1985 (3:13)

According to the 1985 Songfacts, SR-71 singer Mitch Allan wrote this song as a potential lead-off single for his band’s third album. Having been dropped by RCA records when the label merged with Sony Music in 2004, Allan was shopping the record around hoping to get SR-71 signed to a new label, with little success. Bowling For Soup’s Jaret Reddick heard the album and loved the song. The bands are friends, and Allan was happy to let Bowling For Soup record it and thrilled when it became a hit. The song is based of countinual refrences to artists and movies from the era around 1985. These include Bruce Springsteen, Madonna, U2, Blondie, White Snake, Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo’s Fire, Wham, Duran Duran, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Ozzy Osborne. The song also bemoans facts of modern day music and pop culture like reality TV. The song tells the story Debbie, now a mom with kids in high school who longs for the days of her youth. The music video is reflectice of this tale. It has the bad playing ion costume in a garage across the street from Debbie doing house chores. The song was a huge commercial suscess and launch Bowling for Soup into a full spotlight.