Carlisle is 50 years old now and I am not sure why I did not do an issue on her back in August when she had that birthday. I did other issues in 2008 for pop stars who celebrated their 50^th birthdays including Madonna, Michael Jackson, Simon LeBon (Duran Duran) and Prince. Click on the name of each of them and it will take you back to those issues which of course included top 10 lists for each artist. (Hint: there is a top 10 list coming up for Belinda Carlisle).

Carlisle was the lead singer for the all-female band The Go-Go's which was one of the most successful bands of the early 80s. They were the first all female band, who played their own instruments and wrote their own songs, in rock history to achieve a #1 album with 1981's Beauty and the Beat. The Go-Go's which began in 1978 would break up in 1985.

Carlisle would then go on to a successful solo career beginning with her 1986 debut album titled Belinda. Most people do not realize it, but all in all, Belinda Carlisle is one of the most successful female artists of the 80s achieving 3 Gold Albums, 1 Platinum Album and 1 Double Platinum album when you combine her solo efforts with those of The Go-Go's. Combined she has sold tens of millions of albums worldwide.

On a somewhat unrelated note, Carlisle posed nude for Playboy back in August of 2001 when she was 42 years old. This was right around the same time that The Go-Go's released their last album of new material, God Bless the Go-Go's, and were promoting a reunion tour. The Go-Go's reunited in 1990 and have toured regularly since 1999 but they say they currently have no plans to release any more new material.

As promised earlier, here is OLD SCHOOL'S TOP 10 BELINDA CARLISLE & THE GO-GO'S SONGS OF THE 80s:

10. "Circle In the Sand" (1987) from Heaven on Earth [link to video]

9. "Turn To You" (1984) with The Go-Go's from Talk Show [link to video]

8. "Leave A Light On" (1989) from Runaway Horses [link to video]

7. "I Get Weak" (1987) from Heaven on Earth [link to video] - This song is written by the great Diane Warren and reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100.

6. "We Got The Beat" (1981) with The Go-Go's from Beauty and the Beat [link to video] - This song is immediately recognizable by the drum intro and is the band's biggest hit, spending three weeks at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. The song gained further exposure by being used in the opening sequence of the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982).

5. "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" (1987) from Heaven on Earth [link to video] - This song which featured Thomas Dolby (of "She Blinded Me With Science" fame) on keyboards and is her only Billboard Hot 100 #1 single. The video is directed by Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton.

4. "Vacation" (1982) with The Go-Go's from Vacation [link to video] - This song carries the interesting distinction of being released as the first known cassette single or "cassingle" as trademarked by I.R.S Records which was the 80s replacement for 45 records.

3. "Mad About You" (1986) from Belinda [link to video] - This was her first hit after leaving the Go-Go's, peaking at Number 3 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It features her former band-mates Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey singing back-up vocals and a guitar solo by Andy Taylor (of Duran Duran).

2. "Our Lips Are Sealed" (1981) with The Go-Go's from Beauty and the Beat [link to video] - This was the band's debut American single and in 2000 Rolling Stone named it one of the "100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time."

1. "Head Over Heels" (1984) with The Go-Go's from Talk Show [link to video] - Not the most commercially successful song for the band, but it is my favorite and therefore sits atop my list.

There's my list. I am sure many people might change the order around, but are there any songs that you feel are missing? Belinda Carlisle is not often recognized as one of the big pop stars of the 80s, but when you look at the list above and the record sales that back them up, she definitely deserves to at least be in the conversation. Remember that when you are watching her competing in the upcoming Dancing With The Stars season. On the subject of dancing, you might also find my Top Dancing Scenes from 80s Movies list interesting.

That will do it for another issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always 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 "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: Saw this picture and the caption read, "Two great virtues in life: Patience & Wisdom." This dog (watching a skunk eat his food) definitely is displaying both!

Quote of the day: "Whether women are better than men I cannot say - but I can say they are certainly no worse." -Golda Meir