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Dec 19
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The 80s-est's avatar

Yeah, I like WWW, but it doesn't survive repeated listenings like great songs do for me.

No shade intended on Greek life from me, but stereotypically they weren't wearing eyeliner and black clothes. 😂 More with their finger on the pulse of mainstream pop.

I have found the WWW 12" mix! Not worth extra airtime, but if it advances, I will play it!

Let's go, Breakout!! --K

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Alejandro Saya's avatar

In a shocking turn of events, I'm going for "Breakout" on this one, though I love "Wild wild west". It's sophisticated, catchy, and also it's the least I can do after not voting for Samantha Fox on previous rounds. Also, your bullshit is fun, you guys! And the hair band special seems like a good idea.

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The 80s-est's avatar

Thanks, Alejandro! Did the "hair metal" genre succeed in Argentina? --Keith

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Alejandro Saya's avatar

Hair metal did succeed! We have have local metal hair bands, such as "Rata blanca": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51cZsDsVOqc

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The 80s-est's avatar

This is the best thing I have seen all day!! 🐀 🎸 🧚‍♀️ 🧙‍♂️ --K

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Deni's avatar

The rejection of one of their own - further evidence the Brits have better taste than us. God I hate that piece of crap song. Even worse, it was on the so-called "alternative" chart, proving that classification meant nothing. It would be like Bon Jovi being on there.

Do you think the British make fun of us for liking Wild Wild West like the way we make fun of the Germans for liking David Hasslehoff? They should.

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The 80s-est's avatar

The Hasselhoff analogy is an excellent one, I think!

Wow, I do NOT AT ALL agree with classifying "Wild Wild West" as alternative! That is SO dumb!

--Keith

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Deni's avatar

Had they played Wild Wild West at my dance clubs there would have been a revolt bigger than when they played Rick Astley.

White preppy assholes danced to Wild Wild West. And our parents.

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Joe Wack's avatar

Ouch.

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The 80s-est's avatar

I can conceive that it is a danceable song, especially if remixed, but can also see that it would not be at all within the scope of the clubs you have described attending. It belonged more at bars and fraternities, right?

--K

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Deni's avatar

Oh yeah, definitely frats.

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Deni's avatar

The question of if Swing Out Sister is Northern Soul or just inspired is interesting. As an American who became interested in the history of Northern Soul years after the all-nighters at the northern England clubs in the 60s, 70s and 80s I'm not even close to being an authority. Id be interested in what the people who were a part of that scene think.

It certainly sounds much more like a purely soul sound than those 80s groups inspired by that scene like Pet Shop Boys and Soft Cell.

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The 80s-est's avatar

I am just glad that you didn't think it was a dumb question! 😂

The sound, I felt, from the documentary you sent me, was more of a match, and the fact that Swing Out Sister covered a 60s classic with "Am I the Same Girl?" reminded me a little bit of what Soft Cell did. --Keith

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Deni's avatar

Definitely inspired by the same scene. I'd guess some or all of the members of the band went to those all-nighters. I looked up where they are from and they are all born and raised in north England, and would have been in their mid-teens by the mid-70s. Prime time and place to hit those Northern Soul clubs. (Her Wikipedia page mentions the club she went to and the influence of Northern Soul on her).

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Margaret's avatar

I didn't really care for either of these that much at the time, but now...I still don't. However, I do have more respect for "Wild Wild West" now that you dissected the lyrics. I hadn't paid any attention to them before now.

Still, "Break Out" seems a little bit more 80's even though WWW is kind of fun. Gotta go with "Break Out."

I can't wait to see what you guys think will fit into "hair metal." You know that hair bands and metal aren't necessarily the same things, right?

Cool guy hat? Geez, I don't remember that. Was that Belker?

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Joe Wack's avatar

No, it was Washington, played by Taurean Blacque.

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The 80s-est's avatar

Oh that guy WAS super-cool!

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The 80s-est's avatar

Believe me, Meg, I know my hair bands! I had a hair metal show with my friend Chad when we were at Kent! And I agree, hair metal and heavy metal are not the same genre! (The distinction is distilled in this example: Winger vs. Black Sabbath.) I think you will agree with maybe 12/16 of the songs we have selected. I tried to keep my selections in the realm of what crossed into Top-40 popular, didn't want to generate a super-obscure list that nobody would relate to. Your bro had a couple selections that, in my opinion, I consider outside of the genre, but they are in there, the math kept us balanced out. We have several in-common selections, and then a few solo nominations each. I could have done a full season of songs, my initial list had 50 songs on it, but I realize that only one or two people would actually want to hear a full season of this! 😂 --Keith

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Chris Jacobs's avatar

This was a surprisingly hard vote. I like both songs, having fond memories of hearing them on the radio, but wouldn't seek either one out. WWW is definitely a novelty and fun song. And yet Breakout is slightly more 80s and so gets my vote. I don't expect it to go far in this contest.

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The 80s-est's avatar

If you heard all the way to the end, this is where I ended up after much deliberation! The winner of this plays Glass Tiger/T'Pau, so there MIGHT be room to advance one more time! --K

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Genevieve's avatar

Holy shit, the same group brought us both "Wild Wild West" and "I'll Be There," the song that bummed me out before I was old enough to *purposefully* listen to songs to bum me out? Today I Learned. (And my vote goes to The Escape Club!)

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The 80s-est's avatar

"I'll Be There": not a cheery song. Not a bad one, IMO. But songs from beyond the grave can really bring down my energy level. WWW, while silly and maybe annoying when listened to 10 times in 2 days (for this show), was at least always energetic and kinda fun.

Surprised that you know that song, when Joe didn't!

--Keith

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Genevieve's avatar

There've been a few that I'm surprised he didn't know that I did. But most may be from teen/tween girl icons, so maybe that's not too surprising after all.

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