80's Celebration - Culture Club, TFF and The Pretenders! They still rule!

Music Wed - Part 2 of the Moment-I'm-Starting-To-Really-Have-Some-Fun-With. This week's dive into 80's music is keeping the foot firmly on the accelerator with no thought of braking. This week required very little contemplation, because I knew I could not waste another moment without having fun with three bands I love as much today as I did 30 years ago - Culture Club, Tears For Fears and The Pretenders. Besides the genre challenging look and attitude of CC, there is no doubt that Boy George wrote and sang great pop songs. Little known fact - Boy George worshipped Gladys Knight and mimicked her when he sang his ballads. Here is a sampling of some of my favorite Culture Club songs that may not have been the very top hits, but they showcase everything I love about this band = "Miss Me Blind" (Live at Hammersmith Odeon -  http://youtu.be/2qUxhy2JkN8); next is my personal fave, "Black Money" (featuring the great Helen Terry - http://youtu.be/GcePJssPnRU); and let's wrap up with a deep cut, "Victims" (again with the inimitable Helen Terry - http://youtu.be/dN2S1NqTOgc).  I loved TFF from their first album, which was inspired when Roland and Curt met at a primal scream encounter, Songs From The Big Chair, to their last great album, Sowing the Seeds of Love. Let's get rolling with a song that no one can resist tapping their toes to and singing along with, "Everybody Wants to Rule The World" -  http://youtu.be/KHoJPUHG83g; then let's switch to the song that both rocks and introduced the world to the powerhouse voice of Oleta Adams, "Woman In Chains" - http://youtu.be/nYFFTpg0t9g (hang in through the weird intro because the live version is killer); and I'm torn between ending with "Shout" or "Sowing the Seeds of Love", so here they both are -- http://youtu.be/1682rQdaYCE and http://youtu.be/I99byzYZbBI.  Finally the great Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders. The song that turned me on to them was the slightly atmospheric, odd early tune, "Talk of the Town"- http://youtu.be/VzU5gsnSHfU, moving right in to the hard rockin' "Middle of the Road" - http://youtu.be/hONtmFgh3IQ (hang in thru the weird intro from a Brit pop show or rock out to this recent live version which shows that ole Chrissie still has the chops http://youtu.be/-CYsOGTA0eo); and let's finish this songfest with "My City Was Gone" (which rolls into a medley with "Needle and the Damage Done" - too cool!) http://youtu.be/g9-CUHi4CpA. Enjoy!