(CONTAINS SPOILERS)
Thirty-three years ago...
NOVEMBER 6, 1983,
in the town of Hawkins, Indiana,
12-year-old Will Byers
mysteriously vanished.
STRANGER THINGS
were about to happen!
Meet the main characters in this drama
and listen to the songs that formed the
soundtrack of their lives as these
fantastic events unfolded.
and listen to the songs that formed the
soundtrack of their lives as these
fantastic events unfolded.
I'm Joyce Byers, Will's frantic mother
on Stranger Things, the smash hit
sci-fi/horror series on Netflix.
on Stranger Things, the smash hit
sci-fi/horror series on Netflix.
I've tried everything I can think of to
find Will. I even resorted to chanting
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."
find Will. I even resorted to chanting
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."
Where there's a Will... there's a way.
This I swear to you. Whoever or whatever
took my son is axing for trouble. Chief
Hopper and I have buried the hatchet
and together we're gonna bury it
in that monster's skull!
"Undercover of the Night"
The Rolling Stones
(Nov. & Dec. 1983, highest chart pos.
#9 Hot 100,#11 UK,#5 Belgium,
#4 Netherlands)
I'm Chief Jim Hopper of the
Hawkins Police Department.
Mornings are for coffee and contemplation.
Then comes Miller time. That's right, folks.
I drink a lot, smoke a lot and sleep with
every woman in town. Yep... I'm your
typical 80s hero... uniquely qualified to
typical 80s hero... uniquely qualified to
battle a creature from a parallel universe.
"Union of the Snake"
Duran Duran
(Nov. & Dec. 1983, highest chart pos.
#1 Cash Box/#3 Hot 100/#3 UK )
START PLAYING VIDEO
AT 35 SEC. MARK!
I'm Mike Wheeler, one of Will's friends.
I have a secret friend hidden in my house -
a girl named Eleven - "El" for short. She's
gonna help us find Will. El's kinda quiet
and all she ever eats are Eggos, lots of 'em.
Her head is shaved and she doesn't really
look like a girl. Even so, I kinda like her,
but not in that mushy, gushy, gooey way.
"One Thing Leads
To Another"
To Another"
The Fixx
(Oct. & Nov. 1983, highest chart
pos. #4 Hot 100/#1 Canada)
I'm Nancy Wheeler, Mike's older sister
and Steve Harrington's girlfriend.
Although I'm dating Steve, who's in with
the "in" crowd, I am strangely attracted
to Jonathan, a quiet outsider.
I'm a good girl but, when the chips are down,
I'm badass as they come. Now grab the bear trap.
It's open season on monsters from other dimensions.
"Running With the Night"
Lionel Richie
(Dec. 1983 to Feb. 1984,
highest chart pos. #7 Hot 100,
#1 Canada Adult Contemporary)
START PLAYING VIDEO
AT 40 SEC. MARK!
I'm Jonathan Byers, Joyce's son
and Will's older brother.
I have a crush on Nancy Wheeler, but her heart
belongs to Mr. Popularity, Steve Harrington.
I don't know what she sees in him, but I wish
she was seein' me.
I just heard a song on
the radio and it reminded me of Nancy.
"Uptown Girl"
Billy Joel
(Oct. to Dec. 1983, highest chart pos.
#3 Hot 100/#1 UK, Scotland, Ireland)
I'm Steve Harrington, big man on campus
and Nancy Wheeler's boyfriend.
Nancy is out of my league and I know it.
She's a good girl, too good for a spoiled,
Shallow Hal like me, but I'll do whatever
it takes to keep her with me and away
from that weirdo Byers dude. I just
need to work on my rap a little.
Shallow Hal like me, but I'll do whatever
it takes to keep her with me and away
from that weirdo Byers dude. I just
need to work on my rap a little.
"Tell Her About It"
Billy Joel
(Sept. to Nov. 1983, highest chart pos.
