Fill In the Missing Word in These Famous ’80s Song Titles
By: Teresa McGlothlin
3 min
Image: Cyndi Lauper / YouTube
About This Quiz
You can't get your "______ For Nothing" during this quiz! You're going to have to work hard to figure out which word belongs in these '80s song titles. You might be able to sing every word of every song you see, but do you know the song's name? Fill in every blank you see, and by the end, you'll be singing "Another One _____ The Dust."
Filled with exciting new sounds, the '80s pumped out songs that are still on heavy rotation today. From Whitney Houston's dance hits to the rise of hair metal, the airwaves were more colorful than ever before. You probably have an '80s playlist on iHeart radio, but now's your chance to prove your knowledge of the decade's biggest hits. Will you be able to finish as many of them correctly as you think you can?
If you "Just Can't Get Enough" of the '80s, you'll love trying to figure out the correct names of the songs that defined the decade. Put in your earbuds and get ready for a dance party. You'll want to get up and move once you see how many you got right. Tears for Fears said that "Everybody Wants to Rule the ... Quiz." Or did they? Fill in the blanks and find out!
"Time After ______," you can look and find Cyndi Lauper, but can you fill in the blank?
Dark
Time
Cyndi Lauper made it clear that "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," but she also wanted her friends to know she was there for them. "Time After Time" is still one of the most played sappy songs from the decade.
You could feel the heat in Whitney Houston's "I Wanna _____ With Somebody." What did she want to do?
Love
Sing
Chance
Dance
Whitney Houston was another incredible voice that defined the '80s sound! During the decade, her dance hits like "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" took over the airwaves and MTV's video lineups.
What is Rick Astley never going to do in "Never Gonna _____ You Up?"
Give
When "Never Gonna Give You Up" was released in 1987, singer Rick Astley was only 21 years old. The single flew up the charts and never seemed to lose popularity. It has been part of 169 different movie soundtracks since then.
"Pour Some Sugar on ______" was a huge hit for Def Leppard. Which word fills in the blank?
Us
You
Me
"Pour Some Sugar on Me" was one of the singles off Def Leppard's "Hysteria" album. Climbing all the way to No. 2 on U.S. Billboard charts in 1987, the band claims the song saved them from throwing in the towel.
What word is missing from Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the ______"?
Brain
Moon
Heart
Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" sold 6 million copies. The song's writer, Jim Steinman, once told reporters that the song was meant to be a vampire love song. He was working on the set of the "Nosferatu" musical when he composed it.
Can you fill in the missing word from the Phil Collins hit "In the ______ Tonight"?
Pear
Lair
Air
What did Phil Collins feel coming "In The Air Tonight?" According to him, it was anger. Collins says he wrote the song about the lingering emotions he experienced after his divorce.
If you've seen "Rocky III," you know the "Eye of the ______." Is it an eye of newt?
Spider
Tiger
Sylvester Stallone had hoped to use Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" during the iconic montage of Rocky Balboa training in "Rocky III." Queen denied his request, and Stallone commissioned members of Survivor to write "Eye of The Tiger."
Which of these words completes Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to _____ the World"?
Fool
Travel
Own
Rule
Tears for Fears had a huge hit on their hands with their "Songs from The Big Chair" album. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" was the third single from album. "Shout" was another popular song from the 1985 release.
What was REO Speedwagon going to do in "Keep On _______ You"?
Wanting
Dreaming of
Loving
Nothing says love in the early '80s like an REO Speedwagon song. "Keep On Loving You" was written by singer Kevin Cronin, but his bandmates didn't like its sappy nature. He had to convince them to record it.
Rockwell sounded a little paranoid when he sang "Somebody's ______ Me." What was someone doing to him?
Watching
Motown's Berry Gordy was not convinced that "Somebody's Watching Me" would be a hit. His hesitancy to back the song was put to an end when Michael and Jermaine Jackson agreed to sing backup on the song.
During the '80s, did you get "Into the ______" with Madonna?
Groove
Madonna's "Into The Groove" was a U.K. hit before it sold 17.8 million copies in the United States. It's still so popular, it was recently used in the soundtrack of "Despicable Me 3."
What did Pat Benatar want to be hit with in her song "Hit Me With Your ______"?
Hot pot
Spare cot
Best shot
"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" was taken from Pat Benatar's 1980 album, "Crimes of Passion." Her soaring vocals were perfectly complemented by the songwriting skills of songwriter Eddie Schwartz.
New Order once got involved in a "Bizarre ______ Triangle." What's the missing word?
Love
New Order were pioneers in the '80s Synthpop and New Wave genres. "Bizarre Love Triangle" was released in 1896 off their "Brotherhood" album. It was their fourth album as a band and since reforming as New Order after the loss of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis.
Wham wanted you to "______ Me Up Before You Go-Go." What were you supposed to do?
Beam
Rough
Wake
You might think "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" is about a breakup, but it's not. George Michael wrote the song about a guy who was disappointed to learn that his girlfriend had gone go-go dancing without him.
"You Give _____ a Bad Name" was '80s gold for Bon Jovi. What did they accuse someone of bad-mouthing?
Love
Bon Jovi's hard-rocking style of delivering hair metal anthems has stolen hearts for over 20 years. "You Give Love a Bad Name" was one of the first hits to put the band on the map.
Twisted Sister wanted you to know that "We're Not Gonna ______ It." What are they not going to do?
Fake
Make
Eat
Take
Led by the dynamic Dee Snyder, Twisted Sister screamed into 1984 with their hit, "We're Not Gonna to Take It." Being flagged as offensive by conservatives led the group's lead singer all the way to Washington to testify on behalf of free speech.
