Fifteen for the Fifteenth -November 2011

Blame the new Summer Camp album, 'Welcome to Condale', for the John Hughes-centric mood of this month’s playlist. Here are fifteen songs that are influenced by, used in or just remind me a lot of his iconic teen flicks, which bring to mind the most eighties-est of sounds. 

After minor technical issues with Spotify last month, I’ve decided to switch to Grooveshark for streaming purposes –let me know in the comments how you find it!

I’d also like to point out that I can’t be held responsible for any accidents should you get too into the theme and wait outside someone’s window Say Anything style, your laptop/iPad raised above your head. That kind of gesture really only works with a boombox.

‘Graveyard Girl’ by M83

As with Summer Camp, a lot has already been said about the influence of Hughes on M83’s music and especially on their record 'Saturdays =Youth'. 'Graveyard Girl' comes complete with a Molly Ringwald-esque spoken sample (“I’m fifteen years old, and I feel it’s already too late to live”). I really like the way that this, along with some ghostly vocal effects and synths, captures the darker side of adolescence rather than just being there for a generic Hey, It’s The Eighties effect.

‘Don’t You (Forget About Me)’ by New Found Glory (Simple Minds cover)

NFG are probably at least 84% responsible for that whole trend of '00s pop-punk bands adopting metal techniques. It has to be said though, in this instance the double pedalling on the drums and the screamed backing vocals are mostly endearing. They definitely capture the image of a group of kids in detention going mental. Ah, The Breakfast Club. 

‘Don’t Change’ by InXS

This epic, uplifting song was used in the soundtrack to 2009’s Adventureland, an eighties-set film about a misspent summer. For a while after I saw it, in the back of my mind was the nagging thought that I should find out its title. Then one day in the same week, there it was in my inbox as Track In The Box’s featured song for the day. Seriously, I swear by this website (and now, so do you).