Songs my parents danced to and probably yours, too.
It’s 1989. Tonight is senior prom. You finally got the track star you’ve had a crush on for the majority of the year to notice you, and now, you’re going to prom together. You’re nervous but excited. Tonight is going to be the best night of your life; it has to be. You put on a pink dress and tease your hair like there’s no tomorrow. The bigger the better. Blue eyeshadow? You’ve got it. Put a scrunchie in your purse. You’re going to want to pull your hair up once you start dancing.
The doorbell rings. He’s here. You run to the door, but your mom beats you there. UGH! So embarrassing. Oh, no. They’re talking to each other. She’s offering to give him her recipe for lemon bunt cake, but then, he sees you. Your eyes lock. “You look beautiful,” he says. You can’t help but blush. “Thanks,” you manage to say. He takes your hand and leads you out of your suburban, Midwestern home that looks like every other house in your neighborhood and opens the door to his red Acura Integra. At the dance, your heart sinks when “Superman” by R.E.M. begins to play. This is always the last song, but little do you know, you’re going to be dancing with this man for the rest of your life.
Is this the plot of a John Hughes 80s classic? No, it’s the story of my parents. They’re high school sweethearts. They’ve been together forever, and this year was their 25th wedding anniversary. I was brainstorming playlist ideas with my dad, and we came up with this one. These are songs from him and my mom, and a few are from me. R.E.M. basically wrote the song “Orange Crush” about me, so I couldn’t help but add it. The lyrics, “I’ve got my spine, I’ve got my orange crush,” are perfect because I have scoliosis, and I love orange crush. My mom is a huge fan of Pretty in Pink, so she recommends “If You Leave.” My dad’s favorite is “Friday I’m in Love” by The Cure, and both of them love “Boy” by Book of Love.
So, hit that shuffle button, and dance the night away. We hope you enjoy.
xo, Maddie and her parents