Guilty Pleasures from My Youth

The evidence is in. My "mixed from the radio" cassettes reveal the truth: my electronic lovin' phase started as soon as I got my hands on a boombox in 1992.  I was raised on Oldies, but couldn't resist the lure of early 90s dance music. I was obsessed with Haddaway's "What is Love?" (before Night at the Roxbury!!), Pet Shop Boy's "Go West," Real McCoy, "Rhythm is a Dancer," La Bouche, Ace of Base, Culture Beat, etc. At the time, I had no idea what those songs were actually called, or who they were by; written in sloppy kid-cursive on the tapes' white paper inserts are names for them that made sense to me at the time.

I LOVE Google images! My boombox looked almost exactly like this one.

Most of these songs aren't as embarrassing to listen to as I thought they might be. However, the videos are generally horrible; if you need a good laugh, a serious dose of weird, and a refresher on early 90s fashion, check out the video for "What is Love?" I refuse to provide a link to it, but I admit that I just watched it.

While I loved many dance-electro-rock songs, there are two in particular that I loved with the passion only a 13-year-old girl can muster.

"The Promise" by When in Rome

I'm not sure why I heard this on the radio so much when I was a kid because it came out in the late 80s. In any case, it had a featured position on one of my radio cassettes, and I'm sure the tape runs thin in that spot.

This song has a great melody, a killer chorus, a lovely, plunkety piano. The electronic bass line threatens to date the song, but the energy of the vocal keeps it fresh. The lyrics are romantic, and as an adult I find them realistically sweet:

If you need a friend,
don't look to a stranger,
You know in the end,
I'll always be there.

I still think "The Promise" is awesome.

"Always" by Erasure

This one came out in 1994, and remains my favorite Erasure song. 

I find the idea of not being understood terrifying, and there is a longing for connection and understanding in "Always" that really resonated with teenage Colleen. Through no fault of their own, adolescents wear a lot of masks; I wanted so badly to be who I felt I was, but was aware of the incredible pressure to conform. Andy's croon was irresistible...he knew what it was like.

Wear no disguise for me

Come into the open

There's also an underlying sexual tension, and a bit of desperation, that I find appealing. 

Vince Clark backs up Andy by filling "Always" with lush synths, touches of string sounds (I first saw the video yesterday, and the Eastern influence on the music is overt), and warm beats. Irresistible.