Build the ultimate 80s New Year's playlist

What do you have going on New Year's Eve this year? Whatever it is, it'll be better than what I did back in 1985.

A bunch of friends and I -- fresh from our first semester of college -- sat around the house, sipped Old Milwaukee and watched the date change on The Weather Channel. No kidding. We were glued to the TV, silent as it switched from Dec. 31, 1985 to Jan. 1, 1986.

Meanwhile, literally next door -- steps away, my ex-girlfriend was throwing a "party for two" with her new boyfriend (a "more mature" fellow if you believe what she says. Whatever.)

My goal for every New Year's Eve since that dreadful night: Throw or attend a party that will eventually wipe that awful memory from my 80s-saturated brain. So far, no luck. The pain lingers.

But this year, I have you -- the 80s nation -- to help. I want to build "The Ultimate New Year's Eve Playlist" for the annual get-together ... and maybe even for a special podcast. They don't need to be "themed" songs for New Year's Eve -- just really fun songs that get you in the mood to stay up all night.

I'll need your suggestions, but here are some that come to mind.

Same Old Lang Syne - Dan Fogelberg: Play this one very early, before everyone's so liquored up that depression sets in. Raise a glass and toast to the memory of the "leader of the band."

Rock Lobster - B-52: This song never fails to get people on their feet. I love any song with lyrics like "He was in a jam. S'in a giant clam!"

I Could Write A Book - Harry Connick Jr.: A little hokey, I know, but it reminds me of the New Year's Eve scene in 1989's "When Harry Met Sally," the ultimate New Year's Eve movie of the 80s. (Maybe the only one.)

New Year's Day - U2: Truth be told, it's one of my least favorite U2 songs. I never understood having the video for the song with the band playing in the snow.

1999 - Prince: Oh yeah, a truly cliche song. Play this one very, very late. People will either love it, or they'll head home. Either way, mission accomplished!

What other songs are can't-lose for parties on New Year's Eve?

Comments

[Al]

Auld Lang Syne - John McDermott

[Ian from Down Under]

Celebrate - Kool and the Gang

[Spears]

A little trivia challenge: I've only used "Celebrate" by Kool and the Gang once in all the episodes of Stuck in the 80s.

Can anyone name what episode it was?

[Marissa]

You Spin Me Round ~ Dead or Alive
Jungle Love ~ The Time
The Bird ~ The Time
Dancing with Myself ~ Billy Idol
Lights Out ~ Peter Wolf (for Sean)
Torture ~ The Jacksons with Mick Jagger
Melt with You ~ Modern English
Don't Forget me When I'm Gone ~ Glass Tiger
Walk Like an Egyptian ~ The Bangles
We Got the Beat ~ The Go-Gos
Monkey Man ~ The Specials
Pump up the Volume ~ Marrs
Push It ~ Salt n Pepa
Rock this Town ~ Stray Cats
Mickey ~ Toni Basil (for the REALLY drunk)

That's just my early morning start.

[Ian from Down Under]

Was it the episode when Sean said he couldn't make it in?

[Marissa]

I'm going to guess the Prom Theme podcast

[Greg Jones]

Like No Other Night: 38 Special
I Want Candy: Bow Wow Wow
I'm Still Standing: Elton John
Walking On Sunshine: Katrina and The Waves
Holiday Road: Lindsey Buckingham
Start Me Up: Rolling Stones
She's A Beauty: The Tubes
Mexican Radio: Wall of Voodoo

You can find special meanings/themes for all these songs.

[Walter Cox]

"1999" is cliche, and you're playing "New Years Day"? Every radio station that plays that at midnight on January 1st should have their license pulled, the same as every station that plays "Working for the Weekend" at 5 on Fridays.

[Jeff in Cuba]

Whenever my show starts to drag (and it happens a lot) there's a short list of songs I always use to pump it back up, starting with (appropriately enough):
Pump It Up - Elvis Costello
Back Of My Hand - The Jags
She Shelia - The Producers
He Can't Love You - The Michael Stanley Band
Stand By - Roman Holliday
The Pleasure Seekers - The System
A Million Miles Away - The Plimsouls

[Spears]

Ah, the Plimsouls. Is there nothing they can't do? Easily my favorite band from the early 80s.