#1 Hot 100/#1 Adult Contemporary)
Oh my god oh my god
oh my god oh my god!
oh my god oh my god!
I'm Dustin Henderson, another of Will's
friends. El has awesome superpowers
and, on top of that, she's crazy. If you
make her mad she can squeeze your
bladder with her mind, make you
pee your pants and send you
home crying to mommy.
friends. El has awesome superpowers
and, on top of that, she's crazy. If you
make her mad she can squeeze your
bladder with her mind, make you
pee your pants and send you
home crying to mommy.
"Ain't Nobody"
Rufus and Chaka Khan
(Nov. & Dec. 1983, highest chart pos.
#11 U.S. Hot Dance/Electronic Songs,
#2 UK, #1 in 8 other countries)
I'm Lucas, a third friend of Will's.
Mike and Dustin say Eleven's our friend,
but I think
she's the enemy. I don't trust
her any farther than
I could throw her
uphill against a 50 mph wind, which
is exactly how far she threw me
the other day using her mind!
"Holiday"
Madonna
Madonna
(Nov. 1983 to Jan. '84, highest chart pos.
#1 U.S. Dance Club, #2 UK/ Ireland,
live appearance on Solid Gold)
My name is Eleven, the friend that Mike,
Dustin and Lucas have been telling you about.
I'm the monster that ate Mike's heart and
the breakout star of Stranger Things.
This is my sad face (above).
This is my happy face.
This is my superpower death stare.
As you can see, I have single-handedly
elevated wooden acting to an art form.
Friends don't lie. I don't smile.
"The Safety Dance"
Men Without Hats
(Aug.- Nov. 1983, highest chart pos.
#1 Cash Box/#3 Hot 100)
Eleven back with you again.
I'm all smiles now because I sense
that you enjoyed the show.
WATCH SEASON 1 OF
STRANGER THINGS
NOW PLAYING ON NETFLIX.
SEASON 2 COMING SOON!
This is yet another TV program I haven’t been following-- I didn’t realize I have been missing so many that you watch. Stranger Things looks like a fun and exciting show with interesting characters-- especially the girl Eleven who has super powers.
ReplyDeleteWhat a clever idea to post songs that were popular in the fall of 1983 as the events in this story unfolded! There are some terrific sounds here-- and I haven’t heard most of them in ages. I am a big fan of the Rolling Stones. I enjoyed watching that Undercover of the Night video for the first time in about twenty years. Union of the Snake is another favorite and I enjoyed seeing that live performance by Duran Duran for the first time. The Lionel Richie song and the two Billy Joel videos were also loads of fun. All of these songs were really good and bring back memories of the 80’s. Great post!
Hi, Kathryn!
DeleteThanks for taking a peek at the new post. Yessum, you and I watch many TV shows together, but it seems there are just as many that I have urged you to watch to no avail. Stranger Things is one of them.
Filmed around Atlanta, Georgia, Stranger Things is an excellent series loaded with references to the early 80s Steven Spielberg movies E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Poltergeist as well as TV shows of the period. Winona Ryder heads a marvelous cast that includes a group of exciting and talented child actors. Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven is one of the most precocious young actors I have ever seen.
Yessum, the songs in this post are ones that the kids in Stranger Things would have been listening to on the radio and watching on MTV and NBC's Friday Night Videos in the fall of 1983 when the events in the series were unfolding. For me it was refreshing to go back and listen to these hits of the period and watch those great music videos. Like you I hadn't watched most of them in many years.
The early to mid 80s remind me of the mid 60s because the music scene was exploding with exciting sounds in a variety of styles. For that reason I often call the 80s the last great decade for music (and other things).
Thank you again for reporting in, Kathryn. Enjoy your Sunday and have a fab week ahead!
Excellent choices for each character! Such an awesome show. Looking forward to season two.
ReplyDeleteHi, Alex!
DeleteThanks for swinging over on a Sunday, good buddy!
