3 Soft Rock Songs From 1985 That Every 80s Kid Still Knows Today

Almost everyone knows—and loves—the soft rock music of the 1980s. So many great soft rock songs were released in that decade, including these three. All out in 1985, it’s almost certain that every 80s kid could still sing along to the entire song word for word today.

“Say You, Say Me” by Lionel Richie

“Say You, Say Me” became one of Lionel Richie’s early hits and one of his most successful. Written solely by Richie, “Say You, Say Me” is on Dancing On The Ceiling, his third solo record. It is also part of the soundtrack for the White Nights movie.

The sweet love song says, “Say you, say me / Say it for always / That’s the way it should be / Say you, say me / Say it together, naturally.”

“Say You, Say Me” is not the only hit single from the White Nights soundtrack. The album also includes “Separate Lives”, a No. 1 single by Phil Collins and Marilyn Martin. “Say You, Say Me” gave Richie an Oscar for Best Original Song.

“Suddenly” by Billy Ocean

The title track of a record Billy Ocean released in 1984. “Suddenly” was written by Ocean and Keith Diamond. 

A two-week No. 1 single, “Suddenly” says, “Suddenly life has new meaning to me / There’s beauty up above and things we never take notice of / You wake up, and suddenly you’re in love.”

Suddenly remains one of Ocean’s most successful records, which also includes “Caribbean Queen (No More Love on the Run)”, one of Ocean’s biggest hits.

“Never Surrender” by Corey Hart

“Never Surrender” is Corey Hart’s biggest single in the United States. Written solely by Hart, “Never Surrender” is on Hart’s sophomore Boy In The Box record.

The empowering anthem says, “So if you’re lost and on your own / You can never surrender / And if your path won’t lead you home / You can never surrender.”

Hart credits his own mother with at least partly inspiring “Never Surrender.”

“My mother influenced me with this ethic of never quitting on yourself or your dreams, no matter how challenging or daunting,” Hart tells Songfacts. “I also greatly admired Sir Winston Churchill, reading many biographies on his life. He used this expression ‘Never Surrender’ during the dark days of the Nazi attacks on Great Britain as a motivating inspiration for his countrymen.”

Hart only had one other hit single in the United States, although he fared much better in his native Canada. Before “Never Surrender”, Hart had a Top 15 hit in 1984 with “Sunglasses At Night”.

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