#24 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: 'She Sells Sanctuary' by The Cult (1985)

Back with the Countdown! And At #24 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown the song is She Sells Sanctuary by 80's British rock band The Cult. The Cult formed out of Bradford, Yorkshire, England in 1983, and consisted of members Ian Astbury (vocalist) and Billy Duffy (guitar) amongst many others who came and went over the years, but those two are the primary members and incidentally also the song-writers. Ian Astbury was earlier a member of a band called Southern Death Cult in 1981 (named after a Native American site as well as centralization of power in Southern England. Then in 1983 he Billy Duffy joined up and the band was just called Death Cult, and then by 1984 they had changed the name to just The Cult in order to appeal to a broader audience. She Sells Sanctuary is truly a legendary and truly solid 80's rock song that most of you have at least heard, but may not know exactly who it is that performs the song (until now!). It was released in 1985, on their second studio album titled Love where it would then peak at #15 on the UK Singles chart. The album Love itself would reach #4 that year on the UK Albums chart. And there is #24, and we only have 23 left to go, and then what??

#25 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: 'You Keep Me Hangin' On' by Kim Wilde (1986)

Here we are already, the final 25! Ranking at #25 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown and straight out of 1986 and now direct to you is You Keep Me Hangin' On by British singer/author/television presenter Kim Wilde. Kim Wilde was born on November 18th, 1960 in Chiswick, West London, England. She burst out onto the new wave music scene in 1981 with her chart-topping hit Kids In America (which incidentally was #85 on this countdown), but she didn't reach big success in the USA until the release of this song, which was a cover of the 1966 Supremes song You Keep Me Hangin' On. It was the second single released off of her 5th studio album released in 1986 and titled Another Step. After 1998 Kim Wilde continued on in music to some extent but took up an alternative career as a television gardener for 2 British TV programs called Better Gardens and Garden Invaders. She has also written 2 books on gardening for those who are interested. Getting back to the song, You Keep Me Hangin' On would prove to be her biggest hit peaking at #1 on the US, Canadian, Norwegian, and Australian charts. And so there is #25, and there are only 24 more to go before we are on to some other form of 80's countdown/party lists innit!

#26 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: 'Shake Your Foundations' by ACDC (1985)

G'day 80's Fans! Its time now to present #26 of Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown, and the song is....wait for it.....Shake Your Foundations by Australian hard-rock-legends ACDC. It was about time that ACDC appeared on the list, and none to late either as this song is one of my ACDC favorites of all time. Now, for some background ACDC...They come from Sydney, Australia and it all started there for them in 1973 when brothers Malcolm and Angus Young formed the band. In fact these 2 brothers were actually born in Glasgow, Scotland before their family moved to Sydney in 1963. A 3rd brother (George Young) was the first musician in the family as he learned to play guitar and joined up with The Easybeats, who were a successful Aussie band in the 1960's. According to their Wikipedia page, their sister Margaret Young gave them the idea of naming their band ACDC after noting having seeing the AC/DC symbol on a sewing machine. In 1974 the band was joined by lead vocalist Ronald Belford "Bon" Scott, who would lead the band to super-stardom in Australia and internationally. After Bon Scott died in 1980, he was replaced by Brian Johnson, who is the lead vocalist of the band to this day. As of 2010, ACDC sold more than 200 million records worldwide, and somewhere around 71 million in the USA alone. Back in Black (their most successful album from 1980) is estimated to have sold 49 million units worldwide making it highest-selling album by any band, and making it the second highest selling album in history behind the Michael Jackson's 1982 Thriller album which holds the throne at #1. Shake Your Foundations was released in 1985 on ACDC's 10th studio album titled Fly On the Wall. In 1986 the song was remixed by Harry Vanda and George Young and that version was released on the Who Made Who album, and then featured on the film soundtrack for Stephen King's classic action-horror film Maximum Overdrive (which I would highly recommend watching even just for the ACDC songs). And there was #26!

