"Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" (Soul II Soul)

"Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)" (1989) by British group Soul II Soul is the song that marked the death of the 80s for me.  Sometime between 1985 and 1989, popular music had gotten glossy—especially dance music.  But even rock suffered from a glut of processed, electronic-sounding drums and cheesy synths.

And then came this song with its mix of R&B, hip-hop, and reggae.

For the first time in a long time, the drums sounded like live drums, and they weren't heavily processed or echoey; they were funky and punchy.  There was live piano, guitar, and exotic-sounding strings instead of synthesized imitations.  Plus, there was a robust, soulful vocal from a real singer, Caron Wheeler. 

It all felt organic, and it stood out from practically everything else on the radio.

As Soul II Soul's creative driving force, producer Trevor "Jazzie B" Romeo, told The Guardian newspaper in 2012, "We weren't trying to follow any trend or fit into any category–we were just doing our own thing." 

I think the song holds up remarkably well decades later.  That drum groove (sampled from Graham Central Station's "The Jam") is still undeniably infectious, as is the song's hook.  Just try not singing along with Wheeler as she intones how-however do you want me / however do you need me.