I'm having a 1982-themed birthday party for my 25th birthday this year and I am looking for primarily R&B/Dance songs to play at my party. I know that 1999, What Time Is It?, Thriller, Vanity 6 and Early in the Morning are a few obvious album examples. But I need to take it to the next level.

I need some recommendations, cause all I get when I do internet searches are the top 100 songs (i.e. pop songs) of 1982 (and some pop songs are best left in the past). Songs/albums that were released in 1981 but were popular in 1982 are okay, too.

Any help would be appreciated.

-L82
[Edited 8/21/07 17:11pm]
[Edited 8/21/07 17:11pm]

Chaka Khan - Tearin' It Up
Chaka Khan - Best In The West
Chaka Khan & Rick James - Slow Dancin'
Stephanie Mills - Last Night
Stepnanie Mills - Keep Away Girls
Chic - Hangin'
Chic - Soup For One
Carly Simon - Why
Fonzi Thornton - I Work For A Livin'
Odyssey - Together
Aretha Franklin - Jump To It
Indeep - Last Night A DJ Saved My Life
Weather Girls - It's Raining Men
Diana Ross - Work That Body
Atlantic Starr - Circles
Ashford & Simpson - Street Corner
Janet Jackson - Say You Do
Janet Jackson - Don't Mess Up This Good Thing
Barry White - Change
[Edited 8/21/07 19:19pm]

physical-olivia newton john
eye of the tiger-survivor
borderline-madonna
holiday-madonna
genius of love-tom tom club(can't remember if that was 81 or 82)
give it to me baby-rick james
mickey-toni basil
love come down-evelyn champagne king (I think it was 82)
[Edited 8/21/07 17:22pm]

you've just given me an excellent idea of what to do for my 25th next year!! 1983 costume party!!!
[Edited 8/21/07 17:22pm]

Do I need to recommend "You're The One For Me" AGAIN?!


Here's another:
Shalamar-A Night To Remember

You Dropped A Bomb On Me (12 Inch) - The Gap Band
Drop The Bomb - Trouble Funk
Love Is In Control (Finger On The Trigger) (12 Inch) - Donna Summer
The Real Deal - The Isley Brothers
Sooner Or Later (Long Version) - Larry Graham
Outlaw - War
Doo Wah Ditty - Zapp
Hard To Get - Rick James
Let It Whip (12 Inch) - The Dazz Band
Who's Stickin' It - Sunrize
Planet Rock (Instrumental) - Soul Sonic Force
Do It (Let Me See You Shake) - The Barkays
Grace/777-9311 (Long Version) - The Time
On The Floor - Fatback
I Know You Got Another - The Reddings
A Night To Remember - Shalamar
Work That Sucker To Death (Long Version) - Xavier
Mama Used To Say - Junior
Murphy's Law - Cheri
Apache - The Sugarhill Gang
Square Biz - Teena Marie
Let's Work (12 Inch) - Prince
Be Yourself - Cameo
Abracadabra - The Steve Miller Band
You've Got The Power - War
Body Slam - Bootsy's Rubber Band
Pack Jam - The Jonzun Crew
Nasty Girl - Vanity 6
The Challenge - Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde
Cutie Pie - One Way
Dance Floor (Long Version) - Zapp
Flirt - Cameo
Forget Me Nots (12 Inch) - Patrice Rushen
So Fine - Howard Johnson
Standing On The Top (Long Version) - The Temptations featuring Rick James
You Can Be A Star - The Reddings
D Train (Dub Version) - D Train
Keep It Live (On The K.I.L.) (12 Inch) - The Dazz Band
Do Something - Goodie
Early In The Morning (12 Inch) - The Gap Band
Seventeen - Bill Summers and Summers Heat
Wild and Loose - The Time
She's Just A Groupie - Bobby Nunn
So Fine - Andre Cymone
Check It Out - Dynasty
Street Corner - Ashford and Simpson
Money Talks - Rick James
Soul Army - Cameo
Get On Up - Trouble Funk
Let Me Tickle Your Fancy - Jermaine Jackson
Flamethrower Rap - Felix and Jarvis
Play At Your Own Risk - Planet Patrol
Wild Night - One Way
Betcha She Don't Love You - Evelyn King
Knock Out - Margie Joseph
Too Tough - Angela Bofill
Whodat - Freedom
The Smurf - Tyrone Brunson
Loopzilla (12 Inch) - George Clinton
It's In The Mix - Slim
Last Night A DJ Saved My Life - Indeep
D.M.S.R. - Prince
Nunk (New Wave Funk) - Warp 9
We Are The Jonzun Crew - The Jonzun Crew
Scorpio - Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five
She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby
She Talks To Me With Her Body (12 Inch) - The Barkays
Ms. Got The Body (12 Inch) - Con Funk Shun
Atomic Dog (12 Inch) - George Clinton
Candy Girl (12 Inch) - New Edition
Candy Man (12 Inch) - The Mary Jane Girls
Bad Boy - Ray Parker, Jr.
Raid - Lakeside
Bottoms Up - The Chi-Lites
Jam On Revenge (The Wikki Wikki Song) - Newcleus
Ya Mama - Wuff Ticket
I'm Freaky - O'Bryan
No Stoppin' That Rockin' - Instant Funk
Got To Get Up On It - Bobby Nunn
It's Like That (12 Inch) - Run DMC
Survival (The Message II) - Melle Mell and Duke Boutee

