8 of the 80s: 9/4/14 (1984)

Let's move ahead a decade in this week's throwback Thursday as I serve up eight more nuggets from 1984, the year that the center-right-wing Progressive Conservative Party wins big in Canada, while on the same day the left-wing Sandanistas are victorious in elections in Nicaragua.

A Flock Of Seagulls - "The More You Live, The More You Love"
from the album The Story Of A Young Heart (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #56
Songwriters: Frank Maudsley, Paul Reynolds, Ali Stone, Mike Stone


The final hurrah on American radio for the hair-ific new wave band from England. Guitar ace Paul Reynolds would leave shortly after.

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The Psychedelic Furs - "The Ghost In You"
from the album Mirror Moves (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #59
Songwriters: Richard & Tim Butler

The British band led by the Butler brothers were big in my neck of the woods; I never would've guessed without subscribing to Billboard that this wasn't a top-40 hit (as well as the album)...

The Human League - "The Lebanon"
from the album Hysteria (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #64
Songwriters: John Cellis, Phil Oakey

Though this record tanked, I hold a place in my heart for this earnest attempt by the new-wave hitmakers to widen their lyrical and musical direction.

The Fixx - "Sunshine In The Shade"
from the album Phantoms (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #69
Songwriters: Dan Brown, Cy Curnin, Rupert Greenall, Jamie West-Oram, Adam Woods

The Fixx were a new wave band that you could get your dance groove to, especially with funky-lite records like this, which floats along its bassline and drum beat.

Madness - "The Sun And The Rain"
from the album Keep Moving (US-1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #72
Songwriter: Mike Barson

The ska-rock giants from Britain tried to replicate their "Our House" success in America with this similar-paced record.

Berlin - "Now It's My Turn"
from the album Love Life (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #74
Songwriter: John Crawford

The West Coast masters of new wave's last hit before they went Hollywood for Top Gun.

Eurythmics - "Sexcrime (Nineteen Eighty-Four)"
from the album 1984 (For The Love Of Big Brother) (Original Soundtrack) (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #81
Songwriters: Annie Lennox, David A Stewart

I was such a fan of the Eurythmics' musical companion to the movie version of the George Orwell book, but apparently the director wasn't. While this awesome single was a hit all over the world, it was stunted pretty sharply in the States, despite the duo's massive fanbase.

Modern English - "Hands Across The Sea"
from the album Ricochet Days (1984)
Billboard Hot 100 peak; #91
Songwriters: Richard Brown, Michael Conroy, Robbie Grey, Gary McDowell, Stephen Walker

The English band from Essex that brought us "I Melt With You" (twice, actually) popped on to the chart for a few weeks with this little charmer...