by Kiall Rowberry

Created on: November 11, 2008

There are numerous songs from the 1980s that are memorable to me. However, two stand head and shoulders above all others.

The first was written by New Zealander Neil Finn for Crowded House's 1988 release Temple of Low Men. You'd Better Be Home Soon quickly became one of Australia's best loved songs.

It's emotive and powerful lyrics tell a story of a love turning sour and a man's final ultimatum to the woman he feels is betraying him.

From the opening line "somewhere deep inside, something's got a hold on you. And it's pushing me aside, see it stretch on forever" you are hooked, and you can't help but join in for the chorus.

"I know I'm right, for the first time in my life. That's why I tell you, you'd better be home soon".

The song took on a new meaning in 2005 when the band's iconic drummer, Paul Hester, took his own life. In a tribute to his friend, Finn performed it as a heartfelt solo at the ARIA awards in front of a montage of Hester's life. It was a gripping and emotional moment that didn't leave a dry eye in the room.

It is a song that didn't perform well on the charts in the United States or Britain, but will lift the roof off any bar and club in Australia or New Zealand whenever it is played.

On the band's recent reunion tour, You'd Better Be Home Soon was the standard show closer and was always accompanied by swaying mobile phones - the modern day version of the cigarette lighter!

Neil Finn is a man with a phenomenal talent for writing songs and You'd Better Be Home Soon is his greatest achievement. It is the piece that will forever be synonymous with both Finn himself, and Crowded House, the band that bought it to life.

My second most memorable song from the 1980s was the Hunters and Collectors staple Throw Your Arms Around Me.

Mark Seymour's ballad has been interpreted by many over the years as a love song, and was in fact written about the woman Seymour was in a relationship with at the time. In truth, though, it is actually tells the story of a one night stand.

It was first released in 1985 as a single, but shot to prominence when it was included in the 1986 album Human Frailty. From that point on, it has been widely covered, most notably by grunge' rockers Pearl Jam.

Like You'd Better Be Home Soon, this song has become a staple at barbecues, parties, and around campfires Australia wide.

From the moment the all too familiar guitar intro kicks off, anyone listening immediately leaps into song. But it is the chorus that speaks volumes to anyone who has had experiences with the opposite sex.

Everyone can take something out of it, from young lovers, just starting an exciting new romance, to older couples who look back fondly on their early days together. Even those whose entire experience of love consists of a few drunken trysts at the end of a big night of partying can relate to the words.

"You will make me laugh, you will make me cry. And we will never forget it, you will make me call your name and I'll shout it to the blue summer sky. We may never meet again, so shed your skin and let's get started. And you will throw your arms around me."

These two songs were written and first performed in the 1980s, but they both still hold their own today and have found a voice in the new generation.

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