Best of 80s synth pop

adidasss · 03-09-2010, 12:53 PM

Recently I've been seriously hung up on The Human League (thanks to the best pop albums thread I think), specifically Darkness, Love action and Don't you love me. Don't really care for the rest of the album, but these songs are pretty addictive.

Here's Love action:

Post some quality 80s synth tunes please...(:

VEGANGELICA · 03-09-2010, 01:44 PM

I always liked Devo's "Whip It" (1980) and, of course, one of my favorite songs of all time, Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus"

(released 1989). Do you think "Pesonal Jesus" still counts as synth pop, adidasss? It seems to use less synthesizer than their other songs.

Before I watched the "Personal Jesus" video, I always thought it was simply a great song that opposes religion in an appealingly sacrilegious way. Then, after watching the video, I thought it was about prostitutes. (I was disappointed, because I love atheist songs.) But today I learned something new about the intended meaning behind "Personal Jesus":

Quote:

Songwriter Martin Gore said "Personal Jesus" was inspired by the book Elvis and Me by Priscilla Presley. "It's a song about being a Jesus for somebody else, someone to give you hope and care. It's about how Elvis was her man and her mentor and how often that happens in love relationships; how everybody's heart is like a god in some way, and that's not a very balanced view of someone, is it?[2] Personal Jesus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So...thinking back to the "Personal Jesus" video, if prostitutes are like Jesus, then I guess paying for sex is just a variation of a religious tithe! How convenient!

Devo - "Whip It" (1980):

Depeche Mode - "Personal Jesus" (1989):

Vancouver · 03-09-2010, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

I always liked Devo's "Whip It" (1980) and, of course, one of my favorite songs of all time, Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus"

(released 1989). Do you think "Pesonal Jesus" still counts as synth pop, adidasss? It seems to use less synthesizer than their other songs.

Before I watched the "Personal Jesus" video, I always thought it was simply a great song that opposes religion in an appealingly sacrilegious way. Then, after watching the video, I thought it was about prostitutes. (I was disappointed, because I love atheist songs.) But today I learned something new about the intended meaning behind "Personal Jesus":

So...thinking back to the "Personal Jesus" video, if prostitutes are like Jesus, then I guess paying for sex is just a variation of a religious tithe! How convenient!

Devo - "Whip It" (1980):

Depeche Mode - "Personal Jesus" (1989):

I would say anything before Music for the Masses was sync pop for DM. After that they really evolved. Violator was the fist album to introduce their use of guitar and pull away from the sync stuff.

adidasss · 03-09-2010, 03:15 PM

Both good choices veg...

loveissucide · 03-09-2010, 03:31 PM

Pet Shop Boys-Heart

ABC-The Look Of Love

Engine · 03-09-2010, 05:53 PM

^good call on Pet Shop Boys. I love the whole 'actually' album.

I'll submit an obvious one: Blue Monday by New Order

edit for some more New Order:
Bizarre Love Triangle

Touched by the Hand of God

loveissucide · 03-09-2010, 06:16 PM

Party Fears Two-The Associates

When Loves Breaks Down-Prefab Sprout

Wood Beez-Scritti Politti

VEGANGELICA · 03-09-2010, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vancouver

I would say anything before Music for the Masses was sync pop for DM. After that they really evolved. Violator was the fist album to introduce their use of guitar and pull away from the sync stuff.

That's what I thought, Vancouver..."Personal Jesus" isn't like their earlier synth stuff...but I like the song so much I wanted to post it anyway, hoping it would pass!

Quote:

Originally Posted by adidasss

Both good choices veg...

Thanks adidasss! I don't know much about music genres, so I don't want to post something completely wrong!

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):

ikvat · 03-10-2010, 05:34 AM

My personal taste go for the Belgians of Front 242.

Guybrush · 03-10-2010, 05:52 AM

^I wouldn't regard Front 242 as synth pop though!

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.

I also think Tears for Fears deserves mention here

I don't listen to a lot of synth pop, but I like quite a few of their songs. Of couse I remember them from when I was a kid.

And then, just to squeeze in a curiosity, here's Klaus Nomi :

He's not in his traditional get-up here, but the song is so brilliant

03-09-2010, 12:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
adidasss Slavic gay sauce Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 7,993	Best of 80s synth pop Recently I've been seriously hung up on The Human League (thanks to the best pop albums thread I think), specifically Darkness, Love action and Don't you love me. Don't really care for the rest of the album, but these songs are pretty addictive. Here's Love action: Post some quality 80s synth tunes please...(: __________________ “Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle. Last.fm

03-09-2010, 03:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
adidasss Slavic gay sauce Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Abu Dhabi Posts: 7,993	Both good choices veg... __________________ “Think of what a paradise this world would be if men were kind and wise.” - Kurt Vonnegut, Cat's Cradle. Last.fm

03-09-2010, 03:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
loveissucide Himself Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Leuven ,Belgium, via Ireland Posts: 1,325	Pet Shop Boys-Heart ABC-The Look Of Love __________________ www.last.fm/user/p-mccusker http://www.mixcloud.com/pmccusker www.valjester.wordpress.com

03-09-2010, 05:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
Engine air quote Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: pollen & mold Posts: 3,108	^good call on Pet Shop Boys. I love the whole 'actually' album. I'll submit an obvious one: Blue Monday by New Order edit for some more New Order: Bizarre Love Triangle Touched by the Hand of God __________________ Like an arrow, I was only passing through. Last edited by Engine; 03-09-2010 at 06:28 PM. Reason: more New Order!

03-09-2010, 06:16 PM	#7 (permalink)
loveissucide Himself Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Leuven ,Belgium, via Ireland Posts: 1,325	Party Fears Two-The Associates When Loves Breaks Down-Prefab Sprout Wood Beez-Scritti Politti __________________ www.last.fm/user/p-mccusker http://www.mixcloud.com/pmccusker www.valjester.wordpress.com

03-10-2010, 05:34 AM	#9 (permalink)
ikvat Music Addict Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 625	My personal taste go for the Belgians of Front 242. __________________ But who cares ?

03-10-2010, 05:52 AM	#10 (permalink)
Guybrush Juicious Maximus III Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Scabb Island Posts: 6,525	^I wouldn't regard Front 242 as synth pop though! 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. I also think Tears for Fears deserves mention here I don't listen to a lot of synth pop, but I like quite a few of their songs. Of couse I remember them from when I was a kid. And then, just to squeeze in a curiosity, here's Klaus Nomi : He's not in his traditional get-up here, but the song is so brilliant __________________ Something Completely Different