This is the eighth issue of my 80s Video of the Week feature which I call "Flashback Videos." As a reminder, these issues will not include the usual "Check this out" or "Quote of the day" sections at the end like normal issues of Kickin' it Old School usually do.
I came across this story on CNN.com last week regarding one of my favorite musical artists, Don Henley. You can click on that link for the original article or I have included it below to make it easier
Don Henley sues Senate candidate over song use Don Henley, a founding member of "The Eagles," is suing a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, claiming the candidate is misusing two of his popular songs.
The suit filed Friday in federal court in California claims Charles DeVore is using Henley's hit songs "The Boys of Summer" and "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" without authorization.
The suit comes from two campaign videos that DeVore posted on YouTube that used Henley's music, according to the lawsuit.
In one of the videos, DeVore's campaign changed the words of "All She Wants to Do Is Dance" to lyrics that attacked Sen. Barbara Boxer, the lawsuit alleges.
Mike Campbell, who co-wrote "Boys of Summer," is also named as a plaintiff in the lawsuit.
"Don Henley and Mike Campbell brought this action to protect their song, 'The Boys of Summer,' which was taken and used without their permission," Henley's spokesman said. "The infringers have vowed to continue exploiting this and other copyrighted works, as it suits them, to further their own ambitions and agenda. It was necessary to file a lawsuit to stop them."
DeVore, a member of the California State Assembly, is running against Boxer, a Democrat, in the 2010 election, according to his Web site. DeVore mentions Henley's legal actions on the Web site.
"We're responding with a counter-claim, asserting our First Amendment right to political free speech," the site said. "While the legal issues play out, it's time to up the ante on Mr. Henley's liberal goon tactics. By popular request, I have penned the words to our new parody song." DeVore then posted the lyrics of a song he called "All She Wants to Do Is Tax."
Both of those songs were included on Henley's 1984 triple-platinum solo album titled Building the Perfect Beast. He followed that up with 1989's The End of the Innocence which went six-times platinum and which included two more of my favorites in "The Heart of the Matter" and "The End of the Innocence." Both are outstanding albums and two of my favorites from the entire 80s decade.
I decided to feature the two songs named in the lawsuit this week. So the first of this week's Flashback Videos is "Boys of Summer" by Don Henley...
and the second is "All She Wants to Do is Dance" by Don Henley...
Now that I really watch that outstanding "Boys of Summer" video again, that song could have possibly been included on my recent Most Heartbreaking Songs of the 80s list with its tone and subject matter. I hope Henley wins his lawsuit because these songs are too good to be parodied for political mudslinging purposes. I am all for a great Weird Al parody song, but those are for entertainment purposes. Anyways, this was just a good excuse to revisit some of Henley's outstanding solo work from the 80s.
That's all for this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. If you want to see the past issues of Flashback Videos, just type that into the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column and it should give you a list of all of them. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use that Google Search Box to find any past issues or topics you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Like". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
I came across a recently published list of EW.com's 50 Most Heartbreaking Songs of All Time. If you want to check out the entire list, you can click on that link and see them all for yourself. There are a few songs on the list that I agree with. My favorite might be Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" and both Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" and R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts" would definitely make my list. I was surprised by the lack of 80s songs to make the list.
Here are the 8 songs from the 80s that actually made the EW.com list: 50. "Careless Whisper" (1984) by Wham! 43. "If You Were Still Around" (1982) by John Cale 41. "Hate My Way" (1986) by Throwing Muses 39. "Dusty In Here" (1983) by The Go-Betweens 28. "Pictures of You" (1989) by The Cure 19. "He Stopped Loving Her Today" (1980) by George Jones 12. "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (1980) by Joy Division 9. "Purple Rain" (1984) by Prince
Not overly impressed? Neither was I. There were many more obvious choices that came to my mind, so I decided to publish my own list based on the songs that seem heartbreaking to me. I am going to give you my top 30 from just the 80s and only two of the 8 songs above made my list. The list will also include video links for the top 20 songs and a sample lyric for the top 10 songs. There are many more that I would include from other decades that did not make the EW.com list either, but as usual, my list will just focus on the 80s.
So here is OLD SCHOOL'S TOP 10 MOST HEARTBREAKING SONGS OF THE 80s (+ Bonus 20):
20. "The Living Years" (1988) by Mike + The Mechanics [link to video of live performance]
19. "Careless Whisper" (1984) by Wham! [link to video]
18.(tie) "Close My Eyes Forever" (1988) by Lita Ford with Ozzy Osbourne [link to video] & "Separate Lives" (1985) by Marilyn Martin & Phil Collins - Both also included on my Best 80s Duet Songs list
17. "I'll Be Over You" (1986) by Toto [link to video]
16. "What About Me" (1982) by Moving Pictures [link to video]
15. "Don't Dream It's Over" (1986) by Crowded House [link to video]
14. "Heaven Help Me" (1989) by Deon Estus with George Michael [link to video]
13. "Forever Young" (1984) by Alphaville [link to video]
12. "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (1983) by Bonnie Tyler [link to video]
11. "Just Once" (1981) by James Ingram [link to video of live performance]
10. "Holding Back the Years" (1985) by Simply Red [link to video of live performance] - "I've wasted all my tears, Wasted all those years, And nothing had the chance to be good, Nothing ever could."
9. "Can't We Try" (1987) by Dan Hill with Vonda Shepard [link to video] - "Can't we try just a little more passion, Can't we try just a little less pride, I love you so much baby, That it tears me up inside."
8. "Alone" (1987) by Heart [link to video] - "You don't know how long I have waited and I was going to tell you tonight, But the secret is still my own, And my love for you is still unknown, Alone."
7. "All Out of Love" (1980) by Air Supply [link to video] - "I'm lying alone with my head on the phone, Thinking of you 'til it hurts, I know you hurt too, but what else can we do? Tormented and torn apart."
6. "And So It Goes" (1989) by Billy Joel [link to video] - "So I would choose to be with you, That's if the choice were mine to make, But you can make decisions too, And you can have this heart to break."
5. "All Cried Out" (1985) by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam [link to video] - "I gave you my love in vain, My body never knew such pleasure, My heart never knew such pain, And you, You left me so confused, Now I'm all cried out, Over you."
4. "Purple Rain" (1984) by Prince & the Revolution [sorry no video link available] - "I never meant 2 cause u any sorrow, I never meant 2 cause u any pain, I only wanted 2 one time see u laughing, I only wanted 2 see u laughing in the purple rain."
3. "Every Time You Go Away" (1985) by Paul Young [link to video] - "I can't go on sayin' the same thing, 'Cause baby, can't ya see, we've got everything goin' on and on and on, Every time you go away you take a piece of me with you."
2. "At This Moment" (1981 & re-released 1986) by Billy Vera & the Beaters [link to video of live performance] - "What do you think I would give at this moment, If you'd stay I'd subtract twenty years from my life, I'd fall down on my knees, And kiss the ground that you walk on, If I could just hold you again."
1. "With or Without You" (1987) by U2 [link to video] - "My hands are tied, My body bruised, She's got me with, Nothing to win and, Nothing left to lose." Bono's voice on this song conveys even more than the words he sings.
