ALF, Perfect Strangers, Family Matters, Married With Children, Max Headroom, Who's the Boss, Cagney and Lacey, 227, and Beauty and the Beast. I shuddered just thinking about those. Ew. 

Really, nothing says Father's Day like Don Draper slamming back bourbon and being slapped by prostitutes. 

I think everyone knows it has to be Jem and the Holograms. Because it was truly outrageous.

Difficult question. 

Should I go with a drama or comedy? Nighttime soap? 

Because I have high standards and can't choose between Dyansty and Dallas, I'm picking Square Pegs. Square Pegs was a show that only lasted one season in the early 80s and trust me, it was awesome. Sarah Jessica Parker, Jamie Gertz, and Tracy Nelson (sister of Nelson, the band with the flowing blond hair) starred in what was the best high school-centered show ever. I was young when the show aired, but I loved it. Later on, I watched the reruns on cable (I may have been in college then) and thought the show was one of the best things about the 80s. Square Pegs had great music and relatable characters. The Waitresses ("I Know What Boys Like" and one of my favorite Christmas songs, "Christmas Wrapping") sang the title song and were in the first episode. It was fantastic.

Here's a clip from the first episode, because we all love awkward dancing and awkward SJP, don't we?

 

 

In the 80s it was MTV all the way. That was when they played music. Enough has been written about that and I don't feel that I have anything to add on that subject. What I would like to bring up is the fantastic show that was 120 Minutes. 

In the mid-80s, 120 Minutes aired on Sunday nights (I want to say on Sunday nights around 10 or 11pm) and played alternative/new wave/post punk music. It was usually the only time when one could see videos and interviews from the kind of artists I was drawn to (and still drawn to) on MTV. During the day, through the week, MTV played rock and pop and started to play rap, but aside from The Cure or maybe Red Hot Chili Peppers, you had to wait until Sunday nights to see the bands I liked. 

Back in the day, I was into REM and 10,000 Maniacs from listening to Centenary College's radio station. I was maybe 11. In 1986, I saw Pretty in Pink and was obsessed with the music from the bands on the soundtrack. It was about the same time that I saw a commercial for 120 Minutes. Since it was on so late, I had to set the VCR and record the show. 120 Minutes was where I was first introduced to Depeche Mode, The Smiths, New Order, The Replacements, The Lemonheads, The Smithereens, Cake, They Might Be Giants, Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians, XTC, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Tom Tom Club, The Dead Milkmen, Echo and the Bunnymen, Aztec Camera, and The Breeders. Heck, it's where Mojo Nixon sang "Debbie Gibson is Pregnant with My Two Headed Lovechild."

What was great about the show is that bands would give interviews, perform live, and guest host the show. There was a feeling that no one was really watching the show and artists were quite candid and fun. It was a show made for music lovers. Somewhere, I still have a VCR tape of an episode or two and I know that "Take the Skinheads Bowling" is on it. 

For nostalgia's sake, here are a few of my favorite videos from 120 Minutes.

One great song, The Replacements' "I'll Be You" – it has the line "rebel without a clue" that Tom Petty later borrowed for "Into the Great Wide Open." I had such a crush on Paul Westerberg. 

 

One highly underrated band, The Smithereens, with "A GIrl LIke You." Belinda Carlisle does backing vocals on this one. Love this song. Great vocals, great guitar.

 

And a song played often on 120 Minutes, "Girlfriend in a Coma" by The Smiths. Girlfriend in a coma, I know, I know, it's serious.

 

For realz.

Dude, this is hard.

I love both the Duran Duran and the Hall and the Oates. I've written about both on the blog. Let's examine this issue closely. 

First, I give you THE BEST VIDEO OF ALL TIME, "She's Gone" by Hall and Oates. This video has everything (read in Stefon's voice): Oates in a Chippendales outfit, playing his guitar solo like a penguin; Daryl Hall looking like a stoned David Bowie in a formal robe and socks with sandals; cigarettes and a flask on the ottoman, some woman walking through the video like a ghost, Daryl acting like he's too good to sing his solos, and is that Liza Minelli? no, it's the Devil walking around in sequins! Just when you think it can't get better, Hall and Oates are throwing Monopoly money around like it's the worst strip club on Park Place.

 

As a rebuttal, I give you Simon LeBon playing Drunk Indiana Jones in Duran Duran's "Hungry Like the Wolf."

 

I know, Simon wrestling with a painted woman in the jungle is a valid arguement, but Your Honor, did Duran Duran release a Christmas song? Actually, kind of, they appeared in the single "Do They Know it's Christmas" with a lot of other musicians as Band Aid. 

Objection! Hall and Oates had "Jingle Bell Rock." The Prosecution rests.

I don't know when this became a trial, but as judge, jury, and dj, I award Duran Duran the winner because they sang "Notorious" and when I saw them sing it live last year it was amazing.

 

 

 

EDIT: this song totally came out in 1991. I wrote this post under the influence of nothing, so I guess I just forgot what the challenge was about. Apologies to Prince as well as the New Power Generation. 

 

I don't know if y'all knew this. but it's a proven scientific fact that every Prince song is about sex. Look it up. It's true. My two favorite Prince songs would have to be "Horny Pony" and "Gett Off." Obviously. There is no video of "Horny Pony," because – come on, even Prince knows he can't do that.

https://dailymotion.com/video/xaepwj

by jackyabody 

I'm sure it comes as no surprise to anyone that I love Cyndi Lauper. She was one of the first artists I purchased in each medium (except 8-track, never had those). Records, cassette tapes, cds, and mp3s. Quite simply, she rocks. Here are my favorite Cyndi tracks.

"All Through the Night"

 

"Time After Time"

 

and because this version is at the end of one of my favorite movies, To Wong Foo, Thanks For Everything, Julie Newmar – "Hey Now (girls just want to have fun)."  I just love this version. Especially when Cyndi holds the note at the end of "I want to be the one to walk in the sun."

Don't worry, the video is dragtastic.