80s
Favorite 100 Songs of the 80s: (#84) Madonna– Like A Prayer
Contrary to popular belief, this isn’t a countdown of my favorite 100 Madonna songs from the 80s, despite her already appearing for a third time over these first 17 selections.
“Papa Don’t Preach” (86) and “Borderline” (88) have made their presence felt on the list, and now “Like A Prayer” comes in a bit higher. Unlike her first two on the list, this song was released late in the 80s (March of 1989) amid much hype and fanfare. Research (thank you songfacts.com) reminded me that “Like A Prayer” was a huge deal as a Pepsi commercial before the song was ever released to radio. The two minute commercial features (then) present Madonna sitting on a chair watching an 8-year old version of herself on television, with several clips of her dancing. A shorter version of the commercial was teased in a spot during the Grammys and eventually premiered during an episode of the Cosby Show on NBC a few weeks later.
In characteristic Madonna fashion, the song’s release came with accompanying video that triggered much controversy. It depicts Madonna observing the murder of a white girl by a white supremacist group that gets pinned on a black man. Madonna takes refuge in a church as she finds inspiration to come forward with what she’s seen. The video also shows her kissing a black man (interracial affection in the 80s was fare more rare than youngsters today can understand) as well as dancing directly in front of burning crosses.
To the disbelief of no one, the video was condemned by the Vatican and Pepsi subsequently stopped airing her commercial, forever. #SoftAssBitches
I simply don’t care about the theatrics. MoranAlytics is all about the music, baby— and this was yet another astonishing Madonna vocal performance that felt like a cross between conventional pop rock and Gospel music, both of which I’m fans of
I know that leaving “Like a Prayer” as a juicy mix between pop and gospel has me rather narrow-minded—especially since Madonna’s music around this time (she’d just turned 30) was starting to drift from candy pop and become more intimate and mature. Regrettably I don’t scribe for Rolling Stone, so I’ll stick to running down my countdown and explaining why I like each song as best I can.
Chart Success: I’m sure it’ll shock you to know that “Like A Prayer” reached number- one on the Billboard Top 100 and remain there for three weeks. It finished 25th on the 1989 year-end Billboard Top 100. She’d place two more songs in the 1989 Billboard Top 100 (Express Yourself & Cherish) but this was her biggest hit off the album.
Great Lyrics: While she’s singing about God, it’s quite easy to misinterpret some of her words as something a little—raunchier. Anyway, this song isn’t about memorable lyrics as it is her impressive delivery.
“When you call my name it’s like a little prayer
I’m down on my knees, I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour I can feel your power
Just like a prayer you know I’ll take you there.”
Fun Fact: Leon Robinson, portraying the black man falsely accused of murder in the video is a very accomplished actor. Among movies to his credit: Colors, The Five Heartbeats, Cool Runnings, Above The Rim, Waiting To Exhale, The Temptations and Ali.
We’re getting into the deep water portion of this countdown, and seeing there’s but a (mini-spoiler alert) tiny handful of “sad” songs ranked ahead of “Make It Real” by the Jets show how much I loved this sappy tune.
Throughout this little expedition I’ve reminded readers a few times this is a countdown of my personal favorite songs of the 1980s—not inevitably the biggest chart toppers or critically acclaimed hits. This feels like one of those times I should hammer home the point. I’ve seen copious 80s countdowns through the years via print and TV shows and I’ve rarely, if ever seen Make It Real on a list. To me, that shit’s crazy.
I’ve long said to anyone who’d listen that The Jets were one of the decade’s more unappreciated groups. Their second (self-titled) album in 1986 was superb and featured, among others Crush on You and my second-favorite Jets song, You Got It All. Their Magic albumb was even better and besides Make It Real also featured Rocket 2 U and Cross My Broken Heart. It genuinely bothers me that no one even mentions the Jets among the best 80s pop groups.
And how delightfully cheesy was the video for this song? Literally the entire video is lead vocalist Elizabeth Wolfgramm singing in front of a blue screen, with the rest of the band standing around frozen and agonized briefly during the instrumental break before disappearing.
How much do I like this song? My wife is a gifted singer, and many times through the years we’ve went to karaoke and I’ve asked her to sing this song specifically. OK, begged is more like it. A mutual close friend of ours, often at these shows would ask her, and I quote “are we making it real?” Of all the hundreds (maybe thousands) of songs in the karaoke catalog, it’s this gem by the Jets I’m always asking to hear.
Underrated… Underrated… Underrated.. Hey, did I mention this song is UNDERRATED?!
Chart Success: Make It Real peaked at number-four on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent 20 weeks on the Billboard charts and finished 1988 ranked 51st on the year-end Billboard Hot 100.
Great Lyrics: If you’re significant other dumps you, I’d definitely recommend this as one of your go-to songs to try and win them back. Either that, or just keep constantly listening and feeling sorry for yourself.
“Hear me cryin’ out to you
You said, “Never, never would I leave”
Here’s a tear from me to you
And maybe it will make you hear meI loved you
You didn’t feel the same
Though we’re apart
You’re in my heart
Give me one more chance to
Make it real”
Fun Facts: The group (of seven) are all brothers and sisters. Although they settled into Minnesota they’re actually from the island of Tonga. In total there were 17 kids in the family (!!!). Harping back on that underrated theme again, the Jets would go on to have five Top 7 hits in their career, with You Got It All and Crush On You tied for their biggest that peaked at number-three.