#27 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: 'To Cut a Long Story Short' by Spandau Ballet (1980)

VJ Samsonite here, and we are back presenting #27 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown, and the song is the 1980 release  To Cut a Long Story Short by British 80's synth-pop/new-wave band Spandau Ballet. Spandau Ballet formed back in the 1970's in Islington-London, UK (originally the band was called The Cut). The band came together as they were inspired by the arising of the New Romantic fashion/genre, and at that time they consisted of band members Gary Kemp (guitars), Steve Norman (guitars, saxophone, percussion), John Keeble (drums), Tony Hadley (vocals), and Martin Kemp (bass guitar). To Cut a Long Story Short was the first track and hit single off of their debut studio album titled Journeys to Glory, and was released in March 1981 (the single was released in November 1980). It would peak at #5 on the UK Singles chart, and at #15 on the Australian Singles chart that year. According to their Wikipedia Page the Journeys to Glory album was considered quite cutting-edge/avant garde upon its release in 1981. More recently the band reformed in 2009 and released a new album that year that won Best Comeback of 2009 in the Virgin Media Awards. And there it is, #27 in all its glory. Check back next week for #26!

#28 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: 'How Will I Know' by Whitney Houston (1985)

Now, at #28 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown is How Will I Know by American recording artist/legendary vocalist/former fashion model/actress Whitney Houston. Now it is kind of interesting that when I think of Whitney Houston I don't generally associate her with the 1980's but I do more so with the 1990's, but the fact is that How Will I Know what a #1 in 1985 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, the US Adult Contemporary chart, and the Canadian Singles chart; while it reached #5 on the UK Singles chart, #3 on the US Hot Dance Club Songs chart, and #2 on both the Norway and Sweden Singles charts. So, essentially this song was quite big and it would be the 3rd single from her debut album titled Whitney Houston, which was also released in 1985. Whitney Houston was born in Newark, New Jersey USA in 1963, and she was actually the relative of many prominent soul-singers including her mother Cissy Houston, her cousins Dione and Dee Dee Warwick, and her God-mother Aretha Franklin (a.k.a. the Queen of Soul). Houston's 2nd album titled Whitney (1987) became the first by a female artist to debut at #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 albums chart. She also appeared in a few Hollywood films, her first one being The Bodyguard in 1992 co-starring with Kevin Costner, the soundtrack of which would win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and contained her song I Will Always Love You, which would become the best-selling single by a female artist of all time.  All of that said Whitney Houston is also the most-awarded female artist of all-time according to the Guinness Book of World Records, holding 16 Billboard Music Awards, 2 Emmy Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards, which are amongst a total of 411 career awards as of 2006. She has sold somewhere around 170 million albums and singles worldwide. There is quite a bit more of this sort of awards-trivia knowledge, so if you really want to know more go to her Wikipedia page HERE. Now, can you see why I simply could not leave her off of this countdown? So there it is, and now we are onwards and downwards to #27 next....

#29 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: 'Our Lips Are Sealed' by The Go-Go's (1981)

Greetings 80's fans, we are now in the 20's range of the Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! So, without delay, #29 of the countdown is Our Lips Are Sealed by all female American Rock-pop group The Go-Go's. The Go-Go's started out on the music scene back in 1978 in Los Angeles, California and they are hailed as the first all-female rock band who played all of their own instruments, wrote all of their own songs, and that produced top Billboard Hot 100 hits. When they made it big in the early 1980's the band consisted of members  Belinda Carlisle (vocals), Jane Wiedlin (guitar, vocals),  Kathy Valentine (bass), and Elissa Bello (drums). Their debut album titled Beauty and the Beat (released in July of 1981) peaked at #1 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart and it is considered by many to be one of the true cornerstone new wave albums that paved the way for the genre at that time. That very same album would reach double platinum status, making it one of the most successful debut albums of all time. Incidentally, Our Lips Are Sealed was the first track on that very album and in the year 2000 Rolling Stone magazine named it one of the 100 Greatest Pop Songs of All Time. Our Lips Are Sealed would peak at #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, #10 on U.S. Billboard Club Play Singles chart, #2 on the ARIA Singles chart, and #47 on the UK Singles chart. No doubt The Go-Go's hit it big in the 80's, and thus I knew I had to include at least one of their songs on this countdown. Apparently this song was covered by the Duff sisters in 2004. Well there is #29, stay tuned for #28 and may the force be with you...

