What makes 80's music timeless, to me at least: optimism, honesty, diversity and of course that synthesizer, bringing it all together. Of course they embody heartbreak, overcoming adversity, and the opulence of the decade, but rather than being a message of 'me, me, me and selfies', they were more focused on our individual drive to find our place in the world, in a world where we were equal, not better than. With every note we felt united, a part of something bigger, even when we didn't know, that that is what we wanted.
The music, a cacophony of imagination, inspiration and idealism gave every adolescent of the time, a voice. We were focused on how we were alike, not on how we were different. Even the movies made us feel like an ensemble of explorers, each a road map to understanding ourselves. There were big haired, make-up coated singers screaming "We Are the Champions," and the first ever all girl band shouting, "We Got the Beat." Even Don Henley never gave up, "My love for you will still be strong when the 'Boys of Summer' are gone." Of course there were songs of self-platitude and individualism, but more often than not, they were about solving problems not dwelling on them. Sharing our grief and unhappiness and forming an entourage of commonality. We saw the good in people. The potential in one another. The pride in adolescence and changing the world.
If you create a playlist of the 80's music, that thrived throughout the decade, and just listen to the lyrics, feel the vibration of spirit, it will make its presence known to you. It will resonate. In every generation there are those singer-songwriters that shape a generation. The 1960's: The Beatles. The 1970's Simon and Garfunkel, ABBA, The Bee Gees. The 1980's, for me, some of the artists that are timeless and transformative are Prince, Oingo Boingo and the Cure. Their songs are still impactful today. They are both expressive of the time and optimistic for today. Next time you are looking for a flashback, give them a listen and they will rejuvenate your spirit, one song at a time.
Give "Elegia" by New Order, a listen, it is an instrumental piece, but the heart wrenching notes and melancholy vibe will instantly take you back, not to just your adolescence or childhood but to a time where (Pretty in Pink, a movie it was included in) it was alright to be sad and angry, but not okay to ignore it. To face our fears head on. I think that I let go of the torment of my bullying, not only because I entered a safe haven, high school, where I finally fit in my own group of misfits. But, because the music and attitude of the time gave me the strength to see beyond it. Seek those with the same experiences and unite in friendship and truly, anything is possible. The soundtrack of my adolescence made that possible.
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