Remember all of the awesome music we used to jam to growing up in the ’80s and ’90s? Remember all of the important bands that you heard just as they came out and before they became huge? Well, in this episode I’m going to take you on a nostalgic musical journey that has absolutely NONE OF THAT! No, it’s time for an honest look at our formative years with 16 memorable soft rock and pop hits from the 1970s and 1980s, the same hits I was forced to endure while sitting the back of my parents’ car on the way to my grandparents’ house. So buckle up … it’s time for The Softacular.
You can listen here:
Pop Culture Affidavit podcast page
And for your viewing pleasure, here are the videos I could find to accompany everything used in the episode. I made every effort to find either an official music video or a live performance from the time when the song was popular (after the cut) …
WBLI
WPLJ
WLTW
“Sailing” by Christopher Cross
“Kiss You All Over” by Exile
“Valerie” by Steve Winwood
“I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” by Aretha Franklin and George Michael
“Against All Odds” by Phil Collins
“Rich Girl” by Hall & Oates
“Making Love Out of Nothing At All” by Air Supply
“Up Where We Belong” by Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes
“Still the One” by Orleans
And btw, here is the Orleans album cover I was talking about:
“Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” by Rupert Holmes
“What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers
“Glory of Love” by Peter Cetera
(note: this song isn’t on the episode but I mention it and the video has to be seen to be believed)
“Next Time I Fall in Love” by Peter Cetera and Amy Grant
“Arthur’s Theme (The Best That You Can Do)” by Christopher Cross
COMMERCIAL BREAK!
Chevy’s Bel-Air Cafe
Adventureland
WLTW
The Commack Motor Inn
“Into the Night” by Benny Mardones
“Sometimes When We Touch” by Dan Hill
“Can You Read My Mind” as performed by Maureen McGovern
“Right Here Waiting” by Richard Marx
“Key Largo” by Bertie Higgins
WLTW
Pop Culture Affidavit 
I used to have an AM radio that clipped on to my bike as a kid. It could only really tune in a few stations, and only one that was a) not news, and b) in English. The Mighty 690 I swear only played 15 songs, and most were of the “softacular” variety. My favorite at the time was Christopher Cross’ Sailing. It would play, and I would pedal and feel this stolen kind of freedom that is rare as a child, and that really having a bike gives you your first taste of. Sailing was my freedom bike song, not a boating song…and whenever I hear it biking at that age, and how it felt, is exactly what I think of 🙂