Old Playlist

" The Safety Dance " is a song by Canadian new wave/synth-pop band Men Without Hats, released in Canada in 1983 as the second single from Rhythm of Youth. The song was written by lead singer Ivan Doroschuk after he had been kicked out of a club for pogo dancing. Read more about the song

" All Night Long (All Night) " is a hit single by American singer-songwriter Lionel Richie from 1983. Taken from his second solo album, Can't Slow Down, it combined Richie's soulful Commodores style with Caribbean influences. This new, more dance music, pop-inspired approach proved popular, as the single reached number one on three Billboard charts (pop, R&B and adult contemporary). Richard Marx contributed backing vocals as an unknown until his 1986 debut album appeared. Read more about the song

" Modern Love " is a song written and recorded by David Bowie. It was the opening track to his fifteenth studio album Let's Dance . It was issued as the third single from the album in 1983. Bowie claimed the song was inspired by Little Richard, and it maintains the album's theme of a struggle between God and man.. The line "Get me to the church on time" from the lyrics is the title of Get Me to the Church on Time from My Fair Lady . Read more about the song

" Come Back and Stay " is a song that was first recorded in 1981 by its writer Jack Lee. In 1983, singer Paul Young released his version as a single from his album, No Parlez , and it became an international hit. Read more about the song

"Dolce Vita" is a song, by Italian musician Ryan Paris, released as a single in 1983. The song was composed by Pierluigi Giombini, the same composer, producer, arranger and keyboard player of " I Like Chopin " and " Masterpiece ". It reached the top 10 in many countries. The music video was filmed on-location in Paris. Read more about the song

" Mama " was the first single from Genesis' 1983 self-titled album. It is recognisable for its harsh drum machine introduction composed by Mike Rutherford, which leads into minimalist synthesizer lines in minor keys and finally Phil Collins' reverb-laden voice. It remains the band's most successful single in the UK, peaking at No. 4 on the UK Singles Chart Read more about the song

" Tonight, I Celebrate My Love " is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Michael Masser recorded as a duet single by Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack and released in 1983. It became a big hit for both singers, peaking at number sixteen on the Billboard Hot 100, number five on the Hot Black Singles chart, and number four on the Adult Contemporary chart. Read more about the song

" Rockit " is a composition recorded by Herbie Hancock. It was released as a single from his 1983 album Future Shock. The composition was written by Hancock, bass guitarist Bill Laswell, and synthesizer/drum machine programmer Michael Beinhorn. Read more about the song

"I'm Still Standing" is a song by British rock musician Elton John, from his Platinum-certified 1983 album, Too Low for Zero. Read more about the song

" Give It Up " was a hit song for KC and the Sunshine Band, although it was simply credited as KC in many countries, including the US. Following the backlash against many disco artists on the charts at the beginning of the 1980s, the song was a comeback hit for the act in the US, where it peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1984. Read more about the song

" Cruel Summer " is a pop song written and originally performed by Bananarama that was a top ten hit in Britain (1983) and the U.S. (1984). Singer Sara Dallin said the song "played on the darker side (of summer songs): it looked at the oppressive heat, the misery of wanting to be with someone as the summer ticked by. We've all been there!" Read more about the song

Twenty years after its composition, " Always Something There to Remind Me " (so titled) reached the US Top Twenty for the first time via a synthpop reinvention of the song by Naked Eyes which reached the Top Ten on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1983. Read more about the song

" I.O.U. " is a song from 1983 by British musical group Freeez, their most successful hit. The song scored #2 in the UK Singles Chart earlier in 1983 before reaching the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart in the U.S., giving them their only chart-topping single on any chart in America. It then became the 20th best-selling single of 1983 in the United Kingdom. " I.O.U. " was used for the 1984 breakdance movie, Beat Street . The chorus is often erroneously sung by listeners as " A-E, A-E I-O-U and sometimes Y ", referring to the vowels of the alphabet. It is actually " A-E, A-E, I-O-U I sometimes cry " and " A-E, A-E, I-O-U I sometimes lie ". The music video for " I.O.U. " featured on the video version of Now 1 but the song itself did not appear on the album version. Read more about the song

" Moonlight Shadow " is a song written and performed by English multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield, released as a single in May 1983 by Virgin Records, and included in the album, Crises , of the same year. The vocals were performed by Scottish vocalist Maggie Reilly, who had been collaborating with Mike Oldfield since 1980. It is Oldfield's most successful single to date, reaching number one on a number of charts around Europe. Read more about the song

" Wanna Be Startin' Somethin '" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. Released on May 8, 1983, by Epic Records, " Wanna Be Startin' Somethin '" was the fourth single from Jackson's sixth studio album Thriller (1982). The opening track of the album, it was written, composed and co-produced by Jackson, and was produced by Quincy Jones. Read more about the song

" China Girl " is a song co-written by David Bowie and Iggy Pop during their years in Berlin, first appearing on Pop's album The Idiot (1977). The song became more widely known when it was rerecorded by Bowie and released on his album Let's Dance (1983) and as a single. Read more about the song

" Baby Jane " is a 1983 song by British rock vocalist Rod Stewart. It was a significant hit worldwide and remains his final UK number one single to date. Read more about the song

"Love Is a Battlefield" is a million-selling, gold hit performed by Pat Benatar, and written by Holly Knight and Mike Chapman. It was released as a single from Benatar's live album Live from Earth . Read more about the song

" I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues " is a song by British singer Elton John, with music by John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin and Davey Johnstone. In the US it was one of John's biggest hits of the 1980s, holding at #2 for four weeks on the Adult Contemporary chart, and reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Read more about the song

" Buffalo Soldier " is a reggae song written by Bob Marley and Noel G. "King Sporty" Williams from Marley's final recording sessions in 1980. It did not appear on record until the 1983 posthumous release of Confrontation , when it became one of Marley's best-known songs. The title and lyrics refer to the black U.S. cavalry regiments, known as " Buffalo Soldiers ", that fought in the Indian Wars after 1866. Marley likened their fight to a fight for survival, and recasts it as a symbol of black resistance. Read more about the song