8 of the 80s: 7/11/13 (1983)...

Hey folks, it's time for this week's 80's throwback, and I'm back to 1983, the year Nintendo started selling a "family computer" called the Famicom in Japan. This week it's eight new wave-tastic nuggets, for sure, like omigod!

Felony - "The Fanatic"
from the album The Fanatic (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #42
Songwriters: Art Blea, Louis Ruiz, Dan Sands, Jeff Spry, Joe Spry

The bridge between Anglo-centric New Wave and American rock and roll that would eventually end up as Modern Rock, this Los Angeles group was big in Cali with this Valley tune.

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Sparks & Jane Wiedlin - "Cool Places"
from the album In Outer Space (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #49
Songwriters: Ron & Russel Mael

The Go-Go tried her best to get this L.A. new wave duo to mainstream audiences, but they didn't quite make it. Either way, for such a fluff piece lyrically, this is still pretty epic today...

The Tubes - "Tip Of My Tongue"
from the album Outside Inside (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #52
Songwriters: William Spooner, Maurice White

Producer David Foster (yes, that guy) brought in Earth Wind & Fire's Maurice White as a "ringer" to co-write this follow-up to the new-wave band's top-10 "She's A Beauty" to bring the funk to their groove. I loved this.

Robert Hazard - "Escalator Of Life"
from the album Robert Hazard & The Heroes (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #58
Songwriter: Robert Hazard


Most people know the late rocker for penning Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want To Have Fun", but us Philly area fans know better. He was huge here, and for good reason. This is truly a should-have-been-a-smash Billy-Idol style..

Yaz - "Only You"
from the album Upstairs At Eric's (1982)
Billboard Hot 100 peak; #67
Songwriter: Vince Clarke

I. WORSHIP. ALISON. MOYET. One of the best vocalists of all time, and Adele owes a lot to her. This song made me forgive Vince for leaving Depeche Mode. Now go pick up her excellent new solo album already.

Heaven 17 - "Let Me Go"
from the album The Luxury Gap (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #74
Songwriters: Glenn Gregory, Ian Craig Marsh, Martyn Ware

The Human League spinoff group got lost in the barrage of British new wave groups making it on American shores, but this remains a classic in the English pop canon.

The B-52's - "Legal Tender"
from the album Whammy! (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #81
Songwriters: Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider, Keith Strickland, Cindy Wilson, Ricky Wilson, Robert Waldrop

They played this in concert last month, and I squealed like a tween girl. I'm not ashamed. My absolute fave jam of theirs. Hands down.

Double Image - "Night Pulse"
from the single (1983)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #92
Songwriters: Patrick Bolen, Bill Butler, Gabriel Katona


This unknown nugget was produced by the Four Seasons' Bob Gaudio..

That does it for this week's "Valley Girl"-style flashback...I'll return tomorrow with another Song of the Day and my top-100 tunes for the week.