Greatest First Lines of ’80s Songs
Dave records an episode of the Past Tens: Top 10 Time Machine podcast without co-host Milt (who is away on a winter trip or something) and brings on his brother Adam Yas as guest co-host. Each present a personal top 10 list of the greatest opening lines of 1980s songs, alternating picks and briefly discussing why each first line stands out. Adam explains his criteria: lyrical quality, vocal delivery, the artistic statement/arrival moment for the artist, and whether the line opens a great song.
They discuss and play clips of selections including Wall of Voodoo’s “Mexican Radio” (Adam’s #10), De La Soul’s “Me Myself and I” (Dave’s #10), Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” (Adam’s #9), ’Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry” (Dave’s #9, with Dave recalling seeing Amy Mann perform in Boston), Motörhead’s “Ace of Spades” (Adam’s #8, discovered via The Young Ones), Dennis DeYoung’s “Desert Moon” (Dave’s #8), Duran Duran’s “Rio” (Adam’s #7, including discussion of Patrick Nagel’s cover art and the band’s image), Elton John’s “Kiss the Bride” (Dave’s #7), Guns N’ Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle” (Adam’s #6, framed as a major cultural turning point), Neneh Cherry’s “Buffalo Stance” (Dave’s #6, with background on her family), Run-DMC’s “King of Rock” (Adam’s #5, plus Adam’s middle-school lip-sync story), Poison’s “Fallen Angel” (Dave’s #5), Jane’s Addiction’s “Mountain Song” (Adam’s #4, with Perry Farrell’s impact and Lollapalooza mentioned), Foreigner’s “Jukebox Hero” (Dave’s #4), The Ramones’ “I Wanna Be Sedated” (Adam’s #3, noting their late-’70s origin but US soundtrack release in 1980), Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes” (Dave’s #3, with Dave clarifying “Harlow gold” and dedicating it to their late father), David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance” (Adam’s #2, highlighting Bowie’s reinvention with Nile Rodgers and Stevie Ray Vaughan), AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long” (Dave’s #2), Prince’s “When Doves Cry” (Adam’s #1), and The Outfield’s “Your Love” (Dave’s #1, including the connection to Adam’s own song character named Josie).
They also touch on music history and influence (e.g., Guns N’ Roses and Nirvana, Run-DMC bridging rap and rock, Lemmy’s documentary and WWII memorabilia, and Amy Mann’s Magnolia-era acclaim). Adam plugs his work (adamyas.com, album Gender of the Holy Spirit, and Leather Feather on Spotify, including “Evolve”). Before leaving, Adam lists honorable mentions: Tears for Fears’ “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” The Smiths’ “How Soon Is Now?,” Def Leppard’s “Rock of Ages,” Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (noting Jim Steinman), and Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Come On Eileen.”
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Topics
00:00 Welcome to Past Tens + Adam Yas Fills In for Milt
02:03 Today’s Topic: Greatest First Lines of ’80s Songs (Rules & Criteria)
05:26 #10 Picks: Wall of Voodoo “Mexican Radio” vs De La Soul “Me, Myself and I”
12:04 #9 Picks: Madonna “Like a Virgin” vs ’Til Tuesday “Voices Carry”
20:44 #8 Picks: Motörhead “Ace of Spades” vs Dennis DeYoung “Desert Moon”
30:16 Ballads, Heartstrings & What Makes a Line Work
33:31 #7 Picks: Duran Duran “Rio” vs Elton John “Kiss the Bride”
44:29 #6 Pick: Guns N’ Roses “Welcome to the Jungle” and Changing Rock’s Direction
53:01 Neneh Cherry’s “Buffalo Stance” — forgotten hip-hop gem & iconic first line
56:33 Adam’s #5: Run-DMC “King of Rock” — rap vs rock, plus the lip-sync contest story
01:04:54 Dave’s #5: Poison “Fallen Angel” — hair metal story-song guilty pleasure
01:08:26 Adam’s #4: Jane’s Addiction “Mountain Song” — danger, artistry, and Perry Farrell’s impact
01:13:57 Dave’s #4: Foreigner “Jukebox Hero” — painting the picture of teenage rock dreams
01:16:27 Adam’s #3: Ramones “I Wanna Be Sedated” — punk history & what makes a great frontman
01:21:15 Dave’s #3: Kim Carnes “Bette Davis Eyes” — decoding “Harlow gold” & a tribute to Dad
01:23:37 Adam’s #2: David Bowie “Let’s Dance” — reinvention, Nile Rodgers, and pop perfection
01:28:05 Dave’s #2: AC/DC “You Shook Me All Night Long” — the ultimate sing-along opener
01:31:55 #1s & wrap-up: Prince “When Doves Cry” vs The Outfield “Your Love,” honorable mentions, and sign-off
