Time to wrap up the Eighties with my Mt. Rushmore for 1980. Once again there is an obvious number one and a bunch of contenders for the other three spots. 1980 was the Year of "Another One Bites the Dust". In fact, my favorite NFL team, the Detroit Lions (insert jokes here), did a version of this song when they started the season 4-0. The season immediately went down the toilet and fans changed the lyrics to "Another one beats our butts." However, The Game by Queen did not make the cut. As usual, I am making my final cuts as I type. Here's my very long runners up list: The Police Zenyatta Mondatta, B-52's Wild Planet, XTC Black Sea, The Soft Boys Underwater Moonlight, Bruce Springsteen The River, Davis Bowie Scary Monsters, Peter Gabriel Melt, Judas Priest British Steel, Dire Straits Making Movies, Devo Freedom of Choice, The Cramps Songs the Lord Taught Us, Van Halen Women and Children First, Def Leppard On Through the Night, Pete Townsend Empty Glass and the final cut Adam and the Ants Kings of the Wild Frontier. That is one hell of a list. It really killed me to leave off Kings of the Wild Frontier. The first time I saw Adam and the Ants and heard "Ant Music" was on American Bandstand and they blew my mind.
Alright, number one is note for note my favorite RUSH album, Permanent Waves. This was a transitional album to a new decade and a more accessible pop song structure. Still, it had a couple epic tracks, "Jacob's Ladder" and "Natural Science". Permanent Waves features the hit single "Spirit of Radio". "All this machinery making modern music can still be open-hearted. Not so coldly charted it's really just a question of your honesty. One likes to believe in the freedom of music, but glittering prizes and endless compromises shatter the illusion of integrity". It also features the live show staple "Free Will". "If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice". I also love the end of "jacob's Ladder": "Follow men's eyes as they look to the skies. The shifting shafts of shining weave the fabric of their dreams".
Number two is Blizzard of Ozz by Ozzy Osbourne. "I Don't Know" and "Crazy Train" are rock radio staples. The secret weapon on Ozzy's first two solo albums is the late, great Randy Rhoads. Ozzy going solo created a win-win scenario for himself, as well as, Black Sabbath.
Because my number three is Heaven and Hell by Black Sabbath, featuring their new frontman Ronnie James Dio. This album ranks right up there with any of the Black Sabbath albums from the Ozzy era. The title track is stupendous. "The world is full of kings and queens who'll blind your eyes and steal your dreams, it's heaven and hell". Every song on this album is great and Dio is the best heavy metal frontman ever. Fight me!
Speaking of fighting me, number four may be my most controversial pick in this whole exercise. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Hi Infidelity by R.E.O. Speedwagon. In 1980, I probably played this album just as much as Permanent Waves and it sent me down a Speedwagon rabbit hole. Gary Richrath was the most underrated lead guitarist of the Seventies and he is brilliant here as well. This was also a transitional album, but still had plenty o' rock and just a little balladry. Unfortunately, after Hi Infidelity the ballads took over and they were dead to me. At least I still have their Seventies albums.
So, tomorrow will be the Eighties recap post. My number ones began with RUSH, ended with The Pixies and plenty of R.E.M. in between. I will give a nod to some of my favorite singles of the Eighties, as well, since this was a great decade for hit songs. Peace.
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