80's Hits Stripped

Various Artists (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 30, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sidewinder Music
• ASIN: B000FGG5PS
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,659 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars sounding better than ever, May 31, 2006

By 

D. Sena (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 80's Hits Stripped (Audio CD)

i love this record. i love the fact that you can hear your favorite songs done in an entirely new light. i've always loved 80's music. and i've always loved acoustic songs. so naturally this was a no brainer for me. certainly it doesn't disappoint. the berlin track is my favorite. up tempo, fast moving, and acoustic! the men at work track is also great. an amazing song performed in an amazing manner. i also like the outfield, heart (whose electric version i never loved that much), tommy tutone is awesome, the motels sound great, and the rick springfield version is awesome.

i highly recommend this cd to any 80's fan.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It got me out of my wheelchair and I used the walker to ROCK OUT!, April 22, 2010

By 

John J. Martinez (Chicago, Illinois, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 80's Hits Stripped (Audio CD)

25-plus years ago ( ! ) there was this period of music called the eighties sound. During that time there were wonderfully talented people making wonderfully meaningful music and then, on the opposite side of the yard, there were the one-hit wonders, the hacks and the plain lucky ones who got their 15 minutes going way over the top, with loud clothes and big hair, and then they faded, some quietly, some shamelessly.

This CD is filled to the brim of acoustic versions of these very people, some saints, some sinners, as time proved them to be.

The fact that all of the artists remade their classic songs and then put them all together for this release is a great find, for anyone who wants to listen to the actual WORDS of many of these songs can now hear them, some for the first time without all of the cheesy synth and drumkicks.

15 songs over 60 minutes, and although the sound is crystal clear, the songs themselves suffer a bit from some of them just being overexposed the first time, but here's my 30 second review of each song:

01. Jessie's Girl - Rick Springfield - a VERY different and intimate version, and kicks off the CD with a wonderful sound.

02. Down Under - Colin Hay of 'Men At Work' - I've actually heard Colin live in concert, and he actually prefers the more intimate acoustic sound, so I've heard this song - more than once - as it's presented here, so it's okay. for the first-time listener, enjoy!

03. Your Love - The Outfield - I never really liked this song the first time I heard it, but who didn't own this album - but now? I'm blown away, plain and simple. One of the best cuts, plain and simple.

04. The Metro - Berlin - Am I in VH-1 heaven? Terri Nunn keeps the tempo going with a rocker with dueling acoustic guitars! Wow!

05. No One Is To Blame - Howard Jones - a live track, and nothing but Howard and his best friend, the piano, dominate this track.

06. Rebel Yell - Billy Idol - another live track, and to be honest, it reminds me of some kind of "Unplugged" track. Feh.

07. Only The Lonely - The Motels - Martha Davis and crew have created quite honestly the best track on the album, hands down. This song was always kind of intimate even with all the synth and drums, but now it's sad and powerful and an essential listen. I'd buy this CD just for this song alone.

08. 867-5309 / Jenny - Tommy Tutone - this song is a pale imitator of Colin Hay's work, who has been playing this kind of arrangement for YEARS. Once again, feh.

09. Missing You - John Waite - John Waite, where are you? I missed you. I missed this song a bit, but it needs to be louder. Please return to the rock aisle.

10. These Dreams - Heart - Ann and Nancy Wilson are musical geniuses. Ann made the sadly overlooked "Hope and Glory" back in 2007 (pick it up - NOW) and as a duo, no one can touch them. This live track is proof they will never - NEVER - be beaten in the harmony department, and every one of their songs are classics. This live version is a mellow smash.

11. She Blinded Me With Science - Thomas Dolby - Thomas Dolby is also a musical genius, and anything he does is musically forward, and odd, and he should be bigger than he is, but American tastes are pretty bizarre and never give anyone with an original point of view a chance. A great song.

12. Promises, Promises - Naked Eyes - I fell in love with this song in 1983, and four years later I guessed the band's name in a phone-in show overseas while I was in the Army and won 2 tickets to Monsters of Rock featuring Deep Purple in West Germany. This acoustic only tells me the song has gotten better with time.

13. Heat Of The Moment - Asia - more live music, and Asia at their best. That's about it.

14. Our Lips Are Sealed - Jane Wiedlin of The Go-Gos - What happened here? Jane's voice is great and all, but the guitars just do something that almost throws it off. I'm kinda disappointed here.

15. The Stroke - Billy Squier - good Lord, this sounded like a David Lee Roth outtake circa 1991. Shoulda kept this one in your pants, Billy. Ugh.

So for most of the album I give it 5 stars, but the one-offs I noted above (some were pretty horrible attempts) I dropped it a star. Either way, if I were you, I'd still buy it, but be forewarned - the fast forward button is there for a reason.

Thanks for reading and check out my other reviews.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An 'Sripped' Walk Down Memory Lane, November 2, 2006

By 

tedkinzer (Pleasanton, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 80's Hits Stripped (Audio CD)

If you didn't like the eighties music, don't torture yourself. If you did, I believe you will have a enjoyable trip down memory lane. Personally, I have enjoyed many of the 'unplugged' approaches and most of the work on this compilation is at a minimum, not bad. It is choppy and obviously not intended to be released together, but this only makes you tolerate a few questionable songs and then you get to hear some pretty good 'revisions'. I think that Rick Springfield's Jesse's Girl ruins it for you as the first track because he did a great job of changing the song without losing the song. They include Heart and 'These Dreams' which I believe is a off ..The Road Home.. a CD that any Heart fan must have in their collection. Again, if you love eighties music, I think you will want to add this one to the collection.