We’re growing ever-closer to the end of our Best of the ’80s Redux series of year-by-year song polls as we reach the year 1988, giving Slicing Up Eyeballs readers the chance to vote for their 25 favorites so that we can rank the 100 best songs released that year.
The Best of the ’80s Redux polls launched in 2015 and covered 1980 and 1981 before fizzling out (the whole site went on hiatus for almost two years). But in 2018 we resurrected the series, and relaunched it with polls over the last two years that ranked the best songs of 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987.
VOTING: For the album polls (and our subsequent artist discography polls), we presented a list, sometimes hundreds of titles long, to choose from, plus the ability to offer write-ins. We inevitably missed titles, and some argued this skewed the results. So for the song polls, it’s a (mostly) free-for-all. You may vote for any songs you’d like — singles, B-sides, album cuts, etc. It’s all fill-in-the-blanks, not multiple choice.
A few important things to note:
- To be eligible, songs must have been released in some format — whether it be on an album, EP or a single — somewhere in the world for the first time during the year 1988. For example, The Church’s “Under the Milky Way” was released as a single in Australia and New Zealand in 1987, but nowhere else until 1988, after which it became a hit. That made it eligible for the 1987 poll, but not this one. Splitting hairs? Sure, but we have to draw the line somewhere.
- But wait! There’s an exception. The so-called “Radio Free Europe” rule. Just as we allowed R.E.M.’s twice-released debut single to be voted on in two different years, we’ll let people vote twice for songs that are re-released in re-recorded versions — such as a-ha’s “Take On Me” and Pet Shop Boys’ “West End Girls,” which made the 1984 and 1985 lists.
- With the album polls, acknowledging the theme of this website, we limited voting to artists that fall under the very loose and ill-defined “alternative” banner, generally acts from the punk, post-punk, goth, college rock, indie, synthpop, industrial, New Wave and related genres. Not the case anymore — although that’s still likely how the results will skew. For the song polls, vote for whatever you want.
- Well, there is one limit. To prevent one-note fans from, say, simply listing every track off Peepshow, you may only vote for a maximum of two songs by the same artist when filling out your Top 25. Any ballots submitted with more than two songs by the same artist will be disqualified.
DEADLINE: Voting will be open through 5 p.m. Eastern on Friday, Aug. 28, and results will be posted at some point thereafter — after which we’ll launch the 1989 poll and take it from there.
Sound good? Then vote away via the survey widget posted below. And if you have trouble with that embedded widget, you may vote directly on Crowdsignal’s site.
And because there’s not a pre-set list to choose from, we encourage you to lobby for your picks (list your whole ballot if you want), and maybe sway some votes, in the comments below.
Finally, if you’re drawing a blank on what came out that year, take a look back at our Top 100 albums of 1988 poll results, or check out these other resources:
- Wikipedia: 1988 singles
- Songfacts: Songs released in 1988
- Billboard’s Top 100 songs of 1988
- NME’s albums and tracks of the year: 1988
- WLIR & WDRE 92.7 FM Screamer & Shrieks of the Week
- KROQ’s Top 106.7 songs of 1988
- 91X’s Top 91 of 1988
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Top 100 Songs of 1987: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 8
- Top 100 Songs of 1986: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 7
- Top 100 Songs of 1985: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 6
- Top 100 Songs of 1984: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 5
- Top 100 Songs of 1983: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 4
- Top 100 Songs of 1982: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 3
- Top 100 Songs of 1981: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 2
- Top 100 Songs of 1980: Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the ’80s Redux — Part 1
- Slicing Up Eyeballs’ Best of the 1980s: The Top 100 albums from 1980-1989
TOP 25 SONGS OF 1988
Morrissey – Suedehead
Peter Murphy – Indigo Eyes
Pixies – Where Is My Mind?
AC/DC – Heatseeker
Throwing Muses – Mexican Women
Ozzy Osbourne – Fire In the Sky
Dead Can Dance – Ullyses
Living Colour – Cult of Personality
Nick Cave + the Bad Seeds – City of Refuge
Cocteau Twins – Suckling the Mender
Iron Maiden – Can I Play With Madness?
Judas Priest – Heavy Metal
Lita Ford – Kiss Me Deadly
The Wonder Stuff – A Wish Away
Sugarcubes – Motorcrash
Siouxsie + the Banshees – The Killing Jar
Cinderella – Gypsy Road
Book of Love – Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Erasure – Chains of Love
Danielle Dax – Cat House
Gary Numan – America
Joan Jett + the Blackhearts – I Hate Myself For Loving You
Information Society – What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)
Traveling Wilburys – Handle With Care
BONUS 10
Smithereens – Only A Memory
Sade – Paradise
Jane Wiedlin – Rush Hour
Poison – Nothin’ But A Good Time
R.E.M. – Orange Crush
Kix – Blow My Fuse
Enya – Orinoco Flow
N.W.A. – Fuck Tha Police
Transvision Vamp – Tell That Girl To Shut Up
Jesus + Mary Chain – Sidewalking
01 Neneh Cherry “Buffalo Stance”
02 My Bloody Valentine “You Made Me Realise”
03 The Jesus and Mary Chain “Sidewalking”
04 S-Express “Theme From S-Express”
05 Happy Mondays “W.F.L.”
06 Fugazi “Waiting Room”
07 Prince “Alphabet St.”
08 Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds “The Mercy Seat”
09 The Primitives “Crash”
10 Siouxsie and the Banshees “Peek-A-Boo”
11 New Order “Fine Time”
12 The House of Love “Destroy The Heart”
13 N.W.A. “Straight Outta Compton”
14 Sinéad O’Connor “Jump In The River”
15 Danzig “Mother”
16 Tracy Chapman “Fast Car”
17 Pixies “Gigantic”
18 Sonic Youth “Teen Age Riot”
19 Inner City “Big Fun”
20 A Guy Called Gerald “Voodoo Ray”
21 Fishbone “Ma And Pa”
22 Pet Shop Boys “Domino Dancing”
23 J.J. Fad “Supersonic”
24 Cocteau Twins “Carolyn’s Fingers”
25 Jane Wiedlin “Rush Hour”
Just a reminder. Kate Bush’s song “The Woman’s Work” was first released in 1988 on the soundtrack album to the movie “This Woman’s Work.” It then appeared on her 1989 album “The Sensual World,” thus making it eligible for this year’s poll rather than 1989’s (unless there are enough differences between the two for it to qualify under the “Radio Free Europe” rule, although I think they are the same version.)
Here’s my 25 I think I’ll go with
The La’s – There She Goes
Pixies – Where is my Mind?
N.W.A. – Straight Outta Compton
Dinosaur Jr. – Freak Scene
Morrissey – Everyday is Like Sunday
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds – The Mercy Seat
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Pixies – Gigantic
Eric B & Rakim – Follow the Leader
Morrissey – Suedehead
Happy Mondays – WFL
R.E.M. – Orange Crush
The Primitives – Crash
Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man
Leonard Cohen – Everybody Knows
The Waterboys – Fisherman Blues
The Go Betweens – Streets of your Town
Womack and Womack – Teardrops
Prefab Sprout – Cars and Girls
Steve Earle – Copperhead Road
Nirvana – Love Buzz
Talk Talk – Inheritance
Beat Happening – Indian Summer
Sam Brown – Stop
The Proclaimers – Sunshine on Leith
Living Color – Cult of Personality
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians – What I Am
Church – Under The Milky Way
The La’s – There She Goes
Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning
Underworld – Underneath The Radar
Sisters of Mercy – This Corrosion
Godfathers – Birth, School, Work, Death
R.E.M. – Stand
Love & Rockets – Mirror People
Sinead O’Connor – Mandinka
10,000 Maniacs – What’s The Matter Here?
