Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance”

sfilzen — Fri, 02 Mar 2018 20:27:10 +0000

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.

The post Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance”

sfilzen — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 20:37:48 +0000

Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance” b/w “Living in China” released Jan. 14th, 1983. 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). I’ve also had that iteration of “Safety Dance” on an 80′s mix I use for running and the mix is so engrained in my head that at the end of listening to this 45 I was shocked that Musical Youth’s “Pass the Dutchie” wasn’t on next.

I’ve always loved this exceptionally upbeat and catchy song, one of many that got me super-into 80′s New Wave. 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, after some quick reading I’ve discovered 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. Huh.

The post Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance” appeared first on Vinyl From The Vault.

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Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance”

Men Without Hats “The Safety Dance”