Intro
Hello, and welcome to New Wave Beat! I'm your host, Jason D'Orazio. Let's take a dive into five seminal songs from 1980. 1980 was a banner year for new wave music, as songs began to hit the year-end top 100 Billboard charts.
Gary Numan - Cars
Numan's music was of a particular brand of new wave called synthpop. As you may have surmised, it involves a heavy use of the synthesizer, along with a love for all things Kraftwerk. Numan's classic third album, The Pleasure Principle, had the smash hit Cars, which cracked the top 10 in the US in 1980. The beginning sounds like insects buzzing, and then a familiar five-note melody repeats throughout much of the song. The cold synths set the tone for the song. Gary Numan then chimes in with his detached vocals that were indicative of early synth pop. It's interesting to note that there are no choruses in Cars, yet in the diverse musical landscape of 1980, it still managed to be a big hit. Only about a minute of the song contains vocals, so I wouldn't recommend singing this one at karaoke. However, the terse lyrics speak volumes. They describe being cocooned in a car, or metaphorically speaking, human isolation. More on that aspect of Cars here. At first, the narrator likes the safety of his car, but by lyric's end, he gets lonely and wants to leave it.
The music video for Cars has Gary Numan performing the song in a futuristic suit and in front of a mostly black futuristic background. When the tambourine is played, Numan's face is shown inside of a large tambourine. Towards the end of the song, multiple Gary Numans appear to be steering imaginary cars. What's great about Cars is that the instruments, vocals, lyrics, and video all form a consistent narrative about the perceived coldness and isolation that comes with the future according to Gary Numan. Cars was Numan's biggest hit, but he continues to record albums into 2017. In the '90s, he gradually turned to industrial music, and he still sings about dystopian themes.
Devo - Whip It
On deck is Devo's biggest hit dubbed Whip It. Devo debuted in 1978 from Akron, Ohio with a quirky, robotic form of new wave. I would say they are sonically closest to fellow new wavers the B-52s and XTC. While they had a cult following early on, Whip It (off their third album) gave them a wider audience.
The song appropriately moves at a whip-like pace, clocking in at under three minutes, but is pound-for-pound a great, eccentric tune. The drum intro identifies the song quickly. Synthesizers were used for a lot of the song, including the memorable whip-like sound effects and five-note melody that plays during the verses. Members Gerald Casale and Mark Mothersbaugh alternate vocals in a call-response format to great effect. Whip It is an effective combination of the energy and absurdity of punk, with the sheen and sometimes detached nature of synthpop.
Some people think the song is about sadomasochism because of the whip references, but I think it's more about blind optimism. Devo highlights the absurdity of employing the same quick, easy solution, whipping it, in response to whatever life throws at you. For example, when a problem comes along, you must whip it.
The iconic video features the band performing in their famous red energy dome hats, along with a loose narrative. I'm guessing the video is based in the American Wild West due to the log cabins and cowboy/girl outfits of some of the characters. The band uses a whip to take clothes off a woman, and a cross-eyed woman shoots at a can of beer held by someone, both of which raised some eyebrows. The quirky Whip It became a top 40 hit in the US, but had no other large ones. But still they have a dedicated fanbase and a lot of other good songs to enjoy.
The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
Next up is Brass In Pocket by the Pretenders. Although released in 1979, it scorched the charts in 1980, and the album that contained it was also released in 1980. The Pretenders were close to the spirit and aggression of punk, though there were also Rolling Stones and Who influences mixed in there.
The melody is simple but hummable and memorable. An eight-note riff sets the tone for the song, and the tempo is a little on the slow side. Little to no synthesizers were used on this one, unlike the previous two songs I mentioned today. Chrissie Hynde's prominent sultry vocals are excellent and are the highlight of the song. She provides emphasis on the right words in order to provide variety to the song. The words describe a potential sexual encounter with a guy and her confidence in the way it is going to happen. For instance, "Gonna use my arms, gonna use my legs." Indeed, the lyrics are powerful and get to the point. I also think name-dropping Detroit is kind of cool.
I give kudos to the video for its storytelling, as I usually prefer a video with a strong narrative over one with a band just playing in it. In the video, Hynde works as a waitress at a restaurant that is nearly empty. She took a liking to one of her customers before, and she fixes her hair, perhaps in preparation for him to arrive. The customer does walk in, but unfortunately, he is with another woman. The customers later leave and Hynde is left alone and a little dejected. Hynde did not like the more passive role she played in that video, and the song for that matter. The Pretenders had several other hits in the '80s and are still releasing new material and touring.
The Vapors - Turning Japanese
The fourth song in this lineup is Turning Japanese by the Vapors, who are a short-lived new wave group that were similar to XTC and the Knack (of My Sharona fame). Turning Japanese was the second single off their debut album (the first one flopped) and it made the top 40 in the US.
The song starts off with what is popularly known as the Asian riff, and it repeats it before the second verse. There are a few other faux Asian elements to the song as well. The spiky guitar chords and fast tempo have good new wave energy, certainly influenced from punk. Vocalist Dave Fenton delivers aggressive clipped vocals which match the vibe of the song. The lyrics of the song have been discussed a lot in pop culture circles. It is evident that the narrator misses a love interest, whether it be a girlfriend or just a crush. The turning Japanese part is more open to interpretation. Some say it's a euphemism for masturbation. Meanwhile, the more innocent angle is that his love interest is Japanese, and he wants to fit in with her. Lyrics like, "I often kiss you when there's no one else around", could be referring to the pictures of his love interest or the Japanese stereotype that frowns on public displays of affection.
The video runs with a more innocent interpretation of the song. Indeed, it features the band performing on a set that is decorated in a Japanese style, and there is a Japanese woman dressed in traditional geisha attire. To round it out, the band brandished samurai swords. Unfortunately, the Vapors released just one more album in obscurity before calling it quits. Actress Kirsten Dunst sang to this song in a music video a couple of years ago, which I would skip if I were you.
The Romantics - What I Like About You
Okay, let's end this 1980 list with What I Like About You by Detroit rockers the Romantics. It comes off their eponymous debut album. The Romantics are also similar to the Knack.
The intro is very catchy and identifies the song almost right away. The song has dissonant yet upbeat guitar chords, along with vigorous drumming and clapping. The vocals, courtesy of also drummer Jimmy Marinos, have a lot of raw enthusiasm to them. There is a little yelling and shouting, "Hey!" that further increase the energy. The instrumental bridge features a memorable harmonica section to accompany the guitars and drums. Like several other of the songs I discussed, this one is a little fast at just under three minutes. The lyrics are more straightforward than the other four songs that I discussed. They basically talk about someone's girlfriend or lover and briefly go over what he digs about her. Lyrics like, "Never wanna let you go. Know you make me feel all right," are par for the course with What I Like About You. The repetition of the song title shows a little bit of punk influence.
The video is also straightforward as it is entirely of the band performing the song live in front of a black backdrop, and also the band is dressed in black. Marinos is doing a good job with drumming and singing at the same time, both with great intensity. While What I Like About You wasn't quite a top 40 hit in the US, the song has gotten a good amount of play in subsequent years. You can say it aged a lot better than The Electric Slide. The Romantics also had the hit Talking In Your Sleep several years later and released several more albums after their debut. The Australian band 5 Seconds of Summer recently covered this song. It was tolerable, but not much more than that.
Outro
That wraps up my episode for today. This is Jason D'Orazio at New Wave Beat wishing you well.
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