There's my list. Those songs might not be heartbreaking to everybody, but that is the feeling I get when I listen to them. Please let me know any of your most heartbreaking songs from the 80s in the comments section below. Even though I consider these to be "heartbreaking" songs, many of them are also very beautiful and some of my favorites from that decade as well. Having your heart broke is bad, but these songs are mostly quite good.
That will do it for this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks much for reading. If you are interested in reading more of my 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. If you are interested in reading more of my Top 10 lists, please click there for a summary. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Become a Fan". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Check this out: As all regular readers know, I am always amused by an ironic or obvious sign. Here is a picture of a sign that I think kind of goes without saying...
Quote of the day: "Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go." -Hermann Hesse
Today is the 79th birthday for film director and producer Richard Donner (April 24, 2009). Donner is probably best known for directing 1978's Superman: The Movie and the entire Lethal Weapon series. Other than Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon II in the 80s, Donner also directed The Toy (1982), Ladyhawke (1985) and Scrooged (1988), but my favorite has to be 1985's The Goonies. So in celebration of Donner's birthday, I am going to make The Goonies the fifth issue of my 80s Movie Trailer of the Week feature I am calling "Preview Review."
The Goonies has become sort of a cult classic to those who grew up during the 80s decade. It had a pretty special pedigree going for it. First, the story came from none other than Executive Producer Steven Spielberg. Second, the screenplay was written by Chris Columbus of later Home Alone fame. Third, it had Richard Donner on board to direct the film. They all came together along with a group of young actors to bring this adventure to life.
Here is the original trailer for The Goonies...
The film grossed over $61 million in 1985 which placed it among the top ten highest grossing movies in the US that year. Several members of the case went on to become teen idols and have relatively successful careers including Corey Feldman (Stand By Me, The Lost Boys), Sean Astin (Rudy, Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men, Milk). Donner did an excellent job working with such a young and talented cast.
Here is some trivia that I find interesting about The Goonies: - When Chunk calls the police to explain about the Fratellis, the cop disbelieves him, recalling all of Chunk's wild stories. One of which involved "little creatures that mutate when you pour water on them." This is a reference to Gremlins (1984), also written by Chris Columbus and also co-starring Corey Feldman. - Surprising for a PG rated movie starring mostly kids, a character says the word "shit" or its derivative in some form or combination 20 times. - The director, Richard Donner, makes a cameo as one of the sheriffs on the 4-wheelers as the Goonies exit the cave with the ship. He's the one with the gray hair. - Mouth (played by Corey Feldman) wears a Purple Rain (1984) t-shirt throughout the film. - John Matuszak's Sloth make-up took five hours to complete. One of the eyes (which was out of place on the face) was mechanically operated off-screen by remote control. Someone would count down from three to one and Matuszak would blink his other eye in synchronization. - At the climax of the film, Sloth pulls off his shirt, revealing a Superman shirt and the theme music from the Superman movie (also directed by Donner in 1978) is heard.
That'll wrap up this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Hope you enjoy the "Preview Review" issues and please let me know if there are any 80s movies that you want to see me cover. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Become a Fan". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Check this out: This was "Disco Week" on American Idol and I really enjoyed what Kris Allen did with his acoustic version of Donna Summer's 1983 hit "She Works Hard For the Money" so I decided to share it with you here if you did not see it yet yourself. I love acoustic versions of songs already plus this is an 80s song and I like the way he changed it up.
Quote of the day: "Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do." -John Wooden
This is the seventh issue of my 80s Video of the Week feature which I am calling "Flashback Videos." As a reminder, these issues will not include the usual "Check this out" or "Quote of the day" sections at the end like normal issues of Kickin' it Old School usually do.
Eric Carmen, 59, was sentenced by a Bedford (Ohio) Municipal Court Judge on Wednesday (April 15, 2009) to 180 days in jail stemming from a DUI arrest last fall. Carmen had pleaded no contest to drunken driving and failing to control his car. The judge did suspend the majority of the sentence and has ordered the singer to report to jail on April 25th to begin a one month sentence. He will also serve a year on probation, be subjected to random drug and alcohol testing, must enroll in an alcohol-education program and pay almost $1,500 in fines and court fees. Here is a link to a TMZ.com video of when Carmen was arrested for this violation if you are interested in watching something like that.
Carmen is probably better known for his time as the lead singer of The Raspberries and then for his 1975 solo debut "All By Myself," but he re-surfaced in the 80s as well. He wrote the song "Almost Paradise" which was sung by Mike Reno & Ann Wilson for the 1984 film Footloose. This song ranks on both my popular Best Songs from 80s Movies list and my Best Duets of the 80s list.
Then in 1987, he had a hit with the song "Hungry Eyes" from the soundtrack to Dirty Dancing and then the single "Make Me Lose Control" which made it to #4 and #3 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Make Me Lose Control" did not appear on a studio album, but would later be included on some greatest hits compilations. It is a catchy song, although admittedly a bit on the cheesy side. I particularly really like the ending when they sing a portion a cappella in five part harmony. That part of the song has always made the rest of the song worth listening to. So I am going to make this week's Flashback Video "Make Me Lose Control" by Eric Carmen...
Boy, he had some great "80s hair" in that video! Hope Carmen learned his lesson and never attempts to drive a car after drinking again. With that I will end another issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. If you want to see the past issues of Flashback Videos, just type that into the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column and it should give you a list of all of them. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use that Google Search Box to find any past issues or topics you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Become a Fan". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Today is the 56th birthday for actor Rick Moranis (April 18, 2009). He has had roles in several funny 80s movies including Ghostbusters (1984), Brewster's Millions (1985), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Parenthood (1989) and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989). But my favorites are Strange Brew (1983) and Spaceballs (1987) and I am going to make those our fourth issue of my 80s Movie Trailer of the Week feature I call "Preview Review."
Strange Brewwas based on the popular SCTV characters Bob & Doug McKenzie played by Moranis and Dave Thomas respectively. This was the film debut for Moranis. The plot revolves around the McKenzie brothers thwarting an attempt by an evil brewmeister to, not only steal the Elsinore Brewery from the daughter of the former owner who died suspiciously, but also to take over the world by putting a drug in Elsinore beer which makes those who drink it attack others when stimulated by musical cues. Yes, it is a silly plot and the film is quite silly as well.
The film includes a lot of the improvisation that SCTV (Second City TV) was known for as well as loose references, interestingly enough, to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Among some of those references are the name of the brewery, Elsinore, is also the name of the Danish castle in Hamlet and the ghost of the deceased father makes an appearance as well. Bob and Doug seem to play the role of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, Hamlet's two dimwitted friends who ultimately get double-crossed into a plot to kill the prince. I never made those connections until someone else pointed them out to me many years later.
Here is the original trailer for Strange Brew...
Spaceballsis a parody of Star Wars co-written, directed and starring the one and only Mel Brooks. Rick Moranis played "Dark Helmet" who is a character obviously based on Darth Vader. The film also starred Bill Pullman, John Candy, Daphne Zuniga and the voice of Joan Rivers in addition to Brooks and Moranis. In typical Mel Brooks fashion, the movie includes lots of over-the-top silliness but also includes some subtle humor as well. Interesting enough, George Lucas actually gave his approval to Brooks to make the film after reading the script since he was a big fan of Brooks' previous films.
