A kid of the 80's

I am sitting here right now listening to a heaping amount of 80's music and I can't help but think of how cool this music really is. I mean who can not think back and get all wound up thinking of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger". Go Rocky Go!!!!! I can remember spending my Saturdays at the World of Sports Roller Skating Rink with all of my friends and hearing the familiar refrains of The J. Geils Band "Centerfold" and tearing out on the rink and feeling like the coolest kid in the world. There is one person out there right now reading this that knows exactly what I am talking about and since you don't really know any of the other people reading this I leave it to you to keep the illusion that I was cool alive. And then after we all tore around the rink, it was time for the slow skate. Thankfully, I was popular enough that I never had to worry about skating on my own. I remember the big slow skate song was Journey's "Open Arms". I wonder if Journey knew that song would become the South Boston make out tune. While I am on the subject of South Boston...Christy Watts, I have a memory of steel and I remember in 6th grade how HOT you thought the guys in Wham! were. I tell you now like I told you then, a guy that good looking has to be Gay!!!!! Don't even try and deny what I am speaking of. Thankfully, later on you were able to worship at the altar of Motley Crue and other hard rock Gods and they saved your soul. At some point we all felt Dexy's Midnite Runners were pretty sweet and we all wanted to know what Eileen actually looked like....To this day I still don't know how to do the Safety Dance!!!! It was a time when a guy dressed like a girl could be liked by guys...Culture Club anyone??? Karma...Karma...Karma....Chameleon....I think everyone should take a trip down to Funkytown!!!! oh my yes....A lot of the songs that came out that I probably didn't like all that much I really enjoy now...For example, I am listening to Flock of Seagulls now and think "I Ran" is totally bitchin....the hair on the singer is still stupid but the song is killer. It is very difficult to think back to those days and not smile. It was so indulgent and pompous and silly and fun that I find myself grinning just remembering those times. If you need a reminder of how great and silly it was think of "We Built This City" by Starship or Styx's "Mr. Roboto" or The Bangles "Walk Like an Egyptian". We laugh at them now but we danced to them then. They were the soundtracks to our lives at that time. It was a time that didn't take itself so seriously...How could it when the catch phrase was "I want my MTV!!!!".....So the next time you feel like the music today has no fun or no dance to it...Grab an 80's CD and throw it on....You will find your feet tapping and your mouth smiling....Trust me...I am doing right now as we speak....Join In!!!!