Top 10 Missing Persons Songs (2024)

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It’s not easy to find 80s American rock bands that would ideally suit the term ‘Cool” quite like Missing Persons. The band gained early exposure from MTV, which many attributed to the looks of Dale Bozzio, the band’s lead singer. However, hot looks only cannot take you far in music. Dale Bozzio and the rest of the band were great musicians also. Her other half, Terry Bozzio, was the band’s drummer. To say that he was one of the best drummers to ever sit on the throne would be an understatement. Long before the formation of the band, he had played for Frank Zappa and UK. Considering that Frank Zappa only hires the best drummers, you must believe that Terry Bozzio was good at his craft.

The band’s guitarist, Warren Cuccuuillo and the bassist Patrick O’Hearn were also former members of Frank Zappa, and Warren was a critical contributor to his 1979 album, Joe’s Garage. Missing Persons released their first album, Spring Session M, in 1982. The album, which was released to positive reviews from fans, presented a new wave of rock. Spring Session M was also commercially successful, peaking at position 17 on the Billboard 200 and earning gold certification by the RIAA.

The band’s place in music history is assured. New Wave done L.A. style, with an unmistakable rock drive and unconventional time signatures thanks to Terry and Warren’s employment with Frank Zappa. This band will remain beloved by any adolescent or teen of the early to mid-’80s. Their place in music history is assured.

# 10 – Lipstick

Missing Persons 2020 album was a surprise release that will make you want to listen to it over and over again. Our number ten track in our list of the top ten Missing Persons songs is the track “Lipstick” which possesses an authentic sound that is of high quality. The song reminded us just how good Dale Bozzio’s vocals are. However, the song itself lacked the defining brilliance that was common in their earlier songs.

# 9 – I Can’t Think About Dancing

Coming in at number nine is the second track from one of the band’s second album entitled Rhyme & Reason. “I Can’t Think About Dancing” is a medium temp0 rocking dance style tune with a hook that features Dale’s addicting vocal phrasings. The keyboard horns blast in between the vocal lines adding a cool feel to the song. The song hit number thirty-four on the Billboard Dance Charts.“I Can’t Think About Dancing” is one of the great pop rock dance songs from the 80s.

#8 – Surrender Your Heart

After an incredible debut album, Missing Persons had a lot of pressure to deliver on the second album. “Surrender Your Heart” is the fourth song from Missing Person’s second studio album, Rhyme and Reason. The song was released as the third and final single from the album. This beautiful song was quite a masterpiece that showed what the band could really do. The track features amazing vocals from Dale Bozzio which give the song an emotional pull. The melodic approach taken in the song was amazing, and the acoustic guitars complimented the keyboard tunes perfectly.

# 7 – Mental Hopscotch

The number seven song in our list of the top ten Missing Persons songs is the track “Mental Hopscotch.” This is the track that turned so many people onto the band Missing Persons. ‘Mental Hopscotch’ is the single that put Missing Persons on the map in L.A. and was KROQ FM’s most requested song of 1981. This was a band of brilliant musicians who created a very unique sound and were fronted by one of the most intoxicating female vocalists in classic rock history.

# 6 – Hello, I Love You

Coming in at number six in our countdown of the ten best Missing Persons songs is the sixth track from their 1986 album, Colour in Your Life. “Hello, I Love You” is a beautiful cover for The Doors 1968 hit song from their album, Waiting for the Sun, inspired by a girl Jim Morrison met at Venice Beach.

# 5 – If Only for the Moment

“If Only for the Moment” is the thirteenth track from Missing Persons 1984 album, Rhyme & Reason. The track is joyous, and the lyrics are very inspirational. “If Only for the Moment” is my personal favorite song from the album.

# 4 – Walking in L.A

Although this song never performed exceptionally well on the charts, it got a lot of airplay on the radio and gave the city of LA a new unofficial motto, “Nobody Walks in LA”. Although Terry Bozzio didn’t have an agenda with pedestrians in the city, the city has still not been able to shake up its 30-year-old punchline.

# 3 – Windows

The number three song in our list of the top ten Missing Persons songs is another one from Spring Session M. The song features outstanding work from Terry Bozzio on the drums. “Windows” is a fantastic song that is timeless. The melodies are beautiful, and Dale Bozzio shines in a way that probably inspired Lady Gaga.

# 2 – Destination Unknown

This track was initially released as a single before being included in Missing Persons debut studio album, Spring Session M. The song has been covered by a couple of artists such as Replicants and The Smashing Pumpkins. The song was used as a soundtrack in the popular game GTA Vice City Stories on Flash FM. The track is one of the band’s highest-charting songs, peaking at position 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100 Chart, where it spent 13 weeks.

# 1 – Words

Coming in at number one is the track “Words.” This was the first single released from the Spring Sessions M album which was the band’s first full-length album. The song had originally been included on the Missing Person EP which contained only four tracks and were released in 1980. The song perfectly captured the typical Los Angeles rock scene of the 80s.

Additional fact-checking and writing Glenn Brown. Thanks Glenn

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