Here is the original trailer for Spaceballs...
Both films reference the Star Wars franchise. The Spaceballs references are obvious, but Strange Brew has a scene where Moranis' character says, "He saw Jedi 17 times, eh!" What is interesting about that line is that Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) opened in May 1983, while production of Strange Brew had wrapped five months earlier, in December 1982. Not only had the McKenzie brothers not seen "Jedi" - but they couldn't refer to it by its full title, since the "Revenge/Return" title issue was still up in the air while they were filming. Both films also star Rick Moranis and are featured in this issues to celebrate his birthday.
That will do it for this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Hope you enjoy the "Preview Review" issues and please let me know if there are any 80s movies that you want to see me cover. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Become a Fan". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Check this out: Here was a menu which disturbed me. Look at the two lines that are highlighted in yellow. As it says, it may cost about $3 extra, but I would think it is definitely worth it...
Quote of the day: "Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." -Nido Qubein
Today is the 50th birthday of one Thomas F. Wilson (April 15, 2009). Who is that you might ask? Well, he is the actor who played one of the best movie bullies of the 80s and also of all time. Wilson played "Biff Tannen" in the Back to the Future trilogy.
I thought this might be a great opportunity to cover the best school bullies from 80s movies. These bullies could take place in elementary school, high school or even college. I did an issue on William Atherton who was the best movie jerk of the 80s, but this issue will countdown some of the best movie bullies (who in most cases are jerks, too).
Let's get on to the countdown. Here is OLD SCHOOL'S TOP 10 BULLIES FROM 80s MOVIES:
Honorable Mention #1. "Principal Richard Vernon" from The Breakfast Club (1985) played by Paul Gleason - This list was not really intended to include adults, but I thought the Principal character from this film was quite the bully, so I decided to include him at least as an honorable mention. Also considered "Principal Ed Rooney" from Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) played marvelously by Jeffrey Jones, but he turns out to get bullied more himself so he probably should not be included after all.
Honorable Mention #2. "Scut Farkas" from A Christmas Story (1983) played by Zack Ward - The movie was released in the 80s, though the story takes place back in the late 30s-early 40s, so I wanted to give him at least an honorable mention. "He had yellow eyes! So, help me, God! Yellow eyes!"
10. "Hardy Jenns" from Some Kind of Wonderful (1987) played by Craig Sheffer
9. "Tommy" from Valley Girl (1983) played by Michael Bowen
8. "Chet Donnelly" from Weird Science (1985) played by Bill Paxton - "You're stewed, buttwad!" From Weird Science you could also include the pair of "Ian" and "Max" played by Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Rusler respectively though their dumping a slushy on the guys at the mall pales in comparison to all of the hilarious scenes featuring "Chet."
7. "Steff McKee" from Pretty In Pink (1986) played by James Spader
6. "Roy Stalin" from Better Off Dead (1985) played by Aaron Dozier - "Alright, who wants to hold my clipboard?"
5. "Mick McAllister" from Teen Wolf (1985) played by Mark Arnold - This guy was actually 28 years old when he played a high school bully
4. "Ace Merrill" from Stand By Me (1986) played by Kiefer Sutherland - "Suck my fat one, you cheap dime store hood."
3. "Stan Gable" from Revenge of the Nerds (1984) played by Ted McGinley - He and the rest of the Alpha Betas were classic bullies until the very end. "Those nerds are a threat to our way of life!"
2. "Biff Tannen" from Back to the Future (1985) played by Thomas F. Wilson - Also reprised the role in the sequels including 1989's Part II. I like what Ryan Zimmerman had to say about "Biff" in one of his columns on the Like Totally 80s website: "Biff was a tri-fold bully--- being able to bully in the past, present and future. Whether it was George or Marty, the McFly boys were often at the bad end of a Biff Temper Tannen-trum. But after having a manure truck dumped on his car, and being knocked out by George at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance, Biff made like a tree, and got out of there-and continued his bullying ways into the many sequels that followed." Also, here is a link to a past issue which featured the video to a song performed by Wilson called "Biff's Question Song" in the Check This Out section (at the end of the issue). I find it pretty funny and it is worth checking out.
1. "Johnny Lawrence" from The Karate Kid (1984) played by William Zabka - Like I said in my issue on William Atherton, there is no one better at being a bully than Zabka. You have to also include his role as "Greg Tolan" in Just One of the Guys (1985) and as "Chaz Osbourne" in Back to School (1986). Zabka took being a bully to an art form in the 80s. There is some great stuff on him in one of my most popular issues on The Karate Kid which includes the "Sweep the Leg" video. You should definitely go back and check that one out again.
There is my list of 80s bullies. Did I miss any that you feel should be included? Let me know about it in the comments section below. The bully character was common in many 80s teen movies, but for some reason has faded away since then. A good bully villain makes you really dislike them and is essential to the movie plot. These bullies on the list above did it as well as anybody and should receive due credit for making us care even more about the hero. On Thomas Wilson's 50th birthday, I thought it was only right to pay tribute and celebrate the greatness of the 80s movie bully.
That will wrap up another issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks much for reading. If you are interested in reading more of my 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. If you are interested in reading more of my Top 10 lists, please click there for a summary. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Become a Fan". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Check this out: Easter was just this past week and I had been saving this little bit of Easter humor to share with you all. It is somewhat timely and made me chuckle, so hope you enjoy it too...
Quote of the day: "Strength does not come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will." -Mahatma Gandhi
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted its 24th class this past week (April 4, 2009). Last year, I did an issue on John Mellencamp when he was inducted. This year there are some inductees a little more meaningful to me. Run-D.M.C. was inducted this year as just the second rap/hip-hop group to receive this honor.
I have to say I have been a Run-D.M.C. fan almost as long as I can remember. I bought their first album all the way back in 1984 well before they were welcomed into the mainstream. I attended concerts before I was even old enough to drive (thanks Mom & Dad!). For whatever reason, their sound just caught my ear and spoke to me in a way that you wouldn't expect for a nine-year-old white kid from Milwaukee.
Run-D.M.C.was easily the biggest act in hip-hop throughout the 80s and are generally credited with being the most influential rap group of all time breaking hip hop into mainstream music. The group was made up of Run (Joseph Simmons), D.M.C. (Darryl McDaniels) and Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell). They are well represented on my very popular Top 50 Old School Rap/Hip Hop Songs from the 80s list. The group released four studio albums in the 80s including 1986's Raising Hell which went all the way to #3 on the Billboard mainstream album chart and featured a cover of Aerosmith's "Walk This Way" which would reach #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.
This is the album that really opened doors for rap music to enter the mainstream. In 2006, Time Magazine named it #41 of the 100 best albums of the past fifty years and stated that the album was "rap's first masterpiece." In 2003, the Raising Hell was ranked number 120 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Their self-titled debut album from 1984 is probably still my favorite. I still enjoy listening to it from start to finish today. In 1989, the album was ranked #51 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "100 greatest albums of the 1980s". Then in 2003, the album was ranked number 240 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. I feel it might deserve to be ranked even higher than that on both lists. You will find many of the songs from this album on my upcoming top 10 list below.
