1980's Best Self Isolation Songs

The Police : Don't Stand So Close To Me

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In 1980 quite a few rock bands recorded songs about the threat of nuclear warfare. I've already covered that. 40 years later, we now live in a new age that will define this generation. To lower the infection rate of the Covid-19 virus, we must put up barriers between the infected and would-be patients. Here are some songs to help us keep this in mind.

1. The Police : Don't Stand So Close To Me

Inspirational Lyric:

He starts to shake he starts to cough
Just like the old man in
That famous book by Nabakov
Don't stand so close to me

2. Joy Division : Isolation

Inspirational Lyric:

In fear every day, every evening

... Isolation, isolation, isolation.

3. English Beat: Mirror in the Bathroom

Inspirational Lyric:

Mirror in the bathroom 

Please talk free 

The door is locked 

Just you and me

4. Generation X : Dancing With Myself

Inspirational lyric:

So let's sink another drink
Cause it'll give me time to think
If I had the chance I'd ask the world to dance
And I'll be dancin' with myself

5. 10cc : I Hate To Eat Alone

Inspirational lyric:

'N' frozen dinners don't do much for me
When you've got T.V. on the table
'N' T.V. on T.V.
All you do is chew your fingers
Down to the bone
I hate to eat alone

6. The B-52's: Private Idaho

Inspirational lyric:

You're living in your own Private Idaho 

Living in your own Private Idaho 

Underground like a wild potato 

Don't go on the patio

7. Bruce Springsteen : You Can Look But You Better Not Touch

Inspirational lyric:

You can look but you better not touch boy
Mess around and you'll end up in dutch boy
You can look but you better not, no you better not, no you better not touch

8. Utopia : Alone

Inspirational lyric:

Alone, alone
Nobody knows how lonely it can be
And I'm so tired of being alone

9. The Cramps: Fever

Inspirational lyric:

When you put your arms around me
I get a feeling that's hard to bear
You give me fever, when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever in the morning
Fever all through the night

10. The Specials Do Nothing

Inspirational lyric:

I'm just living in a life without meaning
I walk and walk, do nothing
I'm just living in a life without feeling
I talk and talk, say nothing

Wasn't It Fabulous

Generation X : Ready Steady Go

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On March 17, 1978 punk rock's most unabashedly commercial band, Generation X, led by the peroxide bleached Billy Idol released their debut album. The cover shot is by Gered Mankowitz, who was also responsible for The Rolling Stones's Between The Buttons. Here was a punk band that actually admitted they loved The Beatles and The Stones.

Outside of the U.K. #47 single, "Ready Steady Go", and the six minute Bob "Derwood" Andrews guitar raver, "Youth Youth Youth", that closes the album I'm not hearing how this record wound up on the Village Voice's Pazz and Jop Critics Poll that year ( albeit at #29 out of 30 ). 

One more Generation X album would follow before Idol released an EP that predicted a solo career was next. It's title: Dancing With Myself. 

Robert Christgau gave the album a B+ grade, writing:

This band's notorious commitment to pop is evident mostly in surprising harmonies and song structures--musically, they're not trying to be cute. And although as singles "Your Generation," "Ready Steady Go," and "Wild Youth" never knocked my socks off, they're the nucleus of a tough, consistent, inventive album. Who said punk rock was dead?

Ain't No Time For Substitutes

Generation X : Your Generation

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On September 1, 1977 Jethro Tull and Blondie's newest label mate, Generation X , released their first major label single ,"Your Generation". Billy Idol spits out what I always thought was a response to The Who's "My Generation" with lines like "Your generation don't mean a thing to me". But forty years later Idol is joining Pete Townshend on a Quadrophenia tour so it occurs to me now that I misread the lyrics ( and found far too much meaning in the line "ain't no time for substitutes" and guitarist Derwood Andrews's guitar hiccups).

If this is a punk rock attempt at addressing the generation gap, it's less interesting to me. Peaked at U.K #34.