What was it with movie dads in the ’80s? Their intentions were good but their methods of showing love were … well, often quite bad. In this week’s podcast, Brad, Jen and Steve decide which movie dads were bad or good. Lots of laughs but a fair amount of tears as well.
Movies include: Parenthood, Dune, Sixteen Candles, Ferris Bueller, Purple Rain and many more.
This week, we set the podcast time machine back to 1976! Why? To discover all the amazing tunes that topped out at NUMBER 2 on the charts! It’s a weird and nostalgic show, but aren’t they all?
Away Travel is back as a sponsor of our podcast. Both Brad and Spearsy are happy and loyal customers of Away Travel. Why? Because Away Travel designed their luggage the smart way: They listened to travelers and discovered what they wanted. Away bags have TSA-approved combination locks built into the top of the bag to prevent theft AND removable, washable laundry bag keeps dirty clothes separate from clean ones. And the best feature of all: It’s the USB charger built into my Away Travel carry-on. Away has a 100-day trial. Live with your bag, vibe with it, travel with it, Instagram it – if at any point you decide it’s not for you, return it for a full refund – no questions asked. For $20 off a suitcase, visit awaytravel.com/radical and use promo code radical during checkout!
Remember when summer movies were all the rage? Yep, during the late ’70s and ’80s. That’s why this week, we pit the summer movies of 1979 vs. the summer movies of 1989 for the title of, well, there’s no title at stake. But we did have a heck of a lot of fun.
Today’s episode of Stuck in the ’80s is sponsored by a brand new partner. It’s BlueChew. BlueChew brings you the first chewable with the same FDA-approved active ingredients as Viagra and Cialis so you know they work. You can take them anytime, day or night–even on a full stomach–and since they’re chewable, they work up to twice as fast as a pill. Right now, we’ve got a special deal for our listeners: Visit BlueChew.com and get your first shipment FREE when use our special promo code STUCK. You just pay $5 shipping. BlueChew is the better, cheaper, faster choice and we thank them for sponsoring the podcast!
As always, we’d like to thank our partners at The 80s Cruise. Now is the perfect time to book the vacation of a lifetime – spending a week with 3,000 other crazy ’80s fans! Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas leaves Miami on March 8, 2020 for 7 glorious days in the Caribbean, with stops in San Juan, St. Thomas, Punta Cana and Labadee. But the real fun comes from performances by the B-52s, Bret Michaels, Berlin, Loverboy, Grandmaster Flash, Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet, Tony Lewis of The Outfield, Patty Smyth and Scandal, Lita Ford, Midnight Star, The Jets, The Motels, Big Country, Katrina from Katrina and the Waves, Annabella from Bow Wow Wow and everyone’s favorite tribute band Jessie’s Girl. Each evening on the ship is an amazing theme night and all your drinks – including all premium alcohol beverages – are included. And get $200 cabin credit when you book with the promo code STUCK! Find out more at www.the80scruise.com.
We love hearing new music from our ’80s heroes. In this episode, we highlight new singles from Howard Jones, Berlin and Tiffany. And we have a very odd conversation about body powder and candles.
Today’s episode of Stuck in the ’80s is sponsored by a brand-new partner. It’s Blue Chew. BlueChew brings you the first chewable with the same FDA-approved active ingredients as Viagra and Cialis so you know they work. You can take them anytime, day or night–even on a full stomach–and since they’re chewable, they work up to twice as fast as a pill. Right now, we’ve got a special deal for our listeners: Visit BlueChew.com and get your first shipment FREE when use our special promo code STUCK. You just pay $5 shipping. BlueChew is the better, cheaper, faster choice – and we thank them for sponsoring the podcast!
As always, we’d like to thank our partners at The 80s Cruise. Now is the perfect time to book the vacation of a lifetime – spending a week with 3,000 other crazy ’80s fans on The 80s Cruise. Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas leaves Miami on March 8, 2020 for 7 glorious caribbean days, with stops in San Juan, St. Thomas, Punta Cana and Labadee. But the real fun comes from performances by the B-52s, Bret Michaels, Berlin, Loverboy, Grandmaster Flash, Tony Hadley of Spandau Ballet, Tony Lewis of The Outfield, Patty Smyth and Scandal, Lita Ford, Midnight Star, The Jets, The Motels, Big Country, Katrina from Katrina and the Wave, Annabella from Bow Wow Wow and everyone’s favorite tribute band Jessie’s Girl. Each night on the ship is amazing theme night and all your drinks – including all premium alcohol beverages are included! And if you book with the promo code STUCK, you get $200 cabin credit. Find out more at www.the80scruise.com.
It’s ironic that songs that seem so positive and life-affirming can be dissected apart and suddenly seem like real kicks to the gut. That happened to me this morning when listening to Phil Oakey singing “Together in Electric Dreams.”
“I only knew you for a while, I never saw your smile
Till it was time to go, time to go away (time to go away)
Sometimes it’s hard to recognise, love comes as a surprise
And it’s too late, it’s just too late to stay, too late to stay”
What the hell, Phil? The frontman for The Human League partners with the great Giorgio Moroder for this pure slice of pop heaven, which was featured in the 1984 movie of the same name. Good luck finding a copy of the movie that will play on DVD players in the U.S. and Canada. (I did find a version of it on YouTube though.)
The movie was largely panned by critics – it has 44 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes – though Siskel & Ebert curiously gave it 3 1/2 out of 4 stars, crediting its “genuine sweetness.” That’s what I used to think of when I hear the song.
“We’ll always be together, however far it seems (love never ends)
We’ll always be together, together in electric dreams”
Aww, my heart just melts. And then, Phil and Giorgio fill it back up with air and pop it.
“Because the friendship that you gave
Has taught me to be brave
No matter where I go
I’ll never find a better prize (find a better prize)
Though you’re miles and miles away, I see you every day
I don’t have to try, I just close my eyes, I close my eyes”
Wait! She’s gone? (Or he’s gone – the specifics don’t matter.) So this is a song about being happy that true love is gone. And the vision of that love haunts you every day. And you’ll never find its equivalent? Holy hell. Are you sure this wasn’t written by Depeche Mode?
“We’ll always be together, however far it seems (love never ends)
We’ll always be together, together in electric dreams”
No, no. Too late now for the chorus again and that mumbo jumbo contradiction.
Truth by told, it’s probably best not to dissect songs you love too much. This tune – recorded in a single take, Phil once told me – was a top 10 hit in the UK and Australia. The Human League – often erroneously credited for the song – often includes it as an encore in live performances.
I’ll still play it on my headphones and quietly sob – it was also once my phone’s ring tone – but now, I just cry … and I close my eyes.
“We’ll always be together, however far it seems (love never ends)
We’ll always be together, together in electric dreams”
Everything has to come to an end, and that includes our favorite TV comedies in the ’80s. In this week’s episode of Stuck in the ’80s, your hosts each share the finale that meant the most to them, including MASH, Newhart, Cheers and Family Ties. And we ask for your input on future episodes on this topic.
Stuck in the ’80s is sponsored this week by Care/of. Care/of is a subscription service that makes it easy to get vitamins, protein powders, and more, personalized just for you and delivered straight to your door. With spring upon us, it’s finally time to get back into a routine that empowers you to feel your best. Because you’re a fan of Stuck in the ’80s, you get a special deal. For 30% off your first Care/of order, go to TakeCareOf.com and enter 80s30. Taking care of yourself was never this easy or fun before Care/of.