The early 80s were a time of massive transformation in the world of music. But the old-school values that drove power pop, such as smart lyrics, melodic richness, and instrumental economy, didn’t exactly go out of style.
We found several songs from that calendar year wearing their power pop values on their sleeves. They weren’t all gigantic hits (although a couple were.) But they all certainly deserved to be.
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“Back On The Chain Gang” by Pretenders
The Pretenders could have effortlessly folded up their tents, considering the turmoil and tragedy that enveloped them in the early 80s. Following two potent albums to start their career, the band was rocked by the overdose death of guitarist James Honeyman-Scott in the summer of 1982. Bandleader Chrissie Hynde also dismissed bassist Pete Farndon due to his drug problems around that same time. (Farndon died in 1983). Still reeling, Hynde put her emotions about the loss of Honeyman-Scott into the lyrics of “Back On The Chain Gang”. She also assembled a new version of The Pretenders for the recording. Released in September 1982, the song lingered on the pop charts in ’83, peaking at No. 5.
“Overkill” by Men At Work
Men At Work’s first album, Business As Usual, ruled pop radio in 1982 with a pair of hits (“Who Can It Be Now” and “Down Under”) that sounded somewhat lighthearted. They weren’t really, at least when you dug into the lyrics. With “Overkill”, the first single from their 1983 sophomore effort, Cargo, there was no doubting the inner darkness. The forward momentum of the music, all taut lines and smoky atmosphere, keeps this firmly in the power pop lane even still. Colin Hay talks about a creeping inner malaise in the lyrics, takes a strutting guitar solo in the middle section, and then launches into his upper register in the final verse to give “Overkill” a stunning climax.
“I Can’t Take It” by Cheap Trick
Nobody wore the power pop banner with as much pride as Cheap Trick. The band famously went from critical darlings to commercial juggernauts when their live At Budokan album made an unlikely breakthrough at the end of the 70s. The early 80s found them struggling to get back to the pop charts, even as their work remained strong. They decided to team with producer Todd Rundgren, a guy who knew a thing or two about power pop, on the album Next Position Please in 1983. Robin Zander, lead singer of the band, took charge as songwriter on “I Can’t Take It”, lead single from the album. It’s hard to believe, upon listening to this no-flab gem, that it didn’t do anything on the charts.
“I’m Still Standing” by Elton John
This might raise some eyebrows, in that we don’t usually think of Elton John being in the power pop camp. But we’d urge you to disregard the artist and just listen to the song. When John made his 1983 album Too Low For Zero, he wrote many of the songs on the synthesizer because it forced him to keep things simpler and more rocking. “I’m Still Standing” emerged from that process. Many people hear the lyrics and think that they were meant to convey John’s statement of purpose about returning from the pop wilderness. They were actually about one of Bernie Taupin’s exes. Nonetheless, the song served its purpose and did indeed restore John’s place in the pop elite.
(Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage)