3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1980s I’d Stay Home From School To Listen To

Back in the 1980s, there was every reason to stay home from school. Maybe the bully wanted to get you after class. Maybe you were sick. Maybe you wanted to watch reruns of your favorite game show. Or maybe you just needed to hear your favorite song on repeat. Here below, we wanted to dive into that very dynamic. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1980s I’d stay home from school to listen to.

“I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock Of Seagulls from ‘A Flock Of Seagulls’ (1982)

As a music fan, when you hear a new sound, sometimes all you can think about is how you just want more of it. It’s like discovering birthday cake or pizza for the first time—your eyebrows shoot up, and you think to yourself, What is this?! That’s what happened for many young music fans in the 1980s when they heard the strange, yet catchy song “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock Of Seagulls. There’s a reason we still hear this track on TV commercials and other media even today. It’s one of a kind.

“I Melt With You” by Modern English from ‘After The Snow’ (1982)

Perhaps more than any other decade over the past 120 years, the 1980s had a specific and signature sound. If you were taken away in a time machine and dropped back in the past at some random moment, you could likely figure out where (and when) you were based on the music. And if you found yourself in the 1980s, you’d assuredly be surrounded by synths and new wave songs. Indeed, you’d be surrounded by Modern English and the popular track “I Melt With You”. That’s just what culture sounded like back then. That’s what kids would skip school to hear.

“Maniac” by Michael Sembello from ‘Flashdance: Original Soundtrack From The Motion Picture’ (1983)

Speaking of 1980s traditions—back then, the movie soundtrack was an essential piece of pop culture. And when it came to high-energy, dance-based movies like Flashdance, well, the soundtrack became even that much more crucial. If you asked any kid from back in the day, all they wanted to do was skip school and stare at MTV. One of the reasons was the great music. Another was the fun videos that got you off your couch and dancing. “Maniac” by Michael Sembello offered fans both.

Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns