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My Gen X Playlist: Dancing with Myself – Billy Idol

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My buddy and I drove to Vegas last month. It was a four and a half hour drive and we had a lot of time to catch up. His kids are college age and I asked him how they were managing through social media. He made an interesting comment. Since everybody has a camera at their fingertips, you’re always at risk of being recorded and uploaded on the internet. He made an interesting comment about dancing.

When we were their age, our group of friends used to go to the bars and clubs and have a great time. I was never the best dancer, but if you gave me enough drinks, I could easily find the beat. My buddy said these days he might think twice about jumping on the dance floor because he wouldn’t want to be plastered on social media as being a lousy dancer.

To be honest, he’s one of those happy go lucky guys that’s a great dancer. At least that’s what I remembered back then. I don’t think he’d have anything to worry about. But, point taken. Everybody has a camera at their fingertips. Honestly, that’s too much to worry about when you should just go out and have a great time. Another reason to be thankful I grew up Gen X.

I was wondering when I was going to add a Billy Idol song to the playlist. I remember Dancing With Myself was his first big hit.

Billy got the idea after watching Japanese kids at a Tokyo disco “dancing with themselves” in a nightclub. The kids would dance in a pogo style up and down, and there were mirrors in the club so they could watch themselves doing it.

Idol originally released “Dancing With Myself” as a single in 1980 with his band Generation X. The band broke up early in 1981, so Idol used the song to launch his solo career.

When he left Generation X, he came to the States and tried to get his solo career off the ground. With no idea what to do and a bit of depression creeping in, he went to the New York nightclub Hurrah to drown his sorrows. As Idol tells it, he was in the bar area when suddenly a crowd migrated to the dance floor. The song that got them up and dancing was “Dancing With Myself,” which he had recorded with Generation X.

Songfacts

This made me feel pretty nostalgic. At a bar with friends and a favorite song comes on and we all hit the dance floor, all smiles, without a care in the world. And this is coming from a guy who is a non-dancer, mind you. It was fun hearing this song again. Thanks, Billy.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

On the floors of Tokyo-o
Or down in London town to go, go
A-with the record selection and the mirror's reflection
I'm a-dancing with myself
Oh, when there's no one else in sight
A-in the crowded lonely night
Well, I wait so long for my love vibration
And I'm dancing with myself

Oh, oh, dancing with myself
Oh, oh, dancing with myself
When there's nothing to lose, and there's nothing to prove
And I'm dancing with myself, oh, oh, uh-oh

If I looked all over the world
And there's every type of girl
But your empty eyes
Seem to pass me by
Leave me dancing with myself
So let's sink another drink
'Cause it'll give me time to think
If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance
And I'll be dancing with myself

Oh, oh, dancing with myself
Oh, oh, dancing with myself
When there's nothing to lose, and there's nothing to prove
And I'm dancing with myself, oh, oh, uh-oh

Oh, oh, uh-oh, oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, uh-uh, oh, ow!

Well, if I looked all over the world
And there's every type of girl
But your empty eyes
Seem to pass me by
Leave me dancing with myself
So let's sink another drink
'Cause it'll give me time to think
If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance
And I'll be dancing with myself

Oh, oh, dancing with myself
Oh, oh, dancing with myself
If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance
If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance
If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance
Ooh, aw!!
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, dancing with myself
Oh, oh, dancing with myself
Oh, oh, dancing with myself
Oh, oh, dancing with myself
Oh, oh

Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh

Well, if I looked all over the world
And there's every type of girl
But your empty eyes
Seem to pass me by
Leave me dancing with myself
So let's sink another drink
'Cause it'll give me time to think
If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance
And I'll be dancing with myself

Oh, oh, dancing with myself
Oh, oh, dancing with myself
If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance
If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance
If I had the chance, I'd ask the world to dance, ow!

Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
Oh, oh, uh-oh
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Aw, my leather's all wet

(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) And I'll sweat
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) And I'll sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Sweat sweat ow!
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh)
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh)
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh)
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) With myself
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh)
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh)
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh)
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh)
(Dancing with myself, oh, oh) Whoa, yeah

22 thoughts on “My Gen X Playlist: Dancing with Myself – Billy Idol”

  2. Sounds like an epic way to spend a weekend! Just hope you didn’t end up like the guys in The Hangover. 😂

    Great point about the cellphone cameras. Thinking back to some of the stupid stuff I did, I’m wincing at the thought of it going viral. The opportunity for ridicule these days is 1000x worse than back in the day! 😰

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  5. Gosh, my kid and his friends would think twice before taking photos of people dancing, and they never post to social media without asking everyone in the pic. I thought that’s where your conversation with your friend was going to go: that that generation puts their phones down at parties. Just as they seem to be learning from our mistakes with AI, I think they’re more present with each other. He’s a little older than undergrad, but his cousin is a sophomore and thinks the same. I hope they’re not in the minority, because there’s nothing more fun than dancing with a buzz on, even with yourself!

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    1. That’s so refreshing to hear. I’m not anywhere close to being an expert of social media. I’m only on a few platforms and I really don’t post a thing. Sounds like you raised a really good kid! I hope most are like him.

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      1. I meet with three kids his age once a week (my nephews), and I’m happy to report they are mostly anti-AI (my kid uses it for work but not for pleasure) and anti streaming music and video; they want to own media instead of streaming, which is a throwback to an era they don’t even remember. They try actively to stay off their phones and plugged into the real world, which is a major try for anyone, much less kids in their 20s. I’m proud of them all.

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      2. Impressive…

        I was at a used record store awhile ago. Mostly people my age, but I did see a few twenty somethings sprinkled in the crowd. I hope analog music makes a comeback.

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