If you were in love in the 1980s, chances are you spent quite a bit of time lying on the floor, listening to your cassette tape player, ruminating on the object of your affection to the love soundtracks of the time. Whether you were very young or an adult during that decade, the following nostalgic love songs from the 1980s will probably bring back some (hopefully good) memories about being in love. Let’s take a look!
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“Woman In Love” by Barbra Streisand
This post-disco soft rock classic from Barbra Streisand is a lovely little love song that any woman in the year 1980 likely related to. But no matter who you were or the state of your heart that year, you probably appreciated this song for just being such a great piece of work. The Gibb brothers of Bee Gees (specifically Barry and Robin) had a big hand in writing “Woman In Love”. It was a fast No. 1 hit across the globe. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, UK Singles chart, and countless charts across Europe, Asia, and elsewhere.
“Careless Whisper” by George Michael
This really wouldn’t be a decent list of nostalgic love songs from the 1980s without mentioning what is probably the most long-enduring love song of the era, George Michael’s 1984 pop-soul tune, “Careless Whisper”. Few pop songs from the 80s have stood the test of time quite like this one. That saxophone intro has become synonymous with romance in the years since “Careless Whisper” hit the airwaves. And it remains as George Michael’s finest contribution to the music world and culture as a whole.
“You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates
Hall & Oates were never strangers to a good, soulful love song. “You Make My Dreams” is definitely one of their most memorable. This pop-rock hit with a touch of new wave elements was a big hit for the duo back in 1981. It peaked at No. 5 on the Hot 100 chart that year. Hall’s searing lead vocals are really something to behold, and Oates’ guitar work is nothing to sneeze at, either.
“I Would Die 4 U” by Prince
Prince was always on the edgy side of love songs, and “I Would Die 4 U” is certainly not your typical love jam or power ballad. This synth-rock gem from 1984 is more dance song than crooning ode to a lover, and that’s what makes it worthy of an entry on our list of nostalgic love songs from the 1980s. I think Prince delivered one of his most passionate vocal performances on this underrated gem from Purple Rain. “I Would Die 4 U” reached No. 8 on the Hot 100 after its initial release.
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images
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