No dipping my toes in the waters tonight, I’m jumping right into the musical pool.


Throughout time, music has evolved and changed, going through jazz and classical, bongo drums and maracas, rock and roll and more.


No era, however, is as ridiculous as the 1980s. Am I right here? There is nothing like the music from this time, and I don’t know what it says about me that there hasn’t been a single time in my life that I haven’t loved 80s music. So here’s a little trip down memory lane, with some highlights of my favorites.
                                                                                                                                                                      


La Isla Bonita/ Madonna- I am perhaps 8. My sisters and I dance around, dressed in bizarre costumes and headresses created out of leftover dance costumes, my mom’s clothes from her younger years, and whatever we can find. Choreography, lace, drama…

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Whip it/ Devo- My best friend and I get heavy into this tune in junior high, performing a very literal interpretation (“into shape… shape it up…get straight… move forward”) for our Cross Country Running banquet. To this day, I rock out to this song in my car, drumming on the steering wheel.


Fight for your right to party/ Beastie Boys- Again, circa junior high. I’m in my friend’s back yard filling up a minipool to beat the summer heat. We sit and make fun of passersby at the park across the street. We videotape them and do commentary… her name withheld to protect her innocence/ dignity…


Hungry Like the Wolf/ Duran Duran- A van full of girls, and our male golf coach. Chicago or bust. I whip out my new mix CD and we torture our coach for the entire 7-8 hours. Priceless.


Video Killed the Radio Star/ The Buggles- Almost 16 years old, working my very first job and loving it. Pretending to be busy cashiering while stealthily tracking albums for future purchase with employee discount. It was here that I met two of my best friends!

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Total Eclipse of the Heart/ Bonnie Tyler- My eldest sister liked this song, for a brief time at least, and it always reminds me of her. You can really sing your lungs out to it, and I do…


I Melt with You/ Modern English- This one reminds me of my first “real” boyfriend/ current blog commenter extraordinaire. I’m not sure why, I think it was on a mix tape I made him, or he made me. Oh high school, so full of tapes!


Lovecats/ The Cure- Ahhhh, torturing my best friends and roommates with my obnoxious caterwauling at our first apartment together. This has got to be the best song by the Cure, hands down.


Suicide Blonde/ INXS- I’m at work at a quaint little Highland Park restaurant. I come in mornings and get ready for the lunch crowd, and the kitchen staff inevitably is listening to this song (if not Atmosphere, or Tejano  music…) I caffeinate slowly, and wonder why the music is so head poundingly loud.


Let’s Dance/ David Bowie- Obviously it kills me to choose only one Bowie song, but this one plays in the background, a record given to me by my friend at my 24th birthday party. We are hanging out at Azia, and the DJ plays it for me since I’m obnoxious and it’s my birfday, after all… Now its got a heavy rotation on my record player at home.


Don’t Stop Believing/ Journey- In the many, many, many evenings we spent at Lyles back in college/ slightly post grad, some idiot put this on the jukebox at some point in the night. I will never ever hear this song and not be transported back to my beloved dive bar, with my beloved friends.

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Life is a journey, and the soundtrack has GOT to be peppered with a little 80s cheese! What are your favorite songs from this decade? Do you still listen to 80s tunes?


Peace!
(Livin’ on a) Mer