80s
Favorite 100 Songs of the 80s: (#23) Eddie Murphy– Party All The Time
If you’re too young to have been around for the 80s, think Kevin Hart. With his success in stand-up comedy and the big screen, I suppose Hart’s the modern day equivalent to Eddie Murphy, although personally I don’t think Hart holds a candle to Murphy’s popularity back in the day.
Murphy pretty much saved Saturday Night Life from extinction and was a massive movie star through most the decade, starring in Trading Places, 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop while also filming his stand-up comedy special Delirious in early 80s. In the later half of the decade Murphy made Beverly Hills Cop II, Coming to America, Harlem Nights and Another 48 Hours while filming what many argue is the greatest feature-length, stand-up special ever, Raw.
In between all that Murphy became a huge singing star in 1985, at least temporarily with the release of Party All The Time.
Those of us who grew up or were adults in this era weren’t stunned to see Murphy record a hit pop song, as everything he touched back then turn to gold. Party All The Time was written, produced and arranged by Buffalo native Rick James, which made the song a little extra special for us fellow Western New Yorkers.
Speaking candidly, the song’s way too contradictory for some. One of the keys to a great tune lies in its authenticity yet there Murphy was—one of the most notoriously celebrated bachelors on the face of this earth grieving his girlfriend’s partying ways, sitting home alone each night home wondering where she is. The Eddie Murphy we knew would’ve been out banging anything that moves to gain revenge on his trifling girlfriend, not mourning her fondness for being away from home.
Party All The Time could also be the poster child musically for all that is cheesy in the 80s—from the overused synthesizers to the wash-rinse-repeat formula of the song itself.
None of that matters. It’s a ridiculous song, sure—yet so God damn catchy. Even if I don’t want to get reeled in by the hook I can’t resist. It’s so consummately listenable.
I probably should be ashamed at having this anywhere on my countdown let alone so high but I’m not. I embrace the wonderful cheesiness of this classic—and like it or don’t that’s exactly what it is—an 80s classic.
Chart Success: Because it was relentlessly played on the radio seemingly each minute of every day, Party All The Time rose all the way to number-two on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed on the charts for 22 weeks. It finished 1986 seventh on the year-end Billboard Hot 100.
Great Lyrics: As mentioned, James did everything for this song except sing all the lyrics himself. Perhaps he should’ve, as Party All The Time charted higher than any song James ever recorded himself, including Superfreak.
“I’ve seen you in clubs just hanging out and dancing.
You give your number to every man you see.
You never come home at night because you’re out romancing.
I wish you bring some of your love home to me.But my girl wants to party all the time
My girl wants to party all the time”
Fun Facts: Murphy, perhaps unfortunately was a pioneer of sorts for celebrities making “hit” records in the 1980s. Not long after Party All The Time came Miami Vice star Don Johnson with “Heartbeat” and about a year later Moonlighting star Bruce Willis recorded “Respect Yourself.” By comparison, Murphy’s song was a John Lennon’esque masterpiece.
Never did a song make me wish I had girlfriend with a specific first name solely so I can play a song for her more than Toto’s “Rosanna” in `1982. Unfortunately I struck out in the girlfriend department during those days seeing I was 11, and in hindsight I’m not confident I even knew a girl in my age realm named Rosanna.
If you’re a fan of Rosanna and maybe even if you’re not it’s well known the song was written for actress Rosanna Arquette. As the story goes Arquette was dating Toto keyboardist Steve Pocaro at the time, ironic considering the song was actually written by band member David Paich and sung by lead vocalist Bobby Kimball. Confused yet?
For the record—the song did nothing to secure Pocaro and Arquette’s long-term future. Arquette broke up with Pocaro not long after Rosanna was released. What a vixen!
I hope it wasn’t because she didn’t like the song, because her taste in music is deplorable if so. Rosanna went on to win the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1983 and based largely on Rosanna the group also won Album of the Year for Toto IV.
Easily one of the best power ballads of the decade. If you don’t agree please stop reading—forever.
Chart Success: Rosanna didn’t quite reach the top of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number two. It did remain on the charts for 23 weeks and finished 1982 ranked 14th on the year-end Billboard Hot 100.
Great Lyrics: I would’ve done anything to be able and hit those glory notes like Kimball so effortlessly did.