Sugarcubes -Birthday
Bangles – Hazy Shade of Winter
New Order – Blue Monday 88
Ziggy Marley – Tomorrow People
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Peek-A-Boo
The Smithereens – House We Used To Live In
The Proclaimers – I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)
INXS – Devil Inside
R.E.M. – Orange Crush
10,000 Maniacs – Don’t Talk
Enya – Orinoco Flow
Camper Van Beethoven – Eye of Fatima
According to the above rules, “Under The Milky Way” is not eligible. Also several other of your choices (Godfathers, Midnight Oil, INXS) were on the 1987 list, so check that list again before voting for them in 1988.
Hello. Here is my list:
1 – Marc Almond – Tears Run Rings
2 – Yello – The Race
3 – The Mission – Tower of Strenght
4 – Morrissey – Suedehead
5 – Talking Heads – (Nothing But) Flowers
6 – Erasure – A Little Respect
7 – The Sugarcubes – Deus
8 – A-ha – Out of Blue Comes Green
9 – Camouflage – I Once Had a Dream
10 – Information Society – What’s on your mind
11 – Siouxsie – Peek-a-boo
12 – Pet Shop Boys – I’m not Scared
13 – Pet Shop Boys – Left to My Own Devices
14 – Duaran Duran – All She Wants Is
15 – REM – Orange Crush
16 – Bomb The Bass – Beat Dis
17 – Inner City – Big Fun
18 – Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance
19 – New Order – Big Fun
20 – Camouflage – That Smiling Face
21 – Peter Murphy – All Night Long
22 – Front 242 – Headhunter
23 – Transvision Vamp – Trash City
24 – The Woodentops – Maybe It Won’t Last
25 – The Beloved – Your Love Takes Me Higher
And some bonus:
Peter Murphy – Indigo Eyes
Tanita Tikaram – Twist in My Sobriety
Pixies – Where is My Mind
Everything But The Girl – Apron Strings
Morrissey – Everyday Is Like Sunday
Billy Bragg – Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards
Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man
The Dead Milkmen – Punk Rock Girl
The Del-Lords – Judas Kiss
in no particular order and looking back, it was an odd year for New Wave music, to say the least…
Mighty Lemon Drops “Inside Out”
Danielle Dax “Big Hollow Man”
Jane Wiedlin “Rush Hour”
Front 242 “Headhunter”
Killing Joke “America”
Marc Almond “Tears Run Rings”
Shriekback “Intoxication”
Ranking Roger “So Excited”
The House of Love “I Don’t Know Why I Love You”
Jerry Harrison “Rev It Up”
Pop Will Eat Itself “Def Con One”
The Mission UK “Tower of Strength”
Oingo Boingo “Mama”
Devo “Disco Dancer”
Tom Tom Club “Devil Does Your Dog Bite”
Robyn Hitchcock “Balloon Man”
Underworld “Underneath the Radar”
Book of Love “Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls”
The Timelords “Doctorin the Tardis”
Camouflage “The Great Commandment”
The Stranglers “All Day and All of the Night”
The Fall “Victoria”
Devo “Baby Doll”
My list in ABC order;
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – The Mercy Seat
The Church – Reptile
Cocteau Twins – Carolyn’s Fingers
Cowboy Junkies – Sweet Jane
Danielle Dax – Cat House
Dinosaur Jr. – Freak Scene
The Fall – Victoria
Front 242 – Terminal State
Fugazi – Waiting Room
Jane’s Addiction – Mountain Song
Living Colour – Cult of Personality
The Mighty Lemon Drops – Inside Out
Ministry – Stigmata
My Bloody Valentine – You Made Me Realise
Nirvana – Love Buzz
Pixies – Bone Machine
R.E.M. – Orange Crush
Siouxsie & the Banshees – Peek-a-Boo
Sonic Youth – Teenage Riot
The Sugarcubes – Motorcrash
Talking Heads – (Nothing But) Flowers
The Pursuit of Happiness – I’m an Adult Now
They Might Be Giants – Ana Ng
Tanita Tikaram – Twist in My Sobriety
The Vaselines – Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam
What’s the view on several single releases that are dubbed 1988, some of which became significant hits:
New Order – Blue Monday 1988
Love And Rockets – Mirror People 1988
Sad Lovers And Giants – Cowboys 1988
Ignore my earlier aborted post. Here’s my list,
Billy Bragg – Waiting For The Great Leap Forward
Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man
The Dead Milkmen – Punk Rock Girl
The Del-Lords – Judas Kiss
The Donner Party – When I Was A Baby
Game Theory – What The Whole World Wants
Marti Jones – The Real One
The La’s – There She Goes
Sam Phillips – Holding On To The Earth
The Pogues – Thousands Are Sailing
Poi Dog Pondering – Living With The Dreaming Body
Public Enemy – Don’t Believe The Hype
The Pursuit Of Happiness – I’m An Adult Now
R.E.M. – Orange Crush
Siouxsie and The Banshees – Kiss Them For Me
Siouxsie and The Banshees – Peek-a-boo
Ignore my earlier aborted posts as I can’t find a way to edit things I’ve already pressed. Here’s my list. 10KM and Midnight Oil don’t make the count as I’d already voted for them in 1987.
Billy Bragg – Waiting For The Great Leap Forward
Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man
The Dead Milkmen – Punk Rock Girl
The Del-Lords – Judas Kiss
The Donner Party – When I Was A Baby
Game Theory – What The Whole World Wants
Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians – Balloon Man
Marti Jones – The Real One
The La’s – There She Goes
Morrissey – I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me
Sam Phillips – Holding On To The Earth
The Pogues – Thousands Are Sailing
Poi Dog Pondering – Living With The Dreaming Body
Public Enemy – Don’t Believe The Hype
The Pursuit Of Happiness – I’m An Adult Now
R.E.M. – Orange Crush
Siouxsie and The Banshees – Kiss Them For Me
Siouxsie and The Banshees – Peek-a-boo
Patti Smith – People Have The Power
Joe Strummer & The Latino Rockabilly War – Trash City
Talking Heads – (Nothing But) Flowers
They Might Be Giants – Ana Ng
Timbuk 3 – Easy
Voice Of The Beehive – There’s A Barbarian In The Back Of My Car
The Waterboys – Fisherman’s Blues
The ones I came up with:
“there she goes” – the la’s
“reptile” – the church
“get started, start a fire” – Graham Parker
“freak scene” – dinosaur jr
“streets of your town” – go betweens
“love goes on” – go betweens
“2541” – grant Hart
“Jane says” – Jane’s addiction
“inside out” – mighty lemon drops
“suedehead” – morrissey
“everyday is like Sunday” – morrissey
“Love buzz” – nirvana
“where is my mind” – pixies
“if I should fall from grace with God” – pogues
“Thousands are sailing” – pogues
“all that money wants” – psychedelic furs
“only a memory” – smithereens
“a wish away” – wonder stuff
“Give give give me more more more” – wonder stuff
“Crash” – primitives
Please vote for The Jesus and Mary Chain – “Sidewalking”
Sonic Youth – Teenage Riot (best song of 1988, by far)
25. “Scarlet Pussy” by Prince
24. “Punk Rock Girl” by The Dead Milkmen
23. “Freak Scene” by Dinosaur Jr.
22. “Ana Ng” by They Might Be Giants
21. “Crash” by The Primitives
20. “Molly’s Lips” by The Vaselines
19. “Teenage Riot” by Sonic Youth
18. “All That Money Wants” by The Psychedelic Furs
17. “Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” by The Vaselines
16. “There She Goes” by The La’s
15. “No Questions Asked” by Fleetwood Mac
14. “In Your Room” by The Bangles
13. “Juno” by Throwing Muses
12. “Walk Through to This Side” by Screaming Trees
11. “Get Up” by R.E.M.
