Best of 80s synth pop

Neapolitan · 03-27-2010, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

My NEXT synth pop song for your thread IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS OF ALL TIME!!!! Peter Schilling's "Major Tom." Since Peter Schilling is supposed to be a synthpop musician, I hope this song counts!

I like both the German and English versions of "Major Tom." I could listen to this song again and again. I remember being in a high-rise hotel in Kenya in Nairobi when this song came on a radio station. I was ecstatic! It seemed very surreal to hear the song there.

Why do I love this song? I love the hard driving beat and the synth sounds, the story, the gritty rhythm guitar, the bursts of guitar chords, the feeling of suspense, the smooth, silky vocals, and the angelic-feeling chorus that sweeps me away.

When I listen to this song, I always feel like an astronaut looking down on my beloved earth, feeling the distance from my human family (all you folks) growing, growing, growing...ending in the apparent final isolation of a single human life. I don't get how the protagonist can end up alive, though. Where does he come home to in space? What does this mean? I ponder...

Peter Schilling - "Major Tom" (1983) (English):
Peter Schilling - "Major Tom (Völlig losgelöst)" (1983) (German):

Dass ist sehr gute Musik, ja!? You stolen my thunder, I was going to say pretty much everything you said, except the part about hotel in Nairobi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tore

Since I'm norwegian, I should of course mention A-Ha. Take on Me from their album "Hunting High and Low", while not as good as the title track, might just be the definitive synth pop song for me.

Another song I was going to pick. I thought it was a pretty good debut album altogether, don't you think?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liljagare

Flock of Seagulls as well.

I wanted to lead off with this song, it's one of my all-time favorite songs including all genres. I think it's one of the best Love songs of the 80's. (That's what we need, more Synth-Torch song, if there's such a thing.)

I really don't know the diffence nuances between calling something New Wave, Synth Pop or 80's Pop.
I love Missing Persons, they were one of the best bands in the 80's with an errie futuristic synth sound. There were a couple of songs I was thinking of posting by The Fixx, hard to choice from, so I went with Red Skies at Night. The Motels are a great band, this song isn't too synthy; it sounds more like a synth imitating a Fender Rhodes, but overall it's still a great song. INXS Don't Change (I hope it's not to overplayed for anyone) I still like and think it's one of those songs that defined 80's music.