Every Day They Read the Books: Allusive Artists of the 80s
As a high school English teacher, I love me some allusions, those literary “shout-outs” to other texts. And as a 1980s devotee, I really appreciate 80s artists that use allusions, since it gives me an excuse to play classic tunes in class and unleash my obsession on a new, unsuspecting generation. With the new school year underway, I thought I would present my list of ten allusive 80s artists, whose works include significant...
When Don Met Bruce 25 Years Ago: “The End of the Innocence”
By Mark Dursin “Words and music.” Those three words (accompanied by a “fingers crossed” hand gesture) was Eddie Wilson’s mantra in the 1983 film Eddie and the Cruisers. For Eddie, those three words summed up the magic that happens when just the right lyric matches up with just the right melody. In the film, shy lyricist — and future English teacher — Frank “Wordman” Ridgeway (Tom Berenger) provides the poetry, which Eddie...
Best 80s Summer of Music – Results Are In
By Mark Dursin The results are in! Like Totally 80s wanted to know: “Of the ten summers of the 1980s, which one spawned the best music?” So, last week, we provided sample songs from the different summers and then asked you, the fine folks sitting at home, to vote on which summer you considered the best, music-wise. And here’s what you had to say . . . 3rd Best Summer (with 15% of the vote): 1984 2nd Best Summer (with...
Vote for the Best 80s Summer of Music
By Mark Dursin Music-wise, these were definitely NOT “cruel summers.” It’s funny: when I look back on the summers of my youth, I can distinctly remember so many of the popular songs on the radio at the time. But ask me to remember songs from last summer, I can maybe remember two . . . and one of them is “Blurred Lines,” which I am desperately trying to forget. So many great songs, from so many great artists, arrived during the summers...
You Mean These 10 Acts Have Number One Songs… and Bruce Springsteen Doesn’t?
By Mark Dursin The gang at Cheers routinely groaned when Cliff Clavin would share one of his “little known facts” (e.g. “It’s a little known fact that the tan became popular during the Bronze Age”). But the pontificating postman was merely preparing his drinking buds for life in the erudite 80s — the decade when Trivial Pursuit debuted, when Alex Trebek first condescended to contestants on Jeopardy,...
