The right melody is like a gust of wind. It can take an idea up, up, up. It can make a song soar like a sparrow heading to the tops of the clouds. Indeed, the right melody is like a current in the air that helps lyrics and rhythms find new heights. Here below, we wanted to highlight three songs that boast such incredible melodies that you can almost hear them when you close your eyes and pay attention to the silence. These are three one-hit wonders from 1986 with melodies that still echo decades later.
“Take My Breath Away” by Berlin from ‘Top Gun’ (1986)
In the 1980s, movie soundtracks were essential items. Not only did the collections of songs boast some of your favorite songs, but they also included new songs. They showcased tracks that you fell in love with while you were watching the spectacle on screen. One of the best examples of this is the 1986 soundtrack for the movie Top Gun. It offered fans several favorites, including the emotive “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin. Hearing it today takes you back.
Videos by American Songwriter
“(I Just) Died In Your Arms” by Cutting Crew from ‘Broadcast’ (1986)
When it comes to songs that echo, this track is definitely on the list. The vocals project out into the world and reverberate like a shout into a canyon. Not only that, but the idea the song is based on is quite memorable, too. Love is the central subject of so many popular tracks. But the end of love combined with the end of life—that’s quite dramatic! It can’t help but stick in our memory banks. From the vocals to the drama, we remember.
“The Lady In Red” by Chris De Burgh from ‘Into The Light’ (1986)
There’s just something about a woman in red—the vision draws our eyes. And a song about such a person seems to draw our ears, too. That’s the magic that Chris De Burgh stumbled upon in 1986 with his sumptuous song, “The Lady In Red”. Just reading the title makes the melody jump into your mind. You can hear him singing it; you can picture her silhouette. No wonder this offering has lasted throughout the years.
Photo by: Wendy Perl/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images