I received an email from a reader who’s turning 25 today (July 31). He jokingly asked what songs I was listening to when I was “ten.” We all know I wasn’t really ten in 1986, but I will divulge what my favorite songs were that year (not that all of them were released that year; they are just what I was listening to). Happy birthday, M., and here are 25 songs I enjoyed in 1986. I think you may be surprised.
- Addicted to Love – Robert Palmer
- Amarillo By Morning – George Strait*
- Boys of Summer – Don Henley
- Broken Wings – Mr. Mister
- Diggin’ Up Bones – Randy Travis
- Everybody Wants to Rule the World – Tears For Fears
- Everytime You Go Away – Paul Young
- Grandpa (Tell Me ‘Bout the Good Ol’ Days) – The Judds
- Guitars, Cadillacs – Dwight Yoakam
- I Fell In Love Again Last Night – Forester Sisters
- KISS – Prince
- Kyrie – Mr. Mister
- Life In a Northern Town – Dream Academy
- Mama He’s Crazy – The Judds
- Missing You – John Waite
- On the Other Hand – Randy Travis
- Pancho and Lefty – Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard
- Pink Houses – John Mellencamp
- Small Town – John Mellencamp
- Take Me Home Tonight – Eddie Money
- Talk To Me – Stevie Nicks
- True Colors – Cyndi Lauper
- West End Girls – Pet Shop Boys
- What Have You Done For Me Lately – Janet Jackson
- Why Can’t This Be Love – Van Halen
*To illustrate: He’ll be looking for eight when they pull that gate…
I’ve always known your taste in music ranged wider than mine, but I forgot how much country you used to like. Now that I’ve gotten older (you haven’t aged of course) I like some country more, just not the twangy, urban-cowboy, pop-country stuff.
I woke up this morning with Howard Jones’s “No One Is To Blame” as my ear worm. Apparently, I wrongly left someone off of my list. (And I do love that song.)
I used to watch more CMT than MTV. Does CMT still show videos, I wonder?
Wow, ten of your songs were also on my list of favs. Only I always thought Robert Palmer was singing about A Dick Head To Love, but that might have been caused by my ex at the time.
Oh, and I was 14 in 1986.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with creative math.
I think I could have made that same assumption about the Robert Palmer song, if only I’d thought of it!
I was eating a sandwich while reading this & almost blew ham & bread all over the place when I got to the end & saw the monkey bull rider!
Great list, btw!
I want a sandwich.
Thanks!