Back to the '80's

Patrick Swayze Dies

2009-09-14T19:32:00.002-05:00

August 18, 1952 - September 14, 2009

Sad to report, Patrick Swayze has lost his battle with cancer. Swayze died today at the age of 57. He will be remembered for many iconic roles throughout the 80's and 90's.

The Tubes - She's a Beauty

2009-08-15T09:00:00.001-05:00

She's A Beauty／The tubes
Uploaded by gaimon5656. - See the latest featured music videos.

This 1983 song and video by The Tubes is one of the best songs you'll ever want to listen to about strippers. It reached #10 on the charts.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Eddy Grant - Electric Avenue

2009-08-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

Didn't always understand what he was singing, but didn't care. It just sounded good the way he was singing it. Eddy Grant reached #2 with this reggae inspired hit in 1983.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Movie of the Week - The War of the Roses (1989)

2009-08-14T12:21:00.004-05:00

The trio of Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito worked so well for Romancing the Stone and it's follow up Jewel of the Nile that they decided to join forces again and make this 1989 dark comedy.

The War of the Roses is so funny, because it is so true. There are ways this troubled couple relate to each other that almost any married couple in the world can sympathize. There are classic scenes throughout that will stick in your memory forever.

Even though the Indiana Jones-like Romancing the Stone and Jewel of the Nile get more attention for this trio of actors, it is this movie that is by far the more superior film.

Kudos to Danny DeVito for directing this film. It was an underrated job of directing. Go rent this film and thank me later.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

The Vapors - Turning Japanese

2009-08-14T09:00:00.000-05:00

Vapors Turning Japanese
Uploaded by Celtiemama. - Explore more music videos.

We've all heard the rumors so I don't believe there's a need to go into it here. Suffice it to say, this song is not about switching citizenship to become a Japanese citizen. Use your imagination if you don't know, and if that doesn't work, ask a friend what this song is about.

This was a big hit for The Vapors all the way back in 1980.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 Scandals of the 80's

2009-08-13T18:00:00.001-05:00

These are the scandals that first hit my mind when thinking about 80's. I'm sure there are probably others out there and I welcome your feedback in the comments. That being said, out of the ten scandals off the top of my head in the 80's, I ranked them according to their importance and impact.

#10

Rob Lowe's Sex Tape

Doesn't he look like the cat who ate the canary in the photo above? Well that isn't too far off of what Rob Lowe did at the 1988 Democratic National Convention. While attending the convention Rob picked up a couple of, more than willing, girls from a local bar. He took them back to his hotel room where they engaged in a threesome that was videotaped. Unfortunately for Mr. Lowe, one of the girls was only 16yrs old.

I come down on the side of Rob on this one. I mean really, what are you supposed to do, start IDing girls you meet in bars? They're supposed to be old enough if they're in the place drinking in the first place.

Luckily, Rob had no legal problems arise from the tape, but the embarrassment from the tape being leaked, derailed his career for a period of time. Rob's career has totally rebounded and he enjoys steady work in Hollywood to this day.

An interesting fact about this scandal is that it is one of the very first Hollywood sex tape scandals. As we all know now, alot of celebrities use this as a vehicle to stardom these days. Boy, how times have changed.

Oral Roberts Fundraising

In January 1987 Oral Roberts stepped in front of a camera and told all his followers God was going to "call him home" unless he raised $8 million by March. Luckily, for Mr. Roberts, a millionaire made up the lacking funds just before the deadline.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't God own everything to begin with? I have my doubts God would need Oral Roberts to raise a single penny for him if that's what he wanted. Here, in a nutshell, is what is wrong with organized religion. I highly doubt God approves.

Anyway, don't get me started. On to the next entry on the list.

Milli Vanilli's Lip Synching

In 1989 Milli Vanilli was performing live on MTV when the recording began to skip, leaving the duo trying to cover by playing right along with the skip. Finally, they both ran off the stage in utter embarrassment. As questions arose from the mishap it was revealed that neither Milli or Vanilli sang on the album. They were just live puppets. Because they had won Grammy Awards the scandal was heightened and they ended up giving the awards back.

Ben Johnson's Steroids Scandal

Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson was just sick and tired of losing to American sprinter Carl Lewis. So what did he do to get better? Train? No. Steroids? Yes. In doing so, Johnson became unbeatable. He shattered two world records and won Olympic Gold in 1988.

When it was found, through testing, Johnson had been taking steroids he was stripped of his world records and his Olympic Gold Medal.

Pete Rose Bets On Baseball

For the life of me I have never quite understood Pete Rose's sin here. Did he bet on baseball? Yes. Did he bet on Reds games? Yes. Did he bet against the Reds? No.

Pete Rose never bet against the team he was managing and/or playing for. Therefore, he never tried to fix a game or anything even close to it. What he did do is put his money where his mouth was and say his team was gonna kick the other team's ass. I don't have a problem with this.

To keep the all-time hits leader in the history of baseball out of the Hall of Fame and to give him a lifetime ban is just unbelievably ridiculous. Baseball should be ashamed. Charlie Hustle didn't cheat!!! Reinstate the man and put him in the Hall where he belongs!!!

Gary Hart's Love Of Rice

Donna Rice that is. Hart was the clear Democratic front runner to win the party's nomination to be President in 1988. Unfortunately for Hart and fortunately for the country, his extra-marital affair with Donna Rice was revealed and it derailed his career. Gotta love Rice!!!

Jimmy Swaggart The Hypocrite

Jimmy Swaggart must have been thinking the ministry was just a microcosm of the great 80's movie Highlander. He must of been thinking of the movie's theme of "There can be only one", because he had been running around policing the Kingdom of God and taking the heads of such high profile preachers as Jim Bakker and Marvin Gorman for extra-marital affairs.

Here's the rub. While Jimmy was busy eliminating the competition he was doing the exact same thing himself. And what made matters worse was he was cheating with streetwalking prostitutes. Tsk tsk tsk....I don't think God approves Jimmy.

Jim Bakker Cheats and Evades

When it was found out Jim Bakker had cheated on Tammy Faye with the church secretary, Jessica Hahn, that was bad enough, but when the subsequent investigation, because of the hush money, uncovered numerous financial irregularities, the government came at him with both barrels blasting.

By the time it was all over, Bakker suffered a nervous breakdown and was sentenced to 45yrs in prison. PTL.

The Iran Contra Affair

This scandal touched a lot of people in Washington, but it never made it up to Ronald Reagan. And there is a simple reason why. Reagan knew nothing about it. As much as some people would like to lay the blame at his feet, he simply knew nothing.

The player that came out of this affair, looking much better than the Democrats would have liked was Oliver North. He became so popular for his coolness under oath, his hair cut became the fad of the summer of '87.

Savings And Loan Scandal

The savings and loan crisis of the 1980s and 1990s (commonly referred to as the S&L crisis) was the failure of 745 savings and loan associations (S&Ls aka thrifts). An S&L association is a financial institution in the United States that accepts savings deposits and makes mortgage loans. The ultimate cost of the crisis is estimated to have totaled around $160.1 billion, about $124.6 billion of which was directly paid for by the U.S. government—that is, the U.S. taxpayer, either directly or through charges on their savings and loan accounts^[1]—which contributed to the large budget deficits of the early 1990s.

The concomitant slowdown in the finance industry and the real estate market may have been a contributing cause of the 1990–1991 economic recession. Between 1986 and 1991, the number of new homes constructed per year dropped from 1.8 million to 1 million, the lowest rate since World War II

---Wikipedia

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Animotion - Obsession

2009-08-13T09:00:00.001-05:00

This was an even a larger hit than it's #6 chart position would indicate. That may be due to the fact of it's status as a club song and it's content. Animotion charted this song in 1985 with lead singers Astrid Plane and Bill Wadhams on vocals. It wasn't until later, when both Plane ad Wadhams had left the group, that Cynthia Rhodes (also known as Mrs. Richard Marx) joined as lead vocalist.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Murray Head - One Night in Bangkok

2009-08-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

One Night in Bangkok took an unlikely road to One Hit Wonder stardom. Murray Head was an actor starring in a musical called Chess. This song was in the musical, but found a life outside the show. The music for the song was composed by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA fame. The lyrics were written by Tim Rice. It reached #3 on the U.S. charts in 1984.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Actor of the Week - Michael Douglas

2009-08-12T13:00:00.000-05:00

Michael Douglas

Sept. 25, 1944 -

By the time the 80's rolled around Michael Douglas, the son of movie legend Kirk Douglas, had already been very successful in Hollywood. He had already won an Oscar in the 70's for producing One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Also, he had starred in the critically acclaimed 1979 movie The China Syndrome.

In the 80's Douglas gained super stardom with blockbuster after blockbuster, including a Best Actor Oscar for playing Wall Street tycoon Gordon Gecko in the 1987 movie Wall Street.

Douglas has had a long and successful career in Hollywood and he is still at it to this day. I have no doubt Douglas has at least one more award worthy performance in him.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Taco - Puttin' On The Ritz

2009-08-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

In 1982, Dutch singer Taco took Puttin' on the Ritz to #4 on the U.S. charts. The song and the video both had a different sound and look to it and people responded well to the deviation from the norm. Taco, though, never had another sniff at the charts.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 Gender Benders of the 80's

2009-08-11T18:00:00.002-05:00

The 80's was a decade of quite a bit of androgyny. Guys were wearing makeup and sporting long hair and girls were cutting their hair short, some even had buzz cuts. Lot's of guys were looking like girls and lots of girls were looking like guys. Lucky we got out of the decade not completely confused Adam was Adam and Eve was Eve and not vice versa.

So, who were the biggest Gender Bender Offenders??? Well, let's count them down.

#10

Michael Caine

Dressed To Kill (1980)

Michael Caine donned a wig, shades and a trench coat to play a psychopathic psychiatrist in the 1980 movie Dressed To Kill.

Peter Scolari & Tom Hanks

Bosom Buddies (1980-1982)

These two made a couple of the most hideous looking women I have ever seen. It must be really, really hard to find an apartment in New York is all I have to say.

