1980s Songs About Angels

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Following on from early songs about angels , we are back with the second of three columns looking at a topic that is sort of to do with Christmas, even if only in a vague sort of way. Thus we come to this column, and, as is normal for me (it seems) this is all about songs just from that weird ten-year period from 1980 to 1989 that so obviously influenced me and my musical tastes.

Yet again, more ballads, but also some poodle rock and some harder tracks, so this is a little more eclectic than maybe the last one.

With that in mind, here’s 1980s Songs About Angels!



As I mentioned last time, the concept of an angel here is a person or part of a person that veers towards perfection in the songwriter’s eyes. And here, we have even more of them.

Usual rules apply: the word “angel” appears in the title, one song per artist over the three columns, one version of each song over the three columns, no live-only tracks, and I need to like the song. They are listed in chronological order, the date of first release, either as a single or the home album, and for this column, that is between the years 1980 and 1989. These are not only charting singles but songs from my collection that fulfill the requirement and that I like. Oh, and to repeat, there are no Christmas carols here.

Here are 1980s Songs About Angels!


’He’s An Angel’ by The Aliens (1980)

The Aliens were an Australian act who bothered the local charts once, but the album they released that I own (Translator) was a great bit of pub rock that was developing into its 1980s sound. So, we start this with an upbeat track!


’ Angel Of The Morning’ by Juice Newton (1981)

This was one of the first songs that came to mind with this topic. A cover of Evie Sands’ 1967 song, Newton brought her country stylings into the pop world with this one. This song still appears at times today; my daughter showed me some TikToks with people lip-synching to it. Understandable. It’s a modern pop-country classic.


’Send Me An Angel’ by Real Life (1983)

Real Life were an Australian synth-pop group that had a few local hit singles in the 1980s… and that was it. But they were really good, and this was track still being played at Blue Light Discoes a couple of years later.


’Guardian Angel’ by Masquerade (1983)

One of my favourite songs of all time , the two voices complement each other so well, and this song just makes me sing along every single time.


’There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)’ by Eurythmics (1985)

I might be wrong, but this feels like it was the first time Annie Lennox was allowed to show just how wonderful her vocal chops were in a Eurythmics song. Upbeat and uplifting, a great example of 1980s pop at its finest.


’Angel No’ by Yello featuring Rush Winters (1985)

Yello released so many great and weird tracks, and this is just another example. I believe it was released as a single in Europe where it did mediocre numbers, but I like it, and the addition of Rush Winters on vocals does help lift it.


’Angel’ by Swanee (1986)

More pub rock, from John Swan as Swanee, the brother of Jimmy Barnes . He bothered the charts only once or twice during the 80s as a solo artist, but he released so many great tracks that I think his career deserves a reappraisal.


’Angels Calling’ by Laura Branigan (1987)

Another up-tempo song, from one of my favourite female artists ever. Yes, whenever I can, I will put a Laura Branigan song into a list. Just as well this is a good one! I just really like this.


’Angel Of Harlem’ by U2 (1988)

And we have yet another song that came to me as soon as I thought of this topic. There were a couple of U2 songs I could have chosen, but this was the first to mind, so I stuck with it. The guitar and rhythm section are really tight here, and that reels Bono’s voice in a little, which I think helps the song greatly.


’Fallen Angel’ by Poison (1988)

Poodle rock! Another up-tempo song, and one of the better Poison songs. They did hit the charts quite a few times over the course of their career, but this is definitely a highlight from their discography.


’Guardian Angels’ by The Judds (1989)

We slow right down for a lovely country ballad, a song I have on a compilation album, and which struck me from the first time I heard it, looking at the older family members as guardian angels of the current generation. Just a really sweet track.


’Angel Eyes’ by The Jeff Healey Band (1989)

And we finish with some modern blues by blind guitarist Jeff Healey and his band. Slow and giving a chance for his guitar playing to shine through. He was such a good guitar-player and was taken from the world too early.


Twelve songs from the greatest of musical decades (don’t @ me) to continue our “angels” columns. Pop, rock, hard rock, country and blues… so we’re getting more eclectic in our musical choices. Hope you enjoyed this one as well.



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#list
#pop_culture
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#retro
#vintage
#angel
#eurythmics
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