There’s something about 80s music that feels undeniably cinematic if you ask me. Here are four songs that feel like they could set the scene for a film classic.
“Don’t You Want Me” by The Human League
The beginning of this song by The Human League sounds really epic, which is why I feel like it would work well as a movie intro. A big reason for this is likely the LM-1 drum machine that’s used throughout the song. “Don’t You Want Me” was actually the first song to use the device and become a Top 10 hit.
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Roger Linn, the creator of the drum machine, told Songfacts: “It made me feel very good to hear it used on a hit.”
“You Can Call Me Al” by Paul Simon
This song by Paul Simon is just so fun; it’s hard not to feel that infectious energy when it comes on. In this song, Simon refers to himself as this “Al” character who seems like he’s going through a bit of a midlife crisis.
Simon apparently came up with the name “Al” for this song when he went to a party in New York with his then-wife, Peggy Harper. The person who opened the door didn’t know who they were, so they used the names “Al” and “Betty” instead.
“You Make My Dreams” by Daryl Hall & John Oates
Similar to “You Can Call Me Al”, this Hall and Oates song definitely has a sort of “pump up” feeling to it. Even though this song isn’t one of the duo’s six No. 1 hits, “You Make My Dreams” is still one of their most popular.
“It’s a very unique situation,” Hall told BBC of the track. “It wasn’t a number one record, but what has happened to that song, and the way the world has embraced it, is absolutely astounding.”
“I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tiffany
The beat and buildup of this song make it feel like you’re on the brink of something major, which I feel like sets it up perfectly for the beginning of any story.
Even though most people likely know pop singer Tiffany’s version of this song, it was actually initially recorded by Tommy James and the Shondells in the late 60s. The rock group took the song to a No. 4 spot, while Tiffany brought it all the way to No. 1.
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