Well I'll step up to the plate for the 80's, probably the most unjustly maligned decade in popular music. Sure it was the decade of the big hair bands and I was a sucker for many of them. Flock of Seagulls, Haircut One Hundred, Dead or Alive, the Thompson Twins etc.. all spent many a day firmly ensconced on my turntable. Am I going to apologize? Hell no. Will I be raked over the coals for the rest of my life for my seeming bad taste? Surely.

Before I proceed to my 5 choices for the decade let me just say that the big attraction for me in the music of the 1980's was its combination of danceability and listenability. God knows the first half of the 1970's produced nary a danceable song (Kansas, Yes, Foghat??). The remainder of that decade went way over the top in attempting to correct that imbalance as evinced by the disco era. But nobody ever accused disco of being something anyone would want to listen to at home alone in their bedroom. Much like the techno/house/jungle/drum n'bass music of the past 10 years its sole purpose was to help you pick up chicks. Some would say that is the sole purpose of all music but I digress.

Some of my favourites of the 80's: Soft Cell's "Tainted Love", the Cult's "She Sells Sanctuary", The Cure's "In Between Days", New Orders "Bizarre Love Triangle" and even the Sisters of Mercy's uber-gothic "Marian" were all tracks that went equally well on the dancefloor and on the walkman. Suffice to say I'll always have a soft spot for the decade in which I came of age.

So on to the 5 choices: (in no particular order)

The Jam - That's Entertainment

Something about the British when it comes to writing songs about the working class stiff. The Yanks always seem to come up with music praising the good life and the joys of monetary success. The British on the other hand come up with songs from the streets by the likes of the Jam, Billy Bragg, the Pogues (OK Irish), and surprisingly the Streets. No song better evokes the numbing routine that is everyday life than this classic.

God knows the Jam never even sniffed success on this side of the pond but they had numerous top 20 hits in the UK and this one at the very beginning of the 80's might have been the best of a very good lot.

Elvis Costello - I Want You

I somehow seemed to miss the whole early period of Elvis and have only caught up over the last 10 years or so. My first Elvis purchase was "Blood and Chocolate" and this song was the standout. Its a far cry from Radio, Radio or Pump it Up but it captured all the fucked up feelings I had when I was 22 where the fairer sex was concerned and too often they weren't.

Much to Brian's delight it might have been the first song where the lyrics meant more to me than the music. We can't discuss the best of the 70's and 80's without having Declan
place somewhere in the list.

The Pixies - Monkey Gone to Heaven

To this day I don't think I have a clue what this song is about and I'm happy to keep it that way. Black Francis has always been off on his own planet of sound anyway. This one came in right at the end of the decade and for those (me included) who'd had enough of the sugary dance happy 80's at this point this was the perfect antidote.

Francis' blood curdling yelp of "then God is 7" still brings a smile to my face. Music is still
looking for someone to pick up their mantle.

Morrissey - Everyday is Like Sunday

I guess this precludes me from picking a Smiths track in my list. So be it. Perhaps like the Beatles I have a hard time judging the Smiths songs from an objective point of view as they were listened to so many times and meant so much in my life at the time. So I cop out and pick this track.

At the time of its release I was just glad that with the demise of the Smiths our boy Morrissey put out a record and it didn't suck. The smalltown / small life ennui that this song evokes made this a keeper, especially having spent much of my early childhood holidaying in dismal places such as Blackpool and Scarborough.

Peter Gabriel - Biko

Back in the land of all that is deep fried in the summer of 1980 and still starry eyed at 16 the lyrics and music in this song were overwhelming. In many ways this track and Kate Bush's "The Dreaming" opened my eyes to music from beyond the UK/US axis. Biko might have been the start of the whole world music movement and it could not have a better progenitor. I didn't know who Steven Biko was when I first heard this song and yet it roused me no less. Politicized songs can often feel tawdry and overdone but when they are as heartfelt as this song you can't help but be moved.

The last line says it all, "And the eyes of the world are watching now".

My apologies to the Stone Roses, the Undertones, Billy Bragg, Lloyd Cole, the Housemartins, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Public Enemy on their absence from my list.