In the Rock of Life series I will be recounting my music listening history throughout the years. Each year, starting with 1982, I will describe what I was listening to at the time and then pick my “Album of the Year”. Some (arbitrary) rules: the album will have been released in that year, although some could be from late in the prior year. It must be an album I actually listened to back then, not an album I discovered later. It can’t be a “greatest hits” album.
Looking back at 1985, I find that there was not much new music released that I liked.
I see that Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits was released and I did purchase that mostly because of Walk of Life. I remember listening to that album a fair amount back then, but listening to it again today was not as rewarding. Sure, it is a quality album and the musicianship is top-notch, but overall it’s more mellow that I like.
Another album that I owned back then was Afterburner by ZZ Top. This was their follow-up to the popular Eliminator album that beefed up their sound for the 80s. I listened to this a lot, but man some of those songs are just dumb. I mean, a song about a Sleeping Bag is the opening tune (and was a single). I do enjoy this album, but its song as just not all that memorable.
There were other big albums in 1985, but I didn’t own them. Ones that come to mind are:
Under Lock and Key by Dokken
I love this album, but I wasn’t listening to Dokken in 1985.
Invasion of Your Privacy by Ratt
I’ve never really been a fan of Ratt.
7800° Fahrenheit by Bon Jovi
This is probably my favorite Bon Jovi album, but I had not heard of them at this point.
Heart by Heart
I loved all the radio singles, but I never bought this.
Come Out and Play by Twisted Sister
I did buy this, but it came out late in 1985 and I didn’t get it until 1986.
Theatre of Pain by Motley Crue
It had their big balled Home Sweet Home, but overall not my thing.
In the end, the album that I listened to the most in 1985 was Lovin’ Every Minute of It by Loverboy, which has the distinction of having one of the worst album covers of all time, in my opinion. The title song (and first single) was one of my favorite songs of the year, probably because (as I didn’t find out until many years later) it was produced by Mutt Lange. I should have known as it certainly had that Def Leppard sound!
The ballad This Could Be the Night is solid and I also really like Dangerous with its big keyboards. The rest of the album is mostly filler. This is not my favorite Loverboy album (that would be Get Lucky), but this was one I did listen to a lot in 1985 so my pick of album of 1985 goes to Lovin’ Every Minute of It by Loverboy.
The Rock of Life list so far:
1985: Lovin’ Every Minute of It by Loverboy
The Cult's Love album was my favorite from '85.
I did get the Dokken album in 1985, and the T-shirt for it too. It remains one of the best hard rock albums of its era.