10. “Summertime Rolls” by Jane’s Addiction
9. “Bone Machine” by The Pixies
8. “Lights Are Changing” by The Bevis Frond
7. “The Killing Jar” by Siouxsie and the Banshees
6. “Jane Says” by Jane’s Addiction
5. “Alphabet St.” by Prince
4. “Pop Song ’89” by R.E.M.
3. “Where Is My Mind?” by The Pixies
2. “Peek-A-Boo” by Siouxsie and the Banshees
1. “Walking in the Dark” by Throwing Muses
Nene Cherry – Buffalo Stance
Public Enemy – Don’t Believe the Hype
Public Enemy – Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
Janes Addiction – Jane Says
Jane’s Addiction – Mountain Song
Pixies – Gigantic
Pixies – Where is My Mind
Morrissey – Suedehead
Morrissey – Where Is My Mind
Duran Duran – All She Wants Is
Duran Duran – I Don’t Want Your Love
U2 – Heartland
U2 – Angel of Harlem
Erasure – A little Respect
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Tracy Chapman – Talking About A Revolution
Fugazi – Waiting Room
Living Colour – Cult of Personality
REM – Orange Crush
REM – Turn You Inside Out
Cowboy Junkies – Sweet Jane
Sonic Youth – Teenage Riot
Cocteau Twins – Carolyns Fingers
Fine Young Cannibals – Good Thing
Edie Brickell – What I Am
Tracy Chapman Fast Car
First pass for ’88, but willing to look at what I might have missed on other’s lists…
Top 25 Best of 1988
25. U2, “Hawkmoon 269”
24. Underworld, “Underneath the Radar”
23. They Might Be Giants, “Ana Ng”
22. Crowded House, “When You Come”
21. The Jazz Butcher, “Get It Wrong”
20. The Primitives, “Way Behind Me”
19. The Go-Betweens, “Was There Anything I Could Do?”
18. Jane’s Addiction, “Jane Says”
17. The Waterboys, “Sweet Thing”
16. Dreams So Real, “Bearing Witness”
15. Tanita Tikaram, “Valentine Heart”
14. ‘Til Tuesday, “J for Jules”
13. Siouxsie & the Banshees, “The Killing Jar”
12. Ministry, “Stigmata”
11. Julian Cope, “Someone Like Me”
10. The Feelies, “It’s Only Life”
9. The Pixies, “Where is My Mind?”
8. Living Colour, “Cult of Personality”
7. Peter Murphy, “Time Has Got Nothing to Do with It”
6. Sinead O’Connor, “Jump in the River”
5. Everything but the Girl, “I Always Was Your Girl”
4. Love & Money, “Strange Kind of Love”
3. Jerry Harrison, “Man with a Gun”
2. Billy Bragg, “The Price I Pay”
1. Talk Talk, “Desire”
Also worthy of consideration, but didn’t make my list:
The Balancing Act, “Can You Get to That”
Hunters and Collectors, “Back on the Bread Line”
Shriekback, “Shark Walk”
The Mighty Lemondrops, “Inside Out”
The Pursuit of Happiness, “I’m an Adult Now”
Edie Brickell & the New Bohemians, “Love Like We Do”
Morrisey, “Suedehead”
Feargal Sharkey, “Full Confession”
Hothouse Flowers, “Yes I Was”
Prefab Sprout, “Cars and Girls”
In Tua Nua, “The Long Acre”
Midge Ure, “Answers to Nothing”
The Proclaimers, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”
R.E.M., “Stand”
Toni Childs, “Don’t Walk Away”
A House, “I Want to Kill Something”
Sonic Youth, “Teen Age Riot”
Joan Armatrading, “Did I Make You Up?”
Talking Heads, “Blind”
Tom Tom Club, “Devil Does Your Dog Bite?”
Was (Not Was), “Spy in the House of Love”
Michelle Shocked, “If Love Was a Train”
Cocteau Twins, “Blue Belle Knoll”
Leonard Cohen, “I’m Your Man”
Balaam and the Angel, “I Love the Things You Do to Me”
The La’s, “There She Goes”
N.W.A. “Express Yourself”
Erasure, “Chains of Love”
Robert Plant, “Tall Cool One”
Patti Smith, “People Have the Power”
Martini Ranch, “Reach”
The Bangles, “Eternal Flame”
Camper Van Beethoven, “Turquoise Jewelry”
The Information Society, “What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)”
The Adventures, “Broken Land”
Brian Eno, “You Don’t Miss Your Water”
Here is my tentative list. Can anyone give it a look over and let me know if any of them are not eligible?
Thanks!
1 The Other End Of The Telescope – ‘til Tuesday
2 If I Should Fall From Grace With God – The Pogues
3 Fisherman’s Blues – The Waterboys
4 Fast Car – Tracy Chapman
5 All Night Long – Peter Murphy
6 The Broad Majestic Shannon – The Pogues
7 Orange Crush – R.E.M.
8 All I Want Is You – U2
9 She’s A Mystery To Me – Roy Orbison
10 This Woman’s Work – Kate Bush
11 And A Bang On The Ear – The Waterboys
12 Sick For Toys – The Sugarcubes
13 Balloon Man – Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptinas
14 World Leader Pretend – R.E.M.
15 In The Lowlands – Crowded House
16 Yahoo – Erasure
17 Why Must I – ‘til Tuesday
18 Apron Strings – Everything But The Girl
19 Inside Out – The Mighty Lemon Drops
20 End Of The Line – The Traveling Wilburys
21 Sister Madly – Crowded House
22 Desire – U2
23 Sweet Jane – Cowboy Junkies
24 Motorcrash – The Sugarcubes
25 Nothing But Flowers – Talking Heads
Would George Michael’s Father Figure and Monkey qualify? Faith came out in ’87 but these two singles came out in ’88
No. If it was on an album in 87, they count it as 87.
Top 25 of 1988
1. Buffalo Stance – Neneh Cherry
2. Pop Song 89 – REM
3. Peter Murphy – Indigo Eyes
4. The La’s – There She Goes
5. Every day is like Sunday – Morrissey
6. River Euphrates – Pixies
7. Sinead O’Connor – Jump in the River
8. Handle with Care – Travelling Wilburys
9. Patti Smith – People Have the Power
10. U2 – Desire
11. R.E.M. – Orange Crush
12. Sugarcubes – Motorcrash
13. Information Society – What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)
14. Leonard Cohen – Everybody Knows
15. House of Love – Destroy the Heart
16. Public Enemy – Don’t Believe the Hype
17. TPOH – She’s So Young
18. TPOH – I’m An Adult Now
19. Morrissey – Suedehead
20. Siouxsie and the Banshees – Killing Jar
21. Prince – Alphabet Street
22. All the Money Wants – Psychedelic Furs
23. Edie Brickell – What I am
24. 10 000 Maniacs – Like the Weather
25. Fine Young Cannibals – Don’t Look Back
I love hte La’s “There She Goes” but it seems really wrong to vote for it in ’88. It certainly wasn’t getting play over here in the states until 90-91 when they re-released it with their debut album.
Was it re-recorded for ’90’s self-titled, which had new members in the band? Was it just re-released? Voting for it in ’88 seems very much a retcon. Unless it was big in the UK?
(Unlike, say, “I Will Walk (500 Miles)” by the Proclaimers, as that was pretty big that year of ’88… but most of the public never heard it until it became huge as part of the 93 Benny & Joon soundtrack.)
Just a note… the copy above was clearly cut & paste from the 1987 voting copy… as it still refers to 1987 as the year something should be released to qualify.
Might want to edit that since it could be confusing to a newbie. “Am I voting for 87 or 88?”
Big Country, “Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)”
Book of Love, “Sea of Tranquility”
The Church, “Unsubstantiated”
Crowded House, “I Feel Possessed”
Crowded House, “When You Come”
Duran Duran, “Do You Believe in Shame?”
