One Hundred

Urgent - Foreigner

I think rollerskates, I think 6th grade, I think 81 -- I think about good old fashioned arena rock and how big the 4 album really was

Trouble - Lindsey Buckingham

This one is really a dust it off song -- the companion/twin song to Sara from Fleetwood Mac -- like if it were part of a Sara extended jam

Caught Up In You - .38 Special

This is one of those behold the power of MTV songs -- I don't think we would have gotten 80s southern rock on our air without heavy play on MTV

Every Woman In The World - Air Supply

Now this song was huge in Hawaii, I know that other songs of theirs of the same time were regarded as huger -- none more huge here, lots of KIKI airplay

Fantasy - Aldo Nova

The helicopter intro and laser shot sounds, and this is not even on TV -- the height of overblown 80s music -- perhaps the lamest rhetorical question from an native English speaking group: life is just a fantasy, can you live this fantasy life?

Holy Water - Bad Company

From the Pirate Radio era of my life in LA, the reunion of Paul R. with BC -- this one is straight up hair rock from the late 80s

Biggest Part Of Me - Ambrosia

Effortless and free -- perhaps the best FM soft rock ballad of the early 80s -- captures the tonal flow of a good and positive love relationship

Words - The Bee Gees

Underneath all the disco they are known for, and all the songs they wrote for others -- this one is a magical one from their pre-disco era -- we saw an awesome cover of it performed by Johnette of Concrete Blonde in 2001

Sweet Sixteen - Billy Idol

You may be noticing a trend that I really haven't picked too obvious ones so far from artists -- well sometimes deep in albums are these little gems that never really amount to a White Wedding or Rebel Yell, but are really cool

Diggin' Your Scene - The Blow Monkeys

This one and its sister song from Swing Out Sister, Breakout -- kind of a marker of jazzy UK styled dance pop, that brought forth groups like Johnny Hates Jazz, Breathe, Swing Out, Basia and these guys, The Blow Monkeys

Love Is Love - Boy George

My obsession with bad 80s movies has been an ongoing thing -- this one from the height of Culture Club's popularity ... a solo effort by Mr. George to lead the bad computer-boy-girl love triangle from the movie, Electric Dreams in 85

Dusic - Brick

The lifelong love affair with funk -- particularly the old fat sounding bass driven kind from the 70s -- this one from buying a K-TEL album in 77 from TIMES

So Far Away - Carole King

This one was always on K59 for some reason, never really latched on to it until the mid-90s when someone bought me a Tapestry album, saying that was her favorite album -- awesome album, from the awesome 70s songwriter

Ausencia - Cesaria Evora

The awesome voice of Cesaria -- I loved her version of Besame Mucho on Great Expectations the movie -- this one we saw David Byrne cover in a show here -- her version is 8 million times better

Hard Habit To Break - Chicago

This one is an early teens classic -- or as I bluntly put it, high school ass grabbing classic to slow dance to LOL -- this one really put the pop version of Chicago over for another generation of listeners

Somebody Save Me - Cinderella

Although some claim other bands from the era had potential like Dokken, this is the band that could have easily crossed over and avoided the death of the hairbands -- ohhhh, Bon Jovi, hahahahahahahhaha -- good sense of humor too

Oh No - The Commodores

This song added to the emotional post-abortion part of the 80s pisoshit classic, The Last American Virgin -- awesome song, big off KIKI as well

Kiss On My List - Hall & Oates

Why does the contrarian have a Hall and Oates song on his list -- well if I put all the ones I like on this list, well, there would be little space for other songs -- this one is the one I always liked best for uptempo -- and Sara Smile, for slow

Time Will Reveal - DeBarge

KIKI -- damn, what an influential station -- this one stayed up on their music survey for a long time in 81-82, I think -- Hawaii was one of the first places in the nation on to DeB before Rhythm of the Night broke them big

Love Is Like A Rock - Donnie Iris

I think of all the transitional songs and bands that solidified my move into hard rock and metal -- this little piece of obscure crap moved me toward that direction with the big arena rock chorus -- kind of ELO-ish to me, nowadays

Alone Again - Dokken

The rain video -- no, it wasn't the first time I heard of Dokken at that time -- I had ANOTHER K-Tel album with Breaking the Chains -- this one really raised their position in the hair rock hierarchy -- really lets Don sing rather than spit it

Sexy Eyes - Dr. Hook

These guys are another get high and oof band -- but their songs were very catchy as a whole, one of my favorite 70s - early 80s bands -- KIKI, what else?

New Kid In Town - The Eagles

This I have always felt was the best of the country style era of The Eagles -- great one from the childhood era

Fantasy - Earth, Wind and Fire

This one again from the roller skating era -- but just the most uplifting and interesting funky disco effort from EWF -- the soaring Philip vox, the percussion, and the horns, awesome

Everyday I Write The Book - Elvis Costello

This song increased my interest in what was then college-style alternative music -- MTV brought it forth, and KROQ kicked it over the hill

After the Lovin' - Engelbert Humperdinck

Englebert, no one could be cool with such a name ... or could they?

