Oh the hits keep rolling for Hall and Oates.  “I Can’t Go For That (No Can Do),” was a #1 for Daryl and John in 1981, and another track that set the tone for 80s pop.  Their embarrassing cover art for the single also help set trends of decadent ugliness for the 80s as well.  Pop music from the 1980s had many uniting broad themes from futurism, celebration, dark sexuality, and paranoia.  “I Can’t Go For That” has those trademarks in spades.  It also holds the distinction for being the first song by a non-African American group to top the R&B charts.  Daryl Hall, the songs primary writer, was most pleased with this achievement, stating, “I’m the head soul brother in the U.S.  Where to now?”  Good question.  One direction led to an even bigger hit, Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”  Michael admitted to Daryl that he copped the bass line from “I Can’t Go For That” for his own ultra-smash hit, to which Daryl replied, ‘I took that bass line from someone else to begin with, and that it’s “something we all do.”‘  That reminds me of another theme in 80s pop, superstar collaboration.  It’s as if their was one continuous party of mega rich famous rock stars, who all inflated each others egos, and played on each others records.  Heady times, heady coke fueled times indeed…

Part 75 continues my unplanned punk week, this time with the legendary X Ray Spex performing their underground surf punk classic, “Identity.”  Never heard of X Ray Spex?  Well, they were an original punk group from London whose goal was to be “deliberate underachievers.”  Releasing only one album, Germ Free Adolescents, X Ray Spex were like a shooting comet of high octane punk rock.  They were fronted by Poly Styrene, whose voice traveled like a laser beam of effervescent power over roaring distorted guitars and awesome surfy saxophones.  Sadly, she just recently died this past April due to breast cancer.  This post is a tribute to Poly, her amazing band, and this amazing video.  Check it out.

Lets “Pump it Up” with part 72 of my youtube countdown.  That’s right, I got Elvis “Declan MacManus” Costello’s 1978 hit “Pump it Up” from This Year’s Model. Now according to wikipedia, “Pump it Up” is a double entendres song about turning up your music’s volume and masturbation.  The two seem to go hand and hand…(see what I did there?)  Anyway, this is a rocking new wave classic video making Costello really seem like the second coming of Buddy Holly.  I’m just getting into Elvis myself, so this seems like a nice taster before I dive full in on all his best records.  Hopefully I’ll discover something a little more obscure from this era and I’ll put it right up.  Suggestions always welcome.

Welcome loyal readers, to part 58 of my youtube countdown!  Today, I’m in the mood to party, party with the DEAD!  Normally, I’d be locked up for such a notion, but at least groups like Oingo Boingo are there to supply the soundtrack with their hit 80s song “Dead Man’s Party.”  This group, fronted by now famed TV and film composer Danny Elfman, performed this song in the incredible 1985 Rodney Dangerfield movie, “Back to School.”  Elfman, the lead singer/songwriter of the group, had many smash hits with Oingo Boingo, but found even greater success writing things like the theme songs for “The Simpsons,” “Batman,” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”  I’ve always loved this song with its bizarre funeral lyrics, tight harmonies, and driving dark ska party beat.  It’s a great classic of 80s rock that typifies the era, enjoy!