I am I am I am Superman, and I know what's happening

Well, Janet has served up another hot topic over at her place, and this one was really tough. She asked for my top ten of the best '80s bands. Now, I'm older than Janet, so I would put my knowledge of the 80s up against hers any time, but here are my VERY DIFFICULT picks.

1. Split Enz/ Crowded House. Neil Finn, Neil Finn. Neil Finn. I would spend Six Months in a Leaky Boat with his songs, hopefully staying One Step Ahead of sinking. He's a Hard Act to Follow, but I Got You, Neil. Don't Dream It's Over, pal.

2. Eurythmics-- Who's That Girl? Annie Lennox sings like a Doubleplusgood Angel. Hers was THE voice of synthpop-- Would I Lie to You? Sweet Dreams ARE Made of This lady's golden voice, but I wouldn't have copied her haircut.

3. Police-- Gordon, Andy and Stuart sent out a Message in a Bottle that had me Walking on the Moon. In the 80s, Every Breath You (would) Take usually was filled with a melody from this band, bemoaning that we were Spirits in a (very) Material World.

4. Talking Heads-- My sister had a party at our parents' home in the 80s which nearly involved Burning Down the House, and this kind of incident wasn't just Once in a Lifetime. And She Was barely punished for it.

5. REM-- Don't Go Back to Rockville, kids, because back in the day that this group hit the college radio charts I couldn't put in a cassette without being afraid something would Fall On Me in my little convertible. It would've been The End of The World As We Know It, because this blog wouldn't be here.

6. Stray Cats-- I Won't Stand In Your Way if you agree that Rockabilly was one of the greatest 80s things, along with ska. Even if you weren't Sexy and 17, you have to know that Brian Setzer's Stray Cat Strut was hot. Rev It Up and Go!

7. Devo-- If you had an Uncontrollable Urge to let go of the Whip, It is all because of DEVO. Sometimes college felt like I was Workin' In a Coal Mine, but I just wasn't quite Through Being Cool yet.

8. The Smiths-- Ah, Morissey, This Charming Man who was like an early pioneer of emo and apparently vegetarianism, since everyone knows Meat Is Murder. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now that the Smiths are no longer together. When my brother would beg, "Please Please Please, Let Me Get What I Want," I would usually reply, "William, It Was Really Nothing."

9. Pat Benatar-- If you haven't listened to this Invincible Heartbreaker in a while, You Better Run over to a store and treat yourself. It's never a Little Too Late to listen to her golden voice.

10. Elvis Costello-- Darling, You Know I Wouldn't Lie and tell you that Declan's talent is anything but Beyond Belief. My friends Alison and Veronica would agree that not having a couple of his CDs is a not so Brilliant Mistake.

Note to Michael Jackson and Hall and Oates: Thanks for almost ruining the decade, musically speaking.