Rock music in the early 1980s will never get old. Among the numerous great rock songs that came out in the decade are these three tunes. All out in 1981, they still make me smile when I listen to them today.
“Winning” by Santana
“Winning” is Santana’s only hit in 1981. It’s also their only successful song from their Zebop! record. The song was written by Russ Ballard. His version of “Winning” came out in 1976. In 1981, Santana released their own version, which was their final Top 5 single on the rock chart.
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The optimistic anthem says, “Fate must have woke her / ‘Cause lady luck she was / Waiting outside the door / I’m winning / I’m winning / I’m winning / And I don’t intend on losing again.”
Also, in 2010, Keith Urban included this song on the deluxe version of his Get Closer record.
“Hold On Tight” by Electric Light Orchestra
On Time, Electric Light Orchestra’s ninth studio album, is “Hold On Tight”. Band member Jeff Lynne is the only writer of this Top 5 single.
The inspirational song says, “Hold on tight to your dream / Hey, hold on tight to your dream / When you see your ship go sailing / When you feel your heart is breaking / Hold on tight to your dream.”
“Hold On Tight” is Electric Light Orchestra’s last big hit in the United States. After “Hold On Tight”, Electric Light Orchestra released four more singles from the record. Only one of them, “Twilight”, made it into the Top 40. In 1992, Electric Light Orchestra released their ELO’s Greatest Hits Vol. 2, which includes “Hold On Tight”.
“Rapture” by Blondie
One of Blondie’s biggest singles, “Rapture” is part of Autoamerican, their fifth studio album. Blondie’s Debbie Harry and Chris Stein are the co-writers of the song.
Surprisingly, actual rap music became the inspiration for the rapid-fire lyrics in this song. The word “rapture” is a nod to the word “rap.”
“When we first recorded ‘Rapture’, it was slower. This was the first version,” Stein tells Rolling Stone. “We decided to make it faster. The slower tape was just bass, drums, and guitar doubling the bass; I don’t think much else. I took the tape to my home studio and added stuff.”
“Rapture” says, “Toe to toe / Dancing very close / Barely breathing / Almost comatose / Wall to wall / People hypnotized / And they’re stepping lightly / Hang each night in Rapture.”
“Rapture” became the first No. 1 song to feature rap music.
Photo by © Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS/VCG via Getty Images
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