Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance” b/w “Living in China” 1983. Today is my kid’s 13th birthday and like every typical teenager, he basically eschews all things his parents enjoy, like great music. However, “Safety Dance” is one of the exceptions so in honor of him, Men Without Hats gets today’s spin. This 7″ single version is far shorter than the album/12″ single version I’m familiar with, that version’s intro all echoey and a helpful spelling lesson (Sssss-Aaaaa-Fffff-Eeee-Tttttt-Yyyyy). It reached #3 in the US in September of ‘83 (in Men Without Hats’ native Canada it reached #11 in May). I thought the lyrics were describing a fanciful day in medieval Europe, lords and lasses cavorting around the Maypole (this interpretation highly influenced by The Safety Dance video). However, I now know that it’s a protest song against club bouncers stopping dancers from pogoing to New Wave music. Secondary to that it’s a protest against nuclear energy.

This past August we took Vault Boy to the Wisconsin State Fair to see the Retero Futura tour, which included performances by Howard Jones, English Beat, Modern English and Men Without Hats. He was pretty miserable for most of the concert, hunched over his phone, scowling, etc. until Men Without Hats launched into “Safety Dance.” The kid actually got up and kinda danced, such is the power of the Safety Dance.