Careless Whisper– Wham!/George Michael 
George Michael made the list a bunch of times. I love this song. 

Wake Me Up– Wham!/George Michael 
This was the first time I had heard George Michael, when he was still with “Wham!”. 

Super fun song and I’ll still sing along with it if I hear it. 

Shout– Tears for Fears 
Tears for Fears came out with several mega hits, and this one, a highly layered and complex song, was destined to be an anthem from the beginning. It drives and has you singing along. 

Pride (In the Name of Love) – U2 
Another of U2’s songs that I love. 

I’m on Fire– Bruce Springsteen 
Again, Springsteen with the morally questionable lyrics, but irresistible song.  
I posted a different video than the original, since the original is one of those story videos that has a minute and a half of whatever before the actual song starts. It was the early days of MTV and artists were gettin’ experimental.

Smooth Operator– Sade 
Despite the questionable lyric- coast to coast, LA to Chicago, this one has to be on the list. 

Maybe she meant the smooth operator flew from NY to LA then from LA to Chicago… I dunno. But even if she’s terrible at geography, and I’m not saying she is… but IF that were to be the case…. I still love the song, so there. On the list it goes. 

I Can’t Fight This Feeling- REO Speedwagon 
I felt like I needed to include at least one REO song on the list and this one is my favorite, despite a lyric that drives me a little nuts:
It’s time to bring this ship into the shore,
and throw away the oars, forever; 

I don’t know, man…. I know shore and oars rhyme, but I feel like you don’t row something as big as a ship with oars… unless you’re an ancient Greek slave… or a Viking. Feels like it need another word, but I agree that boat doesn’t roll of as well as ship. But aside from that, I really do love the song, and so it gets on the list. 

The Boys of Summer– Don Henley
I almost missed this one, but this song is one of my favorites for capturing the mood of the lyrics. When I hear this song, it transports me to PCH in a convertible, on an indian summer day with the sun low over the water. I’ll often refer to it when I’m thinking of great examples of music that captures the mood of the lyric.