In the '80s, Journey encouraged you to "Don't Stop ______." What were they asking you to do?
Thinking about tomorrow
Singing
Believing
"Don't Stop Believing" was the first single from Journey's seventh studio album. After enjoying such great success in the '70s, the band set out to revamp their sound into something a little more pop-oriented. The effort paid off!
Freddie Mercury and crew sang "Another One ______ The Dust." Which verb belongs in this title?
Cleans
Eats
Bites
Queen was such an iconic act that they seemingly faced no competition. In "Another One Bites The Dust," Freddie Mercury croons about the feeling of victory that comes with outdoing those who doubt you.
The Police have been watching "Every ______ You Take." What word fills in the blank?
Breath
"Every Breath You Take" was an enormous success for Sting and the other members of The Police. The same year it was released, the song's video took home the MTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography.
Would you go down to the "______ City" with Guns 'n Roses?
Miami Vice
Paradise
Before grunge came along in the '90s, Guns 'n Roses was selling out stadiums around the country. Songs like "Paradise City" and "Welcome to The Jungle" were written about the band's experiences in Los Angeles.
"______ Is a Place on Earth" was a huge solo hit for Belinda Carlisle. Which one of these words was she singing about?
7-11
Seven
Heaven
Try to get this song out your head today! Belinda Carlisle's "Heaven Is a Place on Earth" was the first single off her solo album after leaving The Go-Gos. She is still recording music.
"Eternal ______" put The Bangles into power ballad territory. Can you fill in the blank?
Flame
Alongside The Go-Gos and Bananarama, The Bangles helped bring female musicians to the forefront during the '80s. "Eternal Flame" was more of a love song than any other release put out by the group.
The ever-fashionable Prince sang about what kind of "Raspberry ______"?
Filet
Sorbet
Beret
It was hard for Prince to top the success of the "Purple Rain" album, but he did it! The first single from the next album, "Raspberry Beret," spent three weeks at the top of the charts in 1985.
Rick Springfield really wanted to have "______ Girl." Who's girl?
Jessie's
Multi-talented actor and singer Rick Springfield was the heartthrob of every '80s girl's dreams. According to his single, he didn't have eyes for any of them, though. He only had eyes for "Jessie's Girl."
George Michael didn't want to dance again because of a "_____ Whisper." What type of whisper was it?
Shameless
Nameless
Heartless
Careless
Even though George Michael was only 17 when he wrote "Careless Whisper" with fellow Wham member Andrew Ridgeley, it embodies the feeling of romantic loss. Michael claims that he wrote the song while on the bus.
They wanted their MTV and their "Money for ______." What did Dire Straits do to get paid?
Hustling
Nothing
Always full of social commentary, Dire Straits took on the lazier members of society with "Money For Nothing." Active in both the '70s and the '80s, the band still gets a lot of play on classic rock radio.
If you rushed Janet Jackson, she might say, "Let's ______ Awhile." What would she be requesting?
Date
Wait
When Janet Jackson dropped her "Control" album in 1986, she turned a lot of heads. "Let's Wait Awhile" was written with the album's producers and Jackson's friend, Melanie Andrews.
Her name was Rio and she was "Hungry Like The ______." Can you finish the Duran Duran song name, though?
Woof
Roof
Hoof
Wolf
It's impossible to think of '80s music without thinking about Duran Duran. A band that started off as DJs in a Birmingham, U.K., club, Duran Duran's "Hungry Like a Wolf" was only one of their many successful songs.
"Blister in The ______" let the Violent Femmes roll on in 1983. Is it blister in the shoe?
Bun
Fun
Thumb
Sun
In 2007, Wendy's tried to use "Blister in The Sun" in a commercial. Members of the band sued and issued a statement, saying they didn't want their song used to sell unhealthy things.
The Talking Heads covered a song named "Take Me to The ______." Where did they want to go?
Ballgame
River
When The Talking Heads covered Al Green's "Take Me to The River," no one expected roaring success. Singer David Byrne says that he simply loved the song and wanted to pay tribute to it.
Bananarama didn't appreciate being left alone during a "______ Summer." Was it a hot summer?
Rainy
Long
Blue
Cruel
Both "Venus" and "Cruel Summer" were huge hits for Bananarama in 1984. By the time they decided to tackle a world tour, members of the band had left. The two remaining members carried on the band and the tour.
In 1987, INXS couldn't sleep because they claimed to "______ You Tonight." Do you know which word is missing?
Feed
Want
Love
Need
Australian band INXS rocketed to the top of the charts with their 1987 releases from the album "Kick." "Need You Tonight" was almost as popular as their love anthem, "Never Tear Us Apart."
Modern English had a huge one-hit wonder with "I _____ With You." What did they do with you?
Jive
Walk
Melt
"I Melt With You" might be a hooky one-hit wonder, but it's one of the most recognized songs from the '80s. A story of loss and lovemaking, members of Modern English found it strange that they were not scrutinized by conservative groups like other '80s artists.
"Dancing in the ______" put Bruce Springsteen on the '80s charts. Where was he dancing?
Park
Streets
Dark
If you watch the video for "Dancing in the Dark" closely, you'll see someone you might recognize. The young woman who Springsteen dances with is Courtney Cox long before she went on to play Monica on "Friends."
Cinderella crooned that you "Don't Know What You _____." What were they talking about?
Are not
Want
Got
The '80s were defined by many new sounds, and hair metal acts like Cinderella were not left out. "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" was one of the most-played prom songs of the era.