The Brad & Britt Show

Since the National Geographic Channel has decided to make such a big stinking deal of the 80s, I thought it would be a great time to review some of the best tunes of the decade that illustrated the angst of the dreaded “Cold War”

By the time the 1980s rolled around, a lot of people had gotten really sick of the whole “cold war thing”. Sure, in the 50s and 60s, the whole “duck and cover” drill was fresh and pretty scary (not to mention the extra juice that the Cuban Missile Crisis gave to the idea of nuclear annihilation)

After a while, the examination turned to the ever-popular “madman with his hand on the button” (Reagan) and a new generation blamed their parents for putting them in a world where “Mutually Assured Destruction” was a thing

To wit:

The Fixx “Stand or Fall”

You know they weren’t always cute and ironic. Sometimes they were HEAVY. What kind of a world have we inherited here?

Genesis “Land of Confusion”

“I won’t be coming home tonight. My generation will put it right”. Right, Phil. But, before we do that, let’s make a a really shitty movie then do the Broadway thing

Nena “99 Luftballons”

Really. It’s about some innocent kids releasing ballons and then many nations freak out. I wish they’d bombed her

U2 “New Year’s Day”

Nations can wage war, but they’ll never separate us. Sure. It’s Rick and Ilsa all over again

Elton John “Nikita

Would you believe that those commies were so mean that they separated Elton John from a lady? Thus, communism drove Elton John to dudes

Sting “Russians

Mr. Sumner abandoned The Police and all subtlety

Mike + The Mechanics “Silent Running”

Not content to let “Land of Confusion” be the only Genesis statement on the cold war, Mike Rutherford had to freak us out a little more

Iron Maiden “Two Minutes to Midnight”

I like to rock out and contemplate the end of the world

Frankie Goes to Hollywood “Two Tribes

After Frankie relaxed he got pretty freaking uptight about the US-USSR tug-of-war

Escape Club “Wild Wild West

Sure, we’re waiting for the “big boom”, but why can’t we party until we see the flash?

After all, wasn’t that what the 80s were all about?