Radioactive - The Firm

Paul R. from BC and of course, JIMMEH!! -- yeah of Led Zeppelin -- this one is an MTV special about the time where I was really getting into Zep

Europa - Gato Barbieri

I think Santana was the chicken and Gato was the egg -- this one has always amazed me with its sonic beauty -- man, this guy can blow it with unbelievable tone and emotion

Do I Do - Stevie Wonder

The 10+ minutes of jam -- amazing song by Stevie Wonder -- don't wimp up and listen to the single version, we need every moment of the jam

Save Your Love - Great White

This hair power ballad never really got the exposure I felt it deserved -- it really trounces many similar songs of the era, to me anyways

Do You Believe In Love? - Huey Lewis and The News

It couldn't happen today, it just couldn't ... the 80s were special

For The Love Of You - The Isley Brothers

Just awesome easy going flow to this song, a definite lazy Sunday song

Breakin' Us In Two - Joe Jackson

The college radio god sells out? oh the horr ... no way, this is good stuff

Jane's Gettin Serious - John Astley

I remember this song as the KROQ love affair song, I always think late 80s - in LA when I hear this one ... I believe he is Pete of The Who's bro-in-law or something

Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley

This one from the late Jeff B. seeing a bit of a resurgence due to its use on popular TV shows -- this one is simply one of the best ballads recorded (even if it is a cover of Leonard Cohen)

On The Wings of Love - Jeffrey Osborne

So huge in Hawaii in the early 80s on radio, now a staple of FM soft contempo -- this is the song that broke Jeff away from LTD

If You Say My Eyes Are Beautiful - Whitney Houston and Jermaine Jackson

Awesome high school ass grabbin classic ... this one just reminds me of high school and puppy love type stuff ... still sounds amazing today with Whitney emerging into the top female vocalist role that she would hold through the late 80s

I Like Dreamin' - Kenny Nolan

The one hit wonder guy, but what a song he put up -- this one is the ultimate not so much love relationship song, it floats like a pleasant dream, cool song

More Than I Can Say - Leo Sayer

I remember this as one of the early music videos I saw -- him and the paint brush and the paint color effects LOL, so sophisticated back then

All Cried Out - Lisa Lisa and the Cult Jam with Full Force

Out from the freestyle dance movement of the mid to late 80s, this one is the one that I love from Lisa Lisa and her band with the obnoxiously long name -- and of course, another HS ass grabbing classic

Back in Black - AC/DC

The standard by which other songs are measured for their rock quotient

Fragile - Sting

The elegant guitar ballad about human rights in South America -- timeless and awesome ... lest we forget, how fragile we are

Red Rain - Peter Gabriel

I remember this one from an Asian American acting troupe that I was part of
in college -- used it in updated Vincent Chin dramatic type thing

Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House

There is freedom within, there is freedom without, trying to catch the deluge in a paper cup -- hooked me from the first listen

My Women, My Guitars - Cody Chesnutt

The lo-fi masterpiece -- one of the innovators of the new acoustic guitar movement, just a brilliant songwriter ... also featured in Charlotte Sometimes, the movie

Killing An Arab - The Cure

A little less known cut from The Cure, based on a tale by Camus -- yes, I am a Cure fan, basically love all their stuff ... this one I once had on cassette with a bunch of b-sides that are now on CD in that box set they released last year -- sparse guitar rock, foretells of the rise of White Stripes in the modern era

Beautiful Maria of My Soul - Los Lobos

The East LA rockers -- record perhaps the most romantic movie ballad of the 90s, this one from The Mambo Kings -- yes, better than that gag it Celine one from Titanic (the movie I never saw) -- also sung in espanol by Antonio Banderas in the movie

Hearts - Marty Balin

The former member of the Jefferson (Your Transportation Mode Here) releases a KIKI classic -- only had it on vinyl until very recently, thank you benefactor

Midnight Blue - Melissa Manchester

This one is a mellow childhood era classic, it's nap time LOL ... featuring the "and I think we can make it" chorus

Shining Star - The Manhattans

It's funny a lot of people around my age think this one, Special Lady, Walking in Rhythm are pretty cool -- who am I to defy them? they are

Special Lady - Ray, Goodman and Brown

The last of the great 70s sounding soul ballad with the big harmonies, and I don't think this one was in the 70s, I could be wrong

She's Bad Mamma Jamma - Carl Carlton

The minor restart of funk in the late 70s - early 80s -- Carl Carlton, Rick James,
The Commodores -- this one is lustful and full of funky goodness, I think of Rerun from What's Happening locking LOL

