Some songs from the 1980s just jumped off the speakers. As soon as their melodies and rhythms came on the radio, you knew there was nothing you could do. You just had to listen to the whole thing. And it’s those songs we wanted to highlight below. We wanted to dive into three tracks from back in the day that are like flames to a music-loving moth. Indeed, these are three one-hit wonders from the 1980s you won’t ever change the radio dial for.
“Just The Two Of Us” by Grover Washington Jr. from ‘Winelight’ (1981)
While this track is attributed to Grover Washington Jr., the iconic songwriter Bill Withers had a big hand in the tune’s composition. And when Withers is involved, you know the outcome is going to be sweet, smooth, and essential. That’s just what this 1981 offering is at its core. When this song comes on the radio, your heart melts. All your soul wants is to keep listening to Withers’ words and the satin-like vocal performances. Famously, the tune was sampled in the 2000s by rapper Will Smith. But no matter who is on the mic, the lyrics remain sublime.
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“Relax” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood from ‘Welcome To The Pleasuredome’ (1984)
The 1980s were famous for a sound. The decade boasted that eerie, mysterious, synth-driven vibe. And perhaps no track during the decade summed up that sound quite like “Relax” by Frankie Goes To Hollywood. The overtly sensual track is built on those echoing synths that made the 1980s so famous from a musical perspective. It’s for all these reasons that whenever this song comes on the radio, it’s simply impossible to turn it off.
“(I Just) Died In Your Arms” by Cutting Crew from ‘Broadcast’ (1986)
When some singers open their mouths to belt out their lyrics, your eyebrows raise to the sky. That’s just what happens on this tune from Cutting Crew. As soon as the vocals fill the stereo speakers, your eyes open. Your ears perk up. You realize you are being enveloped by something special. It’s a song so catchy that you can’t turn away. That’s the power of a great one-hit wonder and a great chorus.
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