3 Nostalgic Songs From 1984 That Take Me Back to the 80s Every Time

In a way, nostalgia is the lifeblood of popular music. It’s why the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame exists. And the reason feuding brothers finally reunited after 15 years apart. For many, music is like a time machine to the past and youth. Revisiting the song that got you through a bitter breakup or the loss of someone dear. And if you came of age in the 1980s, perhaps it’s a way to justify the shoulder pads in your jacket, the feathery mullet, or the multitudes of bangles you’re wearing in the photos.

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So set your time machine for the year 1984, where late 70s rock bands experimented with new sounds and recorded songs that defined another decade.

“Drive” by The Cars from ‘Heartbeat City’

Written by Ric Ocasek and sung by bassist Benjamin Orr, The Cars’ 1984 ballad puts a series of questions over airy synthesizers and a drum machine. When you push people away, who’s going to drive you, pick you up, or answer your call? Nostalgia seemed built into many 80s hits, like a patch on a synthesizer. “Drive” is ultimately a song about loss. And continuing with the transportation theme (of the tune and the band), a sense of loss is what fuels the longing in nostalgia.

“Jump” by Van Halen from ‘1984’

Eddie Van Halen, the world’s greatest rock guitarist, wrote his band’s biggest hit on a synthesizer. The keys softened Van Halen’s edges and introduced the band to audiences that might not typically listen to hard rock. But “Jump” wasn’t a one-off. 5150, Van Halen’s first album with Sammy Hagar, features “Dreams”. I mention “Dreams” because Mick Jones from Foreigner co-produced 5150. And Jones knows a thing or two about synth rock, which brings us to the next song.

“I Want To Know What Love Is” by Foreigner from ‘Agent Provocateur’

“Juke Box Hero” follows a dejected kid who can’t get a ticket to the show. But, listening from the outside, discovers his future in “one guitar.” Foreigner’s rock star origin story also features Thomas Dolby on synthesizer. Fast-forward to Agent Provocateur and Foreigner’s ballad, “I Want To Know What Love Is”. Similar to Eddie Van Halen, Mick Jones modernized his 70s rock band with new wave synths. “Juke Box Hero” and “Urgent” foreshadowed where Jones would end up in 1984—the year and namesake for the Van Halen album that includes “Jump”.

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