A Look Back: February 24, 1984

This day in history is famous, at least in my household (or just my own head), for being the day of my birth! Yes, one rather chilly February afternoon some 28 years ago marked the beginning of my existence. In celebration, I thought why not discover what a pop culture blog – whether book, movie, or music – would have looked like on that fateful day in 1984.

As my mom drove herself through rush hour traffic to Piedmont Hospital in midtown Atlanta, she probably encountered several popular radio hits, but no trio more likely than Van Halen’s Jump, Karma Chameleon by Culture Club, and Uptown Girl by Billy Joel. These three songs were all top hits in and around my birth week. And yes, I can sing along to each one.

While speeding up the connector, she probably saw billboard advertisements for Footloose starring Kevin Bacon. 80s movie magic at its most musical and so iconic it spawned a remake just recently. I must admit to owning the original film, but having no desire to see the newest incarnation.

Now, while going through the lighter moments of labor – you know, before medicinal pain killers were necessary to get her through my devastatingly painful birth – my mom probably spent a few moments of leisure reading the top selling book at the time – Pet Cemetery by Stephen King. King’s prolific horror stories are really such an appropriate read as you prepare to part with the parasitic being that’s been growing inside you for 9+ months. My mother and the rest of America sure knew how to pick ’em! Pretty awesome that 28 years later King has published another bestseller and hasn’t lost his writing mojo in the slightest.

So, a blog entry on February 24, 1984 would probably have housed reviews for the above popular venues of entertainment. Of course, the common people didn’t have computers and internets – and blogs were still a thing of the future. I’m tempted to buy a copy of Pet Cemetery tomorrow in honor of a day long since past or watch Footloose for the millionth time. Does anyone remember this time fondly? Was Kevin Bacon really all the rage? Were horror novels at the top of their game? Was hearing Van Halen and Billy Joel back-to-back normal?

6 thoughts on “A Look Back: February 24, 1984”

I was 13 at the time and remember these things fondly! Van Halen with David Lee Roth — awesome. And I have to admit, Footloose is still a favorite. I read all of Stephen king’s early books, and they are better — The Stand, the Dead Zone, It, Salems Lot… I’m not sure i should have read all those as a kid but i did anyway. Have a very happy birthday!