#31 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: 'Good Times' by INXS and Jimmy Barnes (1987)

Now for #31 of the Countdown...Good Times by Australian rock collaboration INXS and Jimmy Barnes. INXS were a bigtime 80's rock band that arose out of Sydney, Australia in 1977 and who would achieve international success with many albums and songs in the 1980's and 90's. INXS as they were in the 80's consisted of members  Garry Gary Beers (bass guitar), Andrew Farriss (guitar/keyboards), Jon Farriss (drums), Tim Farriss (lead guitar), and Kirk Pengilly on (guitar/saxophone). For twenty years, INXS was lead by Michael Hutchence as their lead vocals, and no doubt the icon INXS's rock star image. On Novemeber 22nd, 1997 Hutchence was found dead in his Sydney hotel room, later to be ruled by the coroner's and autopsy reports as a suicide whilst under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Following the death of Hutchence the band didn't play publicly for a year or so, but then they started up again and continue to play to this day, although never quite the same. Jimmy Barnes on the other hand, was a Scottish born-Australian rock-singer and songwriter. According to his Wikipedia page, Barnes currently holds the title of the Australian rock artist with the highest number of hit albums. In 1973 Jimmy Barnes joined a band named Cold Chisel, until the early 1980's when he began his solo career. In 1986 Jimmy Barnes and INXS recorded 2 songs together, Good Times (which was a cover of the original 1968 release-song by the Easybeats), and Laying Down the Law, both of which would appear on the 1987 teen horror film soundtrack of a true 80's-movie classic (one of my personal favorite 80's movies), a little Joel Schumacher film called The Lost Boys. Good Times would reach #2 on the ARIA charts, #16 on the UK Singles chart, and #47 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Good Times was also used to to promote the national Australia Made series of concerts that took place between Boxing Day 1986 and Australia Day 1987. This is one of those pub favorites that simply cannot be left off of this countdown, and it is most definitely dance-able. So there is #31, now we are getting down to it folks, #30 is next and then the 20's is in...stay tuned.

#37 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: "All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie (1983)

#37 of the Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown is....All Night Long (All Night), by R&B-Soul Giant and American singer-songwriter-record producer Lionel Richie! Now I can admit that I am not that well versed in Lionel Richie's works, but I do know a couple of his songs, and I also knew I had to include this one on the dance hits countdown! Lionel Richie was born June 20th, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama USA. Now some of you may already know that Richie joined up as a member/ singer/saxophonist for the classic Motown Records soul-funk group the Commodores in 1968. Over time he would write some hit songs for Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, and latin jazz composer La Palabra. It wasn't until 1982 that he took his solo career with the release of his self-titled debut album which produced 3 hit singles including the #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit Truly. His second album, titled Can't Slow Down, included All Night Long (All Night), which would reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, R&B, Pop, and Adult Contemporary Charts, whilst the album itself would sell around 20 million copies and win 2 Grammy Awards, including Grammy for Album of the Year in 1985. All Night Long (All Night) is a classic 80's dance hit, which is known for its caribbean/latin flavor, of which a few other 80's icons (such as Gloria Estefan or Exposé) were also doing at that time. And according to wikipedia the song also contains an old Jamaican chant. Richie has made quite a few major performances over the years, including the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Norway, Australian Idol in 2007, and American Idol in 2009. We hope to see more from Lionel Richie in the years to come! That all said, I am in the process of brewing up a top 20 or 25 80's Christmas songs, but I have yet to put that together, so for now, start gearing up and watching your 80's Christmas favorites, I know I will be (Scrooged, Christmas Vacation, Die Hard, just to name a few), and then next up we are already going to be on #36!