Dee Snider

Twisted Sister

Scariest transvestite in the history of mankind. Dee Snider looked like a Rocky Horror Picture Show, acid induced nightmare in the 80's.

Joyce Hyser

Just One of the Guys (1985)

This movie scared me, because I didn't know what to do with my feelings of attraction when Joyce was dressed like a guy. I'm still confused to the day.

Jamie Farr

M*A*S*H* (1972-1983)

I take it back about Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari being the most hideous women I'd ever seen. Jamie Farr as Cpl. Klinger takes the grand prize for that category. What's a fella have to do to get out of the services, anyway???

Pete Burns

Dead or Alive

In the 80's Pete Burns was the poor man's Boy George. The thing is George has moved on from his gender bending past, to a certain extent. Pete, however, has decided to not only continue, but even further his endeavors. He, pretty much, is unrecognizable as a man these days.

Poison

I remember the first time I ever saw this album cover and I thought to myself, Who are those hot chicks. When I found out it was a bunch of dudes, I felt so dirty that I had to go take a shower.

Dustin Hoffman

Tootsie (1982)

Dustin Hoffman wasn't so much ugly as a woman, he was just not pretty. Hoffman used his gender bending ability to get ahead in his career in the 1982 movie Tootsie.

Annie Lennox

The Eurythmics

Was I supposed to feel disgusted? Repulsed? Scared? I don't know, but for some reason I was strangely attracted. So, when Annie did away with some of the shock value I knew why. Annie Lennox was actually beautiful in her natural state as a woman and she couldn't even hide it with short red hair and a business suit.

Boy George

The Culture Club

Was there ever any doubt who should be #1 on this list? I had absolutely no idea for the first hit or two The Culture Club had that the lead singer was a guy. He looked like a girl, walked like a girl, danced like a girl and he even sang like a girl. And to top it all, he even was attractive as a girl. I'll never forgive him for that.

Well there you have it, the Top 10 Gender Benders of the 80's. How I ever made it out of the 80's with my mind not in a permanent state of confusion is some kind of miracle.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Men Without Hats - Safety Dance

2009-08-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

The easiest dance in the history of mankind to learn. If you had two arm and could lift one above your head in a 45 degree angle and the other in front of your waist at the opposite 45 degree angle, then you knew the Safety Dance.

The video for this song by Men Without Hats, was just wrong on so many levels. The three main characters in the video kind of scared the bejesus out of me. The lead singer was always shifting his eyes from one side to another and it made him look posessed. The girl, who was twirling and dancing, was just downright crazy looking. She looked, as though she belonged in an insane asylum. And, well, as far as the dwarf goes, dwarves have always scared me quite a bit. If you add a jester outfit to one you have the fodder for many future nightmares.

With all that said, it was still a catchy tune, which could not be denied a high place on the charts.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Nena - 99 Red Balloons

2009-08-10T18:00:00.001-05:00

Not even Hitler could do as much to advance the German language in English speaking countries as Nena did when they brought out 99 Luftballons. And even though I could sing every single word in German, I was glad it was the English version, 99 Red Balloons, that topped the charts in the United States.

This song is so good I'm gonna post the German version down below. Enjoy!!!

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen

2009-08-10T13:00:00.002-05:00

I figured I may as well start this One Hit Wonder week out with what I consider the all-time greatest one hit wonder.

This is just a great song from beginning to end. The words are nostalgically great, the music is unbelievably catchy, and the video is a wonderful example of the 80's type of video. Add that all together and you, not only, have one of the best one hit wonders of all-time, but you have one of the best songs of all-time.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Artist of the Week - One Hit Wonders

2009-08-10T09:00:00.001-05:00

There has been no other decade, in music, like the 80's, when it comes to One Hit Wonders. There was more of them in the 80's than any other decade and the quality of the One Hit Wonders were better, in addition.

Actually, some of the best songs to come out of the 80's or any other decade, for that matter, were One Hit Wonders. It's almost like these musicians put every ounce of talent and strength into one single song and it completely depleted them of any such hope of ever writing another song as good.

This same mystery also may explain why so many bands throughout the history of popular music debut with these unbelievably good albums and then are never able to duplicate that artistry or success.

Anyhow, this week I will be posting videos of artists that had only one big hit and was never really heard from again in the U.S. I hope you enjoy!!!

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Rocket

2009-08-09T18:00:00.002-05:00

This was Def Leppard's last hit of the 80's. It reached #5 in 1989 off their hugely successful Hysteria album.

Def Leppard had several more hits in the 90's and are still going strong today. They are definitely one of the most succesful rock acts of all-time. Hope you've enjoyed the Def Leppard Week.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Love Bites

2009-08-09T13:00:00.003-05:00

Def Leppard slowed it down for this #1 hit in 1988 off their Hysteria album. Another one of my faves.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Armageddon It

2009-08-09T09:00:00.002-05:00

This song reached #3 in 1988 off Def Leppard's Hysteria album.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Hysteria

2009-08-08T18:00:00.002-05:00

This is one of my favorite Def Leppard songs and definitely my favorite off the Hysteria album. It reached #9 in 1987.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Pour Some Sugar On Me

2009-08-08T13:00:00.003-05:00

This song has proven to be one of Def Leppard's most enduring hits. It reached #2 off their Hysteria album in 1987. The video listed above was their official U.K. version.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Animal

2009-08-08T09:00:00.002-05:00

Def Leppard - Animal
Uploaded by bebepanda. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

This was the 2nd hit off the Hysteria album. It reached #5 in 1987.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Women

2009-08-07T18:00:00.002-05:00

After Pyromania ended it's glorius run of success in 1983, Def Leppard was fell by a series of misfortunes, including drummer Rick Allen losing his left arm in an automobile accident. His bandmates refused to move on without him, so they waited 4yrs for him to recover and learn how to drum with just his remaining right arm. This is one of the reasons I personally love Def Leppard, loyalty to their buddy.

The question was, would the hiatus and misfortune to Allen cause the band to slip. They released the Hysteria album in 1987 and this song was their first hit off the album, reaching #7. Looked as though Def Leppard picked right up where they left off.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Movie of the Week - Crossroads (1986)

2009-08-07T13:00:00.002-05:00

The Karated Kid becomes blues man extrordinaire Lightning Boy in this 1986 movie. Classically trained as a guitarist, Ralph Macchio yearns for the more raw sounds of the deep south blues. A wily old blues man convinces Macchio to help him get back down south on the pretense of allowing him to record a lost blues song that was never recorded.

There is plenty of good music throughout the movie, but it is the final guitar battle between Macchio and real-life guitarist Steve Vai that makes this movie a must-see.

Rent it if you haven't seen it. It is an enjoyable weekend film.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Action! Not Words

2009-08-07T09:00:00.003-05:00

This was Def Leppard's last hit off their unbelievably successful 1983 album, Pyromania. It reached #42 in 1983.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Billy's Got a Gun

2009-08-06T18:00:00.003-05:00

Not one of Def Leppard's biggest hits, but still good to rock out to. This song reached #33 in 1983 off their Pyromania album.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 Best Use of Facial Hair in the 80's

2009-08-06T13:00:00.001-05:00

Facial hair wasn't quite as prominent in the 80's as it was in the 60's and 70's. However, what facial hair there was in the 80's was used to maximum potential in getting the owner noticed.

Now sit back and get ready to take a ride on the musta... er.....uh.....I mean just sit back and lets count this thing down. Yeah that's what I meant to say. Enjoy!

#10

Ted Lange

A cruise on the Love Boat just would never have been the same if Isaac Washington (Lange) wasn't standing behind the bar, smiling and serving you up shot of tequila after shot of tequila. Thanks Isaac for all the good times and the need for a liver transplant.

Jon Cryer

Ducky from Pretty in Pink with a beard and mustache? No way! Yep, it sure was, and that is why Jon Cryer has made this list.

It was so shocking to see the Duck Man with a full beard and mustache in the movie Hiding Out. Luckily, we didn't have to see it for too long, due to him shaving it off early in the film, or else we would have went on sensory overload.

John Oates

Mr. Oates was most definitely rocking out that big mustache throughout the 80's. When he shaved it off in the 90's, he was difficult to recognize. I say Oates should grow it back in all it's glory and never shave it off again.

Freddie Mercury

Here was another thick soup strainer in the 80's. Freddie Mercury was able to pull off wearing this mustache pretty much through the entire decade, even though a mustache of this magnitude was more a fad of the 60's and 70's.

Hulk Hogan

"Thunder Lips.....In the flesh, baby!!!" And with those words the legend of Hulk Hogan and his trusty mustache was born.

Rocky III was the first time I had ever seen Hulk Hogan, but he left a lasting impression. He was so much bigger than Stallone and just downright scary looking with that menacing mustache.

Sam Elliott

Plain and simply, one of the greatest mustaches to ever grace the motion picture screen. The great thing about Elliott is that his mustache has only gotten bigger and better as time has went on.

William Lee Golden

Many won't recognize the name, but you surely should recognize the beard. Golden's beard was on full display in the 80's as the Oak Ridge Boys hit #1 with the hugely popular song Elvira.

ZZ Top

ZZ Top gave you double the hair with their crazy long beards in the 80's. Looks as though the guy in the middle should have been fired and they should have brought in William Lee Golden, up above, to take his place. Would have been a trio made in follicle heaven.

Tom Selleck

Tom Selleck had the king of all mustaches in the 80's. It's pretty hard not to hear the name Tom Selleck or Magnum P.I. without immediately thinking about that huge mustache.

George Michael

George Michael is #1 here for the simple reason of how influential that shadow of a beard was in the 80's. If you were a teenage boy or a fully grown man you was looking to ride the coattails of George Michael by growing your own version of the wildly popular 5 o'clock shadow. We all grew it to help us get the chicks. Come to find out, Georgie boy was after the exact opposite. Man, what a waste. George Michael could of had any woman he wanted back in the day.