The Field Mice, “Emma’s House”
The Go-Betweens, “Streets of Your Town”
INXS, “Move On”
Peter Koppes, “Take a Vow”
The La’s, “There She Goes”
Living Colour, “Cult of Personality”
Morrissey, “Suedehead”
Peter Murphy, “Indigo Eyes”
Peter Murphy, “Time Has Got Nothing to Do with It”
The Primitives, “Crash”
The Psychedelic Furs, “All That Money Wants”
Ranking Roger, “So Excited”
R.E.M., “Orange Crush”
R.E.M., “Pop Song 89”
U2, “Desire”
The Waterboys, “Fisherman’s Blues”
The Waterboys, “We Will Not Be Lovers”
Marty Willson-Piper, “She’s King”
The Wonder Stuff, “A Wish Away”
For the record, Cat House by Danielle Dax was released in ’87 on the Japanese compilation, The Chemical Wedding.
Wire – Kidney Bingos, Silk Skin Paws
Mighty Lemon Drops – Inside Out
Psychedelic Furs – All That Money Wants
Cocteau Twins – Carolyn’s Fingers, Blue Bell Knoll
Jane Wiedlin – Rush Hour
Book Of Love – Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls
Smithereens – House We Used To Live In
Mission UK – Tower Of Strength
Erasure – A Little Respect
Camouflage – Your Smiling Face
House Of Love – I Don’t Know Why I Love You
Robyn Hitchcock – Balloon Man
U2 – All I Want Is You, Heartland
Midge Ure – Dear God
‘Til Tuesday – Believed You Were Lucky
Shona Laing – Soviet Snow
Sisters Of Mercy – This Corrosion
Big Audio Dynamite – Just Play Music
OMD – Dreaming
So – Are You Sure
Wonder Stuff – A Wish Away
Primitives – Crash
Robyn Hitchcock: Vibrating
Thomas Dolby: Airhead
I, Ludicrous: Quite Extraordinary
Jerry Harrison: Man With A Gun
Young Fresh Fellows: Universal Trend Setter
Peter Murphy: Dragnet Drag
The Fall: Frenz
Ultra Vivid Scene: Mercy Seat
The Jazz Butcher: Next Move Sideways
Danielle Dax: Cat House
Wire: The Finest Drops
Psychedelic Furs: All That Money Wants
Leonard Cohen: Everybody Knows
The Sun And The Moon: The Speed Of Life
Masters Of Reality: The Blue Garden
Peter Zaremba’s Love Delegation: Hey, Disco!
Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet: Having An Average Weekend
The Tragically Hip: Blow At High Dough
Beasts Of Bourbon: Hard For You
House Of Love: Christine
The A-Bones: Devil Dance
Stump: Charlton Heston
The Pogues: Thousands Are Sailing
The Passion Fodder: Luz Blanca
The Church: Reptile
I think we get to keep keep Cat House, under the Per Shop Boys, Radio Free Europe, Bedbugs and Ballyhoo rule. The ‘87 version is way different and inferior to the ‘88 release.
Rob S (It appears the Reply function isn’t working)
Shona Laing’s “Soviet Snow” and Sisters of Mercy “This Corrosion” were both 1987, so that frees up two spots.
Love the call out to “Are You Sure” and Midge Ure’s “Dear God”
Bill,
Discogs has Tragically Hip “Blow at High Dough” as 89, both single and album version. Just interested in your source, because I love that album, too, but had it in 89.
I don’t know how I missed the Fine Young Cannibals for my list. “The Raw and the Cooked” is a tremendous album. Going to have to find a spot for them.
If I can also make a plug for Tanita Tikaram and Talk Talk… two of the most original and amazing albums of the entire decade. Granted, Spirit of Eden is very hard to pull a single track off of, but it deserves votes. Not a bad song on Tanita Tikaram’s debut Ancient Heart, and nothing sounded like her then, or now. I see a couple votes up there, but more please!
And I just realized I missed Pop Will Eat Itself “Can U Dig It?” and Ofra Haza “Galbi”, Royal Crescent Mob “Get On the Bus”, Close Lobsters “What Is There to Smile About”, Dancing Hoods “Baby’s Got Rockets”
So much good music this year. I have to rethink much of my list.
Argh, could have sworn the Hip’s second was ‘88. Shouldn’t do this late at night. Swap in A House, “Watch Out You’re Dead”.
Blue Monday 88 is a remix, not a rerecording of the song, so the “Radio Free Europe” rule would not apply. Also, it did finish at #1 in the 1983 poll.
24. 10 000 Maniacs – Like the Weather
FYI: This is from 1987 album. First released on the album “In My Tribe.”
Hey, Neil Carver. Love your “Man with a Gun” selection, but that actually first appeared on the “Something Wild” soundtrack in ’86. A most excellent soundtrack, BTW.
And speaking of great Jonathan Demme soundtracks, a couple of your votes/considerations suggest someone else has a lot of love for the “Married to the Mob” soundtrack.
Man With A Gun qualifies under the RFE/Pet Shop Boys rule. The ‘86 track was an instrumental…the track from Casual Gods is totally different.
If the version on the soundtrack had been the instrumental played in the movie, I wouldn’t even be bringing it up here. The vocal version appears on both the soundtrack CD and cassette, and I’m not hearing a difference between it and the “Casual Gods” version. But if I’m missing something, anyone else, please chime in.
What matters most is it’s a great song.
Elephant Stone: Are we going with the original 1988 release or the much better known 1990 reissue? Thanks.
The Fall – New Big Prinz
The Fall – Bremen Nacht
The Sun and The Moon – Peace In Our Time
Happy Mondays – Wrote For Luck
The Jesus and Mary Chain – Sidewalking
The Sugarcubes – Sick For Toys
The House Of Love – Salome
Morrissey – Hairdresser On Fire
The Church – Reptile
Everything But The Girl – These Early Days
Crowded House – Into Temptation
Peter Murphy – All Night Long
The Style Council – Confessions Of A Pop Group
Talk Talk – I Believe In You
Thomas Dolby – Budapest By Blimp
U2 – Heartland
Prefab Sprout – The Golden Calf
R.E.M. – World Leader Pretend
Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing
Fine Time – New Order
Duran Duran – All She Wants Is
The Cocteau Twins – Cico Buff
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions – Jennifer She Said
Erasure – A Little Respect
Peter Schilling – The Different Story (World Of Lust And Crime)
1 The Stone Roses – Elephant Stone
2 Fugazi – Waiting Room
3 The Wedding Present – I’m Not Always So Stupid
4 Psychedelic Furs – All That Money Wants
5 Morrissey – Everyday Is Like Sunday
6 Pixies – Where Is My Mind?
7 House of Love – Christine
8 Slayer – South of Heaven
9 The Wedding Present – Nobody’s Twisting Your Arm
10 Fugazi – Glue Man
11 Morrissey – Dial-A-Cliche
12 The Jesus and Mary Chain – Sidewalking
13 Jane’s Addiction – Mountain Song
14 Pixies – Gigantic
15 The Clarks – Let Me Die
16 Dinosaur Jr. – Freak Scene
17 House of Love – Destroy the Heart
18 The Church – Reptile
19 The Mighty Lemon Drops – Inside Out
20 Jane’s Addiction – Summertime Rolls
21 The Clarks – Perfection Not Required
22 Galaxie 500 – Tugboat
23 Vaselines – Molly’s Lips
24 My Bloody Valentine – Drive It All Over Me
25 My Bloody Valentine – You Made Me Realize
Andy… where were you in previous threads when we were discussing Man With a Gun and the appropriate year. ugh. Actually pisses me off more than it should that some obscure soundtrack appearance removes any chance of the song getting voted on.