#38 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: "Is This Really Love?" by Narada Michael Walden (1987)

We are back, in the 80's once again, and this time we have a gem, at #38 its.....Is This Really Love? by  American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter Narada Michael Walden. Now many of you might be asking yourselves questions like "who the hell is that?" or "what song is that?" Well, I must admit that I did not know of this song or artist in the 80's, and in all actuality it has been later on (since about the year 2000 or so) that I have actually been into 80's music, movies, and media again. You know, I went through that same 90's music stage that the rest of us did only to end up in the "noughties" with not much happening musically, only to rediscover the upbeat and just plain more interesting music of the 80's decade. But now, I have noticed an influx of new-energy, especially on the music scene coming in, which is quite exciting...But that really is a tangent, so getting back to the artist....Walden started out on his musical career in the 1970's and produced 9 studio albums between the 1976-1988. Walden has collaborated with many other major talents that achieved #1 Awards, such as Whitney Houston's How Will I Know and I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me), or Aretha Franklin's Freeway of Love, to Diana Ross's Take Me Higher.  He has also owned and managed the renowned Tarpan Studios in San Rafael, California since the mid-1980's. Is This Really Love? can't be found on any of his studio albums however, as it was produced and featured in the 1987 Meg Ryan/Dennis Quaid/Martin Short film Innerspace (another 80's classic fo sho). So if you are looking for it and can't find it, the soundtrack is where you will find it. If I remember correctly from the film, this is the song they play in the dance club scene when "the Cowboy" character is dancing with/hitting on Meg Ryan's character. If you like this song I would also recommend another 80's classic song of his (which sadly won't be featured on the countdown as I have filled all the spots, so I will mention it here) caribbean-sounding Ain't Nobody Ever Loved You track, found on his 1983 Looking at You, Looking at Me album. And there it is kids, now go out and watch Innerspace, we could all use some good 80's comedy in our lives these days after all, and stay-tuned for #37!http://your80smusicauthority.blogspot.com/

#43 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! "Hypnotize Me" (1986) by Wang Chung

Ok, so #43 of our Countdown is....Hypnotize Me by British 80's new-wave group Wang Chung. According to wikipedia the name of the band came from the Chinese word 'Huang Chung,' which literally means "yellow bell" in Chinese but the band surmised their translation of it as meaning the sound that a guitar made. In fact it wasn't until 1983 that they changed their name from Huang Chung to Wang Chung because apparently english speaking people kept referring to them as Hung Chung.They originally formed in 1979 and consisted of core members Jack Hues (vocals/guitar) (real name is Jeremy Ryder), and bassist Nick Feldman, and like so many other 80's acts they split up in the 90's only to reconvene in the 00's and are still playing concerts to this day. Wang Chung had their greatest musical successes in the US markets, producing 5 top 40 hits there between the years of 1984-87. Hypnotize Me first appeared on the their 1986 Mosaic album, where it peaked at #36 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and at #13 on the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. I first encountered this track watching the 1987 movie Innerspace as it was on the soundtrack and featured in a dance club scene in the movie itself. Wang Chung were famous mainly for Dance Hall Days and Everybody Have Fun Tonight but I personally think that Hypnotize Me was their best song, and that there a few others of theirs that were also better than the two most popular ones. Anyways, moving on to #42....