Rapper Eminem had the honor of inducting Run-D.M.C. into the Hall of Fame and gave what I considered to be a very nice speech which you can watch right here:
It is customary for the inductees to all perform during the ceremony, but Run-D.M.C. chose not to in keeping with their pledge not to perform together live again following the tragic death of their d.j. Jam Master Jay (Mizell). Mizell was murdered on October 30, 2002 and this tragedy saddened and disgusted me. Though I did not know the man personally, this particular death seemed to hurt me more than usual. Jay's mother accepted the Hall of Fame honor on behalf of her son.
You can see on the video here some of the comments made by Run and D following the ceremony:
They were true pioneers and as big of a part of my 80s music memories as anything else from my favorite decade. As I hope you expected, I will take this opportunity to publish my top 10 list of Run-D.M.C. songs from the 80s and include links to videos or at least to listen to the songs. To my average reader, you might not be familiar with most of these songs, but I can still recite the lyrics to all of them 20+ years later.
Here is OLD SCHOOL'S TOP 10 RUN-D.M.C. SONGS FROM THE 80s (+Bonus 5):
Honorable Mention. "Walk This Way" (1986) from Raising Hell - This cover of Aerosmith's 1975 song actually includes a collaboration by Steven Tyler and the boys. It has appeared on three of my past top 10 lists previous to this one including my Top Duets of the 80s list, my Top Rap/Hip Hop Songs of the 80s list and my Top Music Videos of the 80s list. Those are three of my most popular issues, so be sure to click on the links and check them out if you haven't read them before. I am not a huge fan of this song, but it was groundbreaking in several ways so I thought it at least deserved an honorable mention. Another honorable mention goes to "Christmas In Hollis" from the 1987 album A Very Special Christmas, which I covered in more detail during this special holiday issue.
15. "My Adidas" (1986) from Raising Hell - The adidas shoes with the shell toes and no shoe laces became a trademark look for the group and even resulted in a big time endorsement deal (the first for any hip hop artist). [link to video of song playing]
14. "It's Tricky" (1986) from Raising Hell [link to video]
5. "Run's House" (1988) from Tougher Than Leather [link to video] - I also fondly remember this song being used in Kevin Smith's 1999 film Dogma which is one of my all time favorite movies. There is a scene where Matt Damon's character is singing the hook from this song and here is a link to watch this short scene.
4. "Rock Box" (1984) from Run-D.M.C. [link to video]
3. "I'm Not Going Out Like That" (1988) from Tougher Than Leather [link to song playing]
2. "King of Rock" (1985) from King of Rock [link to video] - Ironically now, the video features Run and DMC wreaking havoc in a museum that resembles the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame though the actual Hall of Fame museum wouldn't officially open for another nine years. Now they are officially inducted into that museum.
There's my list. I only considered songs from the 80s, but Run-D.M.C. has released three other albums after the 80s which have had some highlights as well. Allmusic.com's Stephen Thomas Erlewine states succinctly that "...More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of the music." Unlike those before them, Run and DMC rarely smiled and they didn't dance. They delivered their rhymes in an aggressive, angry--almost confrontational, style and sometimes shared rhymes on a single verse--trading rhymes, line-for-line. Run-D.M.C. performed with only Run and DMC out front, and Jam-Master Jay on the turntables behind them, in what is now considered the 'classic' hip hop stage setup: two turntables and microphones.
In an article by NPR Music's Ashley Kahn, D.M.C. (McDaniels) made commentary on why rap music became such a phenomenon back in the late 80s and why it might be a little different today: Having witnessed the birth of rap - and having played a major role in establishing its widespread popularity - McDaniels says he's proud of how far hip-hop culture has come. But he adds that an essential, universal message of the music seems to have been lost. "When you look at hip-hop today, it's like, 'Do you see what this guy is driving? Wow, he's got a lot of money. Wow, he's dating a movie star.' Jay used to say that the thing about hip-hop, about rap, DJing and MCing - about break dancing, the way we dress, the way we communicated - he said it was all-inclusive. It wasn't about having to be rich. You ain't have to be a thug, you ain't have to be black only, you ain't have to break dance. Hip-hop was, 'Come as you are, because here we are for you.' "
Maybe that is partly what drew me in so strongly. The group, who in 2004 was ranked by Rolling Stone #48 on their list of the greatest musical artists of all time, is no longer making new albums together though their influence and music will live on for all time. I cannot think of a more worthy inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They will be inaugural members of Old School's Music Hall of Fame (more to come in a future issue).
That will conclude another issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks much for reading. If you are interested in reading more of my 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. If you are interested in reading more of my Top 10 lists, please click there for a summary. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on the "Like" button. Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Check this out: Today (April 10, 2009) is the 58th birthday of action movie actor Steven Seagal. His only 80s contribution was 1988's Above the Law, but my favorite is probably 1992's Under Siege. Surprisingly, he has been in 36 movies in about 20 years. In celebration of his birthday, I thought I would share this poster that made me chuckle. You can see in each picture how Seagal uses his incredible acting skills to demonstrate a whole range of emotions...
Quote of the day: "Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." -William Shakespeare
This is the sixth issue of our 80s Video of the Week which I am calling "Flashback Videos." As a reminder, these issues will not include the usual "Check this out" or "Quote of the day" sections at the end like normal issues of Kickin' it Old School usually do.
I am using birthdays again to choose this issue's videos. First up is Julian Lennon who turned 46 today (April 8, 2009). He is probably best known as the son of John Lennon, but he also has had a little music career of his own. He has released five studio albums and is working on another expected to be released this year, but the one I remember best was 1984's Valotte. This album included the song "Too Late For Goodbyes" which is his highest charting single of his career reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. So in celebration of his birthday one of this week's Flashback Videos is "Too Late For Goodbyes" by Julian Lennon...
The other thing I always connect with Julian Lennon is that the Beatles song "Hey Jude" was originally titled "Hey Jules" because it was written by Paul McCartney to comfort Julian during his parents' divorce. Julian was just 5 years old when John Lennon divorced his first wife and Julian's mother Cynthia. McCartney changed the title to "Hey Jude" because the name Jude was easier to sing.
Last up is Biz Markie who turned 45 today (April 8, 2009). His real name is Marcel Hall and he was on the rap music scene since 1986 when he beatboxed on a song by Roxanne Shante. Biz Markie actually has released 5 albums of his own over the years and he is best known for his sillier songs. One of those songs was from his 1989 album titled The Biz Never Sleeps. The song is called "Just a Friend" and it includes rapping with some rather horrible singing of the chorus which samples from the 1968 song "You Got What I Need" by Freddie Scott. Believe it or not, the song made it all the way to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received heavy air play on pop music radio stations. In celebration of his birthday another one of this week's Flashback Videos is "Just a Friend" by Biz Markie...
This might be the only time you get Julian Lennon and Biz Markie both discussed within the same issue. That'll wrap up another issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. If you want to see the past issues of Flashback Videos, just type that into the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column and it should give you a list of all of them. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use that Google Search Box to find any past issues or topics you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Become a Fan". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Last night, the WWE (formerly the WWF) celebrated the 25thWrestlemania. The very first one was held on March 31, 1985 and I don't think anybody had any idea back then how big the popularity of Professional Wrestling was going to grow in the coming years.
