Eighties Blog – 1980s Retro Movies Fashion Music

An eightiesblog.com reader reminded me of this funny song by Gordon & Phirm called “We Didn’t Start the 80s” which is sung to the tune of Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire”. The song manages to include a huge list of eighties pop culture memories from music to tv and toys. What were you’re favorites?

We Didn’t Start The 80s Lyrics, Sing along and try to keep up!

Time to kinda look back, think about your youth.
Y’know, the defining decade for our childhood was the 80s:

Debbie Gibson, Motley Crue, Max Headroom, Scooby Doo, Jon Bon Jovi, Teddy Ruxpin, Reagan sheds a tear
Transformers, Silver Spoons, 99 Red Balloons, Mork & Mindy, Muppet Babies, Mr. Belvedere

Ghostbusters, China Beach, Blair and Tootie, Zach and Screech, Michael Milkin broke the law, Madonna wore a pointy bra
Knight Rider, G.I. Joe, Stay In School, Just Say No, Tiffany, Lean On Me, Mr. Furley, Mr. T

We didn’t start the 80s, they were burnin’ strong since we gave up Pong
We didn’t start the 80s, we were drivin’ Yugos and we loved Menudo

Miami Vice, Andrew Dice, Bobby Bland, Vanilla Ice, Donkey Kong, Pac-man, Contra scandal in Iran
Rubik’s Cube, Bill & Ted, Ferris Buehler, sick in bed, Ayatollah tried to kill us — “What you talkin’ ’bout, Willis?”

Punk rockers, Jimmy Walker, Noriega, Night Stalker, Boy George, Woody Boyd, Where’s The Beef, Avoid The Noid
New Kids On The Block, Smurf, Snorks, Fraggle Rock, Cosby Show, Alf & Fame, Corey Feldman, Corey Haim

We didn’t start the 80s, we had Bird and Magic and Inspector Gadget
We didn’t start the 80s, Gary Hart’s romancin’ and we loved break dancin’

McDLT, Double Whopper, Billy Idol, Cyndi Lauper, Soviet Union in a frenzy, Punky Brewster, Spuds MacKenzie
A-Team and Top Gun, Salman Rushdie on the run, Pop Rocks, Brat Pack, Michael Jackson was still black

Kirk Cameron, Donald Trump, John Travolta’s ten-year slump, ThunderCats, Mighty Mouse, Pee-Wee Herman’s crazy house
Flashdance, Footloose, John Belushi’s drug abuse, Swatch watch, Lite-Brite, Oprah had an appetite

He-Man, Care Bears, rippin’ jeans, crimpin’ hair, Who’s The Boss, Growing Pains, Ricky Schroeder’s choo-choo train
Dukes of Hazzard, Rocky IV, Exxon oil washed ashore,
Alvin, Simon, Theodore, I can’t take it anymore

We didn’t start the 80s, we had Mony, Mony and My Little Pony
We didn’t start the 80s, though we always diss ‘em and you gotta miss ‘em…

The BBC car lovers tv series began in 1977 as a somewhat conventional and short 30 minute motoring magazine program that evolved over time to incorporate it’s present funny and off beat longer format. Being a big fan I was happy to find this mid 80s Top Gear video online. Although there’s no Stig and it is sadly lacking in high speed drifting and rare supercars there are some cool parts and it gives a taste of the European 1980s automotive scene. Check out their high tech computer graphic titles!

In this first episode of 1986 presenter Chris Goffey cruises in to the mid 80s with style in a sweet BMW 7-series while Sue Baker takes an exciting look at the second-hand tire market. William Woollard gives a cold war examination of cheap but cute Eastern-European Cars: the Skoda 105 S, the FSO 1500, the Yugo 45A and the Lada Riva 1300SL and sees if you could do better buying a second-hand West-European car. The Best part is when Chris Goffey asks the popular 80s reggae band UB40 why they sponsor rally-driver James Prochowski and interviews the driver.

Get out your neon shirts and favorite board from Schmitt Stix, Bones Brigade, Vision, Santa Cruz, Powell Peralta or Alva vintage skates and get ready to shred with this all 80s skateboarding day video. Here are the results for the Vert Challenge: Hosoi Award(biggest/best Christ Air) – Bucky Lasek, Micke Alba Award(best judo air) – Adrian Demain, Lester Kasai Award(best Beni-hana) – Tony Hawk, Ray Underhill Award(best Pop Tart) – Cara Beth Burnside, Hawk Award(biggest/best 540) – Henry Gutierrez & Sergie Ventura, Mike Smith Award(best Smith Grind) – Christian Hosoi, Jeff Phillips Award(best boneless/footplant) – Bucky Lasek, Big Air Winner – Bucky Lasek.

Music is A.D.C. Medley by the Addicts.

Music video inspired commercial for dayglow eighties toy – Leon Neon!

The Commodore 64 (or C64 to us cool geeks) was a very popular computer in the 80s. This early home computer had advanced colored graphics and a classic sound chip that made for a great game machine. The distinctive synthesizer chip from the C64 is still in use today by 8-bit music producers.

Check out this video compilation of 100 Commodore 64 games in 10 minutes. The soundtrack features 3 songs by Instant Remedy – Flimbo’s Quest, Commando and Game On.

These are the first dozen games, visit the youtube page for full 100 game listing.

1. Last Ninja 2 (0:00)
2. IK+ (0:07)
3. Maniac Mansion (0:13)
4. Pirates! (0:19)
5. Zak McKracken (0:25)
6. Vendetta (0:31)
7. Turrican 2 (0:37)
8. Archon: The Light and the Dark (0:43)
9. Bubble Bobble (0:49)
10. Summer Games 2 (0:55)
11. Ultima IV (1:01)
12. Bruce Lee (1:07)