#44 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! Peter Schilling: Major Tom (Coming Home) (1983)

Here is #44! And the song is...Major Tom (Coming Home)," by 80's German synth-pop artist Peter Schilling. Peter Schilling was born on January 28, 1956 in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and he began his music career back in the 1970's. His songs were known for featuring sci-fi sorts of themes, such as astronauts, aliens, holocausts, and other dark sorts of post-apocalyptic imagery. Major Tom (Coming Home) is considered to be his one international hit song and was featured on his 1983 album titled Error in the System. According to wikipedia, it was intended as a re-telling of the 1969 David Bowie song Space Oddity. There isn't a whole heap more of information out there on Schilling, other than he had a few other single releases worth mentioning and checking out including The Different Story (1986) and Terra Titanic (1984). I included this track on the Countdown I spent many a night dancing to it at a local 80's night and the DJ used to always play this song, and obviously the chorus is the sweetest part. It is a bit hard to locate the English version of the song as Itunes and Amazon seem to only carry the German language version, which is annoying, but as they say 'seek and ye shall find.' Enjoy, and we are already on to rest of the countdown!

#45 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: "If You Leave" by OMD (1986)

Ahoy! We are at #45 of the Countdown! And the song is...If You Leave, by 80's English synth-pop group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD). Also commonly abbreviated and known as OMD, this group originated out of the Wirral Peninsula in Merseyside, England back in 1978, which presently consists of members Andy McCluskey, Paul Humphreys, Malcolm Holmes, and Martin Cooper. McCluskey and Humphreys were the founding members of the band and are considered the 'core members' to this very day. If You Leave was a single recorded specifically for the John Hughes classic 80's film soundtrack to his film Pretty in Pink, and it was used mainly for the final scene of the movie. It would be OMD's biggest hit in the USA, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart that year, at the same time it would only reach #46 on the UK Singles Chart. I don't really have a whole heap more of information on OMD, although I do remember that they did some more soundtrack work for some other 80's John Hughes movies including the iconic Weird Science, and I haven't yet quite decided if I will feature more of their hits on this countdown, maybe, but maybe not, we shall see....

#46 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! Robert Palmer: Addicted to Love (1986)

At #46 we have....Addicted to Love by English Grammy Award winning singer/song-writer Robert Palmer. Robert Palmer was born on January 19th, 1949 in Batley, Yorkshire, England. Palmer was well-known for his solo-work and music videos (such as for this song) and another for the song Simply Irresistable, both of which feature identically dressed models with pale faces, dark eye, makeup and bright red lipstick, which was meant as a sort of tribute to the women in the art of artist Patrick Nagel, who was quite big in the 1980's as well. He was also well-known, at that time, for being the lead singer of 80's super-group 'Power Station,' which generated 2 Top 10 US Singles in 1985. Addicted to Love was released in 1986 on Palmer's Riptide album and it peaked at #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and on the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. According to wikipedia, this song was originally intended to be a duet between Palmer and Chaka Khan, but Chaka Khan's record label wouldn't give her permission to work on Palmer's record label, and thus it became a solo-song, but still good all the same. The images this song brings back is that scene from the classic 1988 movie Cocktail where Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown are blasting this song in the crowded bar whilst flare bar-tending, was totally rad!

#47 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! Madonna: Open Your Heart (1986)

#47 of the Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown is....Open Your Heart by none other than the undisputed Queen of Pop Madonna. Now, this is the second single by Madonna to yet appear on this countdown, and be forewarned, there may be more to come. Madonna was born on August 16, 1958 in Bay City, Michigan, and it was back in 1977 when she moved to the Big Apple to pursue a career in modern dance, which inevitably led her to the music business and the amazingly prolific success she has had there over the past 31 years or so. Word on the street is that Lady Gaga is looking to usurp the throne, which I wouldn't say is impossible, however to even contend with Madonna, Gaga would have to put out a minimum of 5 more top 10 albums (over the course of the next 3 decades), star in movies and perhaps win an Oscar or two, and that would be just to come even close to matching the Queen of Pop's prowess. Here is a directly quoted paragraph from wikipedia:

