On Mon, Jun 14, 2010 at 8:20 AM, G Money <[email protected]> wrote: > > So i'm listening to the Big 80's on sirius, and one of those washed up vee > jays asked an interesting question: What would your top 5 songs of the 80's > be?
Fight the Power - Public Enemy Data Control - Husker Du London Calling - The Clash California Uber Alles - Dead Kennedys Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth Because they set the tone for a lost decade. Here is my breakdown: Fight the Power ----- It may seem obvious now, but it wasn't at all clear then what was happening when rap music with a political protest edge came on the scene. It was late in the 80s but it makes the cut because of its importance. Data Control ----- For those who are not familiar with Husker Du, I chose this particular song from their first album for its punk rock flair and its prescience about the state of electronic information in the hands of the government. Since we're all data geeks here, you should appreciate the lyrics: A nine digit number For every living soul That is all they talk about At Data Control They know everything about you Keeping secrets is too hard Your life is all recorded for you In holes punched in computer cards Data Control (digital readout) Data Control (perforated feedout) Data Control (microfilm files) Data Control (1984 style) A multinational corporation A stockholder's dream A nightmare of diversity A defense system so supreme Too technical to talk about Too complex for layman's brains It's enough to make you paranoid Or drive you crazy losers sane London Calling ----- The Clash were the punk to mainstream crossover success, but their music was the epitome of punk sensibility. This song was the anthem of protests against state power in Britain. California Uber Alles ------ Jerry Brown and the hippies controlling your lives. And it's deja vu all over again. Daydream Nation ------ Not that I loved Sonic Youth so much, but they were it as far as post-punk white noise with an edge, and this song (and album) was their calling card. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology-Michael-Dinowitz/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:321193 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
