'80s Summer Songs: "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A."

Here's a great '80s song which would be suitable at any time of year, but it sounds like a great song to blast from your car radio on a good summer roadtrip.  Back in the '80s, nostalgia for the '60s was all over the place and this 1985 song highlights that.  Just as Mellencamp says that he was glad to have grown up in such a unique era as the '60s, I too am glad to have grown up in the awesome '80s.  Here's two in one: a fun '80s song about the '60s.

Boy George, Jack Black and Robbie Krieger: "Hello, I Love You"

Check this out.  Its Boy George and Jack Black on the Conan show doing the classic Doors song, "Hello, I Love You," with Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger.

This is such a great combo. I love all these guys, and what a great classic song.

Since were on the topic of Boy George, here's a flashback from him.  Culture Club with their classic song and video, "Karma Chameleon."

Dick Van Dyke Still Spreading Joy

Its wonderful to see that Dick Van Dyke is still out there spreading wonder and joy. Here he is regaling breakfast customers at a Santa Monica Denny's with a rendition of "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," from his 1968 movie of the same name. He posted on facebook that "Breakfast at Denny's with a side of grits makes me want to sing!!"

Van Dyke has become well known for the '60s era Dick Van Dyke Show, for his performances in such family fantasy fare as Mary Poppins (1964) and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and is more recently known for his '90s stint on Diagnosis Murder and in Night at the Museum (2006).  Now he's in an a cappella singing group called Dick Van Dyke and the Vantastics, who join him in the impromptu surprise performance shown above.  Its great to see him going strong and having fun at 90. 

Here they are on Conan's show.

Heres their site: www.vantastix.com

'80s Summer Song: "Walking on Sunshine"

Here's a summery type of song, although the video doesnt look very summery.  I guess the video shows that the sun can be shining in your own world, even if the world around you looks cold and dreary.   Katrina and the Waves' "Walking on Sunshine" always sounded to me like a wonderful song to play poolside during the summer heat, with the smell of chlorine and the sound of pool water splashing in the air, and people slathered in sun lotion lounging around catching some rays or drinking a cool tropical drink.

Eighties Reloaded

An artist nmed Tom Ward has an art project called Eighties Reloaded which updated classic '80s characters in an illustrated form, and shares them through Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. The resulting artwork can be quite witty.

We love how illustrator @TomWardStudio reimagines classic 80s films in modern day settings: https://t.co/dEUeqRaiCn pic.twitter.com/S8z86HkkJq

— Adobe UK (@AdobeUK) August 4, 2016

In their updated version, for example, Eliot and E.T. ride a segway, and He-Man pumps iron at the gym. Check out the A.V. Club article on this artist and his project.

80s Reloaded...#80sReloaded #TheKarateKid #ShortCircuit #BackToTheFuture #TheATeam pic.twitter.com/BNAdYICBve

— Tom Ward Studio (@TomWardStudio) August 2, 2016

Characters from Back to the Future, The A-Team, The Karate Kid, and Short Circuit get a makeover.