Another Sign I'm Getting Older

Picture this. It’s the mid-80s. A golden-skinned 13-year-old is lacing up her pure white skates with the matching emerald green pom poms and wheels. It’s her Saturday ritual – hanging out with her friends at the local roller skating rink. Clad in snug Jordache jeans, thin silver belt and red and white striped T-shirt, she takes tentative steps onto the skating rink floor as Hall & Oates bellow ‘Your Kiss is on My List.” Classic 80s childhood memory.

If you hadn’t guessed, that skating teen diva was me. I lived for the skating rink and H&O were one of my favorite groups. Based largely on Daryl Hall’s blue-eyed soul and their progressive music videos. So imagine my delight when I flicked on VH1 Classic and saw them in concert shelling their 2004 album Our Kind of Soul. D was in great voice though a bit bloated and J shed his monster 80s mustache. I bee bopped around my house doing laundry then it sank in. I’m getting older (and I’m okay with that). Notice I didn’t say old. I was filled with nostalgia and amazing memories of my days at the rink. Yummy pizza and suicide pop (a sugary mix of every soda in the fountain and yes, up north soda is called pop).

Indulge me today as I look back to the days when I was young, wild and free. I fit in a size 7 jeans and loved my MTV (some things never change). Here are the Diva’s picks for killer roller skating anthems:

Open Arms-Journey

This was also a favorite at school dances and house parties. Sentimental and sappy. It was the perfect couples skate. Separate Ways was a close second.

Nasty Girl-Vanity 6

In light of Imus’ recent comment, it never occurred to me to be offended by the song. That was the staple all-girl skate that made teenage boys quite happy. I think I paid more attention to the gritty funkiness of the song rather than the lyrical content.

Anything by Hall & Oates

Private Eyes and Maneater were my favorites but they had the perfect medium tempo music for skating. Plus the music was decidedly 80 with heavy sythnsized drums and keyboards.

Anything by Huey Lewis and the News

Are you kidding? This and was a staple at the rink. I Need A New Drug, Power of Love, Hip to Be Square and Stuck With You are all fantastic tunes.

Ahh, I can feel the sweet wind blowing through my sideways ponytail.

Were you a roller skating devotee? What are your favorite songs?