3 One-Hit Wonders From the 1980s With Choruses That Stick in Your Head for Days

When looking back on the pop songs from the 1980s, it can feel like they were invented in a laboratory. There is something scientific about how catchy so many of the tracks are. It’s as if they were created simply to be as appealing as possible. That’s a dynamic we wanted to dive into here. We wanted to explore three pop tracks from the decade that almost seem made to be memorable. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1980s with choruses that stick in your head for days.

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

Some songs are just top of mind. When you see their titles, the whole work just plays in your head, from the lyrics to the melodies to the rhythms. Indeed, some songs just live in your brain free of charge. And, well, “I Ran (So Far Away)” by A Flock Of Seagulls occupies a lot of mental real estate in a lot of people’s noggins. For whatever reason, this track is just one of those that sticks. We’ve all heard it, we’ve all sung along. We’ve all wondered what it would be like to run—run so far away.

“Always Something There To Remind Me” by Naked Eyes from ‘Burning Bridges’ (1983)

If you listen to music long enough, you realize something. A song’s success is not about any given word or note; it’s not about a bit of phrasing or a beat. It’s about where the work comes from in its composer. It’s about a feeling it gives—one the artist had that transfers to the listener. And the 1983 track “Always Something There To Remind Me” by Naked Eyes surely does have a specific feeling. As soon as the track comes on, you’re on your tippy-toes. You’re floating. You feel better, reminded that it’s all okay. That’s special stuff.

“(I Just) Died In Your Arms” by Cutting Crew from ‘Broadcast’ (1986)

There is such passion in this song that you can’t help but love it. We all should strive to live the best and longest lives we can. But never has a track made so many wonder what it would be like to expire in the arms of a lover. Of course, it’s all metaphor. To die simply means to fall in love so deeply it feels as if you’ve touched heaven. This is a chorus that all minds memorize after one simple listen. Why? It just feels so compellingly human.

Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns