Monthly Mixtape: Parachute Pants and Saxophone Solos

Look, you knew this was going to happen sooner or later. There was no doubt. But listen, I figured it’s best to get it over with early enough in the year, so you have ample time to heal from this glorious torture.

Oh yes, pigeons, I’m talking about the NINETEEN EIGHTIES. (!!!)

No duh.

Monthly Mixtape: Parachute Pants and Saxophone Solos

Ohhhhh how I miss the ’80s. (See this old school collage? ^^^ That’s how we do the ’80s.)

We had mullets. We had parachute and hammer pants. We had copper molds hanging on walls and floral wallpaper for days. We had carpet and pale yellow linoleum, shoulder pads, wall phones with a cord so long you could wrap it around the Earth. Twice. We had enormous Swatch watch clocks, DIY perms in the kitchen, The Cosby Show on Thursday nights and Smurfs on Saturday mornings.

We had neon banana clips, 30 minutes of Atari in the afternoon, metal roller skates and candy cigarettes. (<–well, not me. but everyone else) We had jelly bracelets, jelly shoes, training montages in every single movie, Care Bears, crimped pony tails, Pizza Hut on Friday nights, followed by a wholesome round of Simon.

But above all, we had the music.

You might be shaking your head in utter disgust right now. And I get it! It was crazy. It was awful. It was wonderful. It was so wrong, but so right. Like, gag me with a spoon!

Of course I wasn’t exactly listening to any of this music at the time. A tiny taste of Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach” sealed that deal RIGHT ON UP for my parents. Only Amy Grant, Sandi Patti and Michael W. Smith from there on out. Well, until 1991, when I could secretly get caught up on all the goods with my high school friends. (Sorry, Mom! Wait, am I grounded?)

This playlist is what I consider to be the GEMS of the 1980s. A healthy mix of college radio meets Top 40 classics. I could had added so much more, but I didn’t want you to chainsaw your ears off and throw them down a water well. And sure, a little bit of this is a tad cliché, but it was the EIGHTIES. That’s what our radical lives were all about. Right, Casey Kasem?

So put on your leg warmers and crimp those bangs, as I give you . . . .

The “Parachute Pants and Saxophone Solos” Mix.

Also, I’m sorry.

Also also, Alf.

If you can’t even bear to listen to this monstrosity right now, you can always click this here link for later. That would be totally tubular!

The “Parachute Pants and Saxophone Solo” Mix

Monthly Mixtape: Parachute Pants and Saxophone Solos

One more (sad electronically-devised) collage, because BANGS.

Poll: Did anyone else have an irrational crush on Ricky Schroder in Silver Spoons? Or should I have just kept that one to myself?

Previous mixtapes, if you can even deal:

The “Couple Skate” Mix

The “Champagne and Diet” Mix

The “Zuzu’s Petals and Eggnog” Mix

The “Mix about Fire” Mix

The “Trick-or-Treat-Smell-My-Feet” Mix

The “Crunchy Bangs and Flannel” Mix

The “Birthday Candles and Rosé” Mix

The “Fireworks and Lemonade” Mix

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19 Responses to Monthly Mixtape: Parachute Pants and Saxophone Solos

  1. Jennifer J March 1, 2016 at 7:46 am #
    Thank you for the smile this morning. Best mix yet!
  2. Brittany | Words Like Honeycomb March 1, 2016 at 10:36 am #
    so many memories flooding my mind! gals united with jelly shoes (personal fave)
  3. Lisa March 1, 2016 at 10:53 am #
    I have an irrational love for the '80s. Especially the music. I could do without George Michael but that's ok. Thanks!
  4. Mo March 1, 2016 at 11:08 am #
    Love me some 80s. My sister still talks about how jealous she was of my neon Earth globe earrings. And I was at this concert when Frankie Goes To Hollywood sank the Bismark (and wasn't so relaxed): http://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/29/arts/rock-concert-halted-when-floor-collapses.html
  5. angela March 1, 2016 at 11:10 am #
    the 80's were the BEST!!! I'm sad there is no Duran Duran on your mix tape, goodness I had the biggest crush on them.
    • Bev Weidner March 1, 2016 at 11:35 am #
      I knowwwwww! I LOVED Duran Duran, and included them in my '90s mix, if that helps redeem myself at all. :)
  6. Andrea March 1, 2016 at 12:38 pm #
    Hands down the '80's is the best decade of music. I was born the day man landed on the moon so I know! My 14 yr. old listens to The Police. What does that tell you? So much great music to choose from you did REALLY well in covering some greats. One of my sappy favourites was "I Melt With You" Modern English. When I really want to relive the 80's I watch the "Do They Know It's Christmas" video.
    • Bev Weidner March 1, 2016 at 3:32 pm #
      Ohhhhh I forgot all about I Melt With You! Listening now. Ugh. So good.
  7. Rachele March 1, 2016 at 1:21 pm #
    No "Father's Eyes" on that playlist? :-)
  8. Amber | Loves Food, Loves to Eat March 1, 2016 at 2:24 pm #
    LOVE. However, rather than the 80s, Don't Dream it's Over will always remind me of the 90210 finale... that song was on all the finale commercials leading up to the big event... sigh.
  9. Jamie | The Kitchenarium March 1, 2016 at 9:11 pm #
    I've listened to it twice today. Even my husband (who works from home too) and is Mr. Picky Pants when it comes to music was grooving. Thanks for the tunes.
  10. jackie wandell March 2, 2016 at 8:06 am #
    OMG the voilent femmes. I can't even. LOVE.
  11. valerie March 2, 2016 at 10:51 am #
    This is THE best. I think you're going to need a volume II for the '80s! You covered so many of my favorites (I agree with Angela up there re: Duran Duran - my bedroom walls were papered with their gorgeous faces, much to my parents' chagrin!). So excited to listen!!!
  12. Deja March 2, 2016 at 6:07 pm #
    Violent Femmes = LOVE When my now 13 year old son was just a few months old I left him home with his dad for the first time, just to see them. Was nursing, so much pain endured, so worth it! Best ever night with my little sis!
  13. Melissa March 3, 2016 at 11:45 am #
    This is seriously the best thing I have seen in 4ever! Totally awesome!
  14. Dee @ The Kitchen Snob March 5, 2016 at 1:09 pm #
    Great mix! Listened while be-bopping around and cleaning the house. I request more 80s mixes :-) That last pic on the left with the ponytails - in high school I was in a dance group called CHSazz (we were soo jazzy) and we had the same side ponytails, shiny leggings (unitards - omg) and that same pose in a pic! oh and I forgot about picture collages!
  15. Ann April 17, 2016 at 10:53 am #
    Has no one taken the Ricky Schroder poll?!?!?! (or are you all being wise and keeping it to yourselves....) I'll put it out there - luuuuvvvvved Ricky! The 80s are my big, fat weakness Thanks for the great 80s flashbacks, Bev.

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  1. Monthly Mixtape: Judge This Song By Its Cover - Bev Cooks - April 5, 2016 […] the “Parachute Pants and Saxophone Solos” mix […]
  2. Monthly Mixtape: It's Like We're in a Scene from Parenthood - Bev Cooks - May 3, 2016 […] the “Parachute Pants and Saxophone Solos” mix […]

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