Well there you have it, my Top 10 Best Use of Facial Hair in the 80's. I hope you enjoyed. If you disagree with my list or if you have any suggestions for a future top 10 list, please leave it in the comment section below.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Comin' Under Fire

2009-08-06T09:00:00.003-05:00

Def Leppard finally released a song off the Pyromania album that didn't reach Top 10 status. Although, it probably should have, but people might of been starting to get burned out a bit. This song reached #24 in 1983.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Too Late For Love

2009-08-05T18:00:00.002-05:00

This is Def Leppard's 4th consecutive Top 10 hit off their Pyromania album. The song hit #9 in 1983.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Actor of the Week - Ralph Macchio

2009-08-05T13:00:00.001-05:00

Ralph Macchio

Nov. 4, 1961 -

He was, is and always will be the Karate Kid, Daniel LaRusso or Daniel-san. That's how the world remembers Ralph Macchio. However, Macchio was no one-hit wonder, by any means.

Macchio enjoyed the huge success of starring in three Karate Kid movies in the 80's, before handing the role over to a girl in 1994's Next Karate Kid. That girl happened to be future Oscar winner Hilary Swank.

The funny thing about those Karate Kid movies, was Macchio was far from actually being a "kid". He was 23yrs old upon filming the first movie, 25yrs old for the second and the ripe old age of 28yrs old when he filmed his final installment of The Karate Kid. The eternally youthful looking Macchio didn't actually start looking like he was out of his teens until he was like 45. I'm sure this hindered his opportunities as an actor later on in his career. However the 80's was a boom for Macchio.

It's easy to forget Macchio's other accomplishments as an actor, what with all the hype over his Karate Kid role. But, he was in several other very good movies in the 80's and early 90's. He played a major role in The Outsiders as a juvenile delinquent running from the law and a blues loving classical guitarist in the underrated Crossroads. That is not to mention his success in the early 90's with movies such as My Cousin Vinny.

Unfortunately, as Macchio's looks began to mature to what would be a normal state for most people, he began finding good roles hard to come by. Macchio is still acting, but his blockbuster success is far behind him. I would still love to see him in some better roles than what he gets now. Macchio hasn't lost the ability to act, just the ability to act like a teenager.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Foolin'

2009-08-05T09:00:00.002-05:00

This was Def Leppard's 3rd consecutive Top 10 hit off their Pyromania album. It reached #9 in 1983.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Rock of Ages

2009-08-04T18:00:00.003-05:00

"Gunter glieben glauchen globen" Yep this is how the song starts off. Def Leppard had every kid in the world speaking German, yet no one, to this day, can translate...lol.

This was their 2nd consecutive #1 hit off the Pyromania album in 1983.

Top 10 Fat Boy Sidekicks of the 80's

2009-08-04T13:00:00.001-05:00

This may possibly be the most ill conceived Top 10 list I have done so far. I really didn't figure this fact out until I had compiled a list of about 20 Fat Boy Sidekicks. By then, I was too far into it to turn back. So with that said, let's get started.

First let's get a little of the definition of our list title out of the way.

Fat - Having too much flabby tissue; corpulent; obese.

Boy - A young man who lacks maturity, judgement, etc.

Sidekick - A close friend, confederate or assistant.

So basically, this list is full of a bunch of overweight, immature accomplices. Yep that about sums up the guys on this list, alright. Always there for the lead character to count on in times of need. Be it for a good deed or a bad one. Enjoy the list!!!

#10

David (Joe Rubbo)

The Last American Virgin (1982)

(WARNING - Some may find movie clip offensive)

This funny sequence of scenes shows Fat Boy Sidekick David (Joe Rubbo) in two capacities which are very important to being a Fat Boy Sidekick. First, his willingness to be the financier of things needed. And secondly, his need to protect his buddy from being hurt, be it physically, or as in this case, emotionally.

Chunk (Jeff Cohen)

The Goonies (1985)

This clip shows another very important characteristic of a good Fat Boy Sidekick. Chunk shows us his willingness to completely humiliate himself, if so asked, just to fit in.

Chubby (Mark Holton)

Teen Wolf & Teen Wolf Too (1985 & 1987)

Boy, did the casting directors ever show their ability to think outside the box on this one. The Fat Boy Sidekick in these Teen Wolf movies somehow was a gifted basketball player and boxer, respectively.

Lawrence (John Goodman)

Everybody's All-American (1988)

John Goodman displays three very important traits of a Fat Boy Sidekick in this movie clip. He shows the ability to guzzle beer with no hands, make fart noises with his armpits and tell a good joke on command. Great clip.

Willard Hewitt (Chris Penn)

Footloose (1984)

Looking back on this now, Chris Penn really wasn't much of a fatboy. He just always seemed to be and, of course, was a fatboy in the subsequent years leading up to his death.

As far as Penn's Fat Boy Sidekick attributes go, in this movie, he shows a willingness to please his buddy by doing what he can to learn how to dance. He also shows the protectiveness, by helping his buddy out in the fight scene at the end.

Paulie (Burt Young)

Rocky III & Rocky IV (1982 & 1985)

I posted the above clip for two reasons. First, because more people need to know how excellent of an actor Burt Young has always been. Give the man his props. Secondly, It shows a couple of great Rocky scenes where Paulie shows his Fat Boy Sidekick credential by being willing to take on Rocky's opponents to protect him. As Paulie says "I don't sweat you!"

Vincent Benedict (Danny DeVito)

Twins (1988)

Here is a different take on the Fat Boy Sidekick. In Twins, Danny DeVito, although he is the Fat Boy Sidekick, seems to have the upper hand in the relationship between him and Arnold. He's the one who is more streetwise and risk taking. So, Twins definitely took a different spin on the Fat Boy Sidekick role.

Victor/Captain Chaos (Dom DeLuise)

The Cannonball Run I & II (1981 & 1984)

Ok, so a Fat Boy Sidekick sometimes needs to have a mentally unstable side to him. Well, Dom DeLuise had that down in spades in The Cannonball Run movies, while playing sidekick to Burt Reynolds.

Del Griffith (John Candy)

Plains, Trains & Automobiles (1987)

I love John Candy and he is definitely a great Fat Boy Sidekick in this movie, among others. However, a Fat Boy Sidekick has got to know the difference between two pillows and a pair of ass cheeks or he just may be kicked to the curb.

"Joliet" Jake Blues (John Belushi)

The Blues Brothers (1980)

A Fat Boy Sidekick has to be able to "Shake a Tail Feather". And he has to be able to keep up while shaking that tail feather. Well, John Belushi NEVER had a problem keeping up. Great video clip!

Well there you have it. I know it wasn't the greatest list, but I still hope you had fun reading and watching. Let me know in the comments if you can think of any better 80's Fat Boy Sidekicks.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Photograph

2009-08-04T09:00:00.004-05:00

This is the song that kicked off Def Leppard's Pyromania album in 1983 by reaching #1 on the charts. Pyromania was an absolute monster of a success for the boys from Sheffield, England. There was no looking back after this song, which happens to also be one of my personal faves.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Bringin' on the Heartbreak

2009-08-03T18:00:00.002-05:00

You guys may not believe this, but this song actually never cracked the Top 40 in the United States. Def Leppard released this song twice. Once in 1981 and again in 1984 and yet neither time could the song make it's way into the Top 40. I cannot understand this for the life of me. This is one of their best songs ever, if not their best.

Anyhow the song is off their High 'n' Dry album of 1981.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Def Leppard - Let It Go

2009-08-03T14:00:00.003-05:00

This is Def Leppard's very first song which charted in the United States. It hit #31 in 1981 off their High 'n' Dry album.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Artist of the Week - Def Leppard

2009-08-03T09:00:00.001-05:00

Def Leppard are an English rock band from Sheffield, who formed in 1977 as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Largely on the strength of their albums Pyromania and Hysteria, Def Leppard became one of the top-selling rock bands throughout the 1980s, selling over 65 million albums worldwide,^[3] including over 35 million in the United States alone. Def Leppard are ranked #31 on VH1's "Greatest Artists of Hard Rock".^[4]

-Wikipedia

Air Supply - Just As I Am

2009-08-02T15:00:00.002-05:00

This was Air Supply's last major hit of the 80's. It reached the top 20 in 1985.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Air Supply - Making Love Out Of Nothing At All

2009-08-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

I always thought this was Air Supply's biggest hit, but I was wrong. It reached #2 in 1983. However, it may have been their most popular. I'd have to check the charts to see how long it hung out in the top 10.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Air Supply - Even The Nights Are Better

2009-08-01T22:36:00.003-05:00

This was the last song in a 7 consecutive string of top 5 hits for Air Supply. It reached #5 in 1982.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Air Supply - Sweet Dreams

2009-08-01T09:00:00.002-05:00

Out of all Air Supply's big hits, this is probably the one I least like. I don't dislike it, but it's just not one of my favorites.

They reached #5 with this song in 1982.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Movie of the Week - Johnny Dangerously (1984)

2009-07-31T15:00:00.000-05:00

This is a fun little movie with plenty of laughs to go around. We get to see Michael Keaton and Joe Piscopo in their prime. Other stars you might recognize in the movie are Marilu Henner (Taxi), Peter Boyle (Everybody Loves Raymond), Griffin Dunne (An American Werewolf in London), Dom DeLuise (Cannonball Run) and Danny DeVito (Taxi, Twins).

This is a gangster movie spoof that is set in the 1930's. Michael Keaton is excellent in it as a guy doing what he has to do to survive in a post-depression America. That may include the occasional thievery and murder.

Although Keaton is really great as the lead in the movie, for me it's Joe Piscopo that makes this movie. He's hilarious as the cruel sadistic Danny Vermin. He has an ongoing saying in the movie he uses to keep us in stitches. It changes according to the circumstances, but is funny throughout. Here's an example: When Johnny hangs Vermin up on a coat hook, Vermin turns to him, with his finger extended out and says "You shouldn't hang me on a hook, Johnny. My father hung me on a hook once.........ONCE!!!"

Really good weekend movie to watch and laugh a bit. Go rent it.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Air Supply - Here I Am

2009-07-31T09:00:00.002-05:00

This is definitely one of Air Supply's best songs. It reached #5 in 1981.

This has to be one of the greatest songs ever written about lost love. Great song about someone who realizes he can't survive without the woman he loves in his life.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 Instrumentals of the 80's

2009-07-30T15:00:00.001-05:00

#10

Oh Yeah

Yello

While this may not be an instrumental in the strictest sense of the term, it really doesn't have any singing in it either. There are some "Oh Yeahs" and some "Beautifuls" dispersed throughout the song, but that's about it.

