3. Murray Head, "One Night in Bangkok" (1984)

Was Ist Das?: "A show with everything but Yul Brynner," sung from the point of view of an American chess master about to defend his championship against a Russian. With music by Tim Rice (The Lion King) and ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, "Bangkok" comes from Chess, one of the last West End/Broadway-style musicals to spawn a pop hit.

Key Lyric: "You'll find a God in every golden cloister/ And if you're lucky then the God's a she"

Verdict: Way more exciting than the plot of Hangover 2.

2. Red Flag, "Russian Radio" (1989)

Was Ist Das?: Synth duo is either paying tribute to Voice of America-style broadcasts or mooning over a distant sweetheart. It's difficult to tell.

Key Lyric: "I hear a voice, from ten thousand miles away I have no choice, our love was meant to stay."

Verdict: Borderline insufferable. Good remixable basic track, though.

1. CCCP, "American-Soviets" (1986)

Was Ist Das?: This dance-club staple, a landmark in the development of electronic body music (EBM), starts with a mock conversation between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev before the German trio led by Rasputin Stoy(!) wonders why the two world leaders can't just play chess instead.

Key Lyric: "The nuclear war will forever be banned/ It's only their kings which they have to defend."

Verdict: This song has outlasted the Soviet Union itself, has been remixed six ways from Sunday and shows no signs of slowing down.