Frustrating that Discogs or Allmusic simply don’t have proper database cross references. It isn’t like they don’t list the Soundtrack, and they make an attempt to claim “all versions” when you type in a song, but clearly they don’t show every appearance of the song on any album, soundtrack, single, collection, whatever. Kinda what a database is for, but I guess not.
Only way to find out it is on that soundtrack is to already know about the soundtrack. bleh.
And yes, I’d probably put the Married to the Mob soundtrack in my Top 10 from 1988, and that is saying something. Chris Isaac, Q Lazarus, Debbie Harry… so many other great songs appeared first (or only?) on that collection.
Since I’ve seen a few others make pitces for certain bands and songs, I’m going to do it, too.
Sonic Youth’s groundbreaking Daydream Nation came out in 1988. Many wonderful songs such as Silver Rocket, Cross the Breeze and obviously, Teenage Riot, which I hope to see high on the 1998 list. Sonic Youth were the rulers of college rock in the 80’s and they’ve been conspicuously low on the polls, not even making it until 1986, and barely making the 86 and 87 top 100’s. Frustrating.
The other pitch is for My Bloody Valentine. The groundbreaking You Made Me Realise EP along with their first album, Isn’t Anything, came out in 1988. A lot of interesting and innovative songs.
From Goth to Industrial, College Rock to British Indie, House Music turned Acid House turned Rave, Modern Folk and Hip Hop had a message, and New Age chilled us out. 1988 was an eclectic mix tape, at times drawing on the ghosts of music past and in other cases breaking the rules of genre to create a new sound for the future. The times were a changing and 1988 was a great year for music.
My nominees try to convey that idea of great music from all corners and genres and include two sons released in ’88 but would become hits of the 1990s and two of my favorite cover songs.
Sonic Youth, “Teenage Riot”
New Order, “Fine Time”
The Primitives, “Crash”
Boogie Down Productions, “My Philosophy”
The Beatnigs, “(Welcome) Television”
Front 242, “Headhunter”
Ministry, “Stigmata”
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “The Last Beat of My Heart”
Peter Murphy, “All Night Long”
Jane’s Addiction, “Jane Says”
Jane’s Addiction, “Mountain Song”
Pixies, “Gigantic”
Cowboy Junkies, “Sweet Jane”
The Fall, “Victoria”
The Mighty Lemon Drops, “Inside Out”
Morrissey, “Every Day is Like Sunday”
Billy Bragg, “Waiting for the Great Leap Forward”
Tracy Chapman, “Fast Car”
Hothouse Flowers, “Don’t Go”
The La’s, “There She Goes”
Jesus and Mary Chain, “Sidewalkin”
Sugarcubes, “Deus”
Sugarcubes, “Motorcrash”
The Psychedelic Furs, “All that Money Wants”
Cocteau Twins, “Carolyn’s Fingers”
The Proclaimers, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)”
Fantastic list, Alex! Love that Beatnigs pick. In the summer of ’88, I actually met Michael Franti–who shared an apartment with a friend of a friend in SF–right before heading off to a Peter Murphy-Church double bill a couple of blocks away. A truly one-of-a-kind evening that makes these lists and comments like yours resonate even more. Thanks for taking me back!
Pet Shop Boys – Left To My Own Devices
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Peek-A-Boo
Morrissey – Everyday Is Like Sunday
Prefab Sprout – Cars & Girls
Leonard Cohen – Tower Of Song
Crowded House – I Feel Possessed
Prince – Alphabet St
The Primitives – Crash
Duran Duran – I Don’t Want Your Love
Bourgeois Tagg – I Don’t Mind At All
The Mission – Tower of Strength
Pet Shop Boys – Domino Dancing
Scritti Polite – Oh Patti
Tracey Chapman – Fast Car
Waterboys – Fisherman’s Blues
Las – There She Goes
Billy Bragg – Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards
Mary Margaret O’Hara – Body In Trouble
Prefab Spout – The Kind of Rock and Roll
Leonard Cohen – Everybody Knows
Morrissey – Hairdresser on Fire
Voice of the Beehive – I Walk The Earth
Big Audio Dynamite – Just Play Music
In Tua Nua – All I Wanted
Waterboys – And A Bang On The Ear
Subs
Living Color – Cult of Personality
Tracey Chapman – Talkin About A Revolution
U2 – All I Want Is You
Ellis, Beggs and Howard – Big Bubbles, No Troubles
Michelle Shocked – Ancorage
David Mc… Bourgeois Tagg was ’87. I tried to get everyone voting for it during that poll, as “I Don’t Mind At All” is one of my favorite songs of the decade. Didn’t make that list, but glad to see another call out. You have room for Living Colour now!
Hey again, Neil Carver. Sorry to be the bearer of bum news for that one–and belatedly, it sounds like. I’ve felt similar jolts for this particular poll and others, be it the first release dates for “Call Me Blue,” “Under the Milky Way,” “Heartbreak Beat,” “Boy,” and more.
And, yes, “… Mobb” is a gem of a soundtrack. “Jump in the River” also made my ’88 shortlist and might actually make my final cut the way I’ve been going back and forth with some of these. But I wonder if it might also have an eerily similar “Man with a Gun” like fate, meaning that it first appeared on a Jonathan Demme soundtrack and then reappeared on the artist’s own album two years later. So stay tuned for some possible ’90 votes, if these polls go beyond the Eighties.
Also, I’ve appreciated your Crowded House picks for ’86 and ’88! If this poll were more of a free for all (but I’m glad it’s not!), I might actually include seven of the ten songs off of “Temple of Low Men.” Love that album!
Woodface is my favorite Crowded House album, but Temple is a close second. (Cool story, my sister lives in NZ, and well over a decade ago, was out with her husband and fellow Kiwi’s at a bar near Rotarua… where Neil Finn just decided to drop in a play a small set for the locals. I mean… can you just imagine?)
These polls are as frustrating as they are fun in some ways, but I always learn about some new music. Beatnigs might be that band for this year. I’ve honestly never heard of them, but I’ll take a listen, now. (A quick AllMusic search and the description sounds like Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (who I saw open for Billy Bragg on his “Don’t Try This at Home” tour. They were amazing.) Definitely will give ’em a listen.
Hah! Just read that Disposable Heroes grew out of the Beatnigs. Hilarious.
Surprised no one has been listing “Goodbye Horses” from Q. Lazzarus. It originally came out in 1988.
Having struggled to find a track listing for the Tin Men soundtrack from 1987, I think I turned up three Fine Young Cannibals songs on it, “Good Thing”, “Hard As it Is” and “Tell Me What”… meaning those are not allowed in the ’88 list… but “She Drives Me Crazy” and others from The Raw and the Cooked are.
Can anyone confirm?
It appears that there was no soundtrack album ever issued from the Tin Men film, so I would think 1988 would be the official release year for those songs.
Peter F… thanks. That would explain why I kept seeing references to the soundtrack, but no example of an actual soundtrack album. Appreciate it.
Thanks Neil P. I’d like to replace Bourgeois Tagg with ‘Strange Kind of Love’ by Love and Money. Until I saw that on your list I had had that do as a 1989 tune.
Not sure why the “reply” function no longer works on individual comments. Looking into it.