What made this such an important 80's instrumental was it's appearance in movies such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Secret to my Success, K-9 and She's Out of Control.

Close to the Edit

Art of Noise

I'll never forget when this video came out. The little girl really freaked me out. Still does. Good music, strange video.

Songbird

Kenny G

Before Kenny G was so busy trying to break world's record by hitting the all-time longest notes, he was busy hitting the charts in the 80's with smooth sounding jazz songs such as this.

The A-Team Theme

Mike Post and Pete Carpenter

As soon as you heard the music you knew you were in for some laughs and plenty of action. The song has a militaristic sound to it, yet still carries a nice enough tune to listen to and enjoy over and over.

Hill Street Blues Theme

Mike Post feat. Larry Carlton on guitar

Great music and perfect for the series. This theme was written by one of the same guys that wrote The A-Team Theme above. I'd say he's pretty good at his job.

Miami Vice Theme

Jan Hammer

Miami Vice Theme - Jan Hammer
Uploaded by bebepanda. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

The coolest television series on the air had to have the coolest theme, so Jan Hammer was brought in to handle the music for Miami Vice. It would be pretty hard to think of Miami Vice with any other theme now, wouldn't it?

Axel F

Harold Faltermeyer

The name of the song comes from Eddie Murphy's character, Axel Foley, in Beverly Hills Cop, which the song was written for.

Rockit

Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock, Rockit, 1983
Uploaded by harrison73. - Explore more music videos.

Not only was this one of the most innovative song of it's time but it was also one of the most innovative music videos of all-time.

Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire

David Foster

David Foster - St. Elmo's Fire
Uploaded by jpdc11. - Explore more music videos.

This plain and simply is just beautiful music. It's one of those songs that immediately transports you back in time. It gives you a soothing sense of happiness for all things past.

Chariots of Fire

Vangelis

What a great song! When I hear Chariots of Fire, I immediately think of triumphing over impossible odds. It's one of the very few instrumentals to have ever hit #1 on the charts.

Hope you enjoyed this list of instrumentals. Do you think other songs should have been included on this list or some on this list should not have? Leave your opinions in the comments section below.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Air Supply - The One That You Love

2009-07-30T09:00:00.002-05:00

Air Supply - The One That You Love (Official Music Video) - The most popular videos are here

Air Supply reached the top of the charts with this 1981 song. Listen and Enjoy!!!

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Actor of the Week - Michael Keaton

2009-07-29T15:00:00.000-05:00

Sept. 5, 1951 -

In the 80's he played a stay at home Dad, a nocturnal superhero, a mental patient, an alcoholic, a ghost with the most, a mafia-type criminal leader, a voice for American auto workers and even a pimp working out of a morgue, among other things.

To say Michael Keaton has been diverse in his career would be an understatement. Keaton never really got enough credit for his dramatic roles, maybe because he was so brilliant in his comedic roles. However, he deserves credit for brilliant turns in movies such as Clean and Sober. Keaton is one of the few actors who, in my opinion, has been able to make the transition from successful comedic actor to, more than capable, dramatic actor.

Keaton has continued to stay busy throughout the 90's and 00's. And with with new movies already completed and ready to hit the theaters, there looks to be no let up for him in the coming decade.

Here are Michael Keaton's credits in the 80's:

"Report to Murphy" (1982) (TV)

Night Shift (1982)

Mr. Mom (1983)

Johnny Dangerously (1984)

Gung Ho (1986)

Touch and Go (1986)

The Squeeze (1987)

Beetle Juice (1988)

Clean and Sober (1988)

The Dream Team (1989)

Batman (1989)

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Air Supply - Every Woman In The World

2009-07-29T09:00:00.002-05:00

What better way to tell your lady how much she means to you than to put this song and tell her this is exactly how you feel about her?

Air Supply reached #5 with this 1980 song.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 Signature Dance Moves of the 80's

2009-07-28T15:00:00.000-05:00

First off, let me just say, I by no means am saying these are the best dance moves of the 80's. What this list is compiled of, is dance moves that are clearly identified with the person listed. It is their "signature" moves. Some are good and others are just down right laughable.

Now, with that said, let's travel back a bit to a time when dancing ability could make you or break you.

Honorable Mention

David Byrne

Convulsions/Arm Chop

David Byrne from The Talking Heads was about as strange as they came back in the 80's. However, he was never quite as strange as he was when doing the Convulsion Dance and the Same As It Ever Was Arm Chop. Well, at least that's what I call these crazy moves.

The Convulsions start at the beginning of this video and the Arm Chop begins around 3:57.

#10

Molly Ringwald

The Molly Ringwald

This was the dance that almost all the girls used on the dance floors in the 80's. You will see Molly doing it at 1:17 and 1:36 of this video that somebody brilliantly put together on YouTube.

Chunk

The Truffle Shuffle

I was never a big Goonies fan, but you cannot deny Chunk owning The Truffle Shuffle. I bet he got all the chicks with that dance.

Patrick Dempsey

The African Anteater Ritual

The set-up: Patrick Dempsey has to learn to dance in a hurry, so he gets up the morning of the dance to watch Bandstand and get some tips. What he doesn't know is he isn't watching Bandstand. After practicing what he sees on the tv, he walks out of the room and his little brother walks in while the dance is getting over on the tv. He stops to watch as a black man in full African garb steps in front of the camera. The little brother then says the classic line "Now that ain't Dick Clark." Ends up Dempsey, unknowingly, has just learned how to do the African Anteater Ritual on the African Cultural Hour.

Axl Rose

The Snake Dance

Don't know what else to call it except for the Axl Rose Snake Dance. And it is definitely unique to Axl. You'll find him doing it throughout the Sweet Child 'O Mine video above. Enjoy!

Milli Vanilli

Leg Swing

I don't really care if they sung this song or not, they danced their asses off. And besides it was still good music regardless. You'll see the signature move around 3:50.

Michael Jackson

Leg Kick

This guy starts the Leg Kick around :25 and stops around :31. He's about as good as I've seen do it besides Michael Jackson.

Ickey Woods

The Ickey Shuffle

Chex Mix Online Promotion Features New Video of End Zone Celebration Greats ... @ Yahoo! Video

I wish I could have found a better video to show you the Ickey Shuffle during Ickey Woods playing days. This is all I could find, but needless to say when you think of Ickey Woods the Ickey Shuffle immediately comes to mind.

Rick Astley

The Card Shuffle

A full 5 minutes of being Rick Rolled. How do you feel? This guy's dance move was so memorable, today's generation uses it as a practical joke.

Michael Jackson

Crotch Grab

What more can you say about Michael Jackson? Not much. He had a way of turning the strange into the next big thing.

Michael Jackson

Moonwalk

Not only the greatest move of the 80's, but the greatest move of all time. It just seemed impossible that you were seeing what you were looking at.

Well I hope you enjoyed watching the bad as well as the good dance moves. Can you think of others that belong? Leave your opinions in the comments below.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Air Supply - All Out Of Love

2009-07-28T09:00:00.002-05:00

Air Supply - All Out Of Love (Official Music Video) - The most amazing bloopers are here

"I'm lying alone with my head on the phone, thinking of you 'til it hurts."

What teenager in the 80's, who felt they were deeply in love, couldn't relate to this great song? I wonder how many people would play this song and wallow in their sadness?

This song topped out at #2 on the charts in 1980.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Air Supply - Lost in Love

2009-07-27T15:00:00.000-05:00

This was Air Supply's first hit song in the U.S. They reached #3 in 1980 with this classic love song. This also happens to be my favorite Air Supply song.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Artist of the Week - Air Supply

2009-07-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

The Greg Kihn Band said it best when they said "They don't write 'em like that anymore." Air Supply's music proves that theory. They don't make love songs like these guys sang anymore. That's a shame.

Air Supply was the masters of being able to induce that lump in your throat. If you was in love in the 80's, Air Supply was required listening. I know a lot of people might kind of talk about them in cheesy terms now, but back then Air Supply was extremely popular. You don't have 7 straight top 5 hits without being popular and selling a ton of records. So all the people who roll their eyes at Air Supply today may want to lug out their old box of records and cassettes and check and see just how many Air Supply recordings they owned, because somebody was buying them.

I hope you all don't get too melancholy during the course of this week while listening to what may be the greatest ballad band of all time. Enjoy!!!

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Loverboy - Heaven In Your Eyes

2009-07-26T15:00:00.002-05:00

Heaven In Your Eyes - Funny video clips are a click away

Loverboy reached #12 with this love song off the Top Gun soundtrack in 1986. It was their last real hit of not only the 80's, but also their career.

I hope you enjoyed all the Loverboy music and videos this week.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Loverboy - This Could Be The Night

2009-07-26T09:00:00.002-05:00

Loverboy - This Could Be the Night - Click here for the funniest movie of the week

Loverboy slowed it down for this and their next song, which were their last two hits of the 80's and their career.

This is my personal favorite from Loverboy. It reached #10 in 1986.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Loverboy - Lovin' Every Minute Of It

2009-07-25T15:00:00.002-05:00

Loverboy - Lovin' Every Minute Of It - More free videos are here

This was Loverboy's highest charting single. It reached #9 on the pop charts and #3 on the rock charts in 1985.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Loverboy - Queen Of The Broken Hearts

2009-07-25T09:00:00.002-05:00

Loverboy - Queen Of The Broken Hearts - The most popular videos are here

Here's a forgotten video and song. Too bad, because it was one of their better songs. I had pretty much forgot about it myself until making this list up. Glad I found it, I probably hadn't heard it since the 80's.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Movie of the Week - Bad Boys (1983)

2009-07-24T15:00:00.001-05:00

Here's a hidden gem for you guys. Bad Boys was the movie I sat back and said to myself "Hey Dude, Spicoli can act."

This movie is about two young hoodlums from the inner city, who's lives change in an instant when a tragic accident occurs during the course of a robbery gone wrong. Mick O'Brien (Sean Penn) accidentally runs down a young boy while speeding away from a botched robbery. What he doesn't know is the young boy he accidentally kills is the brother of Paco Moreno (Esai Morales).

