It’s Monday night – and around here that means it’s Twisted Mixed-Tape Tuesday time over at Jen Kehl’s My Skewed View.

I have to admit, I wasn’t going to “play” this week – as I’d been musing on something else – and this week’s theme is “Favourite Dance or Club Music” which I feel I sort of covered in an earlier Twisted Mixed Tape post, but then Jen’s message came with the reason for the post:

This list was suggested by our own Kir from The Kir Corner. Her younger brother suddenly passed away last month, but through this tragedy she has a bright spot in her heart. Her brother was a DJ and loved great dance music. Don’t feel sad, this is to celebrate his life! In her words: I know that he would love it, he loved music, he loved people dancing and enjoying themselves.

Well!  How can I say no to that?

Kir, I never knew your brother, and I don’t know what sort of dance music he’d like, but when I think of dance or club music, I think of my university days.  So here’s five I danced the night away to in my early 20s.  I fondly remember the DJs, the bars, the risers, and the exhilaration of a good night’s dancing to a great DJ’s mix.  I hope he enjoys the Twisted Mixed Tape party this week.

Please check out some of the other hot spots here:

So with the introductions out of the way, let’s start this wild ride!

We Like to Party – Vengaboys (1998-1999)

So I remember this one from September 1999.  Each year after my “frosh” year in university in 1996, I signed up to be a frosh guide – so I’d basically spend a week welcoming the new students to school by playing silly games during daylight hours (between tours and learning activities) and dancing non-stop until whatever club it was that night closed.  Every year had a theme and 1999’s was Y2K – so the different frosh groups had names harkening the ends of time.   Our group was the “Havens”.

Naturally, each group invented cheers.  Our main one that I remember was to this song and I still hum it whenever this song comes on.  Do sing along:

The Y2K is coming!
And everybody’s jumpin’!
The Relics, Revelations…
Ain’t got the motivation!

So if you want protection!
From this year’s resurrection!
You know that your salvation!
Is joining Haven Nation!

Da, da, da, da, da, dada!
Da, da, da, da, da, dada!
……

We are the Havens!
We are, we are the Havens!  …..

Tubthumping – Chumbawamba (1997)

This is one of those songs I vividly remember dancing to while standing, not technically on a riser, but rather on the divider between the bar and the dance floor while bracing myself on the pipe that ran above.  Why?  Well, it seemed like a good idea.

More recently, it came on the radio while in the car with my eldest daughter, then 3-years-old.  Suddenly this voice pipes up from the back, “Mommy!  I like this song!”  Now THAT’S my girl!  And there’s some lyrics to live by:

I get knocked down; but I get up again; your never gonna keep me down!

Strangelove – Depeche Mode (1987)

Yes, I know – you’re doing the math.  I was, like, nowhere NEAR university when this one hit.

But when I was thirteen Violator came out and I decided Depeche Mode would be MY band.  While my peers flocked to Nirvana, I decided that these guys (who believed in personal grooming and who my friend’s super cool older sister and my bad ass edgy older cousin thought rocked) spoke to my soul.

I searched out their stuff well into my university years and inevitably they topped my small talk bar chat list of “What music do you like?”

All that to say, I knew if I’d been talking to some guy, and about 10 minutes later this, “Just Can’t Get Enough” or “Personal Jesus” came on (generally the only three fast DM songs in EVERY DJs collection) I should expect a free drink and be ready to either hand out my phone number or create a boyfriend (depending what I thought of the would-be suitor in question).

Spice Up Your Life – Spice Girls (1997)

Okay!  So back to the quality music of my decade!  So, I had my one dancing guy friend (okay, he had a few girls he danced with, because he loved to dance and there are WAY more girls in that category than guys – but I really think it might have worked out between us if he was straight) and we’d tear it up to this song.  Devil may care fun!  The song still makes me smile.

DJ’s Girl – Katalina (2000)

So this is the song that popped into my head when I heard Kir’s brother was a DJ – but it also tops my list of fun dance songs.   Anyone who has ever stood in line relates – either to the hope of being on “the list” or the annoyance at those who get in ahead of you because of it.  I find it’s also a song I remember every time I try to finagle my way into somewhere I’m not technically suppose to be today, for whatever reason.  Example?  My husband is a photographer.  I have a vivid memory of him shooting a closed event with the Dalai Lama about 10 years ago.  At the time we were sharing a car.

And I needed my keys.

That’s right, Mr. Security Man.

I’m with the photographer.

[Sure you are lady.  Sure you are].

No.  Really.  I just need my keys.  I’ll be super quick.  Here’s my ID.  If you won’t let me in, maybe you can just open the door I can probably wave him down from here.

Really.  I’m with the photographer.

Do you think I hang out in front of these parties for fun?

Suffice to say I was about as convincing as Katalina.  But I finally got one of the security guards to go in and get him for me.

So that’s it from me this week.  Looking forward to dancing along to what everyone else brings to the mix.

And if I don’t get back to you tomorrow, it’s because I’m out watching my favourite basketball team defeat our cross town rivals.