- Today it's D
- Scroll down for two lyric snippets to set you thinking... and commenting!
1960s: Dancing in the Street - Martha and the Vandellas
1970s: Don't go Breaking my Heart - Elton John and Kiki Dee
1980s: Do They Know it's Christmas? - Band Aid
1990s: Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me - George Michael and Elton John
Dancing in the Street
Mickey Stevenson and Marvin Gaye knew when they wrote this song that everyone needs to let their hair down sometimes.
'...Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the street...'
I saw this song performed live at De Montfort Hall, Leicester, in a Motown Magic nostalgia show sometime around 2001. The four of us, with a combined age of about 200, left the concert hall and literally danced down the street to the car park. The music was that good.
Has music ever got you dancing in the street?
Do They Know it's Christmas?
Mickey Stevenson and Marvin Gaye knew when they wrote this song that everyone needs to let their hair down sometimes.
'...Summer's here and the time is right for dancing in the street...'
I saw this song performed live at De Montfort Hall, Leicester, in a Motown Magic nostalgia show sometime around 2001. The four of us, with a combined age of about 200, left the concert hall and literally danced down the street to the car park. The music was that good.
Has music ever got you dancing in the street?
Do They Know it's Christmas?
In 1984 Bob Geldof and Midge Ure founded the charity supergroup, Live Aid, to raise money for famine-ridden Ethiopia. They wrote Do They Know it's Christmas and organised the Live Aid concert, something that the UK music industry can be proud of.
'...Say a prayer,
Prayer for the other ones
At Christmas time it's hard
But when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window
And it's a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears...
...Do they know it's Christmas time at all.
Feed the world...'
These words helped to raise awareness of the terrible suffering in Ethiopia and raised a lot of money. We're now used to this type of charity event but in the 1980s it was breaking new ground and I remember the huge impression it made on me.
Do you remember the Live Aid concert?
'...Say a prayer,
Prayer for the other ones
At Christmas time it's hard
But when you're having fun
There's a world outside your window
And it's a world of dread and fear
Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears...
...Do they know it's Christmas time at all.
Feed the world...'
These words helped to raise awareness of the terrible suffering in Ethiopia and raised a lot of money. We're now used to this type of charity event but in the 1980s it was breaking new ground and I remember the huge impression it made on me.
Do you remember the Live Aid concert?
Do you think that these huge charity concerts and telethons are invaluable or do they take money away from small local charities?
If you have a favourite song from one of these decades that says something to you, something more than just ‘moons and Junes’, then let me know, along with your blog link if you have one, and I’ll include it if I can.
I loved Don't go Breaking my Heart and Jeans On, which was in the charts at the same time. I remember being taken to a disco and dancing to both. It was the nearest I ever got to riding on a motorbike. He had a motorbike and in the song, "You and me will go motorbike riding...." My parents said motorbikes were much too dangerous and let me drive him in the car instead. ~Miriam
ReplyDeleteMy parents forbade motorbikes too. My sister was more daring than me and had a boyfriend with a motorbike. I've never, to this day, been on a motorbike, in fact they scare me.
DeleteI went to a free concert in Hyde Park in 1977 with my friend Sarah who lives in Australia now. Queen were the main billing and it was brilliant. I wasn't exactly dancing in the street but close to it and Kiki Dee appeared on stage to sing Don't Go Breaking My Heart. Happy Days!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds brilliant. I remember walking through Hyde Park in the 60s when there was some drug fuelled concert going on but we didn't hang around!
DeleteDon't go Breaking my Heart was a hit the year I was invited away on holiday with my best friends family. We stayed at Pontins in Southport, and that tune was played nightly, we danced our hearts out!
ReplyDeleteMade me smile when I saw reference to motorbikes above, I had a biker boyfriend, it was fun until we fell off!
Ouch! That's precisely why I'm scared of motorbikes!
DeleteHi, Thanks for your comment, I love the Elton John and George Michael song also the Band aid. Good memories with those songs.
ReplyDeleteLook forward to your "E" POST.
Yvonne.
Thanks Yvonne, good to catch up again :-)
DeleteMy favorite in today's list is Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me. :-)
ReplyDeleteI loved the original of this from Elton John.
DeleteDancing in the Street - swingin' swayin' and records playin' - Love that song. Now I'll be singing it for the rest of the day!
ReplyDeleteExcellent :-)
DeleteI love it when they still play "Do They Know It's Christmas" - definitely worthwhile charity event and perhaps the best that happened, I don't know. Do you remember "Layla" by Eric Clapton. Probably in the early 70s. A friend called her daughter Layla (there're probably loads of girls around 30 now - no 40!!!! called that)
ReplyDeleteI love Layla, yes, I'd forgotten that song :-)
DeleteMartha and the Vandellas. Now there was a group with soul and vibrancy. I love that song! It makes me want to dance too! Great choices again, Ros and the words from Do They Know it's Christmas are very touching. Makes you stop and think.
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat a bit of Motown for dancing.
