1990s: time for the guru

1. Tony Basil – Hey Mickey
   One of my earliest memories is my mother calling me inside because this song was playing on Countdown. Did you know that the song didn't become a hit until the filmclip was made three years after the song was recorded? True story.
2. Paula Abdul – Opposites Attract
   This song killed my innocence; I remember thinking that even though it was crap people would like because of the novelty of the video. And I was right.
3. SSQ – Synthicide
   Just a great track. SSQ was the former stage name of Stacey Q, who had a big hit with 'Two of Hearts.'
4. The Waitresses – I Know What Boys Like
   As a kid, I thought this song was by the same band who did the cover of the Beatles' 'Money' (The Flying Lizards). I was wrong, but I still think it's one of the best songs ever.
5. Cliff Richard & The Young Ones – Living Doll
   There were so many jokes I never understood in The Young Ones. I watched the entire run again recently and now I do (I think).
6. Starship – Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now
   "Them say we carazy/ What do they know?" This line used to make me laugh me arse off as a stoned teenager. Me and some friends stole a compilation album, 1987 Right On Track, from my mum's album collection. We used to place this track and 'Boom Boom Boom Let's Go Back To My Room' by Paul Lekakis. We also made up a camp dance to 'Need You Tonight' by INXS.
7. INXS – Need You Tonight
   See above.
8. Berlin – Take My Breath Away
   Visions of a post-apocalyptic world have always freaked me out a little. I saw this clip not long after I saw The Day After. The song seemed very forlorn and the message of longing love was lost in all the bleak imagery; I thought it was about nuclear war.
   In an interesting aside, around the same period I was in a vox pop on a children's current affairs program called Kids Only! and asked what i thought about nuclear weapons. It was hosted by Glenn Ridge. No shit. The show I saw this song was Off The Record, also hosted by Glenn Ridge (on BTV6 in Victoria, back in the days when there was only two TV channels!). My mum used to tape the show and watch the episodes ad nauseum. I feel it's partly responsible for my depth of knowledge of 80s music.
   
9. Q Lazzarus – Goodbye Horses
   This track always seems mysterious to me. Apparently "Q Lazzarus" is a woman. A repeat viewing of Silence of the Lambs not so long ago showed me it was waaaay more homophobic than I remembered
10. Dungeon Family – Trans DF Express
    This song really got me into all the Aquemini/Rico Wade crew, especially Outkast and Cee-lo. At the time of its release, I couldn't believe it wasn't #1 everywhere.
11. Juicy – Notorious B.I.G
    I only started listening to the NBIG since I saw a doco on battle raps, and saw a clip of him at 16, battle-rapping on a street corner. This song rules.
12. A Flock Of Seagulls – I Ran
    I wish I could say that I've always liked this song, but it wasn't until I played Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas that I really got into it.
    In a way, I'm hanging out for the US to invade Iran so we can play this song at protests.
    
13. Mi-Sex – Computer Games
    Early 1980s synth-pop from New Zealand at its finest.
14. Iron Maiden – Run To The Hills
    The archival clips in this video completely trivialise what is an amazingly deep song about the evils of colonisation. The humor of the clip totally contradicts the lyrics. What a gip. I always felt betrayed by this. Kind of the same as 'Physical' by Olivia Newton-John. Why did they opt for comedy in such a hot track?
15. Cibo Matto – Sugar Water
    The obligitory Michel Gondry video.
16. Plastic Bertrand – Ca Plane Pour Moi
    Remember when the played this song on Countdown Revolution and we used to laugh and laugh and laugh and laugh? Me too.