And heaven waits here at the door

Seven months and seven days in, I've got to start commemorating the Best Year Ever, which was, staggeringly, thirty years ago.

Coming in at number 7 this week, July 7, 1984:

Random Play: There was voodoo in the vibes

This is a fine example of what I like to call wide-lapel sleeze rock: you know, where a quick and sleazy encounter is described in great, brandied detail as a satin-sheeted, smoky assignation accompanied by a guitar riff that'll unzip pants, or by shoulder-baring saxophones, or some silken synths. This unfettered, sexy epoch was short, only 1977-79, but that's, what,

What kind of night? It's when you're asked to loosen up that pretty French gown since we can turn the lights down low and be swayin' to the music  til the night closes in (shout out to Richmond, KY!), because you'd rather be a fool with a broken heart than a liar.

Slow Hand, of course, just cuts to the chase. And when it's over, this guy pushes the hair out of his eyes and goes crazy when he sees you. Just make sure that he doesn't still see your face if he's married someone else.

But it's this guy who'll get you in the end. He's been waiting in the hall.

Where was I? Oh, yeah. Back when you walked into the room:

Your Guilty Pleasure: I'll give you all that you need

I've always been a fan of this one (love the dresses, ladies), and research shows that I'd better get around to seeing Love, Actually since it's continually recommended to me (and because I'm not going to take time now or ever to find out what "Girls Aloud" is). And I need it for some research for that show of mine that I've had in mind for so long and that just may be--finally--coming together.

Otherwise, I've always adored this song and had every leap in the video memorized since my eyeballs were glued to MTV daily during the summer of 1984 (particularly during nap times when babysitting) to sate my by-then-full-blown Duran Duran obsession. I'd probably--and with much ecstasy--discovered and purchased this book in the Fayette Mall Waldenbooks by the time "Jump (For My Love" hit the top of everything in July.

So a random tune-in to Internet radio this morning produced this, just randomly as if I had planted myself in front of Kathleen and Steve's Zenith to scan for Duran.

However, today, I don't need to see what I thought I was seeking after all--it's right here, in front of me.