E.P.: The Extraordinary Playlist

1982…It was the year of “E.T.,” Colecovision, and David Letterman’s first foray into late-night. It was also the year that I was a mere six-year-old growing up in suburban South Florida. My main concerns were convincing my mom to go to Chuck E. Cheese and getting my family to go up to the newly-opened EPCOT Center.

It was an interesting crossroads year music-wise. I would say that 1982 really was the beginning of the 80s for the pop and rock world. It saw a lot of artists from the 70s adapting to the new glossier sounds of the decade. Young up-and-comers from the “Me” decade were now trying to survive as more adult artists.

This year also found MTV and the music video starting to have a big impact on what hit big and what didn’t. This list was a VERY hard one to choose. Ultimately, what I’ve got is a mix of songs that were the best of the year as well as songs that really brought me back to a time when I’d sit in the back of the family station wagon listening to songs on my brand new Walkman.

1. Paul McCartney, “Take It Away”
   The year or two leading up to 1982 was very rough for Paul McCartney. Wings folded, he got busted for marijuana possession in Linda McCartney, his 1980 album “McCartney II” was a critical flop, and worst of all, his long-life friend and partner John Lennon was murdered.

   His 1982 album “Tug of War” was his first since Lennon died and as a result, was highly anticipated by the public. The George Martin-produced masterpiece would prove to be one of his best both from a commercial and critical standpoint.

   This single, “Take it Away,” was a Top 10 hit and one that is oft forgotten. It’s classic, but mature McCartney. I dare anybody to not walk away humming this song after hearing it. After listening to it, I highly recommend checking out the video for the song…a major MTV staple back in day featuring an appearance by actor John Hurt!

2. Elton John, “Empty Garden”
   Another 70s artist that reached a crossroads in 1982 was Elton John. Elton was a superstar in the early 70s but by the late 70s and early 80s his chart success was spotty at best. Singles-wise, he was making occasional splashes, but from an album standpoint, he had fallen from the consistent #1-reaching heights of his Captain Fantastic days.

   Enter “Jump Up!,” his second album on the Geffen label. Its predecessor “The Fox” was a disappointment yielding no hit singles. Like “Tug of War,” this was the first album of material recorded by Elton since the death of friend John Lennon. The album was the first step for Elton’s 80s creative comeback. It was solid from top to bottom and its highlight was “Empty Garden,” his tribute to Lennon.

   I will go on record to say that THIS is the definitive John Lennon-tribute song. The lyrics are some of Bernie Taupin’s best, conveying sadness and anger unlike any other words he’s written. “Candle in the Wind” may be a wonderful ode to the tragic life of Marilyn Monroe, but “Empty Garden” trumps it with the sincere, personal loss and heartbreak in Elton’s melody and Bernie’s analogy of the Beatle to a fallen gardener. The single peaked at #13 in the U.S. and deserved much much more.

3. Duran Duran, “Hungry Like The Wolf”
   I loved MTV growing up…seriously…I was glued to MTV and Nickelodeon growing up. I even remember my mom letting me stay up late to watch the world premieres of the videos for Billy Joel’s “Tell Her About It” and Jackson Browne’s “Lawyers in Love.”

   One thing I remembered a LOT about MTV was Duran Duran…specifically the “Hungry Like the Wolf” video. I was mesmerized by it. Only later did I realize that my fascination with Duran Duran stemmed from the latent crush I had on pre-tubby Simon LeBon and pre-aged John Taylor!

   As I listen more and more to this song throughout the years, I’ve realized that the music video aside, it’s a damn good song…a unique mixture of dance and rock that would later be emulated decades later by The Killers and Franz Ferdinand. Oh…and I KILL with this song whenever I do it at karaoke.

4. Queen, “Dancer”
   Dance-rock was an area explored to greater heights by Queen in their controversial 1982 album “Hot Space.” The LP featured the rock band exploring some of the more dancier realms of music, an extension of their dabbling with disco in their 1980 hit “Another One Bites the Dust. ” Personally, I love this album, but for most, this experiment into more glitter-ball territory failed.

