I recently filled a 4:00 Free-For-All with songs that were summertime hits in the 1980s. I know not everyone got to tune in, so here’s the mix, for your listening pleasure.
| Bow Wow Wow “I Want Candy” |
Like the Go-Go’s “Vacation,” this one-hit wonder from the summer of 1982 was buoyed by a video full of summery scenes.
| The Human League “Don’t You Want Me” |
Another huge hit from the summer of 1982.
| David Bowie “Let’s Dance” |
The Thin White Duke went down under in the summer of 1983
| Big Country “In A Big Country” |
Top of the Pops, summer of ’83.
| Simple Minds “Don’t You Forget About Me” |
Boosted by ‘The Breakfast Club,’ this became Simple Minds’ biggest hit, and was a summer of ’85 radio and MTV staple.
| ‘Til Tuesday “Voices Carry” |
Another song from the summer of ’85, from Boston’s finest. Fun fact: the closing “Carnegie Hall” scene from the video was actually shot here in Boston at the Strand Theatre.
| Tears For Fears “Everybody Wants To Rule The World |
From ‘Real Genius,’ and the summer of 1985.
| The Cult “She Sells Sanctuary” |
Hell yeah summer of ’85.
| Big Audio Dynamite “E=MC2″ |
Certainly not their biggest hit, but it was pretty big in the summer of ’86
| New Order “True Faith” |
Slapping our way through the summer of 1987.
| Echo & The Bunnymen “Lips Like Sugar” |
Another gem from ’87.
| Jonathan Richman “That Summer Feeling” |
Not a “summer hit,” technically, but a great way to wrap up the mix.