Musi Playlist 3

Do They Know It's Christmas?

Artist: Band Aid

Year: 1984

Producer: Midge Ure / Bob Geldof (organizer)

Context: First major famine relief single; UK supergroup

We Are the World

Artist: USA for Africa

Year: 1985

Producer: Quincy Jones

Context: US response to Band Aid; Michael Jackson & Lionel Richie co-wrote

Tears Are Not Enough

Artist: Northern Lights

Year: 1985

Producer: David Foster

Context: Canadian counterpart to the charity singles

Every Breath You Take (Live Aid performance)

Artist: Sting with Phil Collins

Year: 1985 (orig. 1983)

Context: Performed at Live Aid, Wembley Stadium; Collins played drums and flew via Concorde to also play Philadelphia

Homeless

Artist: Paul Simon with Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Year: 1986

Producer: Paul Simon

Context: Featured South African musicians; part of the Graceland album, controversial due to apartheid-era cultural boycott

The Boy in the Bubble

Artist: Paul Simon

Year: 1986

Producer: Paul Simon

Context: Opened Graceland; incorporated African rhythms, synthesizers, and world music influences

Born in the U.S.A.

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Year: 1984

Producer: Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Bruce Springsteen

Context: Often misinterpreted as patriotic; actually a critique of Vietnam War treatment of veterans

Dancing in the Dark

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Year: 1984

Producer: Jon Landau, Chuck Plotkin, Bruce Springsteen

Context: Springsteen's biggest pop hit; iconic MTV music video

River Deep, Mountain High

Artist: Ike & Tina Turner

Year: 1966

Producer: Phil Spector

Context: Spector's "Wall of Sound" production; flop in US but huge in UK; career milestone

Break Every Rule

Artist: Tina Turner

Year: 1986

Producer: Terry Britten, Mark Knopfler, others

Context: From album Break Every Rule; part of her 1980s comeback era

Where the Streets Have No Name

Artist: U2

Year: 1987

Producer: Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois

Context: Opening track of The Joshua Tree; known for its delayed guitar intro and spiritual themes

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

Artist: U2

Year: 1987

Producer: Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois

Context: Gospel-influenced hit; themes of spiritual searching

Learning to Fly

Artist: Pink Floyd

Year: 1987

Producer: Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour

Context: First single after Roger Waters' departure; from A Momentary Lapse of Reason

Rock Lobster

Artist: The B-52's

Year: 1979

Producer: Chris Blackwell (for the album version)

Context: Early new wave; quirky surf-rock/garage sound; influenced early MTV era

Losing My Religion

Artist: R.E.M.

Year: 1991

Producer: Scott Litt, R.E.M.

Context: From Out of Time; mandolin-driven; massive alternative rock crossover hit

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Artist: Nirvana

Year: 1991

Producer: Butch Vig

Context: From Nevermind; launched grunge into mainstream; "slacker anthem"

Jeremy

Artist: Pearl Jam

Year: 1991

Producer: Rick Parashar, Pearl Jam

Context: From Ten; based on true story of a student who died by suicide; iconic music video

Teen Age Riot

Artist: Sonic Youth

Year: 1988

Producer: Nick Sansano, Sonic Youth

Context: From Daydream Nation; noise rock landmark; influenced grunge and alternative

Under the Bridge

Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Year: 1991

Producer: Rick Rubin

Context: From Blood Sugar Sex Magik; introspective ballad contrasting their funk-rock style

Black Boys on Mopeds

Artist: Sinéad O'Connor

Year: 1990

Producer: Sinéad O'Connor, Chris Birkett

Context: From I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got; addresses political violence and police brutality

6'1"

Artist: Liz Phair

Year: 1993

Producer: Liz Phair, Brad Wood

Context: From Exile in Guyville; lo-fi indie rock; response to Rolling Stones' Exile on Main St.

Highway '61 Revisited

Artist: PJ Harvey

Year: 1993

Producer: Steve Albini

Context: From Rid of Me; raw, abrasive Bob Dylan cover

Doll Parts

Artist: Hole

Year: 1994

Producer: Paul Q. Kolderie, Sean Slade

Context: From Live Through This; Courtney Love's song about Kurt Cobain and fame

Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

Artist: Sarah McLachlan

Year: 1993

Producer: Pierre Marchand

Context: Title track; helped define introspective female singer-songwriter movement

You Oughta Know

Artist: Alanis Morissette

Year: 1995

Producer: Glen Ballard

Context: From Jagged Little Pill; raw anger; massive alt-rock breakthrough

Just a Friend

Artist: Biz Markie

Year: 1989

Producer: Biz Markie, Marley Marl

Context: Golden-age hip-hop; famous off-key sung chorus; sample of Freddie Scott's "(You) Got What I Need"

Ice Ice Baby

Artist: Vanilla Ice

Year: 1990

Producer: Vanilla Ice, DJ Earthquake

Context: First hip-hop single to top Billboard Hot 100; sampled Queen's "Under Pressure" without credit

Under Pressure

Artist: Queen & David Bowie

Year: 1981

Producer: Queen, David Bowie

Context: Iconic bass line; later sampled by Vanilla Ice (leading to lawsuit)

U Can't Touch This

Artist: M.C. Hammer

Year: 1990

Producer: M.C. Hammer

Context: Sampled Rick James' "Super Freak"; pop-rap crossover phenomenon

Super Freak

Artist: Rick James

Year: 1981

Producer: Rick James

Context: Funk classic; heavily sampled in hip-hop

Black or White

Artist: Michael Jackson

Year: 1991

Producer: Michael Jackson, Bill Bottrell

Context: From Dangerous; themes of racial harmony; landmark music video with morphing effects

Free Your Mind

Artist: En Vogue

Year: 1992

Producer: Foster & McElroy (Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy)

Context: R&B/funk anthem; confronts prejudice and stereotypes

Vogue

Artist: Madonna

Year: 1990

Producer: Madonna, Shep Pettibone

Context: From I'm Breathless; associated with ballroom/voguing culture; massive dance-pop hit