stewblack Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) Just bunged this up on FB and thought, what am I doing, I post on Basschat not Facebook, so here you go: I was thinking what a thankless task it would be to put a setlist together for an 80s covers band. Without question a decade responsible for some of the very worst in popular music. From dreadful production values to a universal celebration of the utterly bland it has, rightly, gone down as a cultural desert. Nonetheless, with the only rule that it must have charted, (helps if an audience actually knows the songs a covers band plays for them) I dabbled with the idea. And my God, was I in for a surprise. This list is from 1980 alone. Unbelievable, I'd love to turn up to an 80s night and see a band storm through this little lot! 1981 to follow..... BRASS IN POCKET - THE PRETENDERS I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU - TOURISTS TEARS OF A CLOWN - THE BEAT PLEASE DON'T GO - KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND RAPPER'S DELIGHT - THE SUGARHILL GANG WALKING ON THE MOON - THE POLICE MY GIRL - MADNESS LONDON CALLING - THE CLASH GREEN ONIONS - BOOKER T & THE MG'S ONE STEP BEYOND... - MADNESS A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDY - SPECIALS FEATURING RICO THE ETON RIFLES - THE JAM IT'S DIFFERENT FOR GIRLS - JOE JACKSON BABY I LOVE YOU - THE RAMONES THREE MINUTE HERO - SELECTER SKINHEAD MOONSTOMP - SYMARIP MAYBE TOMORROW - CHORDS TURNING JAPANESE - THE VAPORS AT THE EDGE - STIFF LITTLE FINGERS I CAN'T STAND UP FOR FALLING DOWN - ELVIS COSTELLO ATOMIC - BLONDIE HANDS OFF - SHE'S MINE THE BEAT NE-NE NA-NA NA-NA NU-NU - BAD MANNERS ANOTHER NAIL IN MY HEART - SQUEEZE ECHO BEACH - MARTHA AND THE MUFFINS POISON IVY - LAMBRETTAS SO LONELY - THE POLICE MY WORLD - SECRET AFFAIR HAPPY HOUSE - SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES GOING UNDERGROUND - THE JAM GENO - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS LIQUIDATOR/LONG SHOT KICK DE BUCKET - HARRY J ALL-STARS AND THE PIONEERS NIGHT BOAT TO CAIRO - MADNESS MY PERFECT COUSIN - THE UNDERTONES CALL ME - BLONDIE STARING AT THE RUDE BOYS - RUTS KING/FOOD FOR THOUGHT - UB40 MIRROR IN THE BATHROOM - THE BEAT POLICE AND THIEVES - JUNIOR MURVIN PULLING MUSSELS (FROM THE SHELL) - SQUEEZE RAT RACE/RUDE BOYS OUTA JAIL - THE SPECIALS NOBODY'S HERO/TIN SOLDIERS - STIFF LITTLE FINGERS LIP UP FATTY - BAD MANNERS COULD YOU BE LOVED - BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS Oh, and if any pedants want to tell me that 1980 isn't the 80s but the last year of the 70s, you're welcome to. Welcome to look at around the world and worry about something else, that is. Edited June 21, 2020 by stewblack 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 The 80s was a great decade IMO. Yeah, there was some dross, but there was also crap in to 60s and 70s and the 90s is where, for the most part, music went to die (obviously IMO and YMMV). My 80s band do 4 of those in our set and you'll no doubt cover the rest as you go through the decade. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 2 minutes ago, ezbass said: The 80s was a great decade IMO. Yeah, there was some dross, but there was also crap in to 60s and 70s and the 90s is where, for the most part, music went to die (obviously IMO and YMMV). My 80s band do 4 of those in our set and you'll no doubt cover the rest as you go through the decade. Yep. That's kind of the thrust of my post I guess. Easy to write off a whole decade because of dross that came to prominence in the second half of those years. But only one year looked at and theres almost two sets worth of great tunes already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Hold on a mo, Green Onions was released in 1962. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 To be fair though, didn’t the good 80’s stuff decline during the decade? Most of your great list does still have a late 70’s feel to it ( except Green Onions, obv.) 😄 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 27 minutes ago, chris_b said: Hold on a mo, Green Onions was released in 1962. You could have chosen some covers from that list too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 How about these few offerings: Curiosity Kiled The Cat - Name And Number Guns & Roses - Sweet Child Of Mine New Order - Blue Monday Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime Tears For Fears - Sewing The Seeds Of Love There are probably more I'd listen to, but need to chill my brain a bit first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 I’d love to see a band do that 1980 list. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 What about '82? Some cracking' songs from that year! Eye of the Tiger- Survivor Don't You Want Me?- Human League Jack and Diane- John Cougar Mellancamp Rosanna-Toto Harden My heart-Quarterflash Waiting For a Girl Like You-Foreigner Who Can It be Now?- Men at Work Heat Of The Moment- Asia Our Lips Are Sealed-The Go Go's Just to name a few! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 2 hours ago, stewblack said: Oh, and if any pedants want to tell me that 1980 isn't the 80s but the last year of the 70s, you're welcome to. Welcome to look at around the world and worry about something else, that is. That's fair enough... But a load of those songs were released in 1979 (8 of them for sure and probably more if I could be bothered to check), plus Green Onions and a couple of others are even older, and some are covers of songs written way before the 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 Just now, BigRedX said: That's fair enough... But a load of those songs were released in 1979 (8 of them for sure and probably more if I could be bothered to check), plus Green Onions and a couple of others are even older, and some are covers of songs written way before the 80s. I only picked songs that were in the charts in 1980, regardless of when first released. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pineweasel Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 The 80s songs my band play go down really well, e.g Footloose, Let’s Dance, The Heat Is On. I really enjoy playing them too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 I'm still waiting for someone - anyone - to name a single song from the 80s that I have ever covered, with any band, ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 3 hours ago, stewblack said: Just bunged this up on FB and thought, what am I doing, I post on Basschat not Facebook, so here you go: I was thinking what a thankless task it would be to put a setlist together for an 80s covers band. Without question a decade responsible for some of the very worst in popular music. From dreadful production values to a universal celebration of the utterly bland it has, rightly, gone down as a cultural desert. Nonetheless, with the only rule that it must have charted, (helps if an audience actually knows the songs a covers band plays for them) I dabbled with the idea. And my God, was I in for a surprise. This list is from 1980 alone. Unbelievable, I'd love to turn up to an 80s night and see a band storm through this little lot! 1981 to follow..... BRASS IN POCKET - THE PRETENDERS I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU - TOURISTS TEARS OF A CLOWN - THE BEAT PLEASE DON'T GO - KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND RAPPER'S DELIGHT - THE SUGARHILL GANG WALKING ON THE MOON - THE POLICE MY GIRL - MADNESS LONDON CALLING - THE CLASH GREEN ONIONS - BOOKER T & THE MG'S ONE STEP BEYOND... - MADNESS A MESSAGE TO YOU RUDY - SPECIALS FEATURING RICO THE ETON RIFLES - THE JAM IT'S DIFFERENT FOR GIRLS - JOE JACKSON BABY I LOVE YOU - THE RAMONES THREE MINUTE HERO - SELECTER SKINHEAD MOONSTOMP - SYMARIP MAYBE TOMORROW - CHORDS TURNING JAPANESE - THE VAPORS AT THE EDGE - STIFF LITTLE FINGERS I CAN'T STAND UP FOR FALLING DOWN - ELVIS COSTELLO ATOMIC - BLONDIE HANDS OFF - SHE'S MINE THE BEAT NE-NE NA-NA NA-NA NU-NU - BAD MANNERS ANOTHER NAIL IN MY HEART - SQUEEZE ECHO BEACH - MARTHA AND THE MUFFINS POISON IVY - LAMBRETTAS SO LONELY - THE POLICE MY WORLD - SECRET AFFAIR HAPPY HOUSE - SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES GOING UNDERGROUND - THE JAM GENO - DEXY'S MIDNIGHT RUNNERS LIQUIDATOR/LONG SHOT KICK DE BUCKET - HARRY J ALL-STARS AND THE PIONEERS NIGHT BOAT TO CAIRO - MADNESS MY PERFECT COUSIN - THE UNDERTONES CALL ME - BLONDIE STARING AT THE RUDE BOYS - RUTS KING/FOOD FOR THOUGHT - UB40 MIRROR IN THE BATHROOM - THE BEAT POLICE AND THIEVES - JUNIOR MURVIN PULLING MUSSELS (FROM THE SHELL) - SQUEEZE RAT RACE/RUDE BOYS OUTA JAIL - THE SPECIALS NOBODY'S HERO/TIN SOLDIERS - STIFF LITTLE FINGERS LIP UP FATTY - BAD MANNERS COULD YOU BE LOVED - BOB MARLEY & THE WAILERS Oh, and if any pedants want to tell me that 1980 isn't the 80s but the last year of the 70s, you're welcome to. Welcome to look at around the world and worry about something else, that is. By and large I like good dozen or so there and would be happy to be in a band covering them. Indeed there was a lot of dross in the 80s but IMO there was even more in all the other decades pop and rock have been around. Lot of good stuff John Peel was playing back then and in particular the Sheffield scene was very strong with bands like ABC, Heaven 17, Cabaret Voltaire, Human League, Comsat Angels, Pulp., Chakk... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 Boomtown Rats Banana Republic was also a 1980 hit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 2 hours ago, Happy Jack said: I'm still waiting for someone - anyone - to name a single song from the 80s that I have ever covered, with any band, ever. Why? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colleya Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 (edited) Not a lot of overlap, but here's the Jump The Shark set list for our last gig before lockdown. There's the odd non 80s tune in there (every time we drop The Chain someone requests it) but the whole point is an 80s themed set. One Kids In America You Give Love A Bad Name Edge Of Seventeen - Eye Of The Tiger The Chain Roxanne Gold Run To You Papa Don’t Preach Black Velvet Turn Back Time Hammer To Fall Call Me Rio Does Your Mother Know Two Maniac Holding Out For A Hero Hanging On The Telephone (Drop D) Fat Bottomed Girls She Bangs The Drums We Built This City Under Pressure Here I Go Again Video Killed The Radio Star The One And Only Take On Me Hungry Like The Wolf / Danger Zone Cuddly Toy Footloose I Think We’re Alone Now Town Called Malice Dead Ringer For Love Encore The Best Livin’ On A Prayer Edited June 21, 2020 by colleya 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 1 hour ago, stewblack said: Why? Erm ... cos it hasn't yet happened? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 I don’t think the 80’s were any better or worse than any other decade really. I don’t see a duff one in the list you’ve posted. I could post a list of stuff I don’t like from the 80’s, but someone would be along in due course saying one was the best song ever, therefore pointless for me to do so. There are quite a few there that get squared away into Ska band territory and don’t necessarily marry up with traditional 80’s cheese. I play a few of them in my 80’s band, but can’t see us adding Long Shot anytime soon. Great lists and great idea, but I don’t see it as thankless - more of a challenge. There’s a few in there that aren’t bass for beginners. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewblack Posted June 21, 2020 Author Share Posted June 21, 2020 52 minutes ago, Happy Jack said: Erm ... cos it hasn't yet happened? OK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 This one of our set lists from back before the World went to hell in a viral handcart: Brass In Pocket When Tomorrow Comes Something About You Rosanna Walking On The Moon Kayleigh Don’t Get Me Wrong Hungry Like The Wolf Papa Don’t Preach Wherever I Lay My Hat Every Little Thing SDI Magic Walk Like An Egyptian Back On The Chain Gang China Girl Girls Just Wanna Have Fun Hanging On The Telephone Video Killed The Radio Star In The Air Tonight The Way It Is Died In Your Arms Africa Alone Holiday Call Me We Built This City Footloose Kids In America Atomic Sweet Dreams Sledgehammer Gold Don’t Stop Believing Purple Rain 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reggaebass Posted June 21, 2020 Share Posted June 21, 2020 9 hours ago, stewblack said: a setlist together for an 80s covers band There’s 3 or 4 I don’t know, but I could easily listen to that setlist stew , and hands off she’s mine is a great tune ☝️ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted June 22, 2020 Share Posted June 22, 2020 I'm not sure when most of the songs in our cover band set were originally recorded. It's not something I keep tabs on. I don't see any decade as having a monopoly on good or bad songs, clothes or hair-cuts. Over the years some great songs have been written. That's all I know. So far, there have been some great songs listed. I'd be happy to play any of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 On 21/06/2020 at 18:09, Happy Jack said: I'm still waiting for someone - anyone - to name a single song from the 80s that I have ever covered, with any band, ever. Well since you ask, how about one from 1982, one from 1985, and one from 1986? 😝 Presenting the forgetful Mr Happy Jack on bass... 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 On 21/06/2020 at 18:09, Happy Jack said: I'm still waiting for someone - anyone - to name a single song from the 80s that I have ever covered, with any band, ever. 3 minutes ago, MacDaddy said: Well since you ask, how about one from 1982, one from 1985, and one from 1986? 😝 Presenting the forgetful Mr Happy Jack on bass... Whoops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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