Somewhat surprising, one of my more popular issues of Kickin' it Old School is the one which includes my Favorite and Most Hated Professional Wrestlers from the 80s. If you missed that one, you should certainly check that out and feel welcome to leave your personal picks in the comments there. I thought this year I would take the opportunity to go re-visit the five Wrestlemanias from the 80s.
I came across an article on metalmisfit.com that discussed that very subject. I recommend you checking out his take on the topic. As for my coverage, I will give you a quick recap of all of the matches that were included in each event. There will be a few video links added to help refresh your memory as well. Hulk Hogan was always my favorite and, as you will notice, he was the heart and soul of Wrestlemania back then.
Wrestlemania March 31, 1985 Madison Square Garden - New York, NY
1. Tito Santana defeated The Executioner 2. King Kong Bundy (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Special Delivery Jones - in just 23 seconds! 3. Ricky Steamboat defeated Matt Borne 4. David Sammartino (with Bruno Sammartino) fought Brutus Beefcake (with Johnny Valiant) to a double disqualification 5. The Junkyard Dog defeated Greg Valentine (c) (with Jimmy Hart) by countout - Intercontinental Title Match 6. Nikolai Volkoff and The Iron Sheik (with Freddie Blassie) defeated The U.S. Express (Mike Rotundo and Barry Windham) (c) (with Lou Albano) - to win the Tag Team Championship 7. Andre the Giant defeated Big John Studd (with Bobby Heenan) - in a $15,000 Body Slam challenge where Andre would have to retire if he did not body slam Studd 8. Wendi Richter (with Cyndi Lauper) defeated Leilani Kai (c) (with The Fabulous Moolah) - for the Women's Championship 9. Hulk Hogan and Mr. T (with Jimmy Snuka) defeated Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff (with Cowboy Bob Orton) - with special guest referee Muhammad Ali
Here is a video which touches on the last 25 years of Wrestlemania while paying tribute to the first one which started it all:
Wrestlemania 2 April 7, 1986 3 locations: Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Uniondale, NY, Rosemont Horizon - Rosemont, IL, and Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena - Los Angeles, CA
1. Paul Orndorff and The Magnificent Muraco (with Mr. Fuji) fought to a double countout 2. Randy Savage (c) (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated George Steele. - Intercontinental Title Match 3. Jake Roberts defeated George Wells. - ending with a DDT (which is one of my all time favorite finishing moves) 4. Mr. T (with Joe Frazier and Kid) defeated Roddy Piper (with Bob Orton and Lou Duva) by disqualification - in a Boxing match 5. The Fabulous Moolah (c) defeated Velvet McIntyre. - in a Women's Title Match 6. Corporal Kirchner defeated Nikolai Volkoff (with Freddie Blassie) - in a Flag Match 7. Andre the Giant defeated 19 other participants by last eliminating Bret Hart. - 20 man battle royal of NFL players and wrestlers included Jimbo Covert (NFL player - Chicago Bears), Pedro Morales, Tony Atlas, Ted Arcidi, Harvey Martin (Former NFL player - Dallas Cowboys), Danny Spivey, Hillbilly Jim, King Tonga, The Iron Sheik, Ernie Holmes (Former NFL player - Pittsburgh Steelers), B. Brian Blair, Jim Brunzell, Big John Studd, Bill Fralic (NFL player - Atlanta Falcons), Jim Neidhart, Russ Francis (NFL player - San Francisco 49ers), Bruno Sammartino, and William "Refrigerator" Perry (NFL player - Chicago Bears) 8. The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) (with Ozzy Osbourne and Lou Albano) defeated The Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake) (c) (with Johnny Valiant) - to win the Tag Team Title 9. Ricky Steamboat defeated Hercules Hernandez 10. Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Uncle Elmer 11. Terry Funk and Hoss Funk (with Jimmy Hart) defeated The Junkyard Dog and Tito Santana. 12. Hulk Hogan (c) defeated King Kong Bundy (with Bobby Heenan) - in a steel cage match for the WWF Title
Here is a video which gives you a quick recap of Wrestlemania 2 including the exciting main event:
Wrestlemania III March 29, 1987 Pontiac Silverdome - Pontiac, MI reported attendance of 93,173 (disputed)
1. The Can-Am Connection (Rick Martel and Tom Zenk) defeated Bob Orton and The Magnificent Muraco (with Mr. Fuji) 2. Billy Jack Haynes and Hercules (with Bobby Heenan) fought to a double countout 3. Hillbilly Jim, The Haiti Kid and Little Beaver defeated King Kong Bundy, Little Tokyo and Lord Littlebrook by disqualification 4. Harley Race (with Bobby Heenan and The Fabulous Moolah) defeated The Junkyard Dog - in a "Loser Must Bow" match 5. The Dream Team (Greg Valentine and Brutus Beefcake) (with Johnny Valiant and Dino Bravo) defeated The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) 6. Roddy Piper defeated Adrian Adonis (with Jimmy Hart) - in a "Loser Gets His Hair Shaved" match 7. The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) and Danny Davis (with Jimmy Hart) defeated The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) and Tito Santana 8. Butch Reed (with Slick) defeated Koko B. Ware 9. Ricky Steamboat (with George Steele) defeated Randy Savage (c) (with Miss Elizabeth) - to win the Intercontinental Title with a match lasting 14:35 - This match is generally considered one of the best of all time and certainly of the 80s, so here are videos showing the match:
10. The Honky Tonk Man (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Jake Roberts (with Alice Cooper) 11. The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff (with Slick) defeated The Killer Bees (B. Brian Blair and Jim Brunzell) by disqualification 12. Hulk Hogan (c) defeated Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan) - defending his WWF Title - This match is generally considered where Andre passed the proverbial torch to Hogan, so here is a video with highlights of the match including the big body slam which completes the moment:
Wrestlemania IV March 27, 1988 Trump Plaza - Atlantic City, NJ Featured a 14-man tournament for the vacant WWF Championship
1. Bad News Brown defeated nineteen other participants by last eliminating Bret Hart - in a 20 man battle royal also including Boris Zhukov, Brian Blair, Danny Davis, George Steele, Harley Race, Hillbilly Jim, Jacques Rougeau, Jim Brunzell, Jim Neidhart, Jim Powers, Junkyard Dog, Ken Patera, Nikolai Volkoff, Paul Roma, Raymond Rougeau, Ron Bass, Sam Houston, and Sika 2. Ted DiBiase (with Virgil and André the Giant) defeated Jim Duggan - 1st round of Title Tournament 3. Don Muraco (with Billy Graham) defeated Dino Bravo (with Frenchy Martin) by disqualification. - 1st round of Title Tournament 4. Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) defeated Ricky Steamboat. - 1st round of Title Tournament 5. Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Butch Reed (with Slick) - 1st round of Title Tournament 6. One Man Gang (with Slick) defeated Bam Bam Bigelow (with Oliver Humperdink) by countout - 1st round of Title Tournament 7. Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan) and Jake Roberts fought to a 15 minute time-limit draw - 1st round of Title Tournament giving One Man Gang a bye in the 2nd round 8. The Ultimate Warrior defeated Hercules (with Bobby Heenan) 9. Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant (with Ted DiBiase and Virgil) fought to a double disqualification - 2nd round of Title Tournament giving the winner of the next match a bye in the semi-finals 10. Ted DiBiase defeated Don Muraco (with Billy Graham) - 2nd round of Title Tournament (winner goes directly to the final match due to Hogan/Andre double DQ 11. Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) - 2nd round of Title Tournament 12. Brutus Beefcake defeated The Honky Tonk Man (c) (with Jimmy Hart and Peggy Sue) by disqualification - in an Intercontinental Title Match 13. The Islanders (Haku and Tama) and Bobby Heenan defeated The British Bulldogs (Davey Boy Smith and The Dynamite Kid) and Koko B. Ware 14. Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth) defeated One Man Gang (with Slick) by disqualification - Semi-Final of Title Tournament 15. Demolition (Ax and Smash) (with Mr. Fuji) defeated Strike Force (c) (Rick Martel and Tito Santana) - to win the Tag Team Championship 16. Randy Savage (with Miss Elizabeth and Hulk Hogan) defeated Ted DiBiase (with Andre the Giant) - to win the vacant WWF Championship
