Sarah Blasko’s 80s mix tape

Dear Curator,

In 1980 I turned four. The first song I remember appreciating in my entire life was ‘Bright Eyes’ by Art Garfunkel. It was a song from the animated film ‘Watership Down’ and I don’t know, somehow it spoke to me. It was as if woken from a dream! So, I have included ‘Bright Eyes’ here in my 80s mixtape, ‘The 80s As I Remember It’ even though it was released in 1979 because of its significance. After all, it took me a good year to hear it as a child living in Australia who didn’t exactly have their finger on the musical pulse.

This is a compilation of the songs of the 80s that stand out most in my memory. I remember really specific times listening to each and every song, specific fashion choices, pool parties and sleepovers, But, more significantly I remember Sunday night sessions transfixed by the radio, waiting to hear a song I had been waiting for all week and ready to hit the record button on my tape deck as the weekly Top 40 rolled on. Here, some of my mixtape gold could be found. Ends of songs cut off, tape hiss and that wonderful warping sound that could only happen when the record button was hastily and too lightly pressed. Ah, the memories!

So, I send you this letter along with this mix-tape also as a type of disclaimer as I find it necessary to reiterate that in the 1980s I was a mere child. I’m sure now that there were some cool musical things happening, yet I was not aware of them at the time! Yet, formative years they were, and so I cannot detach these musical influences from my adult life any longer. I cannot pretend! So here you have it: Wham, Cyndi Lauper, The Eurythmics, Boy George & the far uncooler periods of Paul Mc Cartney, David Bowie, The Cure & The Beach Boys were my first musical influences.

And so, at the ripe old age of 33, I finally admit to one and all that I wrote my first poem at the age of 10, inspired by Boy George’s ‘Karma Chameleon’ and I won the dancing competition at my Year 6 farewell to ‘Kokomo’ by the Beach Boys. There, I’m out!

Yours Sincerely,

Sarah Blasko.

Download the mix-tape featuring:

1. Bright Eyes – Art Garfunkel
2. Say Say Say – Michael Jackson & Paul Mc Cartney
3. Karma Chameleon – Boy George
4. Beat It – Michael Jackson
5. Sara – Jefferson Starship
6. Wake Me Up Before You Go – Wham
7. Physical – Olivia Newton John
8. Like A Virgin – Madonna
9. Time After Time – Cyndi Lauper
10. Take On Me – A Ha
11. When Doves Cry – Prince
12. China Girl – David Bowie
13. Love Cats – Cure
14. Love Is A Battlefield – Pat Benatar
15. Hello – Lionel Ritchie
16. Who’s That Girl? – Eurythmics
17. Smooth Operator – Sade
18. Flashdance – Irene Cara
19. When Will I Be Famous – Bros
20. Kokomo – Beach Boys