I found an old cassette tape of mine. It has songs, in bits and in full, that I recorded from New York radio, probably in July 1986. It is like a time machine!
Because it is an old tape I am afraid it could mess up at any time. So while I can still hear it, I made a list of the songs that are on it. See below. Where I did not know the artist I put “Unknown”. Where I did not know the song title, I put some of the words of the song in italics between ellipses (…). Release dates, when known, are in parentheses.
Some songs have a picture above them. Those are the ones I could find on YouTube. Click on the picture and you can hear it on YouTube (or maybe even on this blog).
Side A:
Starpoint: Restless (1985)
Bob Marley: Waiting in Vain (1977)
Prince: ... much too hard to be cool … a hundred miles an hour babe …
The Firm: Radioactive (1985)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: I Heard it Through the Grapevine (1970)
Shirley Jones: Do You Get Enough Love?
Supremes: Baby Love (1964)
Patti Labelle & Michael McDonald: On My Own (March 1986)
Fat Boys: Sex Machine
Little Steven: Forever
The Doors: Don’t You Love Her Madly? (1971)
Peter Gabriel: Sledgehammer (April 1986)
Five Star: Can’t Wait Another Minute (April 1986)
Sister Carol: .. galaxy … earth rotate around me …
Irene Cara: Flashdance … What a Feeling (1983)
Janet Jackson: What Have You Done For Me Lately? (January 1986)
Grandmaster Flash: … raggety worms out your big mouth … ’cause we got style … we’re giving you a blast of class …
Unknown: … dress to impress ’cause I got it like that … rock the mic …
Unknown: … I’m Shante .. I get a glimpse of that face, turn around she’s gone … I would swim the deepest ocean so she could be mine …
Side B:
Whitney Houston & Jermaine Jackson: If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful (1986)
Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes: The Love I Lost (1973)
The Pretenders: Kid (1979)
Vikki Love with Nuance: Sing Dance Rap Romance (1985)
Schooly D: P.S.K. What Does It Mean? (1985)
Unknown: ... yes yes he is rockin’ it … crossfader …
Unknown: … take me in your arms … I love the way that she talks, it goes so good with the way that she walks … she is so pleasingly fine … caught up in the wonder of her love …
Unknown: … dancin’, if you want to feel good … keep your body shakin’ …
Sister Carol: … pure laughter … entertainer …
The Real Roxanne: Bang Zoom (1986)
Bruce Springsteen: Born in the USA (1984)
Fresh Gordon: Gordy’s Groove (1985)
Boogie Boys: A Fly Girl (1985)
The Cure: In Between Days (1985)
Angela Bofill: People Make the World Go Round (1979)
Joan Jett: Bad Reputation (1981)
Three of these songs reached their height in July 1986: “Sledgehammer”, “Bang Zoom” and “On My Own”. So I think that is when I recorded the tape. So far as I know none of the songs are newer than that.
Before I knew it was Angela Bofill singing “People Make the World Go Round”, she sounded to me like some female singer from New York – which she is!
See also:
One of the unknown songs is “Rockin’ It” by El Fudge!
Great mixtape. You sure have a lot of songs for a 60 minute cassette.
I like your taste in music. Pretty diverse like I am.
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Great taste. Esp. The Cure’s In Between Days!
I can only wish to have been in the 80s longer than 1 month 1 week
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Olivia: cool – that you like that Cure song too.
mynameismyname: thanks for the song ID, but I heard the El Fudge song on YouTube and that is not the one. It might be a remake.
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“Unknown: … how one home boy became a man …”
That song is Schooly D’s “PSK (What Does It Mean?)”.
Another one of the songs seems like a Shante track but I can’t remember the exact title. I don’t think that she even put out a proper album until 1989’s “Bad Sister” (which I own on vinyl).
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OMG!!!! You are so right: it is Schooly D’s “PSK”!!! Thanks for the ID!
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Well I was browsing your blog, which has been an enjoyable read so far.
I saw where you have Prince and the lyrics:
. . . much too hard
to be cool … a hundred
miles an hour babe …
That song is called “100 MPH” by Mazarati. Brownmark – bass player in Prince’s former The Revolution band started the Mazarati band in 1985. It was like a side project for Prince too; his 1986 song “Kiss” was originally a demo for Mazarati (their version can be found on Youtube). The group didn’t last for too long (which isn’t uncommon for Prince proteges). However, their debut album is pretty good (“The Player’s Ball”,”Stroke” & “Strawberry Lover” are my favorites from the album).
Anyway, sorry it’s a very late response and I just couldn’t resist. Awesome post & blog 🙂
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Wow! Thanks!
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I too have one of these mixtapes from 85/86. It has groups such as
Zapp – It doesnt really matter
The Fat boys – oo fat boys and beat box is rocking
Captain Rock – Cosmic Blast
The Two
Devastation Crew – We all going to heaven
Duke Bootee – Broadway
Skinny Boys – We’re Awesome
on the B side, tracks such as
BDP -South Bronx
??? -Set it off
Whistle – Nothin serious, only buggin
DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince – Girls aint nothing but trouble
All recorded from Pirate Radio stations lol
Anyone recognise any of these?
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@ Demerera
I recognize:
Zapp – It doesnt really matter
The Fat boys – oo fat boys and beat box is rocking
BDP -South Bronx
??? -Set it off
Whistle – Nothin serious, only buggin
DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince – Girls aint nothing but trouble
“Set It Off” is by Strafe:
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Ah.
Knew it couldnt be the one I was thinking of – it didnt come out until a coupla years later…
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@Abagond
Surprised you dont know Cosmic Blast…..
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@Ab – Were all these songs from the same station? In LA we’d have to catch Rap on college stations (KSPC and others) or KDAY, New Wave on KROQ, Rock on KMET or KLOS and Top 40 was everywhere.
I’m surprised that tape lasted. All my old Maxell, TDK and Memorex tapes are so old that they’d probably ruin my current tape deck.
It’s odd what one can find in his childhood bedroom. My room still has all of my old tapes, walkmans, posters, clothes,…
On a recent trip home I found a drawer full (about 30 pairs) of e.g. Smith slouch socks with the original stickers on them. My girlfriend likes to use them as boot socks while riding. She went on E-Bay to find more but they were selling for $30-$100 a pair in similar mint condition.
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I have always said…Abagond – love your eclectic taste in music and love your song choices on your blog!!!
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