867-5309 Jenny - Tommy Tutone

Now I never dialed the number here -- but this one really kept it straight forward and rocking, competing with My Sharona for best post-punk stripped down rock that wasn't of the arena type, common to the era

Knock Three Times - Tony Orlando and Dawn

A little bit of Latin influenced, upbeat pop, that has one of the most catchy grooves to it -- this one never fails to get the party jumping, even in the 2000s, you rowdy Senate horde of 04 session

Master Blaster (Jammin') - Stevie Wonder

What is hotter than July, anyways? -- Stevie at the height of his hit making power -- so where was Zimbabwe, and why did peace come to it, I wondered in those days

Don't Take Me Alive - Steely Dan

The thing I like about SD besides the amazing clean sounds and intelligent lyrics, is the elusive quality of groove -- this one has tons of it

Love On A Two Way Street - Stacy Latisaw

A KIKI classic -- hard to pick between this one and Let Me Be Your Angel, but somehow this one takes me back to the early 80s

Let The Music Play - Shannon

This one fully kicked down the door and began the era of Freestyle -- the grandmother of a whole era, including Debbie Deb, The Cover Girls, Expose, and on and on and on

On and On - Stephen Bishop

This is from my early memories of actually liking and remembering the lyrics to songs -- awesome childhood era music

You're My Everything - Santa Esmeralda

Simple, elegant, and ernest -- part of the musical renaissance of the 70s in LA, including WAR and Malo (Suavecito) -- what I believe is the best ballad of the 70s

Could This Be Love? - Seduction

Perhaps the best ballad from the Freestyle girl groups -- this one is from the early era of I94 dominance

Him - Rupert Holmes

Ah yes, another KIKI classic -- long forgotten and overshadowed by the "Pina Colada" song -- this one I believe is the superior song, but what do I know?

No One Like You - The Scorpions

The most compelling riff in the 80s, second only to BIB in terms of recognizability -- Fork In the Eyes Man rules!!! LOL

Our Love - Natalie Cole

Before she was known as a singer of traditional songs, she was a vocal diva of epic proportions in the 70s -- looking for an original version, I think now out of print ... this one has a head swaying chorus, it's a spiritual experience

The Lady of My Life - Michael Jackson

Of all his millions of hits, this is the one I love the most from our beleaguered King of Pop

That's Good - DEVO

I totally love DEVO, in many ways, the godfathers of absurd-o-pop -- this video was totally cool to me back in the day

Talking In Your Sleep - The Romantics

Ah yes, those dudes in the kinda leathery Members Only jackets -- prefer this one to What I Like About You?

Saved By Zero - The Fixx

I always think MTV when I hear this one -- love many of their songs, fell off the radar very very quickly

So Lonely - The Police

The innovators of reggae rock -- before they were huge, this one is one of their more compelling efforts -- no Police reunion, you know why

Silly Love Songs - Paul McCartney and Wings

People seem to forget or dismiss the immediate post-Beatles efforts of the Sir Paul -- and all because he included his photog wife in the band

Under Pressure - QUEEN and David Bowie

No, I don't think it's lame because that jackoff did his rap over its bass line -- there is an amazing version of this song with just Fred singing at the piano live on a Queen DVD of a concert from 82 -- still rings true about modern social conditions

With You All The Way - New Edition

Another H.S. ass grabbing classic -- reminds me of Punahou Summer School in the summer 86 -- whatever happened to that girl, anyways

Operator - Midnight Star

Why did people break to this song? -- it seems a little too fast nowadays, not that I would break today LOL

Misty Blue - Dorothy Moore

Awesome soul ballad from the era of many of them -- many are familiar with the Fiji version -- well, this one is the amazing original

Der Kommissar - After The Fire

JA, CHA, or whatever the heck Falco was saying -- the German version is even more brilliant because it's in a foreign language, hahaha -- and of course the JA chorus -- JA! JA! JA! JA!

Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word - Elton John

The master of the piano ballad. This is the masterpiece.

Tears - X Japan

The masters of Japanese symphonic rock, with the master genius arranger Yoshiki -- also awesome hard rock band -- I borrowed this mini CD single from a friend at UH who wanted me to sing it at karaoke, the things I do for wimmen

The Best of Times - Styx

Off my favorite Styx album, Paradise Theatre -- this one is my favorite Styx ballad ... the memorable line "our memories of yesterday will last a lifetime ... and someday we'll find, these are the best of times"

99 - Toto

In the era pre-Rosanna and Africa, and I'll Be Over You -- there was this little one that I saw the lyrics to in Song Hits, played on KIKI -- always my favorite Toto song

Fade To Black - Metallica

Man, I have so many different versions of this song -- the live one from last year with no Lars on the drums, old shows with Cliff, shows with Jason, newer shows with Rob -- always a favorite, from my bus riding days, off Ride The Lightning -- nowadays, I enjoy listening to old versions from shows before Cliff Burton died -- Cliff was amazing on bass