I'm jazzed to know that I already found a friend who watches Stranger Things. I figured you would be a fan.
Ditto - I am looking forward to season 2 and hope they soon announce the start date. I'm glad you also appreciated the tuneage of the time.
Thanks again for coming, good buddy Alex, and enjoy your week!
Okay, Chief Jim Hopper is hot. I could handle being investigated by him... :)
ReplyDeleteGreat soundtrack here. Nice 80s flashback! I love The Fixx's One Thing Leads to Another. It's one of my favorite 80s songs for sure. Also enjoyed hearing Madonna's Holiday and the crazy Safety Dance!
I have never watched Stranger Things but will have to give it a view on Netflix. Is it a Netflix original or has it aired on another network?
Thanks for the fun 80s tunes. Nice Sunday break!
Take care and enjoy your day Shady...
Michele at Angels Bark
Hi, 1-L!
DeleteThank you very much for coming by to experience Stranger Things along with a heaping helping of retro rock and soul.
Yessum, Stranger Things is a Netflix original. Season 1 is available for streaming intact and season 2 is on the way sometime next year. If you enjoyed Steven Spielberg's E.T. movie then you will surely get a kick out of Stranger Things because there are many moments in each episode that pay homage to that sci-fi classic and other movies and TV shows of the early to mid 80s. The series is a lot of fun to watch. It boasts fine acting and high production value, just like watching a movie. My favorite character is Nancy, a good girl gone badass. Nancy could make a seamless transition to vampire slayer on From Dusk Till Dawn. :)
I'm glad you enjoyed this sneak peak at Stranger Things along with the recordings and videos that were popular when these fictional events took place. Thank you again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Michele, and have a wonderful week!
Don't watch TV and things as you know, friend Shady, but you got me mesmerized with this story ... and Madonna's "Holiday" is one of my all time favourites cuz now, age 60, I'm starting to take as many holidays/ vacations as possible as you might have noticed ... Love, cat. PS: Our local radio station is worth listening to as they take you down memory lane ... my memory lane anyway ... it is 100.7 cruz fm ... smiles ...
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteHow are you today, dear feline friend? Thank you for coming down!
Yessum, I remember you telling me you don't watch television, but I am happy to know you enjoyed my promo for Stranger Things. It's a great series!
I'm also pleased to know you enjoyed a tune or two including "Holiday." You are very fortunate to have been able to vacation on that exotic South Pacific island.
I enjoy listen to radio stations or channels that take you on a stroll down memory lane and offer a good selection of minor hits and non-hits along with the familiar top tunes of the past.
smiles to you, dear friend cat. Thank you again for spending some time in the Shady today and have a wonderful week ahead!
Oh this was awesome, Shady! A tantalizing tale with a side of tasty tunes - almost takes the sting out of not being a Netflix subscriber. Stranger Things certainly sounds like a show I'd enjoy.
ReplyDeleteAmong other things, the music brought back memories of Space Invaders and Pac Man. Time Magazine named The Computer as their Man Of The Year in 1982, and not long after that came mobile phones and Microsoft word! Talk about one thing leading to another, huh?
Lots of fun here, my friend - thank you!
Hi, Diedre!
DeleteHow are you, dear friend? Thanks for coming over to get the scoop on Stranger Things, another of my favorite TV series. You really do need to start watching Netflix because it is chock full of great programming. (I'll even pay for your subscription! :)
Yessum, good play on words there, one thing leads to another. The world we have today is quite different from the one we knew in '83. I used to suffer from Pac Man fever. I played it every chance I got. Ms. Pac Man, too.
Rule of thumb: if you enjoyed Spielberg's E.T. then you will enjoy S.T. Many of the scenes and shot compositions are nearly identical to those found in the movie.
I'm glad you enjoyed this Nov./Dec. 1983 soundtrack. As you can tell from the selection, the music scene was bursting with great recordings and iconic videos at that time. I am very nostalgic for the early years of MTV.
