Category Archives: 1980s songs

The best 500 songs from the 1980s. Lyrics, meanings and interpretations from the eighties. The Cure, Prince, Michael Jackson, Cindi Lauper, The Smiths, The Cars, REO…see what artist ranks highest in our greatest all-time songs rankings.

1980s songs, escape

#416 Sailing- Christopher Cross

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It’s not far to never-never land, no reason to pretend/
And if the wind is right you can find the joy of innocence again.

I have always enjoyed “Sailing”—the song—and I love Christopher Cross’ high voice. The song is about escape; for Cross, he finds his escape in sailing. You may find your escape in another hobby. I believe that is why this song resonates so well. Like all soft-rock tunes, I believe it is unjustly not taken seriously enough as a contribution to rock. However, there are so many aspects of the song to love.

Sailing Greatest Songs Meaning
Christopher Cross

The imagery and depiction of escape is accurate and sailing away on a boat is a wonderful way to depict it. His falsetto is great. The use of keyboards is excellent. He uses the synthesizer tone just a touch and mainly relies on the piano sound. The strings are sprinkled in nicely too. There is a nice piano solo…we don’t hear many of those. Cross is an underappreciated talent and “Sailing” is an underappreciated song.

Lyrics Sailing

Well, it’s not far down to paradise, at least it’s not for me
And if the wind is right you can sail away and find tranquility
Oh, the canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see.
Believe me.

It’s not far to never-never land, no reason to pretend
And if the wind is right you can find the joy of innocence again
Oh, the canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see.
Believe me.

Sailing takes me away to where I’ve always heard it could be
Just a dream and the wind to carry me
And soon I will be free

Fantasy, it gets the best of me
When I’m sailing
All caught up in the reverie, every word is a symphony
Won’t you believe me?

Sailing takes me away to where I’ve always heard it could be
Just a dream and the wind to carry me
And soon I will be free

Well it’s not far back to sanity, at least it’s not for me
And if the wind is right you can sail away and find serenity
Oh, the canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see.
Believe me.

Sailing takes me away to where I’ve always heard it could be
Just a dream and the wind to carry me
And soon I will be free

Songwriters: Christopher Cross

1980s songs, looking for love

#401 Take My Breath Away- Berlin

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If only for today/
I am unafraid.

Some songs are probably just better to be enjoyed than analyzed: “Great Balls On Fire”, “I am the Walrus”, Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away”, etc. Can you imagine saying to someone in any circumstances (non-sarcastically) “take my breath away”? That is what Terri Nunn is saying, she sees someone who she is interested in and says “take my breath away.” It is absurd, yet it works because that is not what we think the song is saying. We think she is asking the universe to help her find a love to take her breath away. It works better like that. That is how she sings it.

Take My Breathe Away Meaning
Terri Nunn

“Take my Breath Away” was a huge hit in the 80s and it has aged well. It has the synthesizer, which many songs with synthesizers don’t age well. However, the four-note bass beat is so distinctive that you hear it and it fits so perfectly with this song. The other reason the song has aged well is Nunn’s vocals: they are amazing. She is loud and powerful and then soft and delicate. Some female singers would belt this out powerfully the whole song, but that is not the correct interpretation.

Interestingly this song was offered to The Motels first, and they passed. Had they recorded something like this, The Motels would be a strong candidate for Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. If you have two songs in the Top 500 songs, you are a shoo-in in my book.

Take My Breath Away Lyrics

Watching every motion
In my foolish lover’s game.
On this endless ocean
Finally lovers know no shame.
Turning and returning
To some secret place inside.
Watching in slow motion
As you turn around and say…

Take my breath away,
Take my breath away.

Watching I keep waiting,
Still anticipating love.
Never hesitating to become the fated ones.
Turning and returning
To some secret place to hide.
Watching in slow motion
As you turn to me and say…

Take my breath away.

Through the hourglass I saw you,
In time you slipped away.
When the mirror crashed I called you,
And turned to hear you say.
“If only for today,
I am unafraid.”

Take my breath away,
Take my breath away.

Watching every motion
In this foolish lover’s game.
Haunted by the notion
Somewhere there’s a love in flames.
Turning and returning
To some secret place inside.
Watching in slow motion
As you turn my way and say…

Take my breath away,
Take my breath away.
Take my breath away,
Take my breath away.

Songwriters: Giorgio Moroder / Tom Whitlock

1980s songs, drugs

#399 Same Girl- Randy Newman

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You’re still the same girl you always were.

For younger readers or readers who are parents, Randy Newman might be the songwriter you’ve heard most often on this list. He writes a lot of the soundtracks for the Disney & Pixar Movies. Of course, you don’t realize it is him writing them.

Before he did that, he wrote this beautiful song about two drug addicts who are in love with each other. A bit of a contrast. The narrator is a man who looks past the years of experience his lover has accrued and says that he still sees the same girl he first met. So, she has a few more holes from needles and years on the street: her eyes are still as blue as the day he met her. The lyric is lacking great detail, but it is supposed to be words spoken from one junkie to another. Perhaps the couple aren’t the verbal type.

Same Girl Meaning
Randy Newman

What I really like about this song is how the minimalist recording shows off how great of a melody this is. Also, the piano notes played are about as minimalist as you can go. It is just such an interesting decision that makes this sound like a tender song.  I wonder if this is the definitive version of the song. I think this is a great candidate for an updated cover with a singer who is more capable. Glen Frey tried. Frey’s voice is preferable to Newman’s, but his version is not as good. This is a sad song. Frey’s version attempts to make it into more of a straight sentimental love song.

Same Girl Lyrics

You’re still the same girl you always were
You’re still the same girl you always were

A few more nights on the street that’s all
A few more holes in your arm
A few more years with me, that’s all

You’re still the same girl
With the same sweet smile that you always had
And the same blue eyes like the sun
And the same clear voice that I always

You’re still the same girl
That I love

Songwriters: Randy Newman