Highlights from Wrestlemania IV:
Wrestlemania V April 2, 1989 Trump Plaza - Atlantic City, NJ
1. Hercules defeated King Haku (with Bobby Heenan) 2. The Twin Towers (Akeem and The Big Boss Man) (with Slick) defeated The Rockers (Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty) 3. Brutus Beefcake and Ted DiBiase (with Virgil) fought to a double countout 4. The Bushwhackers (Luke Williams and Butch Miller) defeated The Fabulous Rougeaus (Jacques and Raymond) (with Jimmy Hart) 5. Mr. Perfect Curt Henig defeated The Blue Blazer 6. Demolition (Ax and Smash) (c) defeated The Powers of Pain (The Warlord and The Barbarian) and Mr. Fuji - in a Tag Team Title match 7. Dino Bravo (with Frenchy Martin) defeated Ronnie Garvin 8. The Brain Busters (Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard) (with Bobby Heenan) defeated Strike Force (Rick Martel and Tito Santana) 9. Jake Roberts defeated Andre the Giant (with Bobby Heenan) by disqualification - in a match refereed by Big John Studd 10. The Hart Foundation (Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart) defeated The Honky Tonk Man and Greg Valentine (with Jimmy Hart) 11. Rick Rude (with Bobby Heenan) defeated The Ultimate Warrior (c). - to win the Intercontinental Championship 12. Jim Duggan and Bad News Brown fought to a double disqualification 13. The Red Rooster defeated Bobby Heenan (with The Brooklyn Brawler) - in 32 seconds 14. Hulk Hogan defeated Randy Savage (c). - to win the WWF Championship
Highlights from Wrestlemania V:
I was a Hulkamaniac and as big of a Wrestling fan back in the 80s as anybody, but gradually watched less and less over the years. I will always have a fondness for Pro Wrestling because it was a part of my childhood. I still will stop and watch for a bit when I am channel surfing and come across it. I had fun taking a trip down memory lane and recalling the Wrestlemanias from the 80s and I hope you did too.
That will do it for this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "LIKE". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Check this out: If you read Kickin' it enough, you know I enjoy a humorous or ironic sign and share them with you here often. Here is a sign for a new drink of some sort, but based on its name I don't think it will sell that well. If I was thirsty, I don't think I would want an ice cold glass of that to help quench my thirst. They are going to need one heck of a marketing campaign to help sell this stuff. Maybe more disturbing is that this is the "original" and that that implies there are some imposters out there.
Quote of the day: "Each person has inside a basic decency and goodness. If he listens to it and acts on it, he is giving a great deal of what it is the world needs most. It is not complicated but it takes courage. It takes courage for a person to listen to his own goodness and act on it." -Pablo Casals
This is the fifth issue of our 80s Video of the Week which I am calling "Flashback Videos." As a reminder, these issues will not include the usual "Check this out" or "Quote of the day" sections at the end like normal issues of Kickin' it Old School usually do.
Eddie Murphycelebrated his 48th birthday this week (April 3, 2009). Since I already published my Top 10 Movies list for Eddie Murphy last year, I decided to instead mark the occasion by making mention of his brief pop music success from 1985. That year, Murphy released an album titled How Could It Be which included the single "Party All the Time."
The song was written and produced by Rick James who also sang some background vocals on the track. The song went all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Murphy's only major hit in his music career. Though it ranks on several "worst songs" lists, I think it is kind of catchy and I have always liked it. So in celebration of his birthday this week's Flashback Video is "Party All the Time" by Eddie Murphy...
Certainly not one of the best songs of all time, but definitely a worthy effort. I consider Eddie Murphy to be one of the most talented individuals in show business. This was the case back in the 80s and I still feel the same way today. At some point, I will publish an issue on actors who also made an attempt in the music industry (whether successful or not). Murphy will obviously be included on that list.
That will do it for another issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. If you want to see the past issues of Flashback Videos, just type that into the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column and it should give you a list of all of them. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use that Google Search Box to find any past issues or topics you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Become a Fan". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Here is the third issue of the new 80s Movie Trailer of the Week feature I am calling "Preview Review." These issues will take you back to review a movie preview/trailer for a classic 80s film. Our first issue covered 1983's WarGames and our second issue covered 1989's Say Anything... (you can click on those links to take you back to those issues).
This issue will feature the trailer for the 1988 film I'm Gonna Git You Sucka. This was a satire of 70s blaxploitation films written by, directed by and starring Keenan Ivory Wayans. This movie pre-dated the popular sketch comedy series In Living Color which he had created and which would bring recognition and fame to the Wayans family comedy. You may not have ever even heard of this movie, but it has its funny moments in a Naked Gun or Airplane! silly sort of way.
The movie plot is that Wayans' character "Jack Spade" returns from the Army to his old neighborhood which is overran by a local crime lord called "Mr. Big" played by John Vernon (who I will always remember as "Dean Wormer" in 1979's Animal House). Spade's brother dies because of "Mr. Big" so "Jack Spade" decides to clean up his neighborhood and take down the man responsible for his brother's death. He enlists the help of "John Slade" (Bernie Casey) Jack's childhood idol, who fought bad guys in the 1970s. With John's help, Jack enlists help from a group of other 70s blaxploitation stars consisting of "Hammer" (Isaac Hayes), "Slammer" (Jim Brown), "Flyguy" (Antonio Fargas) and "Kung Fu Joe" (Steve James). Here is the original trailer for I'm Gonna Git You Sucka...
The movie also features Damon Wayans, Kadeem Hardison, John Witherspoon, Clarence Williams III and Dawnn Lewis plus includes cameos by Eve Plumb ("Jan" from the Brady Bunch) and a very young Chris Rock in one of first appearances. Chris Rock's character is simply known as "Rib Joint Customer" and his short scene is probably one of my very favorites. It makes me laugh just thinking about it, so here is the video so you can watch it yourself...