Paco is a hardcore gang member who swears out revenge on O'Brien. Unfortunately, because O'Brien has been locked up in a juvenile detention center for his crimes, the victim of this revenge will be O'Briens girlfriend J.C (Ally Sheedy). All comes to a head when both O'Brien and Moreno end up in the same detention center and they joust for who will be running things on the inside.

We get to see a young Sean Penn, Ally Sheedy and Esai Morales in this underrated movie. Morales, in particular, always struck me as an actor who never got the accolades he deserved. He's extremely good in this as a grieving brother who is bent on revenge. I'd love to see him in bigger and better roles than he gets these days.

Go out and rent this movie if you haven't seen it. It is well worth the watch. It can be seen on Netflix right now, straight from the site if you have a membership.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Loverboy - Hot Girls In Love

2009-07-24T09:00:00.002-05:00

Loverboy - Hot Girls in Love - The most amazing videos are a click away

Loverboy took a page out of the ZZTop How To Make A Video manual and came up with what was definitely their best video and one of their best songs in 1983.

There wasn't a teenage boy alive who wasn't in love with that blonde in the video. I wonder what she looks like today?

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 Most Entertaining Fight Scenes of the 80's

2009-07-23T15:00:00.000-05:00

What makes a good fight scene? Is it the technique of the two combatants? Yes, sometimes. Is it the brutality of the damage being dished out? Yes, sometimes. Is it the sheer excitement of the good guy prevailing over the bad guy? Yes, sometimes. Is it whether or not it seems like a realistic fight? Yes, sometimes. Is it the uniqueness or inventiveness of the fight choreography? Yes, sometimes.

The real answer is yes, it can be any one of these things, a combination of these things or all of these things. What it really comes down to though, is was it entertaining.

The following is the Top 10 Most Entertaining Fight Scenes of the 80's. Enjoy!!!

Honorable Mention

Ralphie vs. Scut Farkus

A Christmas Story (1983)

You can only bully a fella so many times before he snaps. And, boy, did Ralphie ever snap.

Who among us can't relate to getting picked on at some point in time in our lives? If your answer is "not me", then you must have been the bully. For those of us who have been bullied at some point, we can totally relate to Ralphie in this situation. He just snaps! I'm sure the next thing he remembers after taking that snowball to the face, was his mother pulling him off Scut Farkus.

All things said during said fight should be forgiven Ralphie. You can't hold a man accountable for things he does or says when he snaps.

I'm sure we all felt great watching Ralphie beat the ever living snot out of that older bully Scut Farkus. It's always great seeing the little guy prevail.

#10

Ash vs. Ash's Hand

Evil Dead II (1987)

You ever get the feeling you're just fighting against yourself in this cruel world? Well, this prospect was taken to the extreme in Evil Dead II, when demonic forces take over Ash's hand and is hell bent on killing him.

Gotta love the little voice his hand has during the scene. Kinda sounds like the old Tasmanian Devil cartoon. But, where does this voice come from? His hand has no mouth. Strange.

Clifford and Linderman vs. Moody and Mike

My Bodyguard (1980)

Gotta love it, two fights basically back to back. This is another one in the same vein as Ralphie's fight. It's the bullies vs. the underdogs.

Who didn't love seeing Matt Dillon get his nose broke by that kid that played in Meatballs?

Tommy Lee vs. Dae Han

Best of the Best (1989)

The scene immediately following the fight really helps the fight scene become even better. After being the villain throughout the movie, Dae Han shows a respect and remorse for killing Tommy's brother in a previous match. Look for that video on YouTube if you'd like, it's worth it.

This is a great show of martial art skills in this well choreographed scene. Another great little tidbit about this scene is that the two actors playing the combatants are actually brothers in real life.

Frank Dux vs. Chong Li

Bloodsport (1988)

Van Damme at his best. This fight scene had all the drama. Chong Li had already sent Frank's friend to the hospital earlier in the tournament. Chong Li seemed pretty much invincible, but when he proved not to be, he cheated and blinded Van Damme. This brought even further drama to the fight. After that it seemed as though Van Damme turned into a Jedi and he used The Force to finish off Chong Li.

Although this movie is based on a true story about Frank Dux, I highly doubt the actual real life fights went anything like this or they'd all be dead.

Daniel-san vs. Johnny

The Karate Kid (1984)

The Crane. I don't know any boy who was a teenager back when this movie came out, who didn't try mastering The Crane. Seemed like it was the answer to all your troubles if you found yourself in a fight. Can you imagine how hilarious it would have been to actually see someone use The Crane in a real street fight? They would have been severely laughed at.

Gotta love this scene, though. Daniel had taken some major abuse at the hands of the other Cobra Kai members during the course of the tournament. They were trying to break him down so he would be too beat up when he finally got to Johnny. It darn near worked for them too. That is until Mr. Miyagi broke out the ancient Rubbing Hands Together method of healing arts to Daniel's knee. Great movie, great scene.

Philo Beddoe vs. Jack Wilson

Any Which Way You Can (1980)

The fight that wasn't supposed to happen was on!!! Everybody wanted to see these two guys fight, but nobody wanted to see it more than the two combatants themselves. They just had to prove to each other who the better man was. And we were all the benefactors by being totally entertained.

This was a long drawn out fight that went back and forth. Hell, this fight was so long they actually took a break in the middle to sit down and drink a beer together. Gotta love it!

Riggs vs. Joshua

Lethal Weapon (1987)

This fight was all about dishing out some serious pain to Joshua. Riggs and Murtaugh wanted to make him suffer for his crimes.

I love how Murtaugh begs to be tagged in by Riggs in the middle of the fight. He must have thought he was in a professional wrestling match.

Rocky vs. Drago

Rocky IV (1985)

I'll never forget seeing this at the movies back in 85. It's the only time I can remember people in the theater actually getting up and applauding, like in a rock concert. With every punch Rocky landed you would here people hooting and hollering with smatterings of clapping. I guess it probably meant more to those living in the times of the Cold War. It was almost a metaphor for the geo-political situation we were in as a country. This made the entire fight and movie that much better.

Both of the 80's Rocky movies probably could have been used on this list. His fight with Clubber Lang was pretty good in Rocky III. Even Apollo's fatal fight with Drago could have been used. Gotta love the Rocky movies. Glad to have seen them end on a pretty good note with last year's Rocky Balboa.

Jake La Motta vs. Sugar Ray Robinson

Raging Bull (1980)

What a great scene. Scorsese was brilliant in his direction of this movie, but even more so of this particular scene. The sheer brutality was overwhelming. You could almost feel every single punch La Motta was taking. In the end, it was all about survival for La Motta. It was all about being able to say he withstood the best Robinson had to offer and was still standing at the end.

This is one of the best acting jobs of all time by DeNiro, one of the best directing jobs of all time by Scorsese and one of the best movies all time overall. See it if you haven't.

Nada vs. Frank

They Live (1988)

I just had to add that top video. Rowdy Roddy announces his intentions in grand fashion.

This fight scene between Piper and Keith David was just great in so many ways. I love the comedic undertones of Piper wanting him to "put on these glasses". I love the fact it seems a bit more realistic than some of the karate type fight scenes in other movies. I love the fact they are actually friends, but are just having a disagreement.

Just when you think the fight is over, it keeps going. And it never gets boring. All Piper wants him to do is put on the glasses. That's not asking too much, is it?

I hope you liked the list. I'm sure there were some you might of thought were better that I missed. If so, tell me about it in the comments section below.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Loverboy - When It's Over

2009-07-23T09:00:00.002-05:00

Loverboy - When It's Over - Awesome video clips here

In my opinion this is one of Loverboy's best songs. It reached top 30 on both the rock and the pop chart in 1982.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Actor of the Week - Sean Penn

2009-07-22T15:00:00.000-05:00

Sean Penn

Aug. 17, 1960 -

Let it be said, Sean Penn is one of American cinema's greatest actors. Who would've thunk it after watching Fast Times at Ridgemont High?

Penn was so convincing, in the 1982 high school romp, as a spaced out, searching for the next high, surfer dude, we automatically thought that's how he was in real life. Quite to the contrary in fact. What we didn't know at the time was Penn is a totally absorbed method actor who becomes his characters on and off the screen to create a more superb performance.

Penn has had no let up in his career since Fast Times. He stayed busy in the 80's and 90's with one excellent performance after another. In the 2000's he has simply put himself on another level when it comes to acting. Now an Oscar winner, Penn can pretty much pick and choose whatever role he desires. Luckily for us, he usually chooses well.

He has become known for his political views as of late. While I pretty much wholeheartedly disagree with everything he believes in, politically, I do commend him for his diligence to get involved on a personal level. What I don't like is his persistence to use his lofty status and public weight, as one of acting's best, as a bully pulpit to espouse his views.

Anyhow, enough with the politics. Penn has been an icon in Hollywood for almost 30yrs and seems to be in his stride. Here's looking forward to more great roles from a great actor.

Here are Sean Penn's acting credits in the 80's:

Hellinger's Law (1981) (TV)

The Killing of Randy Webster (1981) (TV)

Taps (1981)

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

Summerspell (1983)

Bad Boys (1983)

Crackers (1984)

Racing with the Moon (1984)

The Falcon and the Snowman (1985)

At Close Range (1986)

Shanghai Surprise (1986)

Colors (1988)

Judgement in Berlin (1988)

Casualties of War (1989)

We're No Angels (1989)

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Loverboy - Working For The Weekend

2009-07-22T09:00:00.003-05:00

Working For The Weekend／Loverboy
Uploaded by gaimon5656. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

This is probably the song everyone thinks of when thinking of Loverboy. It is a song that still gets radio play to this very day on present day hit radio stations. When 5:00pm rolls around on Fridays you are guaranteed to be able to turn your radio on and find this song playing on at least one station.

This video has the first appearance of the Mike Reno red leather pants. Not the last though.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 Scariest Horror Movie Villains of the 80's

2009-07-21T15:00:00.000-05:00

The 80's were a great decade for the horror genre of movies. Some of the all-time classic characters were birthed in the 80's. Some of the cheesiest too, but maybe we'll save that for another list.