[Spears]

Hey Walter, if I hadn't said "New Year's Day" by U2, somebody else would have chided me big-time.

Suffice to say, it won't be on my personal playlist that night.

[Walter Cox]

Don't give in to the masses, Steve. Lead us toward coolness.

[Mike in Austin]

Great lists, great songs. As a techno pop guy let me add Depeche Mode: Just cant' get enough.

[Bassnote]

Things Can Only Get Better - Howard Jones
Kissing A Fool - George Michael
Happy New Year - ABBA
Let's Go Crazy - Prince
Party All Night - Quiet Riot
Party - The Human League
Party At Ground Zero - Fishbone
Skankin' To The Beat - Fishbone
Start Me Up - Rolling Stones

[malibu]

A few more for the mix:

You Shook Me - AC/DC
Channel Z - B52's
All Night Long - Lionel Richie (I know, seriously lame, but a good party tune for the top 40 crowd)
Fight for Your Right to Party - Beastie Boys
It Takes Two - Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock (Hit it!)

[Douglas Arthur]

Alrighty Steve-O, I like a challenge so here are a few that you might consider:

Dead Man's Party and No One Lives Forever by Oingo Boingo

Burning Down The House by Talking Heads

Cult Of Personality by Living Colour

Too Far Gone by the Feelies

Girl U Want by Devo

Drive She Said by Stan Ridgway

pretty much anything off of Special Beat Service by English Beat ( though I am partial to Rotating Head and Mirror In The Bathroom)

Bring The Noise and Night of the Living Baseheads by Public Enemy

Big Electric Cat by Adrian Belew

Neal And Jack And Me by King Crimson

Add It Up and Blister In The Sun by Violent Femmes

Elvis is Everywhere and Stuffin' Martha's Muffin by Mojo Nixon

Bitchin' Camaro by Dead Milkmen

and to slow things down for a little romance:
Dance Away and Avalon by Roxy Music

by no means comprehensive, but a good start!

Duty Now For The Future, Steve-O!

[chase]

Future's So Bright - Timbuk3

[Spears]

I think Living Colour is 90s, isn't it?

[Al]

Boston - We're Ready

Kim Mitchell - I Am A Wild Party

The Rovers - Wasn't That a Party?

[Marissa]

Ooh, I just thought of another must have
Kids in America ~ Kim Wilde

[John]

Turning Japanese - The Vapors
Talk to Ya Later - The Tubes
Let's Go- The Cars
Angst In My Pants - Sparks
Blue Highway - Billy Idol
Haven't We Been Here Before - Styx
Gloria - U2
The Walls Came Down - The Call
What's He Got - The Producers

[David P]

"Cult of Personality" was a hit in '89.

How about "(Just Like) Starting Over" by John Lennon?

[Douglas Arthur]

Living Colour's debut album, Vivid was released in the spring of '88. They played at the University of Buffalo's Springfest that year. My roommate Brian and I had been playing them on our radio show. A few months later in July 1988 I saw them play a small club in Albany called the QE2. Opening for them that night was a band from Seattle I'd never heard of before: Soundgarden. I thought they sucked, but that is a different story to tell. I as just a month shy of my 21st birthday, but the bouncer let me in anyway. I think he was having trouble with the math! It would still be a few months before Cult of Personality would catch on MTv. So definitely stuck in the 80's my friend.

[Six]

Never Say Never - Romeo Void
Hazy Shade of Winter - The Bangles
Jump - Van Halen
I Need You Tonight - INXS
She Bop - Cyndi Lauper
Don't Put Another Dime - The Flirts
Johnny, Are You Queer? - Josie Cotton
The One I Love - REM
The Glamourous Life - Shiela E.

[Six]

Girls on Film/Planet Earth - Duran Duran
Safety Dance - Men Without Hats
Is She Really Going Out With Him? - Joe Jackson
10-9-8 - Face to Face
The Warrior - Scandal
Lips Like Sugar - Echo & the Bunnymen
Free Fallin' - Tom Petty