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For this week’s Thursday Thirteen (Fridays in Manila), I list 13 Guilty Pleasure songs (with links to YouTube videos to add to your enjoyment) from the 80s team of Stock, Aitkin, and Waterman. Relive the joy and the synthesizers.

1 Love in the First Degree. Bananarama. Take you back to the 80s, when big hair was in vogue and it was okay to dance with hunky prisoners.

2 That’s What Love Can Do. Boy Krazy. One-hit wonder girl group made a darn catchy song.

3 Especially For You. Kylie Minogue & Jason Donovan. This duet sold millions, and established both Kylie and ex-BF Jason as bonafide stars. The link takes you to her version with Kermit the Frog.

4 Better the Devil You Know. Sonia. She’s had bigger hits, but came in 2nd in Eurovision 1993 with the rehash of the Kylie single.

5 Better the Devil You Know. Steps. Can’t stand Sonia? Try Steps!

6 Together Forever. Rick Astley. Oh, Lord, have mercy on the cheese! But I’ll give Rick Astley this - his voice continues to be one of the most distinguishable in modern music.

7 Too Many Broken Hearts. Jason Donovan may not have ended up with Kylie Minogue, but it’s hard not to care when music is this poppy.

8 This Time I Know It’s For Real. Donna Summer sang this gem years after disco’s heyday, but it remains one of her definite tracks. It’s still pretty good - doesn’t sound dated at all.

9 When I’m Good and Ready. Sybil. Her biggest hit in the Philippines was Make It Easy on Me, but I like this pop smash right here.

10 Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now. Samantha Fox. One-time soap star becomes one-time pop singer. But this song is still classic.

11 Gonna Catch You. Lonnie Gordon. This song was HUGE here in Manila.

12 Showin’ Out. Mel and Kim. God, 80s madness! “Get fresh at the weekend!” What a LINE!

13 Cross My Broken Heart. Sinitta. This song was also a big hit for Sinitta in the UK, so give it a listen.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Got this meme from Andrew.

1. What are you listening to right now? The last song on my MiniDisc player was The Real Party (Trevon’s Birthday) by Mary Mary, off their phenomenal self-titled album.

2. What is the most annoying song in the world? I’m not generally annoyed by most songs, especially since the nauseating pop ones usually tend to grow on me for sheer novelty value. I never did like really heavy metal, so I guess I would identify that genre because it gives me a headache.

3. Your all time favorite band/artist? Tough choice there. For sheer number of years and loyalty, I would say *preparing self for Andrew’s bashing* Wilson Phillips. I am, however, a loyal, loyal, loyal fan of Avalon, Indigo Girls, and Deborah Gibson.

4. Your newly discovered band/artist is? I was pleasantly and happily surprised by Rascal Flatts. Country music is very hard to come by here in the Philippines, and the three songs they’ve been sending to radio (What Hurts the Most, Life is a Highway, and their latest, Me and My Gang) are playing virtually nonstop on my MiniDisc player.

5. Best female voice? Oh, too many, too many, especially depending on genre. To promote some of the lesser-known ones, give a listen to Avalon’s Janna Long and Melissa Greene (pop), Martha Wash (R&B/dance), and Ayiesha Woods (Contemporary Christian).

6. Best male voice? Again, too many, but among the lesser-known vocalists who are phenomenal are I’m partial to Elliott Yamin (pop), George Huff (R&B/dance), and JodyMcBrayer (Contemporary Christian).

7. Music type you find yourself listening to most? Contemporary Christian of the adult contemporary/pop variety, mostly. Acoustic folk, light R&B, and club/dance.

8. What do you listen to, to hype you up? Black gospel. Oh yes. I love me some Mary Mary, Joe Pace, Mahalia Jackson, Israel Houghton, and Shirley Caesar!

9. What do you listen to, to calm down? Piano-led love songs to Christ. There are several. Lately, I’ve been reconnecting to Christ with Where Joy and Sorrow Meet, a Melissa Greene-led Avalon track on their stellar album, Stand. I like songs that make me cry with guilt set free by love. Mark Harris’ Find Your Wings fits that bill perfectly.

10. Last gig/concert you went to? Oh gosh, I don’t remember. 98 Degrees and Jordan Knight? *blushes*

11. Band/artist you find yourself listening to the most right now? Avalon’s Stand is the full-length album that I’ve been overdosing on lately (and it’s been three months), haha. Add to that list Rascal Flatts and you get an idea of how white I’ve been lately.

12. Most hated band/artist? I don’t hate any musician; they do what they do. But I dislike everything that Paris Hilton stands for.

13. Song that makes you think? I always get a good mental workout dissecting the songs of Indigo Girls. “I did a paper on [them] in college but I didn’t know what I was talking about.”

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants