80s Soft Rock Bands Songs
On The Acoustic

Beggar On A Beach Of Gold is a track from the 1995 album of the same name by Mike And The Mechanics.

The song peaked at #33 in the UK and charted in Germany also. Paul Carrick and Paul Young were both in this group at the time.

Better Be Home Soon was the bands 2nd single from the 1988 album Temple Of Low Men.

The song reached #2 in both Australia and New Zealand and hit #7 in Canada and #42 in the US.

Barenaked Ladies recorded the song "Brian Wilson" in 1992. The song is part of their debut album, "Gordon," which was released in the same year. "Brian Wilson" didn't chart as a single in the United States, but it became a fan favorite and received significant airplay on Canadian radio stations.

The song pays tribute to the Beach Boys' co-founder Brian Wilson and explores themes of mental health and creative genius. Notably, Brian Wilson himself has praised the song and even performed it with Barenaked Ladies on various occasions.

"Brian Wilson" is considered one of Barenaked Ladies' signature songs and remains a beloved track in their catalog, reflecting their quirky and clever songwriting style.

Come On Eileen hit #1 in both the UK and the US when it was released back in the summer of 1982.

The song hails from the bands album "Too-Rye-Ay".

For rhythm here play a down down up down down up  and repeat pattern  and later play down strokes. Some lead here in standard tuning with the chords C, F, Bb, Bbm, G, Em, A, D, Gbm.

Cruel Summer hit the airwaves back in 1983. The song was a single with no album attachment.

The band put the track on their 2nd album in 1994 called "Bananarama". The song hit #8 in the UK and #9 in the US.

This one is played with a capo 4th fret in standard tuning with a steady down down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern. A few riffs in the rhythm with the chords Am, F and G.

Diggin Your Scene was from The Blow Monkeys 1986 album called Animal Magic. It was one of their most successful commercial songs reaching #14 in the US, #12 in the UK and #9 in Ireland.

This song has a bit of a disco vibe to it due to the rhythm.

I play a down down up (muted down up) down up down up (muted down up down up) and repeat pattern. This is sax in this one but no on my version has as trying to pick a lead break here would mess up the steady rhythm. Played with the chords Amaj7, Gb7, Bm, Esus, D, Dmaj7 and a Dbm or Dbm7 in standard tuning.

Distant Sun was the 1st single from the Crowded House 1993 album entitled Together Along. the original release never charted in the US but eventually did the following year after a remix.

In the UK the song reached #19 as well as peaking at #4 in Canada, #5 in New Zealand and #23 in Australia.

Don't Dream It's Over hit the airwaves back in 1986 and was the 4th single from the Crowded House album Crowded House.

The song was a huge international hit reaching #1 in new Zealand, number #2 in the US and a top 10 in several other countries. Paul Carrick joined Paul Young who covered the song in 1991.

Don't You (Forget About Me) is a single by the group Simple Minds and has appeared in two films. The Breakfast Club in 1985 and the film Easy A in 2010.

Artists Billy Idol and Bryan Ferry both turned down an offer to record the song. The song was written by two fans of Simple Minds and the band was skeptical about recording a song they themselves had not written.

But they had not broken into the US market as yet. The song hit #1 in both Canada and the US in 1985.

Don't You Want Me is a track by The Human League and hails from their 1981 album Dare.

It reached #1 in the UK that year and #1 in the US the following year.

Drivers Seat is technically not an 80s song but came out as a single in 1978.

The song reached #15 in the US in the fall of 1979 and reached #4 in the Netherlands in 1980. The band is considered a one hit wonder band as this was their only big hit.

For Your Babies is from the 1991 album by Simply Red called Stars.

The track peaked at #9 in the UK and was a top 20 in several other countries.