As 1983 started, I had to make some decisions regarding my college career. I had been in school since 1978, was married and before the next year was over, a father. I decided to change majors to General Studies - Business Concentration because all 18 hours in computer science would count as business credits. I took a few finance courses, a business law and a business psychology class and I was on track to graduate in the Spring of 1984. I was a fairly quiet time but little did I know that the storm was brewing. I had changed jobs again and was working back at the warehouse in a different capacity. My hours were from 3-9pm Monday through Thursday and from 12-3pm on Fridays. I basically was pushing a broom and mop and occasionally I would paint something. On one of those occasions, I ended up falling off of a scaffolding rig and breaking both arms at the elbow along with my left wrist. Fortunately, the break on the right arm was a hairline, so I only had to keep it in a sling but they put my left arm in a cast. I was still pretty much helpless, though.
The music business at that point had pretty much relegated disco to clubs and MTV was in its golden age. They actually played videos and didn't have any special interest or reality shows at that point. Here's what I remember as far as the songs and albums from that year. As you can see the list is starting to grow again
Top Songs
The Police - Every Breath You Take
The Smiths - This Charming Man - This was the year of "The Smiths"
Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday - I remember watching them do this live at some festival that summer
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This...) There was no way to tell from this song what they would become
U2 - New Year's Day
Run-D.M.C. - It's Like That - I love these guys along with "The Beastie Boys"
Pretenders - Middle of the Road - Their most rocking song ever
Run-D.M.C. - Sucker MC's
Talking Heads - Burning Down the House - Great song but it's not "Take Me to the River"
Herbie Hancock - Rockit - Great Instrumental and video
David Bowie - Let's Dance - This is where Stevie Ray got his start
Echo and the Bunnymen - The Cutter
ZZ Top - Gimme All Your Lovin' - Saw them live in Baton Rouge - Loads of Fun
The Smiths - Hand in Glove
Big Country - In a Big Country - These guys had a unique sound that hasn't been duplicated
John Cougar Mellencamp - Pink Houses - He didn't do too bad this year either
ZZ Top - Legs
Kraftwerk - Tour De France
Elvis Costello - Everyday I Write the Book - My most favorite Elvis Costello song. I think it was used in a movie
Depeche Mode - Get the Balance Right
Pretenders - 2000 Miles
Violent Femmes - Kiss Off
Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding
John Cougar Mellencamp - Authority Song
Billy Joel - Uptown Girl - The beginning of his slide until "I didn't Start the Fire"
John Cougar Mellencamp - Crumblin' Down
Top Albums
R.E.M. - Murmur - notice that they didn't have any songs from that year - They were just under the radar
The Police - Synchronicity - Their best and last album
U2 - War - The first of two albums from 1983
Violent Femmes - Violent Femmes
ZZ Top - Eliminator
David Bowie - Let's Dance
Stevie Ray Vaughan - Texas Flood - What can I say about him that hasn't already been said. Just listen
Talking Heads - Speaking in Tounges
Eurythmics -Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This...)
Elvis Costello and The Attractions - Punch the Clock
Big Country - The Crossing
U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky
UB40 - Labour of Love - "Red, Red, Wine"
Paul Young - No Parlez - Great voice but really didn't appeal to US audiences - They loved him in England, though
Robert Cray Band - Bad Influence - He opened for Foreigner and I bought this record the next day
Bob Dylan - Infidels
Randy Newman - Trouble in Paradise
Simple Minds - Sparkle in the Rain
T-Bone Burnett - Proof through the Night - Well worth checking out. He became a producer after this.
Cocteau Twins - Head over Heels - I forget how long they've been around
Huey Lewis and The News - Sports - Saw them live in 1987 - Fun show
Van Morrison - Inarticulate Speech of the Heart
Mink DeVille - Where the Angels Fear to Thread
Depeche Mode - Construction Time Again
Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall 1971 - iTunes Exclusive + Videos