Thank you again for joining the fun, dear friend Diedre, and have a safe and happy week!
Hi Shady!
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to have to get Netflix and watch this show. Stranger Things looks like a great show!
I love the Billy Joel songs you picked. I have a guilty pleasure for Billy Joel; he's fun to listen to. The playlist tonight is fun in general. Thanks for the smile.
Have a great week ahead, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThank you very much for coming by, dear friend!
Yessum, most of the series I have been presenting on SDMM in recent weeks are available on Netflix. Mrs. Shady and I watch shows on Netflix every evening and there is a wealth of great stuff from which to choose.
Stranger Things will give a young person like you a glimpse of life in 1983 - dial telephones, walkie-talkies, record players, etc. You will also recognize scenes and shot compositions used in the movie E.T. Stranger Things is a wonderful show and I really think you will like it.
Those are my two favorite Billy Joel songs and videos. They were both played heavily at the MTV station where I worked in the 80s.
I'm happy to know you enjoyed the post, dear friend JM. Thanks again for joining the fun and have a great week!
Holy flashback Shady! I was transported to the year I turned 30. I was very traumatized by it because us children of the 60's were taught to never trust anyone over 30! That being said I survived and actually remember these tunes in my old age...thanks. However, I still don't have Netflix but I'm going to get it because I want to watch the Gilmore Girls reunion (please don't judge me!) So when I do I will have to check this show out. It does look like one I will like. Ahhh...Billy Joel...love him but the real burning question is how come Christy Brinkley looks exactly the same today as she did back then and BJ and Mick J and me don't..maybe Eleven knows because, let's face it, Stranger Things have happened. Have a really wonderful week. Since it was in the 20's this morning and the frost was all over the pumpkins I'm beginning to envy you Floridians!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteThanks for coming by, dear friend! Mrs. Shady and I just came in from gazing at the super moon - the biggest and brightest full moon since 1948. It's a monster and we are very lucky the sky is almost completely clear tonight. The temperature is pleasantly cool, too, so thanks for the frontal system! :)
I'm glad you got so much out of the post. I was age 33 in 83 and in the middle of my second swinging bachelorhood. I worked the late shift at the NBC-TV station and every week the crew and I watched Friday Night Videos together. These videos all played on that program, I'm sure, and memories abound.
I highly recommend Netflix and I highly recommend Stranger Things. It's the kind of series you can watch with the grandkiddos without worry or regret. In other words, it's good clean fun and a compelling story with a great cast. Millie Bobby Brown, the girl who plays Eleven, was only age 11 when season 1 was produced. She is an English actress born in Spain and needed to lose her accent for this role. Millie is talented, poised and loaded with star potential. Of course Winona Ryder is one of the biggest names in films these last 30 years and she does a fantastic job playing the distraught mother of the missing boy.
You're right. Christie Brinkley has aged very well compared to many of her contemporaries. In related news, I am back down to my original weight - 8 pounds, 9 ounces, and I won reelection to four more years as your host here at SDMM (thanks to the electoral college :)
Thank you very much for your visit and kind and generous comments, dear friend YaYa. Enjoy the week ahead and give my buddy Chubbs a hug for me!
Wow a GREAT post today. Loved Loved Loved this.
ReplyDeleteKnew almost all of the songs but being a huge Lionel Richie Fan Oh My Goodness. I love that video ! And of course Chaka Khan is always just the best. Ah Mick come on just sing it !
I think you could have used Earth Wind and Fire's That's The Way Of The World also !
This show is on my list to watch. Just haven't gotten to it yet. I know it is wonderful.
Have a great week.
cheers, parsnip
Hi, Gayle!
DeleteThank you very much for popping back over this evening, my dear Arizona friend!
Yessum, Stranger Things is one of the most buzzworthy TV series this year. Rotten Tomatoes gave it an approval rating of 95% which is practically off the charts. I urge you to see it.
