Producer Mutt Lange wanted a song that would make the band more accessible to mainstream audiences. Joe Elliott was messing around with a riff when Lange told him to take it further. Elliott later commented that it was the most important song the band did, because it was about sex.
Many of the lyrics refer to things that were going on in the studio while Lauper and Rob Hymen wrote this '80s song. The line "the second hand unwinds" refers to music producer Rick Chertoff's watch winding backwards.
The band was not satisfied with the original recording of the song. However, guitarist Richie Sambora convinced Jon Bon Jovi that the song was great. They reworked it, adding a new bass line, different drum fills and the use of a talk box, resulting in a No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit. The original track recording can be found as a hidden track on the 2004 box set album '100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong.'
This '80s song was recorded for the John Hughes film 'Pretty in Pink' and gained notoriety in the U.S. reaching No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song, however, had minimal success in the band's native England.
Despite the possessive lyrics and overall negative tone in the song, many perceive it to be a positive love anthem. Sting insists that the song is about control and dominance, as he was going through a divorce at the time.
The director of 'Purple Rain' told Prince to write a song to fit a certain scene of the movie -- dealing with both parental stress and a love affair. The next morning Prince had two songs written, one of them was 'When Doves Cry.'
Released as a single in 1984, this signature MJ and '80s-defining song is just as famous as its music video -- or 14-minute-long film -- that features original dance moves led by Jackson and his zombie friends. MTV later named it the greatest music video of all-time.
Lead singer Morten Harket demonstrates the use of his gifted vocals tremendously in 'Take on Me' by hitting notes within a range of 2 and 1/2 octaves, just in the chorus!
Billy Idol was approached by the authors of the song to record it for the cult classic movie 'The Breakfast Club.' Idol refused, but in 2001 he recorded his own version for his 'Greatest Hits' album.
This '80s favorite has an interesting song structure, with the chorus playing only once at the end. The song regained popularity in 2007 after being featured in the finale for the HBO drama 'The Sopranos.' Since then it has been featured in the 'Rock Band' video games, the musical 'Rock of Ages' and Fox sitcom 'Glee.' This quintessential rock song of the '80s just won't stop.
What Are Your Favorite '80s Songs?
Let us know your top '80s songs in the comments, and be sure to check out our favorite '80s songs from each year, featured below.
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