(I know. Once again I’m doing a Friday Flashback on a Saturday morning. Sorry, it was George’s birthday yesterday, I was too busy having a beer with him and one of his friends to post anything.)
Back in the late 80s, one of my cousins got married in Vermont and had the reception in a big tent next to a Bed & Breakfast. It was really nice (I loved the B&B) and a lot of fun. I was one of the bridesmaids and I think I was 13 or 14 at the time.
One thing I loved to do was choreograph – and I use that term so loosely because back then I was too stiff to dance well – dance routines to different songs with one of my other cousins and some friends. Every favorite song we had also had a dance routine that we would perform in each other’s bedrooms. If there was a music video that incorporated dancing we usually just studied and imitated that instead of creating our own.
Which is how I ended up – and I think my sister joined me for most, if not all of it – at my cousin’s wedding, on the wooden dance floor at 11 pm, in a mint green silk bridesmaid dress and my big hair, dancing every single step of Debbie Gibson’s “Electric Youth”.
Every.single.step. I actually knew the entire damn thing. Looking now at how insanely bad those dance moves were, I am mildly embarrassed. People actually cleared off the dance floor to give me room and everyone who was still there watched and back then I was SO PROUD, especially when they all applauded me. God.
Youth is so embarrassing. Especially when it’s “Electric”.
Oh, god, Sherry…. I am SO glad you posted this. I laughed and I cried, crying half because it’s *so* ludicrous, the memories that come along with this song, and partly because the dang nostalgia of those memories.
First, I had Debbie Gibson hair. Totally. That was my “look” – HA! Oh, and the vests… I had 3 or 4 vests that I wore quite regularly. Second, this song (beginning from the climactic drumbeat near the end preceding the last chorus) was part of our Cheerleading dance routine for the World competition in Japan when I was 16. Yup, we were kickin’ it to Debbie Gibson and damn if we didn’t think we were hot stuff.
Good memories and laughing until tears came down my face. Thank you. 🙂
like, oh. my. gah! TOTALLY! DG was my first “real” concert.
by the middle of the first chorus, i was able to STILL sing along. flashbacks!!! suddenly i was 12, dancing in my room, singing along, waving my hairbrush all over the place in my neon spandex and jelly bracelets.
i wanted to BE debbie gibson – brunette style. i had the vests too, and the hats, and the shoes, and the above-the-knee-skin-tight cut-offs, and the high ponytail. i even wore her “electric youth” perfume. i am very picky about perfumes to this day because some smell REMARKABLY like that one and if i get a whiff of one, i’m suddenly 12 again, in the drug store, buying it. no no no that will not do.
i’m pretty sure the only things “electric” from that time was the colors and the instruments.
Andromedas last blog post..don’t block the vote
I nominated you for an I Love Your Blog award! Look at my post today. 🙂
Also, this was too funny. I remember things like this still going on in the early 90’s too.