4 Songs From 1983 Every 80s Kid Heard While Riding the Bus to School Each Morning

Remember jumping on the bus in 1983, throwing on your headphones, and jamming out to your favorite mixtape songs via your cassette player? That was the go-to move for many an 80s kid back in the day, and so many young music fans developed their music taste with their friends during their commutes to school on weekday mornings. If you were one of them, I bet one of the following four hits made it to your rotations. Let’s get nostalgic!

“Total Eclipse Of The Heart” by Bonnie Tyler from ‘Faster Than The Speed Of Night’

“Total Eclipse Of The Heart” by Bonnie Tyler was a massive power pop hit in 1983, and for good reason. This anthemic song still has so much listening appeal decades later, and it’s crazy to me that Tyler never had quite as big a hit again. “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the Top 10 virtually everywhere else.

“Every Breath You Take” by The Police from ‘Synchronicity’

This chill, smooth new wave soft rock jam from The Police is still a fan favorite after all these years. Even after one realizes that the song is actually super creepy. “Every Breath You Take” by The Police is easily the most famous song from Synchronicity, one that took home two Grammy Awards. The track reached the Top 10 across the globe, peaking at No. 1 on the Hot 100 chart.

“She Works Hard For The Money” by Donna Summer from ‘She Works Hard For The Money’

Donna Summer dished out quite a few high-energy dance tunes in the post-disco era, but this one really takes the cake. “She Works Hard For The Money” likely got more than a few 80s kids up and moving on the bus in the morning to their bus drivers’ chagrin. This 80s-era hit peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 chart.

“Let’s Dance” by David Bowie from ‘Let’s Dance’

This is one of my favorite David Bowie songs, so I might be a bit biased here. But I really wouldn’t be surprised if many 80s kids jammed out to this entry on our list of 1983 songs while riding the bus to school. It’s such a cool, funky tune from Bowie that proves he could mash together many genre elements and come out with a hit. “Let’s Dance” peaked at No. 1 in both the US and UK.

Photo by Phil Dent/Redferns