When you look at this lineup of artists, recordings and videos, you can see that several pop and rock music giants were at their peak at this point in time, not the least of which were Mick and his Merry Mates. Other consistent hit makers represented here are Duran Duran, Lionel Richie, Madonna, Billy Joel, Chaka (and I could have added Michael Jackson). The reason why I didn't put a song like Earth Wind & Fire's "That's the Way of the World" in this post is because I only wanted to use records that were high on the chart in November of '83 when the fictional events in the series unfolded. That EW&F single was released eight years earlier in 1975 and would have been a golden oldie by then.
I'm thrilled that you enjoyed the post so much, dear friend Gayle. I appreciate your visit and comment and I wish you and thehamish and your kitties a wonderful week ahead!
Oh I understand the time line. But it could fit.
DeletePlease try to sneak a photo of Toto (maybe a mascot ?) on to your blog.
Check your latest post, Gayle. I provided a link for you to a post that has several pictures of Toto.
DeleteIt was the Death Stare that really got to me, Shady. I can take almost anything, but that. However, now you've piqued my curiosity about this show, so I'll have to see if Netflix can come through for me. In the meantime, I'm sorting through my ancient CDs for some of those "tunes."
ReplyDeleteHi, Cheryl Lee!
DeleteWelcome back to SDMM, dear friend!
I hope you didn't get Eleven's death stare confused with her smiley face. :) You should see that 12 year old actress, Millie Bobby Brown, in interviews. She speaks with a strong English accent that she needed to Americanize for her role in Stranger Things:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bREysjf7nA
Watch MBB in this video by Sigma ft. Birdy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bREysjf7nA
Finally watch Millie and two of her cast mates as they nail "Uptown Funk" at the 2016 Emmy Awards:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpWnEWRedbs
I urge you to watch Stranger Things, dear friend C-Lee. Thanks again for joining me!
Lots of great 80's music you have there. Are these songs featured in this series you watch?
ReplyDeleteSo the concept of the show is searching for a missing child? I'm a little unclear what 11s purpose is. Does she help or hinder the search?
Seems like she might be serving herself but dressing it up to look as if she is a friend.
Hi, Jeffrey!
DeleteThanks for dropping in, good buddy!
Surprisingly there isn't much in the way of 80s period music in the soundtrack of Stranger Things, at least not like you would think there'd be. That's a plus because it keeps the show fresh rather than predictable. I don't want to be a spoiler in case you might watch the series so I will not reveal very much about Eleven other than to say she remains an enigma even as season 1 comes to an end. Bottom line, if you like the movie E.T. and other family friendly sci-fi movies and TV series of the 80s, then Stranger Things is for you.
Thanks for your visit and comment, good buddy Jeffrey, and enjoy the rest of your week!
I don't have Netflix so I am missing that show but I will be looking out for it when it appears on another channel. That bald kid is a boy or a girl?? What I love about this is how you explained each character with the song and it seems real. I love these songs. Back in 1983, I was 19 and got horribly drunk on Cognac on my 19th birthday. To this day, I can't even smell Cognac or brandy...stupid things we do when we were young
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteHow are you today, dear friend? Thank you for coming down to witness the eerie goings on in Hawkins, Indiana, setting of the fine Netflix original series Stranger Things starring Winona Ryder. I sure wish you had a Netflix account because you are missing some great shows. This one is family friendly, no unpleasant surprises for parents watching with young children (unless seeing a school boy pee his pants is too intense).
Eleven is a girl and she is a force to be reckoned with. Other than that tidbit, I don't want to be a spoiler.
I'm pleased to know you enjoyed the 1983 tuneage.
Regarding your Cognac caper, hey, I hear ya, dear friend. I have no memory of my 21st birthday other than waking up in a strange apartment the next morning. Thank God I quit drinking in time. Having complete control over my faculties is the greatest high I ever experienced. You are fortunate because you installed a "negative anchor." Today, every time you smell Cognac or brandy, you are reminded of that unwanted outcome and it helps you avoid making the same mistake.