My list:
Marc Almond – The Stars We Are
Big Audio Dynamite – Applecart
Book of Love – Pretty Boys and Pretty Girls
Book of Love – You Look Through Me
Cetu Javu – Have in Mind
Cocteau Twins – Carolyn’s Fingers
Dead Can Dance – The Host of Seraphim
Dead or Alive – Baby Don’t Say Goodbye
Erasure – A Little Respect
Erasure – Phantom Bride
Information Society – What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)
Kon Kan – I Beg Your Pardon (I Never Promised You a Rose Garden)
The Mission – Tower of Strength
Morrissey – Late Night, Maudlin Street
New Order – Vanishing Point
OMD – Dreaming
Pet Shop Boys – I’m Not Scared
Peter Schilling – The Different Story (World of Lust and Crime)
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Ornaments of Gold
Siouxsie and the Banshees – Peek-A-Boo
Stacey Q – I Love You
The Sugarcubes – Deus
Voice of the Beehive – Beat of Love
Voice of the Beehive – Trust Me
Kim Wilde – You Came
Well, I’ve got my list down to 75 – just have to eliminate 50 of these:
The Art Of Noise featuring Tom Jones – Kiss
Big Audio Dynamite – Other 99
Billy Bragg – She’s Got A New Spell
James Brown – Static
The Bubblemen – The Bubblemen Are Coming
The Church – Reptile
The Church – Destination
Close Lobsters – What Is There To Smile About
Julian Cope – 5 O’Clock World
Crowded House – Sister Madly
The Darling Buds – Lets Go Round There
The Darling Buds – Shame On You
The Fall – Victoria
Frazier Chorus – Dream Kitchen
Richard X. Heyman – Call Out The Military
Robin Hitchcock – Flesh Number One (Beatle Dennis)
The House Of Love – Destroy The Heart
I Start Counting – Million Headed Monster
Joe Jackson – (He’s A) Shape In A Drape
James – What For
The Jazz Butcher – Next Move Sideways
The Jesus And Mary Chain – Sidewalking
Joan Jett – I Hate Myself For Loving You
King Blank – Uptight
k.d. lang – Lock, Stock And Teardrops
The La’s – There She Goes (original version)
Let’s Active – Every Dog Has His Day
Nick Lowe – Love Gets Strange
The Madness – What’s That
The Mighty Lemon Drops – Inside Out
Morrissey – Everyday Is Like Sunday
Peter Murphy – Indigo Eyes
Oingo Boingo – Winning Side
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Dreaming
Robert Palmer – Simply Irresistible
The Pogues – Fiesta
The Pogues – Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
The Pooh Sticks – On Tape
Prefab Sprout – Cars And Girls
The Primitives – Crash
The Primitives – Way Behind Me
The Proclaimers – I’m On My Way
The Psychedelic Furs All That Money Wants
The Railway Children Somewhere South
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry – Only Dreaming (Wide Awake)
Replacements – Cruella De Ville
Royal Crescent Mob – Happy At Home
Schnell Fenster – Whisper
Schnell Fenster – Love-Hate Relationship
Brian Setzer – She Thinks I’m Trash
Shriekback – Shark Walk
The Silencers – The Real McCoy
The Smithereens – Only A Memory
Social Distortion – Prison Bound
The Stone Roses – Elephant Stone
The Style Council – How She Threw It All Away
The Style Council – Life At A Top Peoples Health Farm
The Sugarcubes – Motorcrash
The Sugarcubes – Coldsweat
Talking Heads – Mr. Jones
Talking Heads – Blind
That Petrol Emotion – Groove Check
They Might Be Giants – Ana Ng
Tom Tom Club – Suboceana
Transvision Vamp – I Want Your Love
Midge Ure – Answers To Nothing
U2 – Angel Of Harlem
Violent Femmes – Nightmares
The Waterboys – World Party
The Weather Prophets – Hollow Heart
Brian Wilson – Walkin The Line
The Wonder Stuff – Give, Give, Give Me More, More, More
The Woodentops – Maybe It Won’t Last
Yello – The Race
Neil Young & The Bluenotes – Ten Men Workin’
Fishbone – Ma and Pa
Fishbone – Freddie’s Dead (cover song)
Morrissey – Everyday Is Like Sunday
Morrissey – I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me
Cocteau Twins – Ella Megalast Burls Forever
My Bloody Valentine – (When You Wake) You’re Still in a Dream
My Bloody Valentine – Lose My Breath
Talking Heads – Sax and Violins
Dinosaur Jr – Freak Scene
Pixies – Where Is My Mind?
Pixies – Gigantic
The Sugarcubes – Birthday
The Psychedelic Furs – All That Money Wants
Peter Murphy – Indigo Eyes
They Might Be Giants – Ana Ng
The Church – Under the Milky Way
Jane Says – Jane’s Addiction
The Proclaimers – I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)
The Vaselines – Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam
Fugazi – Waiting Room
The La’s – There She Goes
Candle – Sonic Youth
Prince – Alphabet St.
Kate Bush – This Woman’s Work
Geez, what a chore this was! I would have been done an hour sooner if I could have picked everything off Surfer Rosa that I wanted to. Sometimes, it’s a curse to be one o’ them rule-followers.
Pixies, “Bone Machine”
Pixies, “Gigantic”
The Pursuit of Happiness, “I’m An Adult Now”
Dinosaur Jr., “Freak Scene”
They Might Be Giants, “Ana Ng”
Dead Milkmen, “Punk Rock Girl”
Bongos, Bass and Bob, “Oral Hygiene”
Ministry, “Stigmata”
The Sugarcubes, “Birthday”
The Sugarcubes, “Motorcrash”
Fugazi, “Waiting Room”
Fugazi, “Give Me The Cure”
Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians, “Balloon Man”
The Go-Betweens, “Streets of Your Town”
The Church, “Under the Milky Way”
The Church, “Reptile”
Stump, “Charlton Heston”
Fine Young Cannibals, “She Drives Me Crazy”
Fine Young Cannibals, “Good Thing”
Joan Jett, “I Hate Myself for Loving You”
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Peek-A-Boo”
Information Society, “What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)”
Robert Palmer, “Simply Irresistable”
Erasure, “Chains of Love”
Peter Murphy, “Indigo Eyes”
Chris F – “Birthday” and “Under the Milky Way” were both 1987 (unfortunately) as their very first releases as singles were in that year, even though we all feel they were true 1988 songs. Those damn rules again.
Opens two slots in your list if you haven’t officially voted yet.
Well, that was tougher than I started out picking as other choices reminded me of some great music from 1988 so here goes, in particular order:
U2 – Desire
INXS – Devil Inside
R.E.M. – World Leader Pretend
Morrissey – Suededhead
Morrissey – Everyday is Like Sunday
Talking Heads – (Nothing But) Flowers
Waterboys – Fishermans Blues
New Order – Fine Time
Billy Bragg – Waiting For The Great Leap Forwards
Peter Murphy – All Night Long
Sugarcubes – Motorcrash
Pogues – If I Should Fall From The Grace of God
Jane’s Addiction – Ted, Just Admit It
Fairground Attraction – Perfect
Psychedelic Furs – All That Money Wants
The La’s – There She Goes
Wonder Stuff – A Wish Away
Wonder Stuff – It’s Yer Money I’m After
Happy Mondays – Lazyitis
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Mercy Seat
Go-Betweens – Was There Anything I Could Do?
Jazz Butcher – Next Move Sideways
The Church – Reptile
Cowboy Junkies – Sweet Jane
Pixies – Gigantic
Other tough choices:
R.E.M. – Pop Song 89, Stand
Proclaimers – I’m On My Way & I’m Gonna Be
Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning, Bullroarer
Siouxsie & The Banshees – Killing Jar
New Order – Touched By The Hand Of God
Peter Murphy – Indigo Eyes
Go-Betweens – Streets Of Your Town
Pogues – Fiesta
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Deanna
Talking Heads – Blind
Happy Mondays – Wrote For Luck
Morrissey – I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me, Break Up The Family
Waterboys – We Will Not Be Lovers, And A Bang On The Ear (actually the whole dang album is so good)
Hunters & Collectors – Back On The Breadline (miss: Fate album came out in 1987 originally as What’s a Few Men?) bummer
Hothouse Flowers – Don’t Go (another miss as originally released as a single in 1987 though album released in 1988) another bummer
Definitely a mix of a year for music as heavy metal, hip hop, dance, house were all coming in strong.
R.E.M. – Orange Crush
R.E.M. – Turn You Inside Out
Sonic Youth – Teen Age Riot
Public Enemy – Bring The Noise
Pixies – Where Is My Mind?
