Each decade has its stand-outs. Sometimes, the dominant modes and motifs of a particular period can cause some of the best offerings of that time to languish in obscurity. It’s unfortunate, but there’s nothing to be done about it, other than to enjoy what you enjoy and cluck over the neglected artists’ misfortune.
The Eighties were a special time. We put a genuine American in the White House and gave him his head. Capitalism was on a roll. The United States wasn’t just the world’s superpower; we won the Cold War without firing a shot. There was a unique sense to the era, as if the time had come for throwing off the chains and missteps of the past, and setting forth with confidence and joy…even if we hadn’t quite decided where we were going.
The Eighties were the decade in which the synthesizer took preeminence over the guitar. Musicians explored the range of this amazingly versatile instrument and were astounded. A lot of the music was trivial, trite… but hasn’t that been the case in every era? There were stand-outs that became hugely popular…and a few that, despite outstanding early notices, didn’t manage to exceed their earlier billing, and were soon forgotten.
Have a few Eighties tunes that always make me smile. And go thou forth into the weekend with verve and joy. Get dressed up. Party a little. Hell, party a lot! God does want us to be happy, you know.
“Life is not a dress rehearsal.” – Paul Hogan