“I can see your face still shining through the window on the other side
Rosanna, Rosanna
I didn’t know that a girl like you could make me feel so sad, Rosanna
All I want to tell you is now you’ll never ever have to compromise
Rosanna, Rosanna”
Fun Fact: True Toto and more specifically, Rosanna fans will know Patrick Swayze was in the music video, well before he became one of the world’s most recognizable actors. If you watch the video closely Swayze is one of Rosanna’s many suitors and wearing a red jacket. Dirty Dancing fans will recognize the lady who played Rosanna in the video far easier. It’s Cynthia Rhodes, who played Penny Johnson in the iconic 80s movie.
Chances are if grew up during the 1980’s, Men at Work were part of your album collection. Off their first-rate Business As Usual debut came my favorite single, Who Can It Be Now. Truthfully, it’s of the most entertainingly senseless tunes ever recorded. Lyrically it’s no masterpiece. It took many years and air-sax practice to come that conclusion but I’m at peace with it.
I was 11-years old when the single came out and it instantaneously felt rooted into my DNA. I was hooked the first time I heard it—loved the sax playing and unique singing voice I was hearing. Playing Who Can It Be Now became part of my daily routine, such as my morning bagel and glass of chocolate milk.
Everything about this song was is gratifying, from the aforesaid impressive sax playing to the broad rock feel with a marriage to the new wave sound. I’m too young to know if karaoke was a thing in the 80’s but if it were I’d wager this would be one its most popular selections. As a group Men at Work were the Cinderella story of the new wave movement, and by Cinderella I’m talking glass slipper not authors of heavy metal jams like Don’t Know What You Got Til It’s Gone. They came out of Australia and seemingly overnight broke down the walls of American pop music, becoming the top-selling group of 1982.
Their ambush on the Billboard charts was led by Who Can It Be Now (and also Down Under), both soaring to number-one. The former was their first single.
Their success was significantly abetted by MTV, who had their quirky video about a paranoid man alone in his house in heavy rotation.
Who Can It Be Now signified a stimulating time of my pop music/new wave education as a youth back in 1981, and it’s a standard on my IPod playlist during social gatherings to this day.
Chart Success: Who Can It Be Now reached number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 for a week, sandwiched before Joe Cocker/Jennifer Warnes (Up Where We Belong) and after John Cougar (Jack and Diane). It stayed on the charts for a whopping 27 weeks and finished 1982 ranked 30th on the year-end Billboard Hot 100.
Great Lyrics: They lyrics were inspired by lead singer Colin Hay being hunted down by debt collectors. Dude just wanted to be left alone.
“Who can it be knocking at my door?
Go ‘way, don’t come ’round here no more.
Can’t you see that it’s late at night?
I’m very tired, and I’m not feeling right.
All I wish is to be alone;
Stay away, don’t you invade my home.
Best off if you hang outside,
Don’t come in, I’ll only run and hide.”
Fun Facts: Business As Usual album spent 15 weeks at number-one on the U.S. Billboard charts, a record at the time for a debut album. Down Under also gave the album a lot of support, joining Who Can It Be Now as chart topper Billboard singles. Unfortunately the band didn’t exactly have staying power. They put out two more albums before the band bottomed out and broke up: Cargo (1983) and Two Hearts (1985).
(Daily disclaimer— This is a countdown of my personal 100 favorite songs of the 90’s, not necessarily the most commercially and/or critically successful tunes.)
“Secret Garden” marinated for a few years before Bruce Springsteen finally unleashed it. Per Songfacts.com, Springsteen originally wrote this for his “Human Touch” LP in 1992 but decided against including it on the album. He waited three years to actually record it and eventually released it on his 1995 album.
Of course, the song is best known for being featured in the iconic movie Jerry McGuire. I fell in love with this song far more than Renee Zellweger. It’s a superb, affectionate ballad about a woman clearly burned before and now has her wall up in relationships with men.
“Secret Garden” only enjoyed moderate success commercially. It landed as high as No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 (as high as five on the Adult Contemporary chart) and finished 1997 ranked 77th on the year-end Billboard Hot 100.
Who cares.
Springsteen had already long left a lasting mark on mainstream American in the 1980s, yet “Secret Garden” displays some of his best work and certainly among his most tender.
“Secret Garden” is an undervalued gem from The Boss.
Fun fact— Springsteen’s one of just five acts who makes at least one appearance on both this 90s and my previous 80’s countdown.
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