The 80's, aaaaah!!! What a fucked up era. Every one remembers the 80's for its shit hair, shit clothes, shoulder pads fashionable for both sexes (just a quick note: shoulder pads should be worn on the football field for protection not for fashionable interest, God damn it) and worst off all music. A lot of bands came and went and left fucked up footprints that can still be heard every damn day on old music radio stations. In spite of all this shit I can smell, some of today's great music men and women survived what I like to call the 'dark ages of music'. Artist like Madonna, Kylie (ha ha ha ha), Phil Collins, Elton John, Stevie Wonder (Ray Charles' kid), that young chap from the band U2 is still around (his up for a peace award, heard its only a little one) and last but not least the great 'All night long' man 'Dancing on the Ceiling' Lionel Ritchie.

Lionel Ritchie started out in a band called 'The Commodores.' They were signed with Motown in 1971. He was the saxophone player slash singer slash songwriter for the group. The Commodores sold over 40 million records winning 22 gold records, 6 platinum, 2 double platinum, and 3 triple platinum. They toured with bands like The Jackson Five and one of my personal favorites The Temptations.

However in 1979 Lionel started to stop step away from The Commodores when he started to write hit songs for The Temptations and Kenny Rogers' version of 'Lady' prompted Ritchie to produce Rogers Album (Share Your Love). 'Endless Love' the chart-topping duet with Diana Ross was one of Motown's most successful singles (later covered by our crazy diva Mariah Carey and Luther Vandross). These solo successes catapulted his career and made him a household name.

In 1992, Ritchie released 'Back to Front,' which was a great compilation of his older hits mixed in with new songs. One of the stand out tracks is 'Sail On'. This is one of the classics that was recorded with The Commodores, which has a great piano playing throughout. If this song was heard on its own you'd think it was from a country music artist. His voice is very husky throughout and has a simple message: 'Sail On' or move on from the negative side of a relationship. 'Time after time I tried/ Hold on to what we got/ But a now your going' these lines truly express the pain and anguish of a break up. How hard it can be to give it everything you got and still come out of it hurt and with a broken heart. To add salt to the wound is when the partner doesn't try to mend things, 'I gave you my heart/ And I tried to make you happy/ and you gave me nothing in return.' Sail On is a true gem not just on the album but also as a song, on its own. Ritchie has many great songs but this one is greatly underestimated.

Another great song, 'Hello' oozes absolute GOLD. Most of us have fallen in love one time or another and this song simply sums up what goes through a persons head when they are overcome with love. If you are in love you will relate to it very easily. That desperation that someone feels to express their feelings that they feel like they will overflow is amazing. Such strong feelings towards someone only bring us happiness greater than any wealth in the world. 'Hello' shows us that feeling on paper and in melody, 'Tell me how to win your heart/ cause I haven't got a clue/ but let me start by saying I love you.' The simplicity of the words make it ease for an array of people to relate to the song, which is why it will be heard on the radio for years to come.

My personal favorite is 'My Destiny'. If you're a crooner like myself, singing this song to your loved one will win you brownie points. When you meet someone and you have that instant chemistry you feel like you might not be your self, 'you walked in and by heart discovered/ that my life would never be the same.' That strong connection leads you to feel like your walking on air, 'I just love the magic of your spell/ how much joy will have together/ only time will tell.' 'My Destiny' is another great song; it's a diamond in the rough. It will stand the test of time.

It was difficult to decide which songs were better than others. The messages of each and every song help the listener to relate to a particular time in their lives. Every song will touch on our emotions and feelings either towards a person that is presently in our lives or someone that has left a footprint in our heart. That is an emotion that can stay with us for the rest of our lives. Ritchie's work merely allows us to go back for a short time feel that emotion that has since faded with a mended heart. That is why this is such a great album because it will stand the test of time. Lets just hope that up and coming artists don't cover any of these songs because if Lionel isn't singing, then the songs will lose that touch only the Motown legend can bring