Mesopotamia – Haunted Jukebox

We’re at a crossroads, a convergence of competing subgenres. I could’ve easily put together an all-post-punk/new wave collection of tunes, or an all-Brit edition or even an American Top 40 variety; I’m sure a solid indie/underground representation of 1982’s out there somewhere, curated by a soul with more firsthand knowledge of it than myself.

What I’ve ended up with, naturally, is a blend of all of the above that nonetheless more often than not leans towards post-punk/new wave because there’s just so goddamn much of it: The Cure entering their goth-pop phase with a newfound emphasis on the latter, The (English) Beat ever more sophisticated and expansive with “Save It For Later”, quirky one-offs like Haircut 100 and Wall of Voodoo claiming their moment in the sun, synth-pop now officially a chart-worthy thing, as witnessed by Yaz’s venerable ballad and Missing Persons’ El Lay take on the genre; even relative “veterans” like Sparks and Kate Bush bending their sounds and styles to fit into and, at least in Bush’s case redefine the genre. There’s also a bunch of R&B/rock mutations: Kid Creole and The Coconuts sharpening their bon vivant take on new wave, Prince swaggering his way into the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 for the first time and even Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott, a black rock pioneer going unapologetically, disarmingly pop (complete with baroque, “Penny Lane”-style trumpet solo!)

Predictably, I couldn’t ignore those mainstream hits that made an indelible impression on my seven-year-old brain. I’ve spared you such cheese as “Key Largo” and “Ebony and Ivory” (the latter: two legends reduced to mush!) but have made room for Bee Gees-produced Dionne Warwick (Gibb a much better Barry for her than Manilow), the smooth, hook-laden reassurance of The Alan Parsons Project, Stevie Wonder’s last great single, another sterling Christine McVie-written Fleetwood Mac one, and of course, “Goody Two Shoes”, Adam Ant’s only early 80s American Top 40 hit (in this case, us Yanks chose the best, most endearing one.)

Despite the abundance of Brits represented, I’m more intrigued by that American-indie contingent I was far too young to know at the time. Some days, “Mesopotamia” is my favorite B-52’s song, riding texture and an electro-groove unlike any of their other standards (Fred Schneider’s inimitable, exuberant vocal hook, which provides this playlist’s title is just the icing on a multi-layered cake); other days, I hear “Wolves, Lower”, the opener from R.E.M.’s first EP Chronic Town and it’s as fresh and exciting and enigmatic as it ever was, even compared to all of their era-defining output over the subsequent decade.

1982: Before I Talk, I Should Read A Book!

A Flock of Seagulls, “Space Age Love Song”
The Cure, “Let’s Go To Bed”
Indeep, “Last Night a DJ Saved My Life”
Prince, “Little Red Corvette”
The Alan Parsons Project, “Eye In The Sky”
Kid Creole and The Coconuts, “I’m A Wonderful Thing, Baby”
The Psychedelic Furs, “Love My Way”
Roxy Music, “The Space Between”
The B-52’s, “Mesopotamia”
Kate Bush, “Suspended In Gaffa”
Split Enz, “Six Months In a Leaky Boat”
Phil Lynott, “Old Town”
Wall of Voodoo, “Mexican Radio”
David Bowie, “Cat People (Putting Out Fire)”
Siouxsie and the Banshees, “Fireworks – 12” Version”
XTC, “No Thugs In Our House”
Adam Ant, “Goody Two Shoes”
R.E.M., “Wolves, Lower”
The Dream Syndicate, “Tell Me When It’s Over”
Chic, “Tavern On The Green”
The English Beat, “Save It For Later”
Fun Boy Three and Bananarama, “It Ain’t What You Do, It’s The Way That You Do It”
Dionne Warwick, “Heartbreaker”
Carly Simon, “Why (12” Version)”
Yaz, “Only You”
Missing Persons, “Destination Unknown”
Sparks, “Angst In My Pants”
The Waitresses, “Square Pegs”
Fleetwood Mac, “Hold Me”
ABC, “The Look Of Love, Pt. 1”
Stevie Wonder, “Do I Do (Single Version)”
Haircut 100, “Love Plus One – 12” Version”
The Associates, “Party Fears Two”
The Jam, “The Bitterest Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow)”
ABBA, “Under Attack”
Richard & Linda Thompson, “Wall of Death”