"Madonna has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the world's top-selling female recording artist of all time by the Guinness World Records. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), she is the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century and the second top-selling female artist in the United States, behind Barbra Streisand, with 64 million certified albums. In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked Madonna at number two, behind only The Beatles, on the Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists, making her the most successful solo artist in the history of the chart. She was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the same year. Considered to be one of the most influential figures in contemporary music, Madonna is known for continuously reinventing both her music and image, and for retaining a standard of autonomy within the recording industry. She is recognized as an inspiration among numerous music artists." (from Madonna's wikipedia page)

Open Your Heart was the 4th single release from her 1986 album release (which was her 3rd studio album) titled True Blue. It was Madonna's 5th #1 'Billboard Hot 100' hit! One other interesting fact before we move onwards is that Open Your Heart was originally written as a rock 'n roll song titled Follow Your Heart and the song-writers (Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson) had intended it for Cyndi Lauper despite the fact that it was never introduced to her in the end. Well, onwards to #46!

#48 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! Beastie Boys: Fight For Your Right (1986)

Hello again, straight to it, #48 is...."Fight For Your Right" by American hip-hop group Beastie Boys. It would be surprising if you didn't know who the Beastie Boys are, they have practically become a household name over the years, and have produced prolific and solid repertoire. They came out of Brooklyn, New York in 1979 and comprised of members Michael "Mike D" Diamond, Adam "MCA" Yauch, and Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz. You might not know this (I didn't before doing a little research for this) but they started out as a hardcore punk group, and didn't make the full transition to hip-hop until 1984. They are said to be one of the longest living hip-hop acts in the world and continue to enjoy success 20 years onwards. According to wikipedia they have been nominated for induction into the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.' "Fight For Your Right" was the first single release from their major breakthrough album "Licensed to Ill" which was released in 1986. It peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it was also named as one of 'The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.' Well, there is #48, on to 47!

#49 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! Pet Shop Boys: Always On My Mind (1987)

Here it is, the first of the final 49...and so here at #49 of the Countdown is Always On My Mind by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys. It all started for Neil Tennant (lead vocals/keyboards/guitar) and Chris Lowe (keyboards) in 1981 in London, England. Pet Shop Boys are still active to this day and they have sold somewhere around 100 million records worldwide, and are listed as The Most Successful Duo in UK Music History by the Guinness Book of World Records. They are also 3 time BRIT Award winners and 6 time Grammy Nominees, and since 1986 they have produced 42 Top 30 Singles and 22 Top 10 Hits on the UK Singles Charts. Always On My Mind appeared on their 1987 release album titled Introspective which was their 4th studio album. It was their 2nd best selling album and sold around 4.5 million copies globally. Always On My Mind was actually a synth-pop cover version of an American country song originally performed by Brenda Lee. This cover version was performed by the Pet Shop Boys on a Television special commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the death of former King of Pop Elvis Presley. This covered version was so well received that they decided to record it and release it as a single which would end up becoming the UK's #1 Christmas Single that year, beating out Fairytale of New York by the Pogues and topping the charts for 4 weeks. A good song it is, and a good dance song at that, so I am happy to have it set at #49, it gets even better folks, so stay tuned! (click here for the full Top 100 Countdown)

#51 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! "Looks That Kill" (1983) by Mötley Crüe

Here's #51 of the Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown, and the song is....Looks That Kill, by American hard-rock band legends Mötley Crüe.  Mötley Crüe is a well known hard rock band, obviously, they arose out of Los Angeles California back in 1981 and are still actively touring and doing shows to this day (in fact the ticket prices were over AUD$450.00 each at their concert in Sydney a few years back if I remember correctly). The band was founded by bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and drummer Tommy Lee, who were soon joined by lead guiarist Mick Mars and of course lead singer Vince Neil. To date, Mötley Crüe have sold over 80 million albums worldwide and over 25 million in the USA. These four have also done their best to live up to the "rockstar persona" having histories full of drug-abuse, alcoholism, jail-time, celebrity, image alterations, and celebrity relationship/sex scandals, as well as their fair share of tats. They have definitely lived up to their name over the years. Looks That Kill first appeared on their second studio-album release (back in 1983), and was later released as a single in 1984 where it spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart, peaking at #54. The main guitar riff in this song is considered to be Mick Mars best work, and it has been ranked as #41 on Guitar World's best riffs/solos. Books could be and have been written about this band, but for now we are finished with trivia, so stay tuned find out what #50 will be, and then we can get started on the final 49 80's dance hits, bloody half-way 'innit!

#52 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! "Weird Science" (1985) by Oingo Boingo

Welcome back once again, here we are at #52, lets have a moment of silence...ok and the song is....Weird Science by American new-wave band Oingo Boingo. Oingo Boingo formed orignally back in 1972 (under the title The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo) and were located in Los Angeles, California, and they were active as a band up until 1995. "Weird Science" appeared as track 9 on their fourth studio release album (released in August of 1985), and it also was featured as the theme song to infamous John Hughes 80's teen-comedy and all-time 80's classic film of the same name. It was also became the theme-song for the mid-1990's Weird Science television series. I must add that Weird Science is one of my favorite movies of all time and it is definitely on my top 5 80's movies of all time, but that will be a topic for a later post, and mark my words but I figure its only a short matter of time before they try to remake this 80's classic too, I just hope they don't butcher it too bad...

#53 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: "The KKK Took My Baby Away" by The Ramones (1981)

Well now, its been a bit too long this time hasn't it? I have been away at weddings and DJ gigs and what not, but I am back here today to present #53 of the countdown! And the song is....The KKK Took My Baby Away by the legendary American punk-rock band The Ramones. The Ramones are one of those staple punk-bands of all time, and they will always be out there in the spot light, at least they will be if I have anything to say about it. The Ramones originated in Forest Hills, in the burrow of Queens, New York, and they were active as a band from 1974-1996. They had a major influence on punk rock music in the USA and in the UK. All of the band members adopted the surname of Ramone, despite the fact that not of them were actually related. According to wikipedia The Ramones toured almost non-stop for more than 22 years and that they performed at 2,263 concerts during that time, and in 1996 they disbanded following one final show at the 1996 'Lollapalooza.' By 2004, the 3 lead members of the band had all died, inlcuding lead singer Joey Ramone, guitarist Johnny Ramone, and bassist Dee Dee Ramone. In 2002 The Ramones were inducted into the 'Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The KKK Took My Baby Away appeared on their 6th studio release album which was titled Pleasant Dreams and was released in July of 1981, and it was written by Joey Ramone. Well there it is in all its glory, now what could #52 be?? I reckon I should do that one sooner innit?

#54 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: "St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion)" (1985) by John Parr

And #54 of the Countdown is....St. Elmo's Fire (Man in Motion) by English musician John Parr. John Parr is from Worksop, Nottinghamshire in jolly old England, and he is to this day best known for this hit song which was a #1 single in the USA in 1985. Parr entered the music world at the early age of 12 when he was a part of a band with fellow classmates called 'The Silence'. He later worked with acts such as the singer 'Meat Loaf' and the rock band 'Toto'. Following a tour with a band called 'The Business' producer David Foster asked Parr to record a song for the soundtrack of Joel Schumacher's 1985 Brat-Pack film 'St. Elmo's Fire.' He wrote the song with Foster as a tribute to Canadian wheelchair athlete and activist Rick Hansen, which is partly why the song is so powerful in its lyrics and effects. Rick Hansen, at the time was well known for his lectures to raise awareness about spinal cord injuries, which was dubbed the "Man in Motion Tour."On September 7th, 1985 the song hit #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at #6 in the UK that same year. This song would also receive a Grammy Nomination and various cross-references in popular media in later years. Well, that's #54, what oh what could 53 be?? You'll have to tune again in a few days time to find out, so don't hold your breath, stay in motion!