean. People have started with the title, which in the un PC days of 1980 was a term used to describe cumming. That's right as your eyes squinted in the throes of your climax it was said you were "turning japanese." I don't write this stuff, I just repeat it. Listening to the songs' lyrics the analysts have said this is a pure piece of masturbation euphoria - "I've got your picture/I like to kiss you when there's no one else around" - to - "No sex/no drugs/no wine/ no women" - which leaves our singer with nothing to do but send his hand heading South. My guess, is singer David Fenton heard the term and did in fact build a song about masturbation around it. With its tale of unrequited love, our hero is left using his hands a lot and may in fact be actually turning permanently Japanese - in other words permanently looking like he's in orgasm. I guess "Cumming Eyes" just wouldn't have worked for radio. Relive the new wave 80's on video here!

#32. NO MORE WORDS - Berlin
(John Crawford)
Geffen single #29360 (US)/ Mercury single #160 (UK)
Chart Debut: March 7, 1984 US
Chart Position: #23

A few years ago I went to one of those 80s revival tours, you know the ones I'm talking about where a bunch of bands reunite and tour together thus making sure promoters get their money's worth. The particular year I went the headlining band was Berlin and my pal had some backstage passes so I was all amped up to go. I was always a fan of Teri Nunn & the boys' sordid synthesized new wave sexual revolution and it is with great pleasue I can tell you that Teri Nunn has lost none of her sex appeal. She pushed her tight little body through the crowd, singing with a gusto I hadn't realized she had. It was a truly brilliant performance and when I went home and re-listened to my Berlin collection, I realized how great her voice always was. I guess I was lost in the sexualness of everything and never really paid attention to the talent that is Teri Nunn.

As for the talent, it is evident through out every single second of "No More Words." Produced by Euro pop genius Giorgio Moroder, it was Berlin's big break. Set to the synth pop grind they had already been sporting, Moroder's production just added all the more depth to the song and Teri's vocals are incredible. As for the video, does it get any better in video form to have your lead singer and guitaritst re-enacting Bonnie & Clyde? It's classy, trashy and totally 80s! Watch it here!

#31. SHE BOP - Cyndi Lauper
(Lauper/Lunt/Corbett/Chertoff)
Portrait/CBS single #37-04516 (US)/ #4620 (UK)
Chart Debut: July 28, 1984 (US)/ September 1, 1984 (UK)
Chart Position: #3 US / #46 UK

Where The Vapors left you wondering if their song was actually about masturbation, Cyndi Lauper laid it all out in the open in "She Bop." There is no doubt the song is about pleasuring yourself and making sure you know everyone bops and bops and bops. At the time of its release, I certainly did NOT know what she was talking about, but I guess that's the genius of the lyrics. Only people who had talked about it knew what "they say I better stop or I'll go blind" really was referring to. I guess no one in the third grade was talking about such things! But now they do, and now I know many who have bopped, and even got caught bopping, but somehow it's so much easier on your nerves to hear someone singing a poppy little new wave hysteric about it than actually walking in on your roommate and his favorite website. Relive the Cyndi glory on video here!

And now we all have a little time to do our own bopping, cuz I'm taking a break and will return tomorrow with songs #30-26 as we continue bopping down to the #1 Song of the 1980s according to me!

Labels: Berlin, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Nena, Teri Nunn, The Vapors, Top 100 Singles Of the 1980s

posted by swivek @ 7:40 PM