Favourite underrated/overlooked 80s songs

[Floogal]

Love these songs, even though you can't find them on 80s compilation CDs or they get very rarely played on radio. Mine are:
'chocolate girl ' and 'ship called dignity' by Deacon Blue. I still dont entirely get what they're about though.
'beds are burning ' by midnight oil.
'sign of the times' by Belle stars. Prince version is great too
Sowing the seeds of love

I'm sure I'll remember more 😂

Great thread and so many (not that I can think of many right now!) but definitely Rip it up - Orange Juice. And Borderline by Madonna... my fave! 😀

Agree with the Tears for Fears song, and in fact a lot of their post-BigChair work is great but didn’t capture the imagination as much at the time.

Deacon Blue and that midnight oil song are all much of a muchness with loads and loads of middle of the road songwriting (and performances) in that period. There are many better songs which also didn’t make it onto compilations. You can stream them all to your heart’s content now, though.

The songs by Belle Stars (crap) and Prince (brilliant) are two completely different songs though, despite sharing a title… maybe you‘ve forgotten a lot of other good music from the time.

Great idea for a thread!

I love tears for fears, and saw them in 2019.

My old indie side is rearing up.... crash by the primitives. The boys don't cry album by the cure.

Jesus and Mary chain. Half man half biscuit.
The phantasmagoria album by the damned.

Happy memories

The Safety Dance- Men without Hats

Definitely early stuff by The Cure. The Forest was played at the end of the drama series The Gold recently and it just sounded bloody brilliant.

Fave 80's song that I realised when I heard it the other day doesn't get played enough is Buffalo Stance.

The Word Girl by Scritti Politti. So unique and uplifting

I love Aztec camera's oblivious and don't feel it gets the recognition it deserves !

Story of The Blues by Wah!

The Lover Speaks, no more I love you's

Apparently only got to no 58 in the UK charts in 86 but I loved it

Kiss me -the original version by Stephen tintin Duffy.
Sexomatic -The Barkays.

Im seeing my Apple Music library here haha,

I love Just what I always wanted by mari wilson.

If You Leave by OMD

Wonderful life by Black. Its so haunting and beautiful.

Joe Jackson, steppin' out.

Love this!
I'd add Violently - Hue & Cry - so beautiful
Joe Boxers - Just Got Lucky - so joyful
Chas and Dave - Ain't No Pleasing You - so perfect for singing along loudly to
McAlmont and Butler - Yes - so FU!

Thanks for the thread!

LOVE this song!

This one still gives me the horrors.

It was played at the end of my uncle’s 60th party, I was the only one left on the dance floor and I was, veh, veh drunk. Everyone watched in bemusement as I sang and danced my little 80s heart out.

I have quite a few of these on 80s compilation cds (often purchased in motorway service stations)! My preset radio stations are very 80s focused too. I was a teenager in the 80s so it's my default preferred music........ Now I feel old...

The Thompson Twins
Howard Jones

Storybook love by Mark Knopfler and Willy Deville (song from the princess bride). I could listen to it all day.

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye by Soft Cell. Absolute blinder of a song, with soaring vocals. Also, anything by the Jam (apart from Funeral Pyre). Long Hot Summer and Solid Bond in Your Heart by the Style Council.

19 by Paul hardcastle. Hey hey Mathew, forgot the name of the singer.🙄

Brilliant Mind by Furniture. Still one of my favourite songs.

Housemartins caravan of love
maddness on the wings of a dove, keep moving, etc
echo and the bunny men bedbugs and ballyhoo

Erasure - The Circus
REM - Radio Free Europe
Talking Heads - And She Was
M - Pop Muzik
Squeeze - Hourglass
King - Love and Pride
Joe Jackson - Different for Girls
Gary Numan - Down in the Park
Steve Winwood - Higher Love