The Blow Monkeys

The Dirty Dancing Soundtrack is truly a gem. While at the gym, I gave a new reading to the song "You Don't Own Me" which had always been sung by women before it was covered and sung by Dr. Robert of The Blow Monkeys for the *fabulous* Dirty Dancing soundtrack.



For the Dirty Dancing its pretty refreshing to hear a man wail the lyrics "You don't own me/Don't say I can't go with other boys" and "You don't own me. Don't try to change me in any way...You don't own me...Don't tie me down 'Cuz I'll never stay" AND "Just let me be myself, thats all I ask of you"...amazing!

Upon hearing this, I decided to look into The Blow Monkeys, sure that they had other subversive tunes up their sleeves. I quickly found the song "Digging Your Scene" which came out in 1986 and topped the charts. Underneath the pop success were sad and honest lyrics about losing a friend to HIV, and acknowledging that it could be his fate as well. In the chorus Dr. Robert asks, "Oh tell me why is it I'm digging your scene, baby? I know I'll die, baby". I found an article about the song where the author wrote "It’s nice to know that even now, when gays are still denied basic rights that others take for granted and religious organizations actively lobby Congress to keep anti-gay discrimination legal, there was a time in the middle of the bright and shiny ‘80s when a pop band wasn’t afraid to challenge the hateful rhetoric of the day with a song that still remains genuine ear candy."