4 Songs That High Schoolers in 1989 Knew Every Word To

As the 80s came to a close, ballads, synth pop tracks, and confessional love songs wrapped the decade up in a tight bow. Here are a few songs from 1989 that were not only culturally significant but also fun for teens of that day and age.

“Like A Prayer” by Madonna

“Like A Prayer” changed the game in terms of what it means to be culturally groundbreaking and controversial at the same time. This song was Madonna‘s seventh No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

“Love Shack” by B-52’s

The 80s were full of party anthems, and even though it was released near the decade’s end, “Love Shack” was definitely one of those songs.

Cindy Wilson of the B-52’s explained to Songfacts that sometimes when you write songs, you think of images or pictures to help with inspiration. When Wilson was thinking of a “love shack,” it looked a little like this:

“…I personally was thinking about this bar that was out in the country [the Hawaiian Ha-Le]. It was a really cool place… a run-down love shack kind of thing, but it was a disco. It was a really interesting place.”

“Miss You Much” by Janet Jackson

“Miss You Much” was Janet Jackson’s biggest song and her second No. 1 hit after “When I Think Of You”. In “Miss You Much”, Jackson sings about missing her partner so much that she wants to tell everyone she knows.

I’ll tell your mama, I’ll tell your friends
I’ll tell anyone whose heart can comprehend
Send it in a letter, baby tell you on the phone
I’m not the kinda girl who likes to be alone.

“Lost In Your Eyes” by Debbie Gibson

Debbie Gibson gave a whole new meaning to teenage prodigy when she released her debut album Out Of The Blue. The young singer scored a No. 1 hit with her song “Foolish Beat”, which she sang, produced, and wrote herself. Then, in 1989, she had her last Top 10 hit with “Lost In Your Eyes”, which describes the feeling of being infatuated with someone to a T. Although “Foolish Beat” was her first big hit, “Lost In Your Eyes” became her most successful single.

Photo by: Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Live Nation