DeleteI have definitely danced in the street. One of the most memorable was dancing with some friends on the sidewalks of New York City.
ReplyDeleteOoooh! Do tell more ;-)
DeleteDon't know either of these songs I'm afraid.
ReplyDeleteJO ON FOOD, MY TRAVELS AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE
Sorry about that. Hope you'll know tomorrow's.
DeleteThe Live Aid concert inspired me most because of the way the musicians came together for a common cause. This happened with the people of Britain during the war. What wonderful things humans can achieve when they work together.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what inspired me. It was such a new idea too.
DeleteElton John and George Michael — I haven't heard that song in years! You're bringing back some good memories with that one. Now I'll have the song in my head all day—and that's a good thing!
ReplyDeleteHappy Thursday!
Glad you're enjoying the songs, Dana.
DeleteDon't Go Breaking My Heart was No1 when my first daughter was born. At that time it was suggested that women distracted themselves from the pain by singing ... it didn't work, but I can't even think about it without inserting a few screams!
ReplyDeleteOh no! My baby delivery memory was I Was Born Under a Wandering Star. Still makes me feel I'll to think about it!
DeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteHugs and choclate,
Shelly
Thanks, Shelly
DeleteGreat songs, I am a fan of Sir Elton.
ReplyDeleteKatie atBankerchick Scratchings
Me too, as you can possibly tell!
DeleteAh, I love those songs! Maybe I could add the following:
ReplyDeleteDancing with Myself - Billy Idol
Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car - U2
Daft Punk is Playing in My House - LCD Soundsystem
Dance with my Father - Luther Vandross
There's so many good ones with D. Nostalgic!
From A to Z Challenge,
Sonnia J. Kemmer
Great additions. Thanks Sonnia
DeleteRos,
ReplyDeleteYou have been a great fan of music all your life. How lucky you are to be able to see so many of the artists perform live. My oldest daughter was such a fan of Marvin Gaye and she introduced me to his music. I think I've not only danced in the street but a lot of other places. Too bad if people think I'm crazy. Hahaha
Enjoy the D-day
I have seen many artists but I never saw Marvin Gaye. He was so brilliant.
DeleteI loved Don't go Breaking My Heart and knew all the words. The band aid song is so sad and still makes me cry.
ReplyDeleteI'm singing the words now as I type!
DeleteThe lines you chose from 'Do They Know It's Christmas' are good lines. And I hate to burst the bubble but there are some lines that are kind of stupid given the subject.
ReplyDelete"There'll be no snow in Africa this Christmas Time" - why because they usually have tonnes of the stuff?
"And tonight thank God it's them instead of you" - talk about pull up the ladder!
I do like Don't Go Breaking My Heart and I love Don't let the sun go down on me.
Yes,yes, so not all the words were smart but they raised a lot of money for a good cause.
DeleteI do remember Live Aid! I was totally riveted to the tv, that was such an amazing event at the time.
ReplyDeleteLove Dancing in the Street. :)
I remember watching it on TV too and being amazed at that link up.
DeleteI love that Christmas song! I hear it all the time on the radio station during the holidays.
ReplyDeleteIt's become a bit cheesy now but it was amazing at the time.
DeleteTwo more Elton John songs, Ros... gotta love him. I've got Don't Go Breaking My Heart stuck in my head now, and those weird dungarees!
ReplyDeleteI loved those dungarees.i wanted a pair so I'd look like Kiki!
DeleteI love Dancing in the Street and I do remember the concerts, Live Aid and others. But I think I stopped listening to new songs after the end of the 1970s. I really don't know much about popular music since then.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that the 60s and 70s are my special areas!
Deletethis is cheering - I think of myself as an un-musical person, but i dropped in here and found I know most of the songs you feature! (I only know Take That because my daughter was a huge fan!)
ReplyDeleteBrilliant. These bring songs back memories. They're often played on Smooth Radio, which keeps me dancing and singing!
ReplyDeleteDon't go breaking my heart is permanently stuck in my head for the rest of the day. I so love music, your post was a joy to read. Thanks
ReplyDeleteDancing In The Street is such a fun song that reminds me of warm summer nights. Don't Go Breaking My Heart is also a great song. I'm picturing you as Kiki Dee Rosalind!
ReplyDeleteJulie
Ack! How did I miss Day D??
ReplyDeleteYou've got dance moves, slow-dancing, and a holiday covered with this one! Could we ask for more?
Barbara
E is for Evidence Found in A to Z
The Daille-y News
"Do They Know It's Christmas" is a sentimental fave for me. Duran Duran were so cute in the "making of" vid. As was Paul Young. The one problem I have with the tune, though, is that all the little solo bits were sung by dudes - Bananarama were there, what were they, chopped liver?
ReplyDeleteSome Dark Romantic
H Ros .. I came over to England on the day in 1985 that the Live Aid concert was on at Wembly and in New York .. I think I sneaked as much tv watching and listening as I could without upsetting my family!! Not into those sorts of things!!
ReplyDeleteCheers Hilary