Pixies – Gigantic
Kate Bush – This Woman’s Work
Dinosaur Jr – Freak Scene
The La’s – There She Goes
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – The Mercy Seat
Talking Heads – (Nothing But) Flowers
Jane’s Addiction – Jane Says
Jane’s Addiction – Mountain Song
Robyn Hitchcock And The Egyptians – Balloon Man
My Bloody Valentine – You Made Me Realise
Cocteau Twins – Blue Bell Knoll
Sugarcubes – Birthday
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
Cowboy Junkies- Sweet Jane
The Smithereens – Only A Memory
Fugazi – Waiting Room
Ministry – Stigmata
Galaxie 500- Tugboat
The Church – Reptile
The Waterboys – We Will Not Be Lovers
JMacD – great list and you had call outs to some of my favorite songs. You need to replace Devil Inside, as it was an ’87 release.
AFAIK, “Back on the Breadline” was released in’88 with Fate and as a single, but was NOT on the album What’s a Few Men? So you could put that one in there. Great song!
Fudge…meant to sub in Sugarcubes “Motorcrash” for Birthday
Hey again, Neil. Wow, what a story! Was your sister a big Neil Finn fan before he strolled in? (This is all about the Neils, huh!) If not, I bet she was afterward.
I shared a tale elsewhere at SUE about my wife’s and my Dec/Jan visit to NZ, with our itinerary connected to all things Neil Finn. In short, it was Finntastic (couldn’t resist!), and we saw the man himself, albeit from afar–we had to be careful not to blur that line between super fans and crazed stalkers.
In related news, “True Colours: 40th Anniversary Mix” sounds incredible. Kudos to Eddie Raynor for all the love he put into the remastering. And it bumped Taylor Swift from the top spot on the NZ charts!
https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2020/08/split-enz-s-true-colours-tops-kiwi-charts-40-years-after-it-came-out.html
For anyone who cares and is still reading over lists, here is the one I submitted. A lot of these are kind of deep cuts so I don’t expect a strong showing on the final results.
A note to our site leader — I sent an e-mail regarding this, but during my vote a ballot got submitted with only 2 songs listed. I then was able to resubmit a full list. Please omit the one with the two songs and count the full list. This was a goof and not an attempt to stuff the ballot box.
1 The Other End Of The Telescope – ‘til Tuesday
2 If I Should Fall From Grace With God – The Pogues
3 Fisherman’s Blues – The Waterboys
4 Fast Car – Tracy Chapman
5 Paths That Cross – Patti Smith
6 All Night Long – Peter Murphy
7 The Broad Majestic Shannon – The Pogues
8 Orange Crush – R.E.M.
9 All I Want Is You – U2
10 She’s A Mystery To Me – Roy Orbison
11 This Woman’s Work – Kate Bush
12 And A Bang On The Ear – The Waterboys
13 Sick For Toys – The Sugarcubes
14 Balloon Man – Robyn Hitchcock & The EgyptinasRoy Orbison
15 World Leader Pretend – R.E.M.
16 In The Lowlands – Crowded House
17 Yahoo – Erasure
18 Why Must I – ‘til Tuesday
19 Apron Strings – Everything But The Girl
20 Inside Out – The Mighty Lemon Drops
21 End Of The Line – The Traveling Wilburys
22 Desire – U2The
23 Sweet Jane – Cowboy Junkies
24 Motorcrash – The Sugarcubes
25 Nothing But Flowers – Talking Heads
Honorable mentions:
Sister Madly – Crowded House
Angel of Harlem – U2
Reptile – The Church
Misguided Angel – Cowboy Junkies
Heart of Stone – Erasure
Pop Song ’89 – R.E.M.
Tweeter and the Monkeyman – Traveling Wilburys
Traitor – The Sugarcubes
Blue Eyed Pop – The Sugarcubes
Delicious Demon – The Sugarcubes
Ana Ng – They Might Be Giants
I Always Was Your Girl – Everything But the Girl
Love Is Here Where I Live – Everything But the Girl
We Will Not Be Lovers – The Waterboys
When Will We Be Married – The Waterboys
When Ye Go Away – The Waterboys
Rip in Heaven – ’til Tuesday
J For Jules – ’til Tuesday
Limits to Love – ’til Tuesday
Long Gone Buddy – ’til Tuesday
Crash and Burn ’til Tuesday
How Can You Give Up ’til Tuesday
Believed You Were Lucky – ’til Tueday
Everything’s Different Now – ’til Tuesday
U2 “Desire”
U2 “Hawkmoon 269”
Information Society “What’s on Your Mind (Pure Energy)”
Erasure “Chains Of Love”
Morrissey “Suedehead”
Morrissey “Everyday Is Like Sunday”
Duran Duran “I Don’t Want Your Love”
Julian Cope “Charlotte Anne”
Danzig “Mother”
Depeche Mode “Route 66”
Pet Shop Boys “Domino Dancing”
Nick Cave “The Mercy Seat”
When In Rome “The Promise”
Cowboy Junkies “Misguided Angel”
Leonard Cohen “First We Take Manhattan”
Leonaed Cohen “I’m Your Man”
Pixies “Where Is My Mind”
Pixies “Gigantic”
R.E.M “Stand”
R.E.M “Orange Crush”
Jane’s Addiction “Ted, Just Admit It”
The Pogues “If I Should Fall from Grace with God”
Steve Earle “Copperhed Road”
Q Lazzarus “Goodbye Horses”
N.W.A “Straight Outta Compton”
@Neil Carver. I thought there was an extended release of What’s A Few Men which included BOTB. I just checked discogs.com and it lists an extended version of WAFM which four extra tracks but released in 2003 so I guess BOTB is back in business!!!! Thanks for the callout and check. Matt, can I switch out Devil Inside – INXS to Hunters & Collectors – Back on the Breadline please? Thanks
My list eventually looked like this…
Top 25 Best of 1988
25. U2, “Hawkmoon 269”
24. Underworld, “Underneath the Radar”
23. They Might Be Giants, “Ana Ng”
22. Crowded House, “When You Come”
21. The Jazz Butcher, “Get It Wrong”
20. The Primitives, “Way Behind Me”
19. The Go-Betweens, “Was There Anything I Could Do?”
18. Jane’s Addiction, “Jane Says”
17. The Waterboys, “And a Bang On the Ear”
16. Dreams So Real, “Bearing Witness”
15. Tanita Tikaram, “Valentine Heart”
14. ‘Til Tuesday, “J for Jules”
13. Siouxsie & the Banshees, “The Killing Jar”
12. Ministry, “Stigmata”
11. Pop Will Eat Itself, “Can U Dig It?”
10. The Feelies, “It’s Only Life”
9. The Pixies, “Where is My Mind?”
8. Living Colour, “Cult of Personality”
7. Peter Murphy, “Time Has Got Nothing to Do with It”
6. Sinead O’Connor, “Jump in the River”
5. Everything but the Girl, “I Always Was Your Girl”
4. Love & Money, “Strange Kind of Love”
3. Fine Young Cannibals, “She Drives Me Crazy”
2. Billy Bragg, “The Price I Pay”
1. Talk Talk, “Desire”
Crushes my soul to take “Man With a Gun” off there. Seriously… ’88 missing that song, “Birthday” and “Under the Milky Way” is pretty much blasphemy… but I guess that’s what my personal play lists are for.
This year was as hard or harder than ’86 but for different reasons. Yes, a lot of good bands didn’t make the cut, but more difficult was “Which song to choose from Tanita Tikaram, or the Waterboys, or ‘Til Tuesday, or Fine Young Cannibals, etc. As Nortley indicated with his list, there were so many albums that had great cut after great cut.
And thanks Brad Speedy for another vote for “Hawkmoon 269”!
