Music was all over the place in the 1970s and 1980s: punk, acoustic, disco, the Eagles, the Doobie Brothers, Minnie Riperton, Blondie, Phoebe Snow, Foghat, the Talking Heads, the B52s.
But there was a moment in 1985 when New Wave and dance music and rock ‘n roll and crazy hairstyles were in exact alignment.
Ladies and gentleman: Ric Ocasek and the Cars sing “Tonight She Comes.”
Enjoy.
This is one of those bizarre 1980s songs that we thought (in those days) were ultra-hip: Gary Numan paces around like a mad scientist wearing heavy mascara, under unflattering neon lighting, delivering nasal paranoid lyrics, while the rest of the band members stare at him without emotion.
I think maybe it is ultra-hip.
Enjoy.
Talking Heads had just gotten famous when I got to Providence. They were students at the Rhode Island School of Design, and naturally I just missed them; they used to perform all over the place just before I got here in 1978. All I got was a bunch of wannabe cover bands singing “Psycho Killer.”
Here is a nice video of a live 1983 performance of one of their iconic songs: “Burning Down the House.” It is electric.
Enjoy.
My friend Joanne introduced me to the B-52s back in 1978.
They still sound new and fresh to me.
Ladies and gentlemen: “Rock Lobster.”
(Look out for that bikini whale!)
