if you went on a family holiday to benidorm, torremolinos, majorca or anywhere on the costa brava between the late 70s and mid 80s then this post is for you.
disco produced some enduring classics, yet most of the tunes that endured once the initial fad died down were the novelty tunes. these formed a staple musical diet for spanish hotels, wedding receptions and church hall discos until about 1990.
we used to go to the same hotel in majorca every year until i was about 8. it was the hotel flamingo in c’an pastilla, an area now overrun with germans. it was at this very hotel that i was introduced to the german-towel conundrum. my dad used to just chuck them in the pool. i loved sitting by the pool with my feet dangling whilst drinking chocolate milkshake with lots of ice.
i loved the hotel. it had shiny marble floors and the decor was brown and orange, well into the 80s. i used to gaze at the spanish kids tv – they looked like the muppets, but i couldn’t understand a word they were saying. i used to play donkey kong in the bar until we went out at night, where i would sit drawing until my parents were pissed.
when we would get back to the hotel, the disco would usually have started. and this was the inevitable playlist. i would jump around in my rara skirt, and wish i was allowed to wear makeup.
baccara – yes sir i can boogie
bee gees – night fever
cliff richard – we don’t talk anymore
earth wind and fire – let’s groove
gonzales – i haven’t stopped dancing yet
ian dury and the blockheads – hit me with your rhythm stick
liquid gold – dance yourself dizzy
kelly marie – feels like i’m in love
ottawan – hands up
rod stewart – do ya think i’m sexy
taste of honey – boogie oogie oogie
tina charles – i love to love
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On my last holiday to Spain there were still some palces with teh same decor and I swore I could still hear the classic Boogie Oogie Oogie by Taste Of Honey reverberating through the foyer 😀
It’s as if some places are stuck in a timewarp. Thank god the golf courses had changed, or at least the fashion of the golfers 😀
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