For this list we're gonna count down the characters that made us go home from the theatre, check under the bed, look in the closet, make sure all the doors and windows were locked and then after all that, still stay up all night hearing creaks and bumps.

So with no further adieu, turn down the lights and get a fresh pair of underwear out, because you're about ready to get the !*$@ scared out of you.

Honorable Mention

Gage Creed (Miko Hughes)

Pet Sematary (1989)

This kid was like the real-life Chucky. This is a case where they take something so innocent and benign as an adorable child and find a way to turn him into your worst nightmare.

To see a pre-schooler running around killing people is just surreal. Your senses just can't put the terrifying images together with the cute fuzzy feelings you should have when seeing such an adorable child.

What makes it even more creepy is the fact he is actually a child who has been run over and killed by a semi-truck, buried in a mysterious cemetery, and brought back to life by that same mysterious cemetery. Things that are dead shouldn't be walking and talking. Creepy!

#10

Rev. Henry Kane (Julian Beck)

Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986)

What's scarier than taking a man who is supposed to be holy and making him evil? This guy still gives me the creeps to this day.

Julian Beck died while filming this movie after a two year battle with stomach cancer. Much of the gaunt haunting look of the character owes itself to the effects of the disease and the chemotherapy treatments.

Christine (1958 Plymouth Fury)

Christine (1983)

Ok, imagine you're a movie producer and someone pitches you the idea for a movie about a demon possessed, jealous, murderous 1958 Plymouth Fury. Back in the early 80's (pre-Christine) the only kind of possessed car you could think of would have been Herbie the Love Bug, so you probably would have laughed them right out of your office.

Although it seemed like this idea was, at best, waaaay too campy and, at worst, downright failure waiting to happen, it worked like a charm. What Jaws did for sharks and beaches, Christine did for the '58 Plymouth Fury. I mean, they are beautiful classic cars, but I wouldn't be caught dead owning one. Well, actually that's the fear. I would be found dead after owning one. LOL

Chucky (Brad Dourif)

Child's Play (1988)

Dolls, especially talking ones, always kinda spooked me in the first place. So what do they go and do? They basically take the "My Buddy" doll and turn him into a deranged serial-killer. Thanks guys. What's next, turning my Grandma into a horror movie villain?

A serial killer about to die uses a voodoo spell to make his soul jump into a doll. Then the doll is bought for a young boy and starts going on a murder spree. This was another idea, like Christine, which on it's face seemed pretty much laughable, but they made the character terrorizing.

The sequels were way over the top campy, but this first version of Chucky measured high on the creep-o-meter.

Isaac Chroner (John Franklin)

Children of the Corn (1984)

Stephen King again creates a character that scares the bejesus out of us. This time he takes two things we would never usually think of as scary, a preacher and a kid and combines them to create a sociopathic cult leader.

John Franklin's voice is creepy enough as it is (he kind of sounds like South Park's Cartman), but in the video above they make him sound possessed while he's in a murderous rage.

Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson)

The Shining (1980)

"All work and no play make Jack a dull boy." Well, he was working alright. Working on scaring the living ass-candy out of us.

I think, besides the fact Jack Nicholson plays this character to maniacal perfection, what makes this character so spooky is that he is the father and husband. He's the one that is supposed to be protecting his family from danger and here he is causing that danger. Another great Stephen King character and movie.

Pinhead (Doug Bradley)

Hellraiser (1987)

There aren't too many things more scary than a crazy looking dude with pins stuck all over his head, wanting to drag you to hell and rip your soul apart, is there?

This character actually didn't have a name in the original Hellraiser movie. He was simply credited as "Lead Cenobite". However, fans of the movie began referring to him as Pinhead and the name stuck (no pun intended). Bradley was credited thereafter in the movie as Pinhead.

The Tall Man (Angus Scrimm)

Phantasm (1979)

Although this movie came out in 1979, it also had a sequel in 1988. Therefore, The Tall Man makes this list.

Seeing this movie as a 10 year old probably warped me in ways I'll never know. All I remember is it scared the hell out of me. It so got into my head, I've never gathered up enough courage to watch it again. I don't think I will either.

Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

Freddy and the next two on this list are what I consider the unholy trinity of 80's horror.

So now we can't even go to sleep and get away from the monsters. The only way to stay away from Freddy was to stay awake. Freddy was the ultimate nightmare. A nightmare that whatever happened to you in your dreams, killed you in real life.

Freddy was said to be the "son of 100 maniacs", because his mother had been raped in a mental institution by 100 of the inmates. He was a child murderer who had gotten off on technicalities, so the people of Elm Street tracked him down and burned him to death. Therefore, Freddy found a way to invade the dreams of people and carried out his revenge with nightmares that became reality.

Jason Voorhees (various actors)

Friday the 13th (1980)

Here's the 2nd in the unholy trinity. I guess he's probably the one with the most movies too. I lost count way back at the 10 sequel. You just can't keep a hockey mask wearing maniac down, can you?

The hockey mask is scary enough, but when he takes it off, he's hideous. I understand why he wears the mask. I would too if I looked like that. This guy just kills for the hell of it. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. That makes him terrifying to me.

Michael Myers (various actors)

Halloween (1978)

Boy, was that kid ever right. You can't kill the boogeyman. Michael Myers proved that over and over again in the Halloween movies. He is the final member of the unholy trinity of 80's horror flicks.

This movie, like Phantasm, came out in the late 70's, but it had sequels throughout the decade of the 80's. So, like The Tall Man, Michael Myers makes this list. Not only does he make the list but he's at the top of it.

Who would have ever thought William Shatner could be so scary. No that's not William Shatner playing Michael Myers, but that is a William Shatner mask he's wearing. It seems the budget was so minuscule for this movie they sent a guy out to buy the cheapest mask he could find. It just so happened to be a William Shatner mask. So they painted it white, teased out the hair and reshaped the eye holes. The rest is cinematic horror film history.

Well I hope you guys are happy. I won't sleep tonight. The things I do for my readers .

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Loverboy - The Kid Is Hot Tonight

2009-07-21T09:00:00.002-05:00

Loverboy-The Kid Is Hot Tonite - Amazing videos are here

This song actually never made it into the top 40 of either the pop or rock charts, but I still consider it one of their hits. Watching that video made me laugh. Some of the styles of those audience members was hilarious.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Loverboy - Turn Me Loose

2009-07-20T15:00:00.002-05:00

Loverboy - Turn Me Loose Video - More bloopers are a click away

This was the song that kicked it all off for Loverboy. It was a top 40 pop hit and top 10 rock hit in 1981. We get our first look at the Mike Reno headband in this video. Won't be the last though.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Artist of the Week - Loverboy

2009-07-20T09:00:00.003-05:00

Loverboy is a Canadian rock group formed in 1980 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Throughout the 1980s, the band accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, earning four multi-platinum albums and selling millions of records. After being rejected by many U.S. record labels they signed with Columbia Records Canada and began recording their first album March 20, 1980 with Mike Reno on lead vocals, Paul Dean as the guitarist, Scott Smith as the bassist, Doug Johnson on keyboards and Matt Frenette on drums. The band's hit singles, particularly "Turn Me Loose" and "Working for the Weekend", have become arena rock staples and are still heard on many classic rock radio stations across the United States and Canada. They are currently based in Vancouver, British Columbia.

-Wikipedia

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

.38 Special - Second Chance

2009-07-19T09:00:00.003-05:00

38 Special - Second Chance
Uploaded by jpdc11. - See the latest featured music videos.

This song closed out the 80's for .38 Special. It was off their Rock & Roll Strategy album. It was their highest charting song on the pop charts at #6 and reached #2 on the rock charts in 1989.

I hope you enjoyed .38 Special this week.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

.38 Special - Back To Paradise

2009-07-18T15:00:00.003-05:00

Sonic X - "Back To Paradise" - Funny videos are here

You guys aren't gonna believe this, but this is the only video I could find with this song on the internet. Well, there was one other, but it was full of wrestling so here's the lesser of two evils.

This song was a #4 rock chart and a #41 pop chart hit for .38 Special off their Flashback: The Best of .38 Special album in 1987.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

.38 Special - Like No Other Night

2009-07-18T09:00:00.002-05:00

38 Special - Like No Other Night
Uploaded by jpdc11. - See the latest featured music videos.

.38 Special's 7th album, Strength In Numbers, showed no let up in their ability to produce hit songs. They had a #14 pop chart and #4 rock chart hit with this song in 1986.

Movie of the Week - Johnny Be Good (1988)

2009-07-17T14:00:00.001-05:00

I chose this movie out of Anthony Michael Hall's 80's credits because the other ones were just too easy too choose. Also, for the once and future star power of the cast.

Johnny Be Good as a movie was fair. It had it's funny moments and is definitely an enjoyable 80's movie to sit and watch if you have nothing better to do. However, the real reason to watch the movie is to see a pre-stardom Robert Downey Jr. and Uma Thurman. They both performed very well with an average, at best, script.

Hall was decent in the movie, as well, even though this was about the point in his career where he started a decline. I'm glad to see him back on the map after a 5 year run on the television series Dead Zone and a role in the blockbuster Batman movie The Dark Knight.

Other notable appearances in this movie by Jennifer Tilley, Paul Gleason (The Breakfast Club), Jim McMahon (Chicago Bears QB), Howard Cosell and Robert Downey Sr. (NCAA investigator).

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

.38 Special - Teacher, Teacher

2009-07-17T09:00:00.003-05:00

38 Special - Teacher Teacher
Uploaded by jpdc11. - Watch more music videos, in HD!

.38 Special tried their hand at movie soundtracks with this 1984 song off the Nick Nolte movie Teachers soundtrack. It reached #25 on the pop charts and #4 on the rock charts.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 Wrong Occupation Music Artists of the 80's

2009-07-16T15:00:00.002-05:00

These people had to be talented to make it in the music business, because they did not look like your typical music artists. This list is full of people who looked as if they had a different occupation than that of a music star. Enjoy!

