From Tuesday 1 April 2025

Back to School Beats

Pick a song from your high school, college, or varsity days — one that brings back all the feels. Whether it made you dance, cry, or scream the lyrics, drop the track and tell us the story behind it!

Karen

Soft Cell – Tainted Love

This was a song I danced to with abandon at regular parties from 1985.

In hindsight both my teenage relationships were all about tainted love.

My first boyfriend whom I started to date from Standard 6 to Standard 8 was a serial cheater. And
I met my (ex) husband in Nov 1985, married him in 1991, divorced him in 2001 because the relationship was full of verbal abuse.

Sometimes darkness can be hidden under a facade of pretense and masks.

What is the meaning behind the song Tainted Love?
It was first sung by Gloria Jones. The lyrics are about leaving a relationship due to being abused. The song was first released in May 1965. In 1981, Soft Cell covered the song.

Sue

Kina Grannis – Can’t Help Falling In Love

Elvis Presley, our favourite party singer, recorded this song in1961.( I was in Grade 10) Our parents took turns hosting a party in the school holidays ( very supervise)as there were no discos or the like at that time. This was always the “slow dance” at the end of the party.
Many covers have been done but I found this one and love the simplicity of her voice and guitar playing. Enjoy!!
“I can’t help falling in love” by Kina Glannis

Deborah

Elton John, Kiki Dee – Don’t Go Breaking My Heart

Geraldine

Let’s Twist Again – Chubby Checker

I grew up in Cape Town in a family that loved music and dancing.
At family gatherings the cousins made music (very talented family) and sang while the rest of us danced. Very happy times.

At the age of 15 a friend invited me to a twist session at her church, the Methodist Church.

O my word. What a night. All under supervision of the elders. We danced and twisted. This became a regular outing once a month. At the 16 years we were allowed to go to the La Ponta Rose.

It was a Portages bakery on the ground floor and on the first floor they offered dancing for the young ones on Saturday nights.

Let me not forget the wonderful twist sessions at The Bakke beach in Mossel Bay during the holiday season. Dancing, wearing bikinis with sea sand between our toes. And the boys were handsome.

My song is a wonderful reminder of how free, safe and happy my teenage years were filled filled with dancing!!

So let’s twist again!!!

Arno

Roxette – Listen To Your Heart

Zosia

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap – Young Girl

I went out with a boy who was six years older than me when I was 15 for a year and a half till 17. The song that was popular then which was appropriate at the time was “Young girl” by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. Please enjoy it as it reminds me off 1969/70

Paul L

Chicago – 25 Or 6 To 4

This takes me back to 1976 when I was dating Liz and trying to get her to fall in love with me.
The distinctive sound of Chicago, with their fusion of rock and big band brass. One of the great guitar solos of that era.

Chrisna

Alicia Bridges – I Love The Nightlife

I spent the latter part of the seventies in high school and have fond memories of all the garage parties I attended with my friends. Those were the good old days.

Wilfred

The Waterboys – The Whole of the Moon

Growing up in St Francis Bay brought so many amazing things to my childhood, when I look back I can only thank my parents for that incredible gift.

One thing it did not bring was exposure to music. We had the radio and some of my dad’s Springbok hits records. The range was small.

December holidays was another story though. That was when the whole of Transvaal ascended on our little town, turning it into a party zone from the morning to the night. One of these magical things that sprung up for the holiday was the beach disco every night. Mind blown.

My song choice is one of the tunes I heard there for the first time. It made me realise there was so much more out there in the world.

Granted, the bar was low.

Paul

Stanley Holloway Get Me to the Church on Time MY FAIR LADY 1964

So in school I was involved in a play. I think my part lasted about 1.68 seconds (go to 2min51seconds for my part – a kick and a whistle). ????

But I was super proud of myself. So was my Mom cause she knew I could whistle like a bugger.
That incident changed my life! I’ve never been in a play since … ????

Liezel

Chaka Demus & Pliers – Tease Me

I might not share chocolate, but as a broke college student I would share my before class cup of coffee with a cute guy every morning and he’d share his lunch time cup of coffee with me.
We were never an item, but whenever this song played at places we “hung out”, he’d wink at me and say this was “our song”.

Errol

Barry Ryan – Eloise

1968.

I’m in standard 8, and we live on Blyvooruitsig Gold Mine, near Carletonville. It’s here where the TV series The Villagers is produced some years later, showing exactly the spaces and places I grew up in.

I’m having a fabulous childhood. I golf every day, I cycle every day, I play every day. Only school gets in the way. I have the best parents on earth.

Music is already a really important part of my life – there are no days I’m not listening to or playing music (yes, we have a Lowry electronic organ at home that I’m learning to play, and even get to play in church from time to time, when the organist, Oom Martin Blom, is not available).

The song I remember most fondly from that year is different to all the fabulous foot tapping and dancing songs on the Springbok Radio Top 20. It’s longer, features strong orchestration, melodramatic vocals, and a brief slow interlude. I love it.

Barry Ryan – Eloise!

Richard

The Diamonds “Little Darlin'”

I first heard this song as I entered teenagehood. It had been a favourite of mine ever since. It was fresh, it was different, it had rhythm, melody, harmony and vocal variety – even some light hearted humour.
Here it is performed by the Diamonds, a Canadian “doo-wah” group.
It also featured in the movie “American Graffiti”