That scene just cracks me up and was a glimpse of things to come from Chris Rock. One piece of trivia I found interesting is that producer Peter McCarthy persuaded John Cusack (who I have often said is one of my favorite actors), with whom he had worked before, to appear in the last big shoot-out scene as a delivery boy. He was shot multiple times and was burned by several of the nearly 20 squibs attached to his body, but for some reason they didn't end up using the scene in the final film. Now that is a deleted scene that to me would be worth seeing.
The film is a satire of the blaxploitation genre, but does not really do anything to break those stereotypes and clichés. Instead it attempts to get you to laugh at them. Though sometimes funny, it does nothing to advance the image of African Americans in film (which is obviously not its purpose). If you are willing to take it at face value as simply a silly satirical comedy, then you should be able to enjoy it. I will admit that it is definitely not everybody's cup of tea, so I am not necessarily recommending it to everyone. I just wanted to share the Chris Rock scene which I still find absolutely hilarious 20 years later and, if you enjoyed this scene and the trailer, you may just enjoy I'm Gonna Git You Sucka too.
That will do it for this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Trust you enjoy the "Preview Review" issues and please let me know if there are any 80s movies that you want to see me cover. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the new Fan Page where I ask you to then click on "Become a Fan". Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.
Check this out: My really old school favorite form of transportation way before I drove a car and even before I could ride a bike was my Big Wheel. I rode that thing until holes were worn through spots in the plastic wheels. I don't think I could have ever done something like this on my Big Wheel though...
Quote of the day: "Just do what must be done. This may not be happiness, but it is greatness." -George Bernard Shaw
COPYRIGHT Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.
IMAGES All images on Kickin' it Old School were used with best intentions and are readily available in various places on the Internet and believed to be in public domain. Images posted are believed to be posted within the rights according to the U.S. Copyright Fair Use Act (title 17, U.S. Code.) If you believe that any content appearing on this blog infringes on your copyright, please let me know immediately.
Kickin' it Old School - 80s Pop Culture
, a founding member of "The Eagles," is suing a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, claiming the candidate is misusing two of his popular songs.
of those songs were included on Henley's 1984 triple-platinum solo album titled Building the Perfect Beast. He followed that up with 1989's The End of the Innocence which went six-times platinum and which included two more of my favorites in "The Heart of the Matter" and "The End of the Innocence." Both are outstanding albums and two of my favorites from the entire 80s decade.
If you want to check out the entire list, you can click on that link and see them all for yourself. There are a few songs on the list that I agree with. My favorite might be Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" and both Eric Clapton's "Tears in Heaven" and R.E.M.'s "Everybody Hurts" would definitely make my list. I was surprised by the lack of 80s songs to make the list. 
There were many more obvious choices that came to my mind, so I decided to publish my own list based on the songs that seem heartbreaking to me. I am going to give you my top 30 from just the 80s and only two of the 8 songs above made my list. The list will also include video links for the top 20 songs and a sample lyric for the top 10 songs. There are many more that I would include from other decades that did not make the EW.com list either, but as usual, my list will just focus on the 80s.
25. "Could've Been" (1988) by Tiffany - a lot of heartbreak for a song that was sung by a 17 year old
15. "Don't Dream It's Over" (1986) by Crowded House [
7. "All Out of Love" (1980) by Air Supply [
4. "Purple Rain" (1984) by Prince & the Revolution [sorry no video link available] - "I never meant 2 cause u any sorrow, I never meant 2 cause u any pain, I only wanted 2 one time see u laughing, I only wanted 2 see u laughing in the purple rain."
1. "With or Without You" (1987) by U2 [
Richard Donner (April 24, 2009). Donner is probably best known for directing 1978's Superman: The Movie and the entire Lethal Weapon series. Other than Lethal Weapon and Lethal Weapon II in the 80s, Donner also directed The Toy (1982), Ladyhawke (1985) and Scrooged (1988), 
but my favorite has to be 1985's The Goonies. So in celebration of Donner's birthday, I am going to make The Goonies the fifth issue of my 80s Movie Trailer of the Week feature I am calling "Preview Review." 
It had a pretty special pedigree going for it. First, the story came from none other than Executive Producer Steven Spielberg. Second, the screenplay was written by Chris Columbus of later Home Alone fame. Third, it had Richard Donner on board to direct the film. They all came together along with a group of young actors to bring this adventure to life.
Several members of the case went on to become teen idols and have relatively successful careers including Corey Feldman (Stand By Me, The Lost Boys), Sean Astin (Rudy, Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men, Milk). Donner did an excellent job working with such a young and talented cast.
, 59, was sentenced by a Bedford (Ohio) Municipal Court Judge on Wednesday (April 15, 2009) to 180 days in jail stemming from a DUI arrest last fall. Carmen had pleaded no contest to drunken driving and failing to control his car. The judge did suspend the majority of the sentence and has ordered the singer to report to jail on April 25th to begin a one month sentence. He will also serve a year on probation, be subjected to random drug and alcohol testing, must enroll in an alcohol-education program and pay almost $1,500 in fines and court fees. Here is 
is probably better known for his time as the lead singer of The Raspberries and then for his 1975 solo debut "All By Myself," but he re-surfaced in the 80s as well. He wrote the song "Almost Paradise" which was sung by Mike Reno & Ann Wilson for the 1984 film Footloose. This song ranks on both 
he had a hit with the song "Hungry Eyes" from the soundtrack to Dirty Dancing and then the single "Make Me Lose Control" which made it to #4 and #3 respectively on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. "Make Me Lose Control" did not appear on a studio album, but would later be included on some greatest hits compilations. It is a catchy song, although admittedly a bit on the cheesy side. I particularly really like the ending when they sing a portion a cappella in five part harmony. That part of the song has always made the rest of the song worth listening to. So I am going to make this week's Flashback Video "Make Me Lose Control" by Eric Carmen...
Rick Moranis (April 18, 2009). He has had roles in several funny 80s movies including Ghostbusters (1984), Brewster's Millions (1985), Little Shop of Horrors (1986), Parenthood (1989) and Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989). But my favorites are Strange Brew (1983) and Spaceballs (1987) and I am going to make those our fourth issue of my 80s Movie Trailer of the Week feature I call "Preview Review." 
was based on the popular SCTV characters Bob & Doug McKenzie played by Moranis and Dave Thomas respectively. This was the film debut for Moranis. The plot revolves around the McKenzie brothers thwarting an attempt by an evil brewmeister to, not only steal the Elsinore Brewery from the daughter of the former owner who died suspiciously, but also to take over the world by putting a drug in Elsinore beer which makes those who drink it attack others when stimulated by musical cues. 
Yes, it is a silly plot and the film is quite silly as well.
is a parody of Star Wars co-written, directed and starring the one and only Mel Brooks. Rick Moranis played "Dark Helmet" who is a character obviously based on Darth Vader.
The film also starred Bill Pullman, John Candy, Daphne Zuniga and the voice of Joan Rivers in addition to Brooks and Moranis. In typical Mel Brooks fashion, the movie includes lots of over-the-top silliness but also includes some subtle humor as well. Interesting enough, George Lucas actually gave his approval to Brooks to make the film after reading the script since he was a big fan of Brooks' previous films. 
from The Breakfast Club (1985) played by Paul Gleason - This list was not really intended to include adults, but I thought the Principal character from this film was quite the bully, so I decided to include him at least as an honorable mention. Also considered "Principal Ed Rooney" from Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) played marvelously by Jeffrey Jones, but he turns out to get bullied more himself so he probably should not be included after all.
from A Christmas Story (1983) played by Zack Ward - The movie was released in the 80s, though the story takes place back in the late 30s-early 40s, so I wanted to give him at least an honorable mention. "He had yellow eyes! So, help me, God! Yellow eyes!"