#10

Thomas Dolby

Your strange junior high science teacher, perhaps. Your hit making 80's music artist, no way.

Thomas Dolby, despite his nerdy looks, had a smash hit record in 1982. However, that hit record was about something nerdy.....science. Dolby scored a #5 hit with She Blinded Me With Science.

Phil Collins

The new stand-up comedy sensation, maybe. The man who had hit after hit as a solo artist and as lead singer/drummer for Genesis, never.

Phil Collins used his comedic looks brilliantly in quite a few of his videos. He also parlayed that comedic flair into a minor acting career.

Falco

The new and latest actor to take on the role of 007, yeah I can see that. The very strange Amadeus wig-wearing Austrian crossover music sensation, are you kidding?

Falco had two gigantic hits in the 80's with 1981's Der Kommissar and 1985's Rock Me Amadeus. Sadly, Falco isn't with us anymore. He was killed in an automobile accident in 1998 at the age of 40.

Elvis Costello

The fresh out of high school kid bagging your groceries, absolutely. The critically acclaimed cult figure of 80's musicians, yeah right.

Elvis Costello never had major hit singles in the U.S., but he sold a lot of records and had a huge following.

Peter Garrett

Stunt double for Hollywood actor Michael Berryman (pictured below), he's hired. Lead singer of Australian crossover group Midnight Oil, need not apply.

Peter Garrett fronted the Australian politically themed band Midnight Oil. They had a top 10 hit single with Beds Are Burning in 1987. Peter is now an elected Australian politician.

Dee Snider

Lead villain in the new straight to video B-movie Horror film Psycho Hookers From Hell, for sure. Lead singer of a group of, just as gaudy looking, musicians called Twisted Sister, yeah I guess I can see that too, but more the first one....LOL

Dee Snider sang lead vocals for Twisted Sister, who had a top 20 hit with the 1984 classic We're Not Gonna Take It. Dee is actually one of the more level-headed rock musicians. He very articulately stated his case in front of a Senate sub-committee on censorship in music.

Mark Mothersbaugh

The inventor of the internet, sorry Al Gore, but it's got to be this guy doesn't it? Lead singer of a New Wave, Synthpop band called Devo, I don't think so.

Mark and Devo had a huge cult classic hit with 1980's Whip It. Mark now hosts a children's drawing television show and is an accomplished painter.

Robert Palmer

The attorney you hired to get you out of that nasty DUI mess, he's on retainer. Brilliant singer-songwriter of both solo and collaborative works, don't make me laugh.

Robert Palmer had a long and outstanding career as a solo artist and as a lead singer with groups such as Power Station. His biggest success came with 1986's #1 smash Addicted To Love. Unfortunately, Robert is no longer with us, he died of a sudden heart attack in 2003.

Boy George/Pete Burns

The two new stars of the transvestite strip club down on Bourbon St., absolutely. The two new stars of pop music in the 80's, are you serious!

I just couldn't separate these two. Boy George and Culture Club were hit machines throughout the 80's. Pete Burns and Dead or Alive were almost as successful with hits such as You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) and Brand New Lover. They've both had their problems in the 90's and 00's.

Ric Ocasek

Walking anorexia awareness billboard, cut him a paycheck. Lead singer of the great rock band The Cars, not in a million years.

Ric Ocasek and The Cars were one of the best bands of the 80's. They had numerous hits throughout the decade. What I want to know is how does a guy like this get a girl like this (below). Must be the mullet.

Well there you have it. Another top 10 list down the tubes. Agree? Disagree? Leave it in the comments. Hope you liked!!!

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

.38 Special - Back Where You Belong

2009-07-16T09:00:00.003-05:00

38 Special - Back Where You Belong
Uploaded by jpdc11. - See the latest featured music videos.

This was .38 Special's 2nd hit off their 1983 album, Tour de Force. It reached #20 on the charts. Great song.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Actor of the Week - Anthony Michael Hall

2009-07-15T16:00:00.002-05:00

Anthony Michael Hall

April 14, 1968 -

When it comes to Hollywood, when you think of a tramp you think of Charlie Chaplin. When you think of a cowboy you think of John Wayne. When you think of a dumb blonde you think of Marilyn Monroe. When you think of a geek it's Anthony Michael Hall.

Even though he calls himself Farmer Ted in Sixteen Candles, the credits actually list Anthony Michael Hall as "The Geek". How much more proof do you want that Hall owned the label of geek than that? He even goes so far as claiming to be "King of the Geeks" in Sixteen Candles.

With so many great movies under his belt playing the quintessential geek, such as Vacation, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science, why would he ever have made such an effort to change his image? He was perfect in his roles as the geek.

His decision to go a different route in his career came right around 1988's Johnny Be Good. By the time he played Johnny Depp's nemesis in 1990's Edward Scissorhands the transformation was complete. And startlingly so. I for one didn't even recognize him until about halfway through the movie. When you was so used to seeing a skinny pencil-necked geek on the screen, it was shocking to see Hall had buffed up and was the complete opposite of a geek by actually playing the bully.

Needless to say his career suffered. He stayed relatively busy through the 90's, but with roles that were of no consequence or significance. He had to wait until 2002, when the next generation of kids grew up and the 80's generation had forgave and forgotten his abandonment of the geek persona, to finally get back into the limelight. He did this with a role made famous by Christopher Walken. Hall played Johnny Smith, a man with the ability to see the future after awakening from a very long coma, in the television series The Dead Zone.

The series ran for 5 years and Hall gained a new dedicated fan base because of it. With his career now back on track, I can foresee Hall's career taking off with good character roles in movies now. There's no doubt he can act. There really never was, we just missed the lovable geek.

Hall recently played in the blockbuster Batman movie The Dark Knight. Hopefully we'll see a lot more of Anthony Michael Hall in the future and who knows, maybe one day he'll see fit to grace the screen with his old persona as The Geek.

Here are Anthony Michael Hall's acting credits in the 80's:

ABC Weekend Special "The Gold Bug" (1980) (TV)

CBS Library "Orphans, Waifs and Wards" (1981) (TV)

NBC Special Treat "Jennifer's Journey" (1981) (TV)

Rascals and Robbers: The Secret Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn (1982) (TV)

Six Pack (1982)

Running Out (1983) (TV)

Vacation (1983)

Sixteen Candles (1984)

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Weird Science (1985)

Saturday Night Live (1985-1986)

Out of Bounds (1986)

Johnny Be Good (1988)

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

.38 Special - If I'd Been The One

2009-07-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

38 Special - If I'd Been The One
Uploaded by jpdc11. - Explore more music videos.

This is my personal favorite .38 Special song. It was on their 1983 6th studio album, Tour de Force. The song reached #19 on the pop charts and #1 on the rock charts.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 Band Logos of the 80's

2009-07-14T13:00:00.001-05:00

The metal bands ruled this category in the 80's. There were a few exceptions, but for the most part metal bands were the only ones being artistic with their names and identity. I hope you enjoy the list.

Honorable Mentions

Quiet Riot

Iron Maiden

Devo

These three were not band logos, per se, but there wasn't anybody back in the 80's who didn't see the Quiet Riot maniac mask, Iron Maiden's ghoulish undead Eddie, or Devo's brilliant use of a collapsible cup and not know exactly who was being represented.

I thought these three deserved at least honorable mentions for their brilliant use of these images. Don't you agree?

#10

Asia

The eyes on the bottom weren't always there, but the top always remained the same. Asia was a band made up of former members of various successful groups. They were considered a "supergroup" and there music showed that to be true. This logo, using the letters of the band name in a pyramid design, was befitting the great band.

Twisted Sister

Great concept here. Just take the first two letters of each of the words in the band name and do to them exactly what the first word says, twist them.

Considering most people didn't know whether to like these guy's music or be scared to death of them, Twisted Sister was a perfect name. The logo, in my opinion, is the perfect design to fit the band name and personality.

Metallica

Great symmetrical design. Simple in concept, yet brilliant in design. The first and last letters give the appearance of being tilted sideways and coming forward toward the viewer. This gives the rest of the letters the appearance of sitting further back. The M and the A also have sharp edges that fore sights the edginess of the band's music. Great design.

Def Leppard

You know what was great about this logo? It was easy to draw. Don't knock the importance of this fact either. When your target audience is high school kids, they like to be able to advertise on their notebooks for you.

The sharp edges of every angle in every letter is what defined this great logo.

Night Ranger

Symmetry was a hallmark in a lot of great band logos. Not many were symmetrically better than Night Ranger's logo.

This is one of my personal favorites, not only because I loved the band, but also because I actually knew how to draw this one. Great band, great logo.

AC/DC

Maybe the most simplistic design on this list, but boy does it get it's point across. You have the usual sharp edges of a lot of metal band logos, but then the design starts to get brilliant. Using the band's AC/DC electrical current name, it separates the two currents using the universal symbol for electricity, the lightning bolt. Not only does this denote the name of the band, but it also gives you a warning of the band's high voltage style of music. Then, playing on the bands devilish image, the A is pointed down in what can be taken a couple of ways. First, it can possibly denote the band's popular song Highway to Hell, by simply pointing the way. Secondly, it can be taken as the devil's tail, pointed at the end. Either way it's a simply brilliant design.

Aerosmith

Aerosmith was one of the first bands to employ the use of a great symmetrically designed logo. And although the design is definitely one of the all-time best, I had to knock some points off for originality. The reason I do this is because I believe the concept was stolen from a popular gasoline company back in the 60's called Flying A Gasoline. Judge for yourself below.

Guns N' Roses

This logo takes the band's name and turns it into a thing of beauty. I love this logo. The roses twisted around and ensnaring the guns highlights the contrasting symbology of the two objects. If you look closely you'll notice all this is set in the middle of what is an enlarged bottom of a bullet. I doubt many people notice that, but it's brilliant. Great logo.

Prince

Leave it to Prince to be the exception to the rule of this being an all metal band list. You gotta hand it to His Purpleness, he's as innovative as they've ever come.

This design is nothing less than beautiful. Hell, Prince liked it so much he decided to become it. Yep, for quite awhile there Prince didn't even have a name, he just became this symbol. Crazy, huh? But, in a brilliant kind of way. That's Prince for ya.

