80s New Wave Song With A Lyric Like "Knock Me Down Like Bowlin' Pin."

March 8, 2014 4:55 PM

I have been trying to figure out artist and title of an 80's New Wave song that I have heard two or three times over the years. Kind of poppy, keyboard heavy with a female vocalist. I believe on of the lyrics is "Knock Me Down Like Bowlin' Pin," but there is always a possibility that I misheard the line. I have been searching google and yahoo and webcrawler, etc. off and on for years trying to figure this out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
posted by knirkle to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

Neither 80s nor New Age, but Truckin' by The Grateful Dead includes the lyric "Set up like a bowling pin".
posted by dreaming in stereo at 5:33 PM on March 8, 2014

Not 80's either, but La Roux's "Bulletproof" is as 80's as it gets, and has the same B/P sounds of "Bowlin' Pin".
posted by unknowncommand at 6:18 PM on March 8, 2014

Not new wave, but could it be "Hit me with your best shot" by Pat Benatar? Has the lyric, "knock me down, it's all in vain"
posted by SpecialSpaghettiBowl at 9:22 PM on March 8, 2014

Singer isn't female, but Funny How it Goes by Squeeze has a lyric similar to that.
posted by willnot at 9:43 PM on March 8, 2014

This probably isn't it, but it's hard for me to hear Cannonball by the Breeders without thinking of bowling balls because of the video.
posted by willnot at 9:56 PM on March 8, 2014

Female, 80s, not new wave:

Lia Ford - Asylum
"You knock me down on hallow ground"

Not new wave, but could it be "Hit me with your best shot" by Pat Benatar? Has the lyric, "knock me down, it's all in vain"

Well there was actually a weird moment in time when both Pat Benetar and Tom Petty were being called New Wave. Probably better than my guess!
posted by Room 641-A at 12:13 AM on March 9, 2014

shot in the dark: not NewWave/ female... but from the 80's --- Traveling Wilbury's "She's My Baby"
George Harrison sings, "She's got a body for business, Got a head for sin, She knocks me over like a bowling pin"
posted by mrmarley at 10:50 AM on March 9, 2014

Since you say you may have misheard the line - could it possibly be I Love You Like A Ball And Chain by Eurythmics...?
posted by tomboko at 11:24 AM on March 9, 2014

Well on the off chance, was it Nu Shooz? Point of No Return or I Can't Wait?
posted by Requiax at 2:02 PM on March 9, 2014

You Spin Me Round, maybe?
posted by nixxon at 2:45 PM on March 9, 2014

Response by poster: Thanks for all the responses but no luck so far. La Roux's, Bulletproof is very similar to the song I am looking for as far sound and structure, poppy keyboards, female vocalist, etc. but the song I am looking for is definitely a lot older. Pretty sure I heard Steve Masters play it on LIVE 105 a few times way back in the day.
posted by knirkle at 7:05 AM on March 15, 2014