speed of dark

Continuing my odyssey of one song for each of my thirty years...

Prior to 1982, I don't remember hearing these songs until I was much older. But at about 1982, when I was five and my sister nine, I remember listening to records, or more specifically, singles on 45 or my mom's vinyls. I like to think that back in 1982, I was listening to good music, but I can't be sure it's a more recent memory.

1982: While I considered posting a track from the biggest album of 1982 and of all time, Michael Jackson's Thriller, it wouldn't have been something I actually listened to at the time. We did not have MTV (I had to go to my friend Michelle's for that) and I didn't see the video for "Thriller" until years later. But I do remember listening to my sister's Men at Work album, Business As Usual and Duran Duran's Rio. I did not, however, listen to INXS this early in their career; but it's still a great song.
INXS: to look at you from Shabooh Shoobah [buy]

1983: At this point, it is starting to become difficult to pick a great song for a single year. So many great bands released excellent albums this year; Culture Club, Eurythmics, Men At Work, and the debut of the Violent Femmes. But by this time, courtesy of my sister, The Police were ever present in my life.
the police: synchronicity I from Synchronicity [buy]

1984: This is the year that both Cyndi Lauper and The Smiths hit the scene big with their releases She's So Unusual and Hatful of Hollow, respectively. Hard to choose.
the smiths: how soon is now? from Hatful of Hollow [buy]

1985: Again, with a little help from my sister, I discovered R.E.M., a little band out of Athens, Georgia. From my mom, I encountered the new and different sound of Lindsey Buckingham, fresh out of Fleetwood Mac. It was tough to choose between them here, but I finally chose the one I had rather than the one I would have to buy.
lindsey buckingham: slow dancing from Go Insane [buy]

1986: Another tough year, featuring the first of Depeche Mode's great releases after the departure of Vince Clarke (IMHO), Paul Simon's fabulous Graceland, the debuts of Crowded House and They Might Be Giants, not to mention Peter Gabriel's album So, featuring the song that changed my life and made me fall in love with John Cusack, "In Your Eyes". But I adored Crowded House, and loved their videos.
crowded house: don't dream it's over from Crowded House [buy]

Read part one and visit tomorrow for part three!