Van Halen

This one is the best for so many different reasons. The simplicity is a major factor. The symmetry is important as always. But, I think overall it's the same as with the Def Leppard logo, it's the ability for high schoolers to draw it all over there property.

It seemed to me back in high school about 75% of everyone in school had this logo drawn on or the color erased off of there notebooks. Bathroom stalls were another great place to see this logo design. This design was and still is just about everywhere. It doesn't hurt that the band was so great either. Put all this together and you've got the makings of the best logo in rock.

Well I hope you enjoyed. I'm sure I missed some as usual. If you can think of others or better ones, leave a comment below in the comment section.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

.38 Special - Caught Up In You

2009-07-14T09:00:00.001-05:00

38 Special · Caught Up In You
Uploaded by efrarr. - See the latest featured music videos.

This was .38 Special's first top 10 hit in 1982, off their 5th studio album, Special Forces. It reached #10 on the pop charts and #1 on the rock charts.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

.38 Special - Hold On Loosely

2009-07-13T17:00:00.001-05:00

38 Special - Hold On Loosely
Uploaded by jpdc11. - See the latest featured music videos.

.38 Special had their first really big hit with this song in 1981. The song reached #27 on the pop charts and #3 on the rock charts. The song was their first release on their 4th studio album Wild-Eyed Southern Boys.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

.38 Special - Rockin' Into The Night

2009-07-13T13:00:00.001-05:00

Rockin' Into The Night was .38 Special's first successfully charted song. It only reached #43, but is a very good and memorable song. It was off their 3rd album of the same name released in 1980.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Artist of the Week - .38 Special

2009-07-13T09:00:00.000-05:00

38 Special (also written .38 Special or Thirty-Eight Special) is an American rock band that was formed by neighborhood friends Don Barnes and Donnie Van Zant in 1975 in Jacksonville, Florida.^{[citation needed]} By the early 1980s, 38 Special began amalgamating southern rock and arena rock in their music, thereby kicking off a string of successful albums and singles.

Their first high-charting song was "Hold On Loosely" (1981); "Caught Up In You" (1982) and "If I'd Been The One" (1983) both hit #1 on Billboard magazine's Album Rock Tracks chart. "Back Where You Belong" (1984) continued the annual sequence of radio favorites, and "Second Chance" (1989), a #1 hit on Billboard's adult contemporary chart, was sung by former Specialist Max Carl.

In 2007, 38 Special was the opening act on Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hank Williams Jr.'s Rowdy Frynds Tour, and on September 27, 2008, they filmed a CMT Crossroadsspecial with country singer Trace Adkins, performing both artists' hits from over the years. In 2009, 38 Special opened for REO Speedwagon and Styx as part of the "Can't Stop Rockin' Tour."

The current lineup consists of Barnes, Van Zant, guitarist Danny Chauncey, bassist Larry Junstrom, keyboardist Bobby Capps and drummer Gary Moffatt.

- Wikipedia

The Outfield - My Paradise

2009-07-12T18:00:00.002-05:00

The Outfield - My Paradise (Official Music Video) - More amazing videos are a click away

This was The Outfield's last hit song of the 80's off their Voices of Babylon album. I hope you've enjoyed The Oufield's songs as much as I have this week.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

The Outfield - Voices of Babylon

2009-07-12T09:00:00.002-05:00

The Outfield - Voices of Babylon
Uploaded by jpdc11. - Explore more music videos.

The Outfield's 1st hit song off their 3rd album of the same name. The Voices of Babylon album came out in 1989

The Outfield - Bangin' On My Heart

2009-07-11T18:00:00.003-05:00

The Outfield Bangin' on My Heart - The most popular videos are here

This wasn't a huge hit for The Outfield, but it was still a pretty good song in 1987 off their Bangin' album.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

The Outfield - Since You've Been Gone

2009-07-11T09:00:00.003-05:00

Outfield - Since You've Been Gone
Uploaded by jpdc11. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Their 1st hit song off their follow up album to the huge Play Deep album. The name of this album was Bangin' and it looked like The Outfield was picking right up where they left off.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

The Outfield - Mystery Man

2009-07-10T18:00:00.002-05:00

My final post from the Play Deep album and the 2nd song of the two I told you were kinda marginal. Still in all, very listenable and no need to skip it when listening to the entire album.

Play Deep was definitely one of the best albums of the 80's.

Movie of the Week - Eight Men Out (1988)

2009-07-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

Eight Men Out (1988)
Uploaded by m0vietrailerpark. - Classic TV and last night's shows, online.

This is one of the most underrated baseball movies ever made. In my opinion, ever bit as good or better than The Natural and right up there with Bull Durham and Field of Dreams.

You'll get to see a young John Cusack, Charlie Sheen and D.B. Sweeney in action. David Strathairn (Good Night and Good Luck) has a great role in this movie as well.

What I enjoyed the most about this movie is the insight it gave you into one of the most infamous incidents in baseball history. It also tells the story of why one of the best and most beloved players in baseball history (Shoeless Joe Jackson) was banned for life from the game he loved so much.

All around great movie the whole family can watch. Go rent it today.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

The Outfield - 61 Seconds

2009-07-10T09:00:00.002-05:00

This song and the next I will post are the two songs I thought were marginal off the Play Deep album. Still they aren't bad at all. The two worst songs on the album were still listenable and better than a lot of other bands best songs.

The Outfield - Nervous Alibi

2009-07-09T18:00:00.000-05:00

Absolutely love this song. How this was never released as a single I'll never understand. Would have definitely hit the charts. Great slow song for these guys off their Play Deep album.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

Top 10 80's Songs With Female Names In Title

2009-07-09T14:00:00.001-05:00

This was an extremely easy list to compile. The hard part was, after compiling about 30 different songs, cutting it down to 10. I probably spent 10 times as long cutting it down as I did everything else.

I know a lot of people may say "Hey, you forgot one!", after reading the list. The one people will think I forgot was My Sharona by The Knack, but it actually missed the 80's by a year, as did The Police with Roxanne. Great songs though.

Anyway, here we go with the countdown. I hope you like it.

#10

Little Jeannie by Elton John

Elton John kicked off the 80's with this great #3 pop song and #1 adult contemporary song in 1980. After having a huge decade in the 70's Elton was showing no let up to start the 80's. He went on to have another huge decade and he's still going strong today. Great song.

Gloria by Laura Branigan

Laura Branigan Gloria
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Laura Branigan had a big #2 hit with this song in 1982. Sadly, Laura died in 2004 at the age of 47 from a brain aneurysm.

Elvira by The Oak Ridge Boys

"Giddy up ahoom papa hoom papa mow mow." Who didn't know this song by heart back in 1981?

The Oak Ridge Boys had a huge crossover hit with this #1 country song that reached #5 on the pop charts, as well.

Oh Sherrie by Steve Perry

Steve Perry - Oh Sherry
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Steve Perry took a little hiatus from Journey in 1984 and released Oh Sherrie off his solo album. The song hit #3 on the pop charts and #1 on the rock charts.

The song was about his girlfriend at the time and yes that is her in the video.

Mary's Prayer by Danny Wilson

DANNY WILSON-MARY'S PRAYER
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In 1986 this song made me wish I had a girlfriend named Mary. I loved this song.

Danny Wilson was not the name of one person, but was actually the name of the band. They took their name from a 1952 Frank Sinatra movie called Meet Danny Wilson.

Amanda by Boston

Boston was one of the rare bands who did not make music videos. Somebody on YouTube done one hell of a job of putting this one together for our viewing pleasure, though.

This was an absolutely huge hit for Boston back in 1986. It hit #1 across the board. I loved the song so much, for years I used to swear I'd name my 1st daughter Amanda. The novelty of the name wore off, though, and I didn't.

867-5309/Jenny

Tommy Tutone 867-5309 (Jenny)
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This song is to blame for not being able to use anything except for 555 numbers in movies, television and videos. People with this number around the country had to change it because of the constant calls after this song hit the charts at #4 in 1982.

It's still pretty hard today to go into a public bathroom without seeing this number on a wall with the name Jenny next to it.

Rosanna by Toto

Toto - Rosanna
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There's a lot of good trivia about this song and video. Let's start with the name of the song. Rosanna Arquette was in a relationship with the band's keyboard player Steve Porcaro and the song was written about her.

The girl in the video is Cynthia Rhodes, who you might recognize as John Travolta's co-star in Staying Alive, or you might remember her from Dirty Dancing, or possibly as Tina Tech in Flashdance, or how 'bout later when she was singing with the group Animotion. If you can't recall her from any of those maybe you might recognize her as the wife of Richard Marx.

Also if you look closely in the video you will recognize a young Patrick Swayze as the leader of one of the gangs.

This song was a #2 hit in 1982.

Come on Eileen by Dexy's Midnight Runners

Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come On Eileen
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From the first sound of the fiddle that starts the song off, everybody gets ready to sing along to this great #1 hit from 1982.

This song has the distinction of being the song which knocked Michael Jackson's Billie Jean out of the #1 spot. It stayed there exactly 1 week and was subsequently knocked off by Michael Jackson's Beat It. That's how huge this song was.

Billie Jean by Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
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Speaking of Michael Jackson and Billie Jean...

This was the 1st #1 hit off the Thriller album. This song caused the album to take off, become galactic and not come down. It is surely deserved of the #1 spot on this list.

Well I hope you enjoyed the list. I'm sure, as usual, there are some I missed. If you can think of some you thought should have been on the list, post it in the comment section below.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

The Outfield - Taking My Chances

2009-07-09T09:00:00.000-05:00

Another, should have been, hit song off the Play Deep album. In this song the guitarist (John Spinks), who was also the main songwriter for the group, proves he could sing just as well.

I find it very hard to pick favorites off this album, but this one is probably in the top 3.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger

The Outfield - Talk To Me

2009-07-08T18:00:00.001-05:00

The Outfield-Talk To Me - The funniest videos are a click away

Another song that was not released as a single off the Play Deep LP and yet another which could have easily hit the charts. One of my favorites on the album.

I'll be typin' at ya later,

Bob the Blogger