The Ultimate 80's Pop Song Tournament.

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

This match is looking good. Can a cult favorite in Blue Monday overcome the King of Pop?

Michael Jackson - Off The Wall

"Off the Wall" was the third single released from singer Michael Jackson's album Off the Wall.

Released in Spring 1980, the Rod Temperton-composed number became Jackson's third top 10 single from Off the Wall, which eventually spawned four top 10 singles; Jackson was the first person to accomplish this. The song is about getting over troubles: "leave that nine-to-five upon the shelf / and just enjoy yourself". The song peaked at number ten on the Pop Singles Chart and at number five on the Billboard Soul Singles Chart.



Vs.



New Order - Blue Monday


Blue Monday is a dance pop song recorded and originally released as a single in 1983 by British band New Order, and later remixed for further releases in 1988 and 1995.

[Widow's Peak]

Blue Monday

[Mister Pigwell]

Orgy did Blue Monday better...

... and I'm not voting against MJ worth a damn here.


Goin with the king of pop here.

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Yeah, gotta go with Michael, even though it's not one of my favorites of his.

[Aaron E. Dangerously]

Off The Wall

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

And the King easily brushes aside the New Order, much to my chagrin, as MJ has like a gajabillion songs in this thing.

Worry not though New Order fans, for your band still has a few tricks up it's sleeve later in the tourney.
---------

Match #3

This is the battle of two underdogs. Unfortunatly for them, one is garunteed not to have a Cinderalla Story.


Falco - Der Kommissar

"Der Kommissar"/"Helden von heute" is a double-A-side single by Falco in 1981. It reached top of the Charts in many countries. An English version of "Der Kommissar", recorded by After the Fire, peaked at No. 3 in the Billboard Hot 100 charts. "Der Kommissar" was the first hip hop song by a white rapper to be commercially successful.



Vs.




Tom Tom Club - Genius of Love


"Genius of Love" was Tom Tom Club's second single. Although the album had not been released in North America, over a hundred thousand copies of the single sold as imports from Island Records's UK, at which point Sire Records made a deal to release the single and the album in North America in late 1981.

With the dreamy, sighing, yet curiously flat and emotionless lead vocals of Tina Weymouth and sister Laura, "Genius of Love" was a huge hit all around, in the clubs and on the R&B and dance charts, soon earning the Tom Tom Club LP a Gold Sales Award in 1982.

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Muthaf***in' Falco and shit!

[Mister Pigwell]

Flaco. I'm not sure still to this day if what was done by Flaco was cheese or art.

Either way it's wicked fun.

[Widow's Peak]

This is a toughie.

Genius of Love, I guess.

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

bobschlapowitz said:

Muthasmurfin' Falco and crap!

He's a gang-bangin' thug who never saw it comin'.


2-1 in favor of Falco.

[jfbop37]

Going with Tom Tom Club.

After The Fire did Der Kommisar better.

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

Another close match up already. This is good to see. 2-2 and the next vote wins.

[Chilly McFreeze]

jfbop37 said:

Going with Tom Tom Club.

After The Fire did Der Kommisar better.

Same, and I believe that is FTW.

[Insomniac]

Falco gets my vote, and the win.

[Milkman Norm]

The Talking Heads Rhythm Section

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

Tom Tom Club moves on, maybe to face their parent group the Talking Heads later on? We'll find out later. Falco still had one shot to move on with his most known song, later in the tourney.
--------------

This next match features one of my favorite songs in this tournament, against one of the all time Kings of Pop... no matter which name he is currently going by.

Match #4:

Tears for Fears - Everybody Wants To Rule The World


"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" is a song originally written by Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley and Chris Hughes of the British band Tears for Fears. It was the band's ninth single release in the United Kingdom (the third taken from their second LP Songs from the Big Chair) and seventh UK Top 25 chart hit, peaking at #2 in April 1985. In the USA, it was the lead single from the album and gave the band their first ever Billboard Hot 100 #1 hit on June 8, 1985, remaining there for two weeks. The song has since become the pinnacle of Tears for Fears' chart success, its endurance allowing it to accumulate over two million radio broadcasts by 1994, according to BMI.

The single was released on a wide variety of formats in the UK, including a standard 7", a 7" double pack, 2 separate 12" versions, and a 10" single.



Vs.



Prince - 1999


"1999" is one of Prince's most well-known songs and a defining point in his rise to superstar status. The monumentally apocalyptic, yet upbeat party anthem moved many people and saw great chart success in 1983, peaking at #12 in the US and #25 in the UK (reaching #2 in the UK when re-released in 1985). The album version of the song starts with a slowed-down voice representing God, reassuring the listener "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I only want you to have some fun." Prince shares lead vocals on the track with members of his band The Revolution, namely Dez Dickerson, Lisa Coleman and Jill Jones. Originally conceived to be a three-part harmony, it was later decided to separate out the voices that started each verse. The verse melody was reused by Prince (writing under the name "Christopher") in the song "Manic Monday", written for The Bangles. The synth chords inspired Phil Collins' song "Sussudio" as well as Marillion's "Incommunicado."

[Milkman Norm]

damn to late

[Maidpool w/ Cleaning Action]

insomniac34 said:

Falco gets my vote, and the win.

Sorry Insomniac, Chilly beat you with the winning vote for the Tom Tom Club.

[Milkman Norm]

1999

[Bob Schlapowitz]

Prince!