Sick Burns!: An 80's Podcast

L'Eighties Night Productions

Two Gen X'ers take a critical look at the songs of the late 20th century’s best known decade -- the 80’s -- breaking down lyrics, considering whether they hold up in a 21st century context... and delivering some choice critique, aka sick burns.

  1. 09/12/2021

    Tina Turner: Simply the Best

    Between multiple interviews, a biopic and a broadway show, Tina Turner's story is well known.  But there's an HBO documentary about her and it confirms that she is the queen of rock-n-roll, the empress of resilience and the grand duchess of self-respect. Tina Turner's appearance in 1985's Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome was her second movie appearance-- she had appeared in Tommy  ten years earlier.  While we think her outfit in that movie was chef's kiss mwah!, she revealed in an interview in 1988 that she felt her character Aunty Entity would have been more fierce if she had more practical clothing. Her hit song recorded for the movie, "We Don't Need Another Hero," was written by the same team that wrote "What's Love Got to Do With It?"-- Terry Britten and Graham Lyle.  The song was a bridge between her albums Private Dancer and Break Every Rule.  It was nominated for a Golden Globe (losing to Lionel Richie) and a Grammy (losing to Whitney Houston). We think maybe it was hampered by the goofy lyrics that reference the movie, tying it down!  We also think Mel Gibson is beyond icky and wish Tina hadn't been tainted by his garbage presence.  And yet she somehow continues to be. . . simply the best. Give a listen and tell us what YOU think!! ***AND*** Visit our website at www.sickburnspod.com to leave a comment or a voicemail! Instagram @Sick_Burns_Pod Twitter @Sick80s Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SickBurnsPodcast Email us at Burningthe80s@gmail.com Support the show Visit our website to leave a comment or a voicemail! On Instagram @Sick_Burns_Pod On Twitter @Sick80s On Facebook: Sick Burns Podcast Email us at Burningthe80s@gmail.com Support the show at buymeacoffee.com/sickburns

    1h 10m
  2. 05/13/2021

    Cold War Chess & Show Tunes: One Night in Bangkok

    Cold war chess matches and show tunes collide in "One Night in Bangkok" by Murray Head. The song went to number one in many countries and topped out at #3 in May 1985 in the U.S. and Canada. The song was a single from the concept album “Chess” by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA (and Mama Mia fame) with lyrics by Tim Rice. It later became a musical, starring Murray Head.    In the musical, Head plays “Freddie Trumper,” an American Chess master who is in Thailand to face off against his opponent from the USSR in a big chess match. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it was inspired by the 1972 Bobby Fischer/Boris Spassky match in Reykjavik. In the song, Trumper is trying to stay focused on the match and not succumb to Bangkok’s many distractions. Listening to it with 2021 ears, it’s hard to miss the transphobic overtones or the way it hypersexualizes Asian women. If you were transfixed by the flute solo, you may have missed all that in 1985, but the Thai government didn’t.  Check out the video. Note, this song is not to be confused with Musical Chess by Burger King Illuminati. Like the show? Buy us a coffee! ***AND*** Visit our website at www.sickburnspod.com to leave a comment or a voicemail! Instagram @Sick_Burns_Pod Twitter @Sick80s Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SickBurnsPodcast Email us at Burningthe80s@gmail.com Editing by Ghost Label Support the show Visit our website to leave a comment or a voicemail! On Instagram @Sick_Burns_Pod On Twitter @Sick80s On Facebook: Sick Burns Podcast Email us at Burningthe80s@gmail.com Support the show at buymeacoffee.com/sickburns

    1h 5m
4.8
out of 5
22 Ratings

About

Two Gen X'ers take a critical look at the songs of the late 20th century’s best known decade -- the 80’s -- breaking down lyrics, considering whether they hold up in a 21st century context... and delivering some choice critique, aka sick burns.