DAILY DIRT for July 30, 2025
The powerhouse Top 10 love-filled entries of today include a diverse range of hitmakers, from the Pet Shop Boys to Heart. Welcome to The Daily Dirt’s Vol. 1,357: Three Thoughts for Today.
1. Music in the 1980s left its mark for a number of reasons.
The impact it created was largely attributable to MTV’s rise and influence, which fundamentally altered how people viewed and appreciated music. The game was eternally altered by the graphic element or elements that were added to songs.
Along with the rise of Michael Jackson as a solo artist, the 1980s also produced a plethora of legendary talent, including Madonna, Prince, Bon Jovi, and many others. Pop, punk, electronic, metal, and even country were all skillfully incorporated into the decade’s music. The number of popular artists was equal to the number of popular genres.
It was difficult to choose our top ten love songs from this decade, but would I disappoint you? Love songs from the 1960s (Monday) and 1970s (Tuesday) are joined by those from today. This week’s Daily Dirt tribute to the music of amore will conclude with the 1990s on Thursday and our generational top 10 on Friday.
1. Alone, Heart (1987): This amazing power ballad was first heard in the unsuccessful 1980s television program Dreams, which starred Jamie Gertz and John Stamos. (In addition, the Heart’s Alone video is still among the greatest from this amazing decade.)
2. Hungry Eyes Eric Carmen (1987): I’m not sure which is more unbelievable—that Dirty Dancing, the film from which this song is from, was released 38 years ago, or that Carmen is no longer with us. I spent the first half of my childhood in the northeastern Ohio region, where Carmen, who passed away in March 2024, was a famous character. (Note: Carmen’s songs “Never Gonna Fall in Love Again” (1976) and “All By Myself” (1976) almost missed our 1970s ranks.)
3. Blame it on the Rain, Milli Vanilli (1989): Rob and Fab did not perform on those Milli Vanilli hits, but their presence would have made the videos much more powerful. You know it’s true, girl.
4. Lionel Richie’s 1983 song “Stuck on You” is straightforward but elegant in a subdued way. The ideal song for love.
5. Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It” (1984): The centerpiece of her iconic album Private Dancer. For many years, I’ve thought Tina and Sir Rod Stewart ought to have formed a pair at some point. It would have been a legend.
6. Milli Vanilli’s Girl I’m Gonna Miss You (1989): The third of three consecutive No. 1 hits.
7. Take My Breath Away, Berlin (1986): Terri Nunn, the lead singer, is most recognized for this song, which is the love theme from the first Top Gun movie. However, she also had appearances in a number of network TV series during the 1970s and 1980s.
8. Always On My Mind, Pet Shop Boys (1987): There were more excellent renditions of this classic besides Elvis. The Pet Shop Boys’ disco-inspired rendition of the chorus is actually my favorite.
9. Stevie Wonder’s I Just Called to Say I Love You (1984): Written for the film The Woman in Red, the song went on to win both an Oscar and a Grammy for Best Song.
10-tie. a-Ha, Take on Me (1985):Although I’ve already discussed this film, I’d want to stress that it may be the best video of the decade.
10-tie. Huey Lewis and the News, The Power of Love (1985): The finest from one of the 1980s supergroups.
10-tie. I’ll save all of my love for you. Houston, Whitney (1985):1985 was Whitney’s breakthrough year. It’s still difficult to believe that we won’t hear any new music from her ever again.
10-tie..Foreigner, I’d Like to Know What Love Is:Unexpectedly, this song was Foreigner’s only number one single.
Underappreciated: Roxette’s Listen to Your Heart (1989):Not only are there a ton of amazing songs, but there are also incredibly amusing videos.
Peter Cetera’s Glory of Love (1986); Jennifer Warnes and Joe Cocker’s Up Where We Belong; the Bangles’ Eternal Flame; Spandau Ballet’s True; Bonnie Tyler’s Total Eclipse of the Heart;
(I Just) Died in Your Arms, Cutting Crew; Milli Vanilli’s Girl You Know It’s True; Sir Rod Stewart’s My Heart Can’t Tell You No (1988); Michael Jackson’s The Way You Make Me Feel; Chris de Burgh’s Lady in Red (1986); and Michael Jackson’s Human Nature (1983).
2. Did you know (Part 441)
- That in early outlines for The Empire Strikes Back movie, Yoda was named Buffy .
-
That Bon Scott (the lead singer of AC/DC
)
died in London in February 1980. The official cause of death was acute alcohol poisoning and death by misadventure . Brian Johnson was named as the new lead singer in April of the same year. - That Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham died in September 1980, and the band disbanded three months later.
- That Toni Basil was 38 years old when she recorded the famous Mickey song/video.
- That in January 1982, Ozzy Osbourne bit off a bat s head on stage in Iowa in the USA he thought that it was a rubber bat. He was also arrested in the same year for urinating on The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
3. Appalachian Word of the Day: Annihilator.
We ended up getting there sooner than we anticipated because we were trapped in traffic.
Steve’s Daily ThoughtI just went through the list of music from the 1980s, and wow, what a decade it was.
Every day, Steve Eighinger contributes to Muddy River News. He has a soft spot for Nancy and Ann.