Ain't Talkin' `Bout Love - Van Halen

This song really ripped my head off the first time I heard it -- awesome rock from the DLR era, really sold me on the VH sound

Loved By You - Journey

In almost a heretical move, I have moved this one ahead of the rest of the Journey ballads -- I think this one is amazing with Steve, Too -- if it was Original Steve I think it would melt people with its amazing elegance and radiance

Lay It On The Line - Triumph

Best of the Canadian arena rockers, big flash and then poof -- it was a hard selection of this one over Fight The Good Fight or Magic Power -- I remember their performance at the US Festival

The Rain - Oran "Juice" Jones

Perhaps the lamest rhyme of all time -- hella grooving song ..

My ten favorite lines from that rhyme:
10. Now close your mouth, cause you cold busted
9. My first impulse was to run up on you and do a Rambo, jam you and flat blast both of you
8. Didn't want to mess with this 3700 dollar Lynx coat LOL
7. Silly rabbit Trix are made for kids, didn't you know that
6. I went and cancelled all those credit cards ... yeahhhhh lol
5. It's my world, you just a squirrel trying to get a nut
4. I gave you things I couldn't even pronounce LOL
3. You was with THE JUICE!
2. So instead, I chilled.
1.YOU WITHOUT ME IS LIKE CORNFLAKE WITHOUT THE MILK!!! LOL

Just The Way You Are - Billy Joel

Goodness from the piano man.

Baby Come Back - Player

Often mistaken for Ambrosia, this one from Player -- the only one from Player LOL -- is just such a cool mellow song from 78

First Time on a Ferris Wheel - Smokey Robinson and Syreeta

Of course Smokey known far better for other songs -- and Syreeta known for her smash ballad with Billy Preston, With You I'm Born Again -- this one from 80s cheesefest The Last Dragon, Sho Nuff -- the most obscure, good ballad of the 80s

I Miss You - Klymaxx

Just a song that I absolutely could not get enough of in the 80s -- not that I missed anyone in particular LOL

Reunited - Peaches and Herb

The greatest ballad of the late disco era -- it almost is the last song of the disco era, last call for alcohol -- this is the song from 79

You Don't Have To Be A Star (To Be In My Show) - Billy Davis, Jr and Marilyn McCoo

I remember this one from a Checkers and Pogo XM ornament contest -- didn't win shit -- this song has always been my favorite disco song of all time, more hybrid soul in many ways -- of course Marilyn one of the hosts of Solid Gold, a must watch for me in those days

I Just Wanna Be Your Everything - Andy Gibb

The short lived younger brother of the brothers Gibb -- this one is 1A favorite disco song -- why so much disco, gee when did you grow up? yeah, exactly -- that's about when from 77.

Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)

Not only a karaoke classic -- this one predates my consciousness, 1972 -- however the goodness of this song, the big groove and the doo doo doo chorus

Sara Smile - Hall and Oates

One of those songs for me that I can never overplay -- I even love the After 7 remake of the song -- amazing mellow groove this one, feels like a Sunday

Your Love - The Outfield

Amazing pop rocks from 85 -- I don't know why I like it, I just do

Wildflower - Skylark

Amazing blues pop rocks from little known Skylark -- everyone loves to cover this one ... let her cry cause for she's a lady, let her dream for she's a child .. let the rain fall down upon her ... just hella grooving ... BONG!!! BONG!!! choral harmonies LOL

Heart of Gold - Neil Young

I ain't no folk loving hippie, DAMMIT!! -- This is the wildcard entry for my TOP 5 -- no matter how I try to knock it out, this one sticks pretty close to the top

Rapture - Blondie

Who was Fab 5 Freddy? I didn't know at that time -- this one is definitely one of those TOP 5 of all time songs for me -- and what was this rap stuff at the end

Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)

Off the first tape I ever bought, this one is the firm second place song of all-time ... Arena Rock!! -- Steve's soaring vox, the wall of guitar, and the korg line

We Are The Champions - QUEEN

From 1977, this one is often paired with the overplayed We Will Rock You -- missed the Bohemian Rhapsody era -- this one is on par with the night at the opera with Queen sound, and closes out the first era of Queen rock supremacy -- and yes, still my favorite defunct band of all-time -- my favorite song of all-time for some reason

That's all for now -- I know I missed some, oh well -- this stuff can be endless
And if anyone wants to know more about this or that, let me know

Oh heck how about another to make it a Baker's 100 ... (ed. note: actually upon re-count it is only 100 LOL)

China Girl - David Bowie

A favorite of my Asian American activist friends -- I always say, it's a satire of Yoko Ono syndrome or Yellow Fever

Now, just I shut my mouth LOL