Tuesday Tally

Top Songs for Recreating the feel of a Blue Mountain Middle School Dance ca. 1986

At the end of the film Hope and Glory, the narrator tells us that in all his years nothing ever quite matched the utter joy he felt the morning the Luftwaffe bombed his school.

We know the feeling.

We swear that the most electric place we've ever been in our lives is the middle school dances we attended in 1986 and 1987. They took place in the school cafeteria, tables and chairs removed of course. The admin brought in some pretty serious DJ equipment. Us kids were excited, bouncing and jumping around. There was a certain smell in the air, we think made by perfume girls borrowed from their mothers, and hairspray. Lot's of hairspray. Here and there a few 8th graders found a corner in which to make out. We're proud to say in May of 1988 that included us. There was once a major scandal when the two young teachers at BMMS slow danced together. My girlfriend and I did lots of that too. God we must have been gross. At 10:00, when my mom picked us up, she gave me one of the sweetest gifts I've ever gotten: a pack of baseball cards.

Oh, and to all those kids who made fun of me and Kirsten that night, fuck you.

Anyway, here's a partial list, a milieu  of songs to recreate the audio ambiance of those nights.

We had our first slow dance to that one, 11 December, 1988. Yes we remember the date. When I put my hands on a girl's hips for the first time, it was all over. That's the moment I hit puberty. It would have been some time between 9-10 PM.

It wouldn't be an 80's dance without Steve Perry, either with Journey or this glorious 80's solo work:

The guy who wrote and sings this is now better remembered for writing and singing the 7th Heaven song. But man, in 1986 this was soooo cool. I don't know of a greater 80's sentiment.

Wouldn't be the 80's without Prince, especially Let's Go Crazy.

For reasons we don't understand at everyone of these dances at 9 PM and final hour was announced via the playing of Queen's We Will Rock You. The first time we heard it it was both terrifying and awesome.