9. "Tommy" from Valley Girl (1983) played by Michael Bowen
from Weird Science (1985) played by Bill Paxton - "You're stewed, buttwad!" From Weird Science you could also include the pair of "Ian" and "Max" played by Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Rusler respectively though their dumping a slushy on the guys at the mall pales in comparison to all of the hilarious scenes featuring "Chet." 
7. "Steff McKee" from Pretty In Pink (1986) played by James Spader
5. "Mick McAllister" from Teen Wolf (1985) played by Mark Arnold - This guy was actually 28 years old when he played a high school bully
3. "Stan Gable" from Revenge of the Nerds (1984) played by Ted McGinley - He and the rest of the Alpha Betas were classic bullies until the very end. "Those nerds are a threat to our way of life!"
from Back to the Future (1985) played by Thomas F. Wilson - Also reprised the role in the sequels including 1989's Part II. I like what Ryan Zimmerman had to say about "Biff" in 
1. "Johnny Lawrence" from The Karate Kid (1984) played by William Zabka - Like I said in 
You have to also include his role as "Greg Tolan" in Just One of the Guys (1985) and as "Chaz Osbourne" in Back to School (1986). Zabka took being a bully to an art form in the 80s. There is some great stuff on him in 
This year there are some inductees a little more meaningful to me. Run-D.M.C. was inducted this year as just the second rap/hip-hop group to receive this honor. 
I attended concerts before I was even old enough to drive (thanks Mom & Dad!). For whatever reason, their sound just caught my ear and spoke to me in a way that you wouldn't expect for a nine-year-old white kid from Milwaukee.
was easily the biggest act in hip-hop throughout the 80s and are generally credited with being the most influential rap group of all time breaking hip hop into mainstream music. The group was made up of Run (Joseph Simmons), D.M.C. (Darryl McDaniels) and Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell). They are well represented on 
album that really opened doors for rap music to enter the mainstream. In 2006, Time Magazine named it #41 of the 100 best albums of the past fifty years and stated that the album was "rap's first masterpiece." In 2003, the Raising Hell was ranked number 120 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
for the inductees to all perform during the ceremony, but Run-D.M.C. chose not to in keeping with their pledge not to perform together live again following the tragic death of their d.j. Jam Master Jay (Mizell). Mizell was murdered on October 30, 2002 and this tragedy saddened and disgusted me. Though I did not know the man personally, this particular death seemed to hurt me more than usual. Jay's mother accepted the Hall of Fame honor on behalf of her son.
true pioneers and as big of a part of my 80s music memories as anything else from my favorite decade. As I hope you expected, I will take this opportunity to publish my top 10 list of Run-D.M.C. songs from the 80s and include links to videos or at least to listen to the songs. To my average reader, you might not be familiar with most of these songs, but I can still recite the lyrics to all of them 20+ years later.
The adidas shoes with the shell toes and no shoe laces became a trademark look for the group and even resulted in a big time endorsement deal (the first for any hip hop artist). [
14. "It's Tricky" (1986) from Raising Hell [
5. "Run's House" (1988) from Tougher Than Leather [
"...More than any other hip-hop group, Run-D.M.C. are responsible for the sound and style of the music." Unlike those before them, Run and DMC rarely smiled and they didn't dance. They delivered their rhymes in an aggressive, angry--almost confrontational, style and sometimes shared rhymes on a single verse--trading rhymes, line-for-line. Run-D.M.C. performed with only Run and DMC out front, and Jam-Master Jay on the turntables behind them, in what is now considered the 'classic' hip hop stage setup: two turntables and microphones.
rap music became such a phenomenon back in the late 80s and why it might be a little different today:
First up is Julian Lennon who turned 46 today (April 8, 2009). 
He is probably best known as the son of John Lennon, but he also has had a little music career of his own. He has released five studio albums and is working on another expected to be released this year, but the one I remember best was 1984's Valotte. This album included the song "Too Late For Goodbyes" which is his highest charting single of his career reaching #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. So in celebration of his birthday one of this week's Flashback Videos is "Too Late For Goodbyes" by Julian Lennon...
Biz Markie who turned 45 today (April 8, 2009). His real name is Marcel Hall and he was on the rap music scene since 1986 when he beatboxed on a song by Roxanne Shante. 
Biz Markie actually has released 5 albums of his own over the years and he is best known for his sillier songs. One of those songs was from his 1989 album titled The Biz Never Sleeps. The song is called "Just a Friend" and it includes rapping with some rather horrible singing of the chorus which samples from the 1968 song "You Got What I Need" by Freddie Scott. Believe it or not, the song made it all the way to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and received heavy air play on pop music radio stations. In celebration of his birthday another one of this week's Flashback Videos is "Just a Friend" by Biz Markie...
25th Wrestlemania. The very first one was held on March 31, 1985 and I don't think anybody had any idea back then how big the popularity of Professional Wrestling was going to grow in the coming years. 
celebrated his 48th birthday this week (April 3, 2009). Since I already published 
I decided to instead mark the occasion by making mention of his brief pop music success from 1985. That year, Murphy released an album titled How Could It Be which included the single "Party All the Time."
Rick James who also sang some background vocals on the track. The song went all the way to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was Murphy's only major hit in his music career. Though it ranks on several "worst songs" lists, I think it is kind of catchy and I have always liked it. So in celebration of his birthday this week's Flashback Video is "Party All the Time" by Eddie Murphy...
for the 1988 film I'm Gonna Git You Sucka. This was a satire of 70s blaxploitation films written by, directed by and starring 
Keenan Ivory Wayans. This movie pre-dated the popular sketch comedy series In Living Color which he had created and which would bring recognition and fame to the Wayans family comedy. You may not have ever even heard of this movie, but it has its funny moments in a Naked Gun or Airplane! silly sort of way.
Spade's brother dies because of "Mr. Big" so "Jack Spade" decides to clean up his neighborhood and take down the man responsible for his brother's death. He enlists the help of "John Slade" (Bernie Casey) Jack's childhood idol, who fought bad guys in the 1970s. With John's help, Jack enlists help from a group of other 70s blaxploitation stars consisting of "Hammer" (Isaac Hayes), "Slammer" (Jim Brown), "Flyguy" (Antonio Fargas) and "Kung Fu Joe" (Steve James). Here is the original trailer for I'm Gonna Git You Sucka...
Damon Wayans, Kadeem Hardison, John Witherspoon, Clarence Williams III and Dawnn Lewis plus includes cameos by Eve Plumb ("Jan" from the Brady Bunch) and a very young Chris Rock in one of first appearances. Chris Rock's character is simply known as "Rib Joint Customer" and his short scene is probably one of my very favorites. It makes me laugh just thinking about it, so here is the video so you can watch it yourself...
