it came from the 80s

[Brian Dillard <dillardb@pilot.msu.edu>]

So I sez to my thirtysomething coworker, who always wrinkles her nose at
techno and current alt-rock and positively glows when I play anything
from her heydey, such as old Sugarcubes and Pet Shop Boys records, I
sez, "GG, I brought in a CD especially for you today. I'm going to play
it, and I want you to guess who it is. Now, yesterday when you heard my
Ani Difranco CD you thought it was Alanis Morissette, but I didn't kill
you. But get this one wrong and I just may."

"OK," she sez. "What year?"

"1985," I sez. "This artist's only big American hit - it made the Top
40. I know you'll know it."

"OK," she sez. And listens. And wrinkles her nose (she does that a lot).

"It doesn't hurt me," begins the celestial-voiced singer. "Do you wanna
feel how it feels/Do you wanna know/know that it doesn't hurt me/Do you
wanna hear about the deal we're making?"

"I think..." my coworker sez. "I think I know."

"This person didn't get this much radio play again until 1993, when she
scored a minor modern rock hit with 'Rubberband Girl."

"Hmmmm," she sez. "Maybe I'm wrong. I don't think she's had any hits for
a while."

"Who did you think?"

"Well, 1985, you know. I was thinking ... well, Stacey Q."

"WHAT?!?! 'Two of Hearts'? 'We Connect'? Madonna clone? 'Facts of Life'
guest star?"

"Well, that was 1985, wasn't it? No? OK, I give up."

I show her the CD cover.

"Oh," she sez. "Kate Bush. I was close. Don't you have any Camper Von
Beethoven?"

I turn back to my computer, start typing, and make a mental note to
torture her tomorrow with the new Aphex Twin E.P.

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Brian J. Dillard     dillardb@pilot.msu.edu   773.348.9319
+++ "State of emergency ... that's where I want to be."  --Bjork +++
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