I should have been angry when Cameron asked me to unearth (from anywhere I could find it) this forgotten gem of the 1980’s for him, but it put me on a mission to find a couple of other gems I’d been trying to dig up. I am now prepared to thank him for putting me on that mission because, after all, it worked out. Here, unfiltered, is the one he asked me to find for him: “Young Hearts” by Commuter is from the soundtrack to The Karate Kid and makes an excellent addition to your ’80s repertoire of great overlooked songs. (HT ThePunkGuy.com)

Commuter - Young Hearts

And while I’m at it, let me talk about how much I used to love the movie Running Scared (1986) starring Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines. Two rough-and-tumble Chicago cops under the supervision of a tough Lieutenant (played by the amazing Dan Hedaya) trying to crack down on a horrible, evil drug dealer (played by Jimmy Smits). The image of Gregory Hines wearing a thong riding a moped through the Florida Keys with a hot girl has destroyed me but is permanently emblazoned in my mind. It’s a funny 80’s buddy comedy, one of those movies you won’t shut off if it comes on cable but you will probably have never heard of it otherwise.

Anyways, the “hit song” from the movie, “Sweet Freedom” by Michael McDonald, is another great forgotten 80’s “feel-good” hit that I never seem to tire of. It may not be as punchy as Michael’s new material proves to be but it’s still one of my favorite singles of the 1980’s.

Michael McDonald - Sweet Freedom

You can purchase The Karate Kid: Original Soundtrack by clicking here.

You can purchase Michael McDonald’s The Ultimate Collection by clicking here.