Two of my Favorite Things

Two Hundred Fifty-Eight

Artist - Husker Du
Album - Zen Arcade
Released - 1984
Label - SST
Genre - Post-Hardcore/Hardcore Punk

Tracks:
1
Something I Learned Today
Broken Home, Broken Heart
Never Talking To You Again
Chartered Trips
Dreams Reoccuring
Indecision Time
Hare Krsna
2
Beyond The Threshold
Pride
I'll Never Forget You
The Biggest Lie
What's Going On
Masochism World
Standing By The Sea
3
Somewhere
One Step At A Time
Pink Turns To Blue
Newest Industry
Monday Will Never Be The Same
Whatever
The Tooth Fairy and the Princess
4
Turn on the News
Reoccuring Dreams

Enjoy!

Queen of Pop

Two Hundred Twenty-Four

Artist - Madonna
Album - Like A Virgin
Released - 1984
Label - Sire/Warner Bros.
Genre - Pop

Tracks:
Side One
Material Girl
Angel
Like A Virgin
Over and Over
Love Don't Live Here Anymore
Side Two
Dress You Up
Shoo-Bee-Doo
Pretender
Stay

The second album by Madonna, Like A Virgin, in the notoriety that it has, other than the more popular songs, it was pretty difficult to listen to.  When I thought that, I instantly thought of the music that was around in 1984.  As much as I love the whole pop/disco movement, I did not agree with the rest of the songs.  Material Girl, Like A Virgin and Love Don't Live Here Anymore are possibly the only good songs on this record, of course because these are the songs that made Madonna what she is today (plus her extraordinary open views that she incorporated into her music/appearance).  But when it's all said and done, at the end of the day -- listening to this record in a whole can be pretty painful getting through certain tracks.

Enjoy!

Remembering...

Two Hundred Six

Artist - Bruce Springsteen
Album - Born In The U.S.A.
Released - 1984
Label - Columbia
Genre - Rock

Tracks:
Side 1
Born In The U.S.A.
Cover Me
Darling Country
Working on the Highway
Downbound Train
I'm On Fire
Side 2
No Surrender
Bobby Jean
I'm Going Down
Glory Days
Dancing in the Dark
My Hometown

The seventh album by Bruce Springsteen, Born In The U.S.A. is one of the first records that made me fall in love with music and dancing.  Not only that, this is where I first fell in love with a man and his name with Bruce Springsteen.  Being at the ripe age of 4, which this album came out, I'm sure that his white tee and blue jeans is what did me in.  Now that I think about it, I was boy crazy at such a young age.  In all respect, I decided to play this album for Veterans Day in rememberance of all the people who have fought hard to protect our country.   I can never get over the beat of the first song, Born In The U.S.A. and how it reminds me of 2 Live Crew.  I guess that beat will be famous for that, but for the most part, Glory Days is a good song to dance to.  But let's face it, the cover of this album is fantastic!

Enjoy!

Talking Sense

Two Hundred Two

Artist - Talking Heads
Album - Stop Making Sense
Released - 1984
Label - Sire/EMI
Genre - Post-Punk/New Wave

Tracks:
Side One
Psycho Killer
Swamp
Slippery People
Burning Down the House
Girlfriend is Better
Side Two
Once in a Lifetime
What a Day That Was
Life During Wartime
Take Me To the River

A live album from the Talking Head's motion picture Stop Making Sense, this soundtrack highlights the great tracks by the band.  David Byrne at his most cutest, if that is a good way to put it.  Byrne's intention was not to make a traditional soundtrack, but to have a separate experience.

Why "Stop Making Sense"?

Why a movie? Why tour?

Why do the musicians come out gradually?

What will the next band do?

Where do the odd movements come from?

Are live concerts better or worse than records?

Why no "special effects" in the movie?

Why a booklet? Why a big suit?

Why was a digital system used for the sound?

I find it fascinating when bands put together documentaries when they go on tour, to specifically give us, the fans, a dose of what it's like on the road for them and to also give us a perspective on the inner workings of what goes on when a band goes on the road.  Listening to this record, Psycho Killer and Burning Down the House are two of my favorites, because I feel like it best forms Byrne's vocal range.  Questions left unanswered, some left to get the mind thinking of future directions.

Enjoy!

Inside Out

One Hundred Thirty-Sixth

Artist - Pat Benatar
Album - Tropico
Released - 1984
Label - Chrysalis
Genre - Rock, Pop Rock

Tracks:
Side One
Diamond Field
We Belong
Painted Desert
Temporary Heroes
Love in the Ice Age
Side Two
Ohh Ohh Song
The Outlaw Blues
Suburban King
A Crazy World Like This
Takin' It Back

Exactly What I Was Thinking

To say it's been a long long long long time since I've listened to my eighty-second pick is an understatement.  But much to my surprise, in the illustrious collection of vinyl records that is at my disposal, here's to you.

Artist - Minutemen
Album - Double Nickels on the Dime
Released - 1984
Label - SST
Genre - Alternative Rock/Hardcore Punk/Post-Punk


Tracks:
Side D
Anxious Mo-Fo
Theatre is the Life of You
Viet Nam
Cohesion
It's Expected I'm Gone
#1 Hit Song
Two Beads at the End
Do You Want New Wave or Do You Want The Truth?
Don't Look Now
Shit From an Old Notebook
Mature Without Man
One Reporter's Opinion
Side Mike
Political Song for Michael Jackson to Sing
Maybe Partying WIll Help
Toadies
Retreat
The Big Foist
God Bows to Math
Corona
The Glory of Man
Take 5, D.
My Heart and the Real World
History Lesson - Part Two
Side George
You Need the Glory
The Roar of the Masses Could Be Farts
Mr. Robot's Holy Orders
West Germany
The Politics of Time
Themselves
Please Don't Be Gentle With Me
Nothing Indeed
No Exchange
There Ain't Shit on T.V. Tonight
This Ain't No Picnic
Spillage
Side Chaff
Untitled Song for Latin America
Jesus and Tequila
June 16th
Storm in my House
Martin's Story
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love
Doctor Wu
Little Man with a Gun in his Hand
The World According to Nouns
Love Dance

An extensive record from the alternative punk trio Minutemen, Double Nickels on the Dime is their third album.  From San Pedro, California, most might be familiar with their infamous song Corona that was used - and is probably still used - for the show Jackass on MTV.  But regardless, this album came out in 1984, waaaaaay before Jackass was even a show.  I believe popular shows that have pretty amazing intro songs tend to make a bands fan base a little bit more, hyped.  But this is a really great record, so go out, play it on your record player and if you don't have it, go buy it -- NOW!!  You won't be sorry.

Enjoy!

Wait, WHAT?!?

An ideal pick for a double day.  A little bit of contemprary R&B/Pop to kick it off to a good start.  So here, my seventy-third pick:

Artist - New Edition

Album - New Edition

Released - 1984

Label - MCA

Genre - Contemporary R&B, Pop

Tracks:

Side One

Cool It Now

Mr. Telephone Man

I"m Leaving You Again

Baby Love

Delicious

Side Two

My Secret (Didja Gitit Yet?)

Hide and Seek

Lost In Love

Kinda Girls We Like

Maryann

Bring it back to this, the second album of New Edition, who were definitely the start of the boy band movement in the 80's and early 90's.  With songs like Cool It Now and Mr. Telephone Man that topped the R&B charts, this young group of five had quite a following, which evidently produced the not so innocent Bobby Brown. 

Enjoy!