   One of my favorites from the album is “Dancer,” an awesome mix of rock over a disco-ey beat accented with a signature multi-layered Queen chorus belting out “dancer! dancer!” It’s like a gay-ed up version of Billy Squier’s “The Stroke!”

   It should have been a single and would have made a wonderful video! And dammit, there needs to be a karaoke version of it!

   Little known rumor… Word is that this album served as an inspiration for Michael Jackson’s album, “Thriller.”

5. Michael Jackson, “Someone In The Dark”
   Speaking of Michael Jackson, here is a song recorded around the time of “Thriller,” but for another mega-hit of the time…”E.T.” Now, this song was not on the classic movie’s soundtrack. It was a song that was written for the “E.T.” story album for which Jacko did the narration. “E.T.” and Jacko together at last…it’s like two great early 80s tastes in one!
6. Billy Joel, “Scandinavian Skies”
   After getting savaged by some critics for being lightweight on his 1980 album “Glass Houses,” Billy Joel veered into more serious territory with “The Nylon Curtain.” Those expecting the rockin’ free spirit of “You May Be Right” got a sobering surprise with this album. The subject matter was darker and more political. The production was more elaborate and Beatles-esque…it’s as if Joel was channeling the spirit of John Lennon.

   This album cut is clearly an attempt to go for a more late-60s Beatles sound. Swirling strings + cryptic lyrics = one of the most bizarre Billy Joel songs ever recorded. I have yet to figure what the hell this song is about!

7. ABBA, “Under Attack”
   Continuing in the Scandinavian realm of things is this song…one of ABBA’s last singles. This song can currently be found on the reissue of the fantastic album “The Visitors” but it made it’s first appearance in LP form on ABBA’s compilation “The First Ten Years.” The song was by no means intended to be a swan song for the Swedish supergroup. The plan was to continue after this greatest hits collection.

   That being said, this single saw the group continuing to evolve their sound from an organic disco motif to a more synthesized Europop sound. The production was tight, the rhythm was punchy, and the melody had the weird sense of urgency and unbalancedness that made “The Visitors” such a delicious album. It really would have been interesting to have seen how ABBA would have sounded had the continued in this direction…but alas no…

8. Donald Fagen, “I.G.Y. (International Geophysical Year)”
   In 1980, Steely Dan released their last album “Aja.” The band’s lead singer Donald Fagen ventured into a solo career with his 1982 album, “The Nightfly” and this leadoff single was a nostalgic look at the future that carried on the jazzy sound of Steely Dan. It was an optimism that was peppered with a twinge of cynicism that came thanks to Fagen’s trademark voice.
9. “Universe of Energy”
   On the other side of the 80s-era future world, was a song that was heard in Future World…EPCOT’s Future World…many many times each day. This was the closing theme song for the theme park’s “Universe of Energy” pavilion, an Exxon-sponsored, solar-powered attraction that taught visitors about fossil fuels and why we should use oil…but still conserve energy in the process. It’s disco-rock set to earnest Reagan-era optimism. Woo-hoo!
10. Scott Baio and Erin Moran, “You Look At Me”
    And last but not least…a TV theme…this was the opening theme song to the “Happy Days” spinoff “Joanie Loves Chachi.” And honestly…I don’t think more really needs to be said here…just listen to the thing and you’ll know what I mean…

Download: Paul McCartney, “Take It Away” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Elton John, “Empty Garden” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Duran Duran, “Hungry Like The Wolf” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Queen, “Dancer” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Michael Jackson, “Someone In The Dark” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Billy Joel, “Scandinavian Skies” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: ABBA, “Under Attack” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Donald Fagen, “I.G.Y. (International Geophysical Year)” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: “Universe of Energy” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Download: Scott Baio and Erin Moran, “You Look At Me” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)