We can dance if we want to
We can leave your friends behind
Cause your friends don't dance
And if they don't dance
Well they're no friends of mine
This epic song was first released in Canada in 1983 by the band Men Without Hats. The first time I saw the music video, I was literally on the floor crying because I was laughing so hard! It was filmed in the village of West Kington in southwest England and is notable for its English folk revival. My best friend introduced it to me, and it has been one of my all time favorite songs ever since. I heard it was considered the theme song for Bitney College Prep a while back. Anyway, Safety Dance was actually a protest against bouncers kicking out the dancers who were "pogoing", a type of dance that involved holding the torso rigid and thrashing about while jumping up and down. Some of the lyrics like "And you can act real rude and totally removed and I can act like an imbecile" refer to what pogoing looked like to the bouncers. Safety Dance hit #11 in the Canadian top 50 on May 14th, 1983. I personally think it should have been number one. If you are ever feeling down, just turn this song on and I'll bet you you'll feel better right away!