The Simply Red-Hot Hits of 1986

Strap into the time machine and set the dial for July 1986, a time when Top Gun ruled the box office, synthesizers ruled the airwaves, and Kenny Loggins ruled… something. In this episode, Milt and Dave wade knee-deep through the Billboard Top 10 from a summer that gave us everything from Loggins' “Danger Zone” (still trying to make aviator sunglasses cool) to Simply Red’s “Holding Back the Years” (still holding back… the energy).

Expect the usual: unsolicited nostalgia, suspiciously convenient personal stories, and yes, Milt somehow manages to rhyme “Spinal Tap” with “Trader Joe’s nap.” Don’t ask.

Highlights include:

• A passionate defense of Janet Jackson’s “Nasty,” because someone had to.
• A soul-searching breakdown of Billy Ocean’s “There’ll Be Sad Songs (To Make You Cry),” which succeeds. It does indeed break down.
• Two grown men pretending to know the difference between Howard Jones and Howard Johnson.
• And the moment Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” rolls in and flattens the competition like, well, a sledgehammer.

Plus: Johnny-themed trivia (because there are apparently way more songs about guys named Johnny than anyone needed), some light shade thrown at the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and a very necessary refreshing of the chart — where Dave and Milt save the Top 10 from itself by swapping in some ‘80s underdogs.

Topics

00:00 - Banter: Naps, snacks, and fake bands (aka our wheelhouse) 10:47 - Listener mail, podcast gripes, and people who claim to like our show 20:18 - Blues-rock? In this economy? A look at the Fabulous Thunderbirds 37:59 - The mandatory Howard Jones detour, because optimism was a thing once 45:43 - “Danger Zone” drops in on a fighter jet and a synth budget 57:23 - Peter Gabriel brings the big weird with “Sledgehammer” 01:07:30 - “Who’s Johnny?” is asked, and not answered 01:14:59 - All-Johnny trivia. Johnny dangerously. Johnny repetitively. 01:26:51 - Janet Jackson says “No” like only she can 01:35:12 - Billy Ocean does that thing where he makes us cry on purpose 01:43:45 - Genesis makes a surprise cameo because, of course 01:59:18 - A tearful goodbye with Simply Red and his emotional rollercoaster