Perhaps more than any other era, the 1980s were the decade of one-hit wonders. There was so much sonic experimentation happening during the time period; there were bound to be popular anomalies popping up.
And that’s what we wanted to highlight below. These are three tunes from back in the day we still hear all the time. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1980s that we hear all the time in shopping malls and grocery stores.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Just The Two Of Us” by Grover Washington Jr. featuring Bill Withers from ‘Winelight’ (1980)
This song is just so pleasant. And when it comes to programming their overhead stereo playlists, shopping malls and grocery stores want you in the best mood possible. They want you enjoying the vocal timbres of Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers. They want you smiling warmly at the lyrics and ideas expressed in the song. That way, it won’t feel like a chore to push that cart through the store and grab everything from kitty litter to dish soap to a twice-baked ham.
“I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow from ‘The Last Of The Mohicans’ (1982)
Sometimes your favorite grocery store or shopping mall will try to be cute. Do they sell candy? Well, then they will probably put this song on throughout the course of the day to try and cutely whet your appetite. As soon as this fun 1982 track from Bow Wow Wow comes on the air, your mood lightens. You start to salivate. You wonder what a lollipop or handful of chocolate candy might taste like right about now. That’s simply subliminal advertising at its best!
“The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats from ‘Rhythm Of Youth’ (1982)
Sometimes shopping malls and grocery stores don’t want you thinking. They want you moving about their shops with an almost mechanical vibe. Enter: the 1982 hit single, “The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats. The song, while interesting, has a tendency to put listeners in a trance. It’s as mesmerizing as it is interesting. Therefore, it’s the kind of song that’s perfect for overhead speakers during prime shopping hours. Just keep thinking about that roast chicken on the spit.
Photo by BC Kagan/Getty Images
More The List
-
UNITED KINGDOM – 1st OCTOBER: The Beatles posed with bottles of beer and party snacks and balloons in October 1964. Left to right: Paul McCartney, John Lennon (1940-1980), Ringo Starr and George Harrison (1943-2001). The session was taken to promote the BBC World Service. (Photo by Mark Hayward Archive/Redferns) -
Alanis Morissette, Torhout/Werchter Festival, Werchter, Belgium, 7th July 1996. (Photo by Gie Knaeps/Getty Images) -
Photo by Ivan Keeman/Redferns -
Kurt Cobain of Nirvana during the taping of MTV Unplugged at Sony Studios in New York City, 11/18/93. Photo by Frank Micelotta. *** Special Rates Apply *** Call for Rates *** -
Mick Jagger performing at a Rolling Stones concert. Photo shows: Head and shoulder shot of Mick Jagger in performance. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) -
The Monkees pop group Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Mike Nesmith pose in their directors chairs for the 1966-68 tv series. (Photo by Screen Archives/Getty Images) -
(L-R) English musicians Rick Allen, Phil Collen, Rick Savage, Steve Clark (1960 – 1991) and Joe Elliott, of the English rock band Def Leppard, pose for a group portrait during the 1987 Hysteria Tour at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, November 2, 1987. (Photo by Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images) -
Left to right: Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael Jackson of American pop group The Jackson 5, at ABC-TV studios, California, 9th July 1971. The Jacksons are fiming their ABC TV special 'Goin' Back to Indiana'. They will also meet cast members of the TV show, 'The Brady Bunch', for a promotional special entitled 'The Brady Bunch Visits ABC'. (Photo by Laufer/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)