I threw in a few from 1983 also.

vainandy said:

AWWW SHIT! Vainandy, you're about to get some funk started.

[Edited 8/21/07 20:58pm]

Thanks, this helps a lot. I think I might already have the setlist for entire party!
[Edited 8/22/07 10:13am]

I'd go to that party.

vainandy said:

did I call it or what?

When did Planet Rock drop? Might have been 83...

bobzilla77 said:

Just looked it up, it was released in 1982. Vainlady also put the instrumental version on his list. I'll probably play both.
[Edited 8/22/07 11:48am]

It was the summer of 1982. The 9 minute instrumental version was the most popular version in my area with lots of breakdowns, explosions, and electronic voices.....

Rock, rock to the planet rock
Don't stop
Boston rocks to the planet rock
Don't stop
Houston rocks to the planet rock
Don't stop
The Bronx rocks to the planet rock
Don't stop
Chicago rocks the planet rock
Don't stop

Planet Rock is the ULTIMATE bboy anthem!!!
That song comes on and people start battling immediately!

Some danceable new wave-ish suggestions in case you crave variety:

Peter Gabriel - Shock The Monkey
Duran Duran - Hungry Like The Wolf
Thompson Twins - Love On Your Side
Human League - Don't You Want Me
Adrian Belew - Big Electric Cat

bobzilla77 said:

I also want to add Rio before I forget. I love that song.

Don't forget about Pac-Man Fever.

That's quite cool to do a party with songs from the year you were born. Most young people don't even know that shit.

Cinnie said:

Yeah, I'm going all out for this one. Not only will the music be from 82, but I hope to decorate the walls with record album covers from 1982 (some me and my mom have, some I'I'll have to buy).

I am also compiling information for "fun facts" I'll have in the posted around the room like the Top 10 TV Shows of 1982, Top 10 Movies of 1982, Sports Trivia, Award Winners, Playboy Playmate of the Year (Shannon Tweed), etc., etc.
I hope to make some cool t-shirt and mix CDs (they were first available in 1982) as favors (don't worry, I'm keepin this real small).

Here's something interesting: The first CD player was made available in Japan in 1982. It costs $900.

Damn I wish i had thought of doing Something like that, Sounds like great Fun i was also born in 82"

searching to find the one-unlimited touch...

I want to go to that party!

You have some wonderful ideas and that sounds like a real fun party. I hope it's a huge success.

I wanted to update the thread. I went to do some shopping and I found many of the songs/albums (on vinyl) you guys recommended--and I'm really excited!!!!! The best part was that many of the albums I were only $1 in the clearance section at wrecka stow!!! Here's a few I found:

Chaka Khan-self titled
Let Me Tickle Your Fancy-Jermaine Jackson
Donna Summer-self titled
Friends in Love-Dionne Warwick
Lionel Richie-self titled
Love is in Control-12" version (most exciting find of the night)
Forever, For Always, For Love
The Other Woman-Ray Parker Jr.

Those are just a few, I'm still looking around. Also, I'm looking for rock songs from 1982 if anybody wants to recommend some.

That Donna Summer "Love Is In Control" 12 Inch was a rare find. I bought it when it first came out but you never hear that version on the radio anymore. You lucked out on that one.

An even rarer find would be the 12 Inch version of "The Other Woman" by Ray Parker, Jr. I couldn't even find that one when it first came out, let alone today.

vainandy said:

I commend your list. Your taste in "tha fonk" is virtually identical to mine!

bboy87 said:

I know. Two of all time favorites are but there. Cheri and D-Train!

My b-day was in May and also 25 so i share with u o the '82-themed party in spirit.

Just an Illusion by Imagination is my recommended track 4 u.

Don't forget "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell. That was all over radio in the summer of '82. And Stacy Lattisaw's "Attack of the Name Game", and Imagination's "Just an Illusion".
[Edited 9/6/07 11:51am]
[Edited 9/6/07 11:53am]

"Give Me" by I-Level