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80s band set list

Okay, I'm putting together an 80s band. Reunions mostly that sort of thing. Everything from psychadelic furs to Van Halen. Help me put together a set list.

Time after Time- Cyndi Lauper
*Remember Romie and Michelle's reunion.. this will get the couples slow dancing for sure. If you don't have a female vocalist I see no issues with a man singing it.

Ghostbusters Theme- Ray Parker Jr.
*I think this would be a fun song to cover. Ive never seen it covered, but everyone and their brother knows it! And when you sing, "who ya goin' call"... the crowd will probably all yell, "GHOSTBUSTERS". Corny? Yes. Fun? You betcha!

Everybody Wang Chung Tonight- Wang Chung
*Wanna pack the dance floor? Play THIS one. I dont even dance, and I KNOW my a** would be out there doing the Wang Chung!

The Heat is On- Glenn Frey
*Another fun one

In the Air Tonight- Phil Collins
*I bet that one drum fill will get the crowd LIT UP.

The One I Love- REM

Take On Me- AH HAH

The Final Countdown- Europe
*Hope ya got synth
 
I worked on an "All 80s" format radio station for a couple years. The most requested songs were:

Men Without Hats - Safety Dance
Falco - Rock Me Amadaus (I played this one in a band before)
Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse of the Heart (hate this tune but it's requested a lot)

[forgot to add] ..and the most requested song ever is:

Dexy's Midnight Runners - Come on Eileen
 
Oingo Boingo - Dead man's party
Bryan Adams - Summer of 69
Smithereens - Only a memory
Honeymoon Suite - New Girl now
Loverboy - Hot girls in love

Just a few more ideas.
 
The sounds of my midwestern high school years. Some random albums to graze upon:

John Cougar - American Fool, Scarecrow, Uh Huh
Jack & Diane...dig George "Chocolate" Perry's awesome fill about halfway through. Smoove!

Bryan Addams - Cuts Like a Knife, Reckless
Cuts Like a knife, Run To You, Summer of '69

Prince - 1999, Purple Rain
Booty Shakin' time!

Michael Jackson - Thriller
Ditto. Pulling out the title cut and doing it well? You've just won my friend!

Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms
So far Away, Walk of Life, Money For Nothing - all radio gold. The title track is a lovely ballad.

The Cars - Heartbeat City
technically more of a mid-late '70's band, but still associated w/ the '80's.

The Firm - The Firm
Tony Franklin plays a mean fretless. Satisfaction Guaranteed, Radioactive, Someone to Love

Peter Gabriel - So
Sledgehammer. Tony Levin. 'nuff said.

(edit) forgot a couple:

REO Speedwagon - Hi Infidelity
Take it On the Run, Keep On Lovin You - You'll have the women dragging their guys to the dance floor with these.

Queen - The Game, Hot Space
Under perssure, Radio GaGa, Another One, etc. If your singer has the pipes, that is.

And if your set list does not include Simple Minds Don't You (Forget About Me), Jud Nelson will track you down and steal your car.
__________________
 
Good lord... I have no doubt that if there is a hell, and I go to it, I'll be forced to play in an '80s cover band for legions of men with mullets & skinny leather neckties and women with leg-warmers & perms...

And the only beer they'll have is Bud...

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:
 
Here's a partial list of songs I used to do with my old, old, old band back in the late 80's early 90's. I have to say, I pretty much enjoyed playing every single one of these! When you have the right band and the right crowd, there's nothing like the 80's era to have a GREAT time!

Note: I tried trimmed out many songs that were pre and post 80's but included some of them at the end.

- The Cure
Just Like Heaven
Boys Don't Cry
Hot Hot Hot
Close to Me
Friday I'm In Love ('92 - sue me)

- R.E.M.
End of the World
Superman
The One I Love
Radio Free Europe
Pop Song '89
Orange Crush
South Central Rain
Man on the Moon ('92 again! Doh!)

- INXS
New Sensation
The One Thing
Don't Change
What You Need
Devil Inside
Need You Tonight

- U2
With or Without You
I Will Follow
Where the Streets Have No Name
Bullet the Blue Sky
New Year's Day
Mysterious Ways
One ('91)
Pride (In the Name of Love)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Two Hearts Beat as One

- Billy Idol
Dancing with Myself
White Wedding

- Clash
Should I stay or Should I Go
Rock the Casbah


Misc. singles

What I Like About You - The Romantics

Jenny Jenny (867-5309) - Tommy Tutone

Melt With You - Modern English

Tears of a Clown - English Beat

Love Shack - B52's

And She Was - Talking Heads

Wild Wild West - Escape Club

She Drives Me Crazy - Fine Young Cannibals

Rio - Duran Duran

Whip It - Devo

Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes

Jenny Jenny - Tommy Tutone

What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) - Information Society

Girl Like You - The Smithereens

(1978, 1979)
My Sharona - The Knack

One Way or Another - Blondie

Rapper's Delight - Sugar Hill Gang

- Joe Jackson
Is She Really Going Out With Him?
Sunday Papers

- Elvis Costello
Oliver's Army ('79)
Pump It Up ('78)


(1990)
Unbelievable - EMF

Right Here, Right Now - Jesus Jones

I'm Free - The Soup Dragons



Good lord... I have no doubt that if there is a hell, and I go to it, I'll be forced to play in an '80s cover band for legions of men with mullets & skinny leather neckties and women with leg-warmers & perms...

And the only beer they'll have is Bud...

:eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::eek:

LOL!! Mostly true - except if I remember correctly the "beer of choice" was Natural Light... eeewww!