Wait, is “Can U Dig It?” ’89? Man, iTunes screws
things up so much.
Ok… so… gotta change that one out… hmmm…
I finally went with these:
The Art Of Noise featuring Tom Jones – Kiss
Billy Bragg – Shes Got A New Spell
Crowded House – Sister Madly
The Darling Buds – Lets Go Round There
Joe Jackson – (Hes A) Shape In A Drape
James – What For
The Jesus And Mary Chain – Sidewalking
King Blank – Uptight
Nick Lowe – Love Gets Strange
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark – Dreaming
The Pogues – Fiesta
Prefab Sprout – Cars And Girls
The Primitives – Way Behind Me
The Psychedelic Furs All That Money Wants
Schnell Fenster – Love-Hate Relationship
Shriekback – Shark Walk
The Smithereens – Only A Memory
The Style Council – How She Threw It All Away
The Style Council – Life At A Top Peoples Health Farm
That Petrol Emotion – Groove Check
They Might Be Giants – Ana Ng
Transvision Vamp – I Want Your Love
The Wonder Stuff – Give, Give, Give Me More, More, More
The Woodentops – Maybe It Wont Last
Neil Young & The Bluenotes – Ten Men Workin’
I tried to leave off most of the more popular choices such as U2 and Morrissey since I figured they’d get plenty of votes from other people. Of course some of my picks probably have no chance of making the list, but there you go.
Morrissey – Every day is like Sunday
Erasure – Chains of Love
Cowboy Junkies – Sweet Jane
The Jesus and Mary Chain – Sidewalking
Psychedelic Furs – All that Money Wants
The Waterboys – Fisherman’s Blues
Duran Duran – All she wants Is
Billy Bragg – Waiting for the Great leap Forward
Peter Murphy – Indigo Eyes
Information Society – What’s on your Mind (Pure Energy)
Proclaimers – I’m gonna be (500 Miles)
Fine young Cannibals – She drives me Crazy
Front 242 – Headhunter
Siouxsie and the Banshees – The Last beat of my Heart
Tracy Chapman – Fast Car
U2 – All I want is You
New Order – Fine Time
Prince – Alphabet St.
Kon Kan I beg your Pardon (I never promised you a Rose Garden)
Book of Love – Lullaby
Neneh Cherry – Buffalo Stance
Sinead O’Connor – Jump in the River
Camouflage – Your smiling Face
Enya – Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)
Lita Ford – Kiss me Deadly
My list and then some ..
Camouflage, “The Great Commandment”
The Church, “Reptile”
The Godfathers, “Birth, School, Work, Death”
Information Society, “What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy)”
Information Society, “Walking Away”
Jane’s Addiction, “Jane Says”
Jane’s Addiction, “Mountain Song”
The Mission UK, “Tower of Strength”
Morrissey, “Suedehead”
Public Enemy, “Bring the Noise”
Public Enemy, “Don’t Believe the Hype”
R.E.M., “Orange Crush”
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock, “It Takes Two”
Inner City, “Good Life”
N.W.A., “Straight Outta Compton”
Jungle Brothers, “I’ll House You”
Smithereens, “House We Used To Live In”
Smithereens, “Only a Memory”
Sugarcubes, “Birthday”
Sugarcubes, “Motorcrash”
U2, “Desire”
Eric B. And Rakim, “Follow The Leader”
The House of Love, “Destroy the Heart”
The Pixies, “Gigantic”
Kitchens of Distinctions, “Prize”
Ranking Roger, “So Excited”
Fugazi, “Waiting Room”
I’ve got to come back in here and compile a massive playlist using everyones’ lists. :D
ThomW.
Birth, School, Work, Death was on the 1987 list. Hopefully you haven’t voted and can replace it.
Big Dipper “Ron Klaus Wrecked His House”
Boogie Down Productions “Illegal Business”
Camper Van Beethoven “Eye of Fatima parts 1 & 2”
Danzig “Twist of Cain”
Fugazi “Waiting Room”
Laibach “Across the Universe”
LL Cool J “Going Back to Cali”
Lucinda Williams “Passionate Kisses”
Marc Almond “Tears Run Wings”
Masters Of Reality “Domino”
Moev “Crucify Me”
Mudhoney “Touch Me I’m Sick”
Neneh Cherry “Buffalo Stance”
Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds “Mercy Seat”
Peter Murphy “Indigo Eyes”
Public Enemy “Don’t Believe the Hype”
R.E.M. “World Leader Pretend”
Sam Phillips “I Don’t Know How to Say Goodbye to You”
Slick Rick “Children’s Story”
The Church “Reptile”
The Feelies “Higher Ground”
The Field Mice “Emma’s House”
Thin White Rope “Red Sun”
Wire “Kidney Bingos”
Ziggy Marley “Tomorrow People”
kind of late now, but can someone remind me how we determined that the Church’s UTMW was a 1987 release? everywhere i look says Feb. 1988 both internationally and US.
“Under the Milky Way” was first released in 1987 in Australia and New Zealand, per Discogs: https://bit.ly/2QM4mfb
The Pogues, “Thousands Are Sailing”
Front 242, “Until Death -Us Do Part-”
Prefab Sprout,”Cars And Girls”
R.E.M.,”World Leader Pretend”
Tracy Chapman,”Talkin’ Bout a Revolution”
The Wedding Present,”Nobody’s Twisting Your Arm”
Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, “A Sheltered Life”
Billy Bragg, “She’s Got A New Spell”
Big Audio Dynamite, “Other 99”
Public Enemy, “Don’t Believe the Hype”
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, “The Mercy Seat”
Joe Strummer, “trash city”
The Mission,”Tower Of Strength”
Stump, “Charlton Heston”
The Godfathers, “Cause I Said So”
The Darling Buds,”Shame On You”
Luxuria, “Redneck”
The Wonder Stuff,”A Wish Away”
The Posies, “I May Hate You Sometimes”
Momus,”The Angels Are Voyeurs”
Big Country, “Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)”
Sonic Youth, “Teen Age Riot”
Dinosaur Jr., “Freak Scene”
Julian Cope, “Charlotte Anne”
The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Sidewalking”
I missed the deadline by a day so I’ll just post my choices. In no particular order (except #1 is my fave of that year)
1. Peek-A- Boo, Siouxsie and The Banshees
2. The Killing Jar, Siouxsie and The Banshees
3. Chains of Love, Erasure
4. A Little Respect, Erasure
5 Fine Time, New Order
6. What I Am, Edie Brickell and New Bohemians
7. Beat of Love, Voice of the Beehive
8. Don’t Call Me Baby, Voice of the Beehive
9. Only A Memory, The Smithereens
10. Everyday is Like Sunday, Morrissey
11. Fuck Ths Police, N.W.A.
12. I Need a Man, Eurythmics
13. You Have Places a Chill in My Heart, Eurythmics
14. I Hate Myself For Loving You, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts
15. I’m Your Pusher, Ice-T
16. Sweet Child O’ Mine, Guns ‘n’ Roses
17. Orinoco Flow (Sail Away), Enya
18. Punk Rock Girl, The Dead Milkmen
19. Theme From “S-Express”, S-Express
20. What’s On Your Mind (Pure Energy), Information Soceity
21. You Came, Kim Wilde
22. Witchcraft, Book of Love
23. Orange Crush, R.E.M.
24. I Get Exited (You Get Excited Too), Pet Shop Boys
25. Charlotte Anne, Julian Cope
and #26 is This Woman’s Work by Kate Bush
#27 All Night Long, Peter Murphy (my god how I could forget that song and it’s parent album)
Was wondering if Trump was suing to block the results of the ’88 poll or something? Are the Republicans failing to certify the results, claiming Milli Vanilli actually took the #1 spot?
Are we waiting for January 20th to have an official swearing in of the Top 100 of ’88?