This is the fourth and final Hall & Oates entry in this countdown, joining I Can’t Go For That (No. 100), You Make My Dreams Come True (69) and Maneater (46).
So what earns the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame duo the distinction of joining Madonna as the only four-timers (to this point) on the MoranAlytics countdown? Well among (many) reasons, we’ll start with one of the most memorable, handclap-driven musical choruses of the 80s, if not any decade.
Private eyes (clap). They’re watching you (clap clap). They see your every move.
Whether it’s when Private Eyes first debuted in September of 1981 or at the club last night, there’s a 0.0% chance you’re hearing this song and not singing (and clapping) loudly to the legendary chorus.
In a 1985 interview with Rolling Stone, Darryl Hall pulled no punches, claiming Hall & Oates was much like the band largely perceived as the best in music history.
“I think we’re the ’80s Beatles,” Hall said to the magazine. “If we had been born 20 years earlier, maybe the world would have seen that. There’s something about our personalities that is very Lennon and McCartneyesque. And there is something about the body of work that we both have that’s similar.”
Hall may have been pushing it with his magazine quote, but there’s no denying how innovative they sounded. In my opinion, Hall and Oates were the bar when it came to pop hits of the era. They had 20 top 20 hits, including six number-ones. Of those, Private Eyes was my favorite.
I’m actually thinking this tune’s a bit low here. Between I Can’t Go For That and this, I’m reasonably confident I’ll be reflecting at this countdown with my biggest regret being both songs didn’t rank higher.
Chart Success: Private Eyes reached number-one on the Billboard Hot 100. It spent 23 weeks on the charts and finished 1981 ranked 44th on the year-end Billboard Hot 100.
Great Lyrics: There were four co-writers on the song: Hall, Sara Allen (his girlfriend in a relationship that lasted 30 years), Janna Allen and Warren Pash.
“You play with words you play with love
You can twist it around baby that ain’t enough
‘Cause girl I’m gonna know
If you’re letting me in or letting me go
Don’t lie when you’re hurting inside
‘Cause you can’t escape my”
Fun Facts: From Songfacts.com: “The song title came from the 1980 movie The Private Eyes, starring Don Knots and Tim Conway as bumbling detectives. Warren Pash, a musician who was trying to make it in Los Angeles, was working on a song called “I Need You To Need Me,” but he didn’t like that title. He was driving on Ventura Boulevard when he saw the movie billboard, turned back home, and wrote the song with a new title and chorus: “Private Eyes.”. Not surprisingly, the video for the song featured Hall and Oates dressed up as detectives.
He had several others, but Footloose is the crowning achievement for Kenny Loggins— the undisputed, undefeated King of movie soundtrack hits. How you feel about the song, released in 1984 probably varies but one thing’s assured —Loggins’ Footloose is one of the most distinguishable dance songs of the 80s, if not all-time.
Deal with it, haters.
Footloose was one of the biggest movies of the decade, and it’s difficult to even deliberate another 80s flick having a finer soundtrack. The Footloose soundtrack had nine singles and six were Top 40 hits, including three in the Top 10: This Loggins gem, Almost Paradise (Mike Reno and Nancy Wilson) and Let’s Hear It For The Boy (Denice Williams). That’s two-thirds of a movie soundtrack hitting the Billboard charts. Insane.
By the way, this wasn’t the even the Loggins’ only gem from the album. He also sang I’m Free (Heaven Helps The Man); number 30 on this MoranAlytics countdown and one of those “other” three singles off the album to hit the Top 40.
Loggins also appeared at No. 93 with Danger Zone (Top Gun soundtrack) and at No. 67 with Meet Me Halfway (Over The Top soundtrack) on this countdown. Like I said—THEEEEEEE undisputed King of the movie soundtrack hit.
I’ll be the first to admit the album, including this single isn’t built on thought-chewing substance, but instead is unapologetically puffy and enjoyable. Not always but every now and then that’s actually better than tunes soiled in never-ending contemplation.
At the very least, it’s much more fun. Such as the case with this timeless Loggins offering. I mean, fuck everything else—just “kick off your Sunday shoes”….. and dance to this, baby.
Chart Success: Footloose flew all the way to number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for three consecutive weeks before being knocked off by Phil Collin’s Against All Odds. In total stayed on the chart for 23 weeks and finished that magical music year of 1984 ranked fourth on the year-end Billboard Hot 100.
Great Lyrics: I don’t know about you, but for me nothing sounds more dangerous than Kenny Loggins threatening to tear up the town.
“Been working so hard
I’m punching my card
Eight hours for what?
Oh, tell me what I got
I’ve got this feeling
That time’s just holding me down
I’ll hit the ceiling
Or else I’ll tear up this town”
Fun Facts: From Songfacts.com: “Kevin Bacon revealed to Conan O’Brien that he bribes DJ’s at weddings with cash so they won’t play the song. I go to the disc jockey and hand him $20 and say, ‘Please don’t play that song,’ he told the talk show host. “Because, first off, a wedding is really not about me. It’s about the bride and groom.”
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