Thank you very much for coming to chat and for commenting on both posts, dear friend Birgit. I appreciate your ongoing friendship and support!
Like Birgit, I also don't have Netflix. The closest I have is Amazon Prime. And even then, I utilize it to look for older TV shows I once loved. LOL
DeleteHi, Jeffrey!
DeleteThanks for popping back in again, good buddy!
Mrs. S and I don't watch regular cable any more. All of our viewing is confined to Netflix, Hulu and other channels offered with Apple.
Stranger Things will recall the happy days of your youth and I hope you get a chance to see it someday.
Thanks again for dropping by, good buddy Jeffrey!
We STILL dont have Netflix but we will be getting it soon. We finally got a new DVR player that allows us to stream it.
ReplyDeleteI loved all the songs chosen - i love me some 80's!! I cant wait to watch this show because so many friends and family wont stop talking about it. Thanks for the awesome explanation set to music. You're crazy talented Shadester!!
Hi, Holli!
DeleteI am always happy to see you, dear friend, and so very grateful for your comments and compliments. Thank you!
Yessum, once you start digging into the labyrinth of available shows on Netflix you will wonder how you ever lived w/o it. I'm sure you will enjoy flashing back to the fall of 1983 as you follow Stranger Things, a sci-fi series that pays homage to Spielberg's E.T. and Poltergeist and other movies and TV shows of the period.
I'm thrilled to know you enjoyed my fall 1983 playlist, too. These recordings and videos were all favorites of mine back then and it was fun to hear and see them again after all these years.
Thank you again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Holli, and have a wonderful weekend!
Tom, I love the spin of Stranger Things characters and music. We were totally surprised at how much we enjoyed this new Netflix series, especially with the prime focus around kids. It was well written and exactly the fun kind of weird I like in my Sci-fi shows! Do you know when season two will be released? I can't wait to see more of it! :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you very much for coming by!
I'm happy to meet another friend who is already familiar with the fine series Stranger Things. I haven't met many people who watch the show even though it is a hit and has received plenty of buzz. I too was surprised that I liked S.T. as much as I did, having gotten used to more intense series like From Dusk Till Dawn, Freak Show, Hotel, Coven, Asylum, Murder House and Scream Queens. The quality of production and overall ambiance of Stranger Things brings back E.T.- the Extra-Terrestrial and other early 80s movies and TV series that I loved.
I have not seen an exact release date for season 2, but one article I read says it will most likely drop next summer. That's a long wait. Sometimes a show can lose its audience after a long hiatus. I hope it doesn't happen to Stranger Things.
Thanks again for coming by, dear friend Cathy, and enjoy your weekend!
Tom, with Stranger Things debating this past summer then I would expect to see it no sooner than next summer. I think its audience will hang in for another season! Of the series you mention, as you know we watched From Dusk till Dawn and we can't wait for its return. The others we haven't watched, but I will make note of yours to check out. I'm loving the whole sci-fi/horror TV shows! Thanks for giving me some new ones to look into, my friend!
DeleteHi again, Cathy! I'm glad I didn't miss your follow-up comment here.
DeleteIt is my pleasure to introduce you to shows that I watch and enjoy. It is an even greater pleasure, indeed a thrill, when we match and find that we like many of the same things. That goes for mewsic as well as mewvies and TV shows. :)
Another factor that might work against Stranger Things is the aging of the cast. Those cute kids will keep getting older season after season. I hope they can remain as endearing as they were in season 1.
If you decide to watch the various seasons of American Horror Story be prepared for very intense material, more intense than From Dusk Till Dawn. That is especially true of season 5, Hotel, which we are currently watching. It is extremely graphic. Nevertheless it is another great season and we are enjoying it tremendously. Lady Gaga is in it!
Cathy, thank you again for making my birthday a very happy one just by setting aside time to come over and chat with me. I deeply appreciate this great friendship of ours! :)