Don't You (Forget About Me)

I must admit, I love 80's music, but not so much 80's movies, thus, I have never seen The Breakfast Club. However, if you haven't heard of the movie, then chances are, you've heard of the song, because who hasn't? It's one of the defining songs of the 80's. It was the style, if was fun, funky, and just plain rocked. In fact, like a bunch of other great songs from the 80's, it was also a one-hit-wonder.

The song starts off with its trademark, "Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!" This is sets the song in the mood for what's to come, and although there's been some great attempts to copy it, it has never been done quite like this. The verses follow, although now it seems pretty slow, and the vocals don't seem quite on par with it. It's the same with the chorus, by 80's standards, this rocked the house down, and was the bomb, or something like that. By today's standards, this doesn't hold up quite as well, with the synthesiser, or the overall slow pace I felt through most of the song.

The music itself is typical 80's, synthesisers and all. It maybe not the most original thing you've ever heard, but it isn't half bad either. The lyrics still hold up amazingly well today, with its somewhat simple message, and theme (it would be a great goodbye song on American Idol). And again, although the vocals are distinct and do great at the beginning, they seem to me like they don't quite fit the song, although it gives it its distinctive feel and trademark.

Overall, a great classic from the decade that was the 80's. It rocked the house then, and it holds up relatively well now, although it has lost some of its luster.

However, leave it to those pop/punk bands who grew up in the 80's to bring new life into old classics. Rufio did a very good version in Punk Goes 80's, and they improved on some of the elements, but again the vocals weren't all there. New Found Glory on the other hand made the song their own, giving it more of a hardcore element to it, rockin' the house down in all its new found glory (pun intended). That version is great for today's audiences, and proves once again, that old favorites are today's classics.