"You spin me right round, baby Right round like a record, baby Right round round round"

While driving home one afternoon we were listening to absolute 80s on the radio, it's the station that is always tuned in for when the iPod isn't in the car. An absolutely shockingly awful song came one and I cant for the life of me remember what it was now but what did stick out was the DJ announcing that the song was released in 1984. Me and Opeie were chatting while the radio was on and I explained that the song was released when I was his age, This had Opeie asking what songs I liked when I was his age. I couldn't answer because honestly I have no recollection of being in to music at all back then.

Our conversation that day started a little game one night with us and Mrs M, to go through all of the big hits of 1984 and pick our 5 favourite tracks each. I was quite shocked to find that some amazing songs had come out that year and it ended up being quite difficult to narrow it down to just 5. Here is what we came up with though.

Opeie:

Last Christmas - Wham!

Radio Gaga - Queen

You spin me right round - Dead or alive

Against all Odds - Phil Collins

and...

Mrs M:

Karma Chameleon - Culture Club

Purple Rain - Prince and the New Power Generation

I Just Called To Say I Love You -  Stevie Wonder

Last Christmas - Wham! (clearly a popular song choice)

and...

For Me:

 Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now - The Smiths

Against All Odds - Phil Collins

Hot For teacher - Van Halen

Purple Rain - Prince and the New Power Generation

and...

It was interesting to see that we each picked one song from the other two lists. Music is such a huge thing in our house, we sing and dance a lot and Opeie is building quite an extensive and eclectic collection on his iPod. We briefly started working on the year Mrs M was 4 too. It'll be fun to see what 1990 has to offer, Stay tuned (see what I did there!).

"well there's just an empty space..."

If your child is really in to music then there is a good chance that like us you get to hear them walking about singing snippets from different songs, sometimes slightly off key, sometimes with their own lyrics remixed in to the tune but always adorable and very entertaining. Opeie has been singing the same few lines for two days now and although the lyrics didn't instantly make me think of a song there was something about the structure of the two lines that had me racking my brain everytime he happily walked by singing. I asked him what he was singing and he said he wasn't sure what it was but I had played it to him, it was a man playing a piano and he really liked it.

The words "there's just an empty space on my side" and "look at me" had been ringing around in my head for days and as I typed them out just then I realise it should have been as clear as day what he was singing. Opeie even pointed out that it was one of the songs that I had chosen during a game we were playing last week where we were picking our favourite songs from 1984 (when I was Opeie's age) and I still failed to make the connection.

Right before bed I asked him to sing the lyrics to Mrs M to see if she could shed any light on the lyrical puzzle. Using her best friend Google she found the song in seconds. It is such an amazing song that I should have got it straight away. I am loving Opeie's new found love of music and his music taste is impeccable.