Tuesday, July 28, 2009

I am Lauren, Space Jam enthusiast

I recently read a NY Times article entitled "Generation Y- They're 20-Something and Already Nostalgic." It's SO true, yet I never realized that our generation, in this, was any different than others.....

"Let the boomers have their 40th anniversary of Woodstock. Let Generation X commemorate the 15 years since Kurt Cobain shot himself. For Generation Y — those born roughly between 1980 and 2003 — it’s the pop culture of the late ’90s and early 2000s that makes them wistful.... Even though nostalgia hits every generation, it seems awfully early for 28-year-olds to be looking back. One possible explanation, say authors who focus on generational identity, is the impact of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The political and economic climate of the late ’90s had been as soothing as a Backstreet Boys ballad: no wars, unemployment as low as 4 percent, a $120 billion federal surplus. "

Maybe so... or perhaps it's just that the pop culture of our childhood years was just so darn cool! We can't help but long for the mere memories of such sheer goodness! Blame it on politics, if you must, but I still can't get enough of that loony film Space Jam. The theme song, sung by the Quad City DJs, was practically the anthem of my 2nd grade year (before MmmBop took it's place in 3rd)! You know the song I'm talking about.... "Everybody get up, it's time to slam now.... we got a real jam goin down..." I could keep going, for of course I know every single word... but then again, so do you.

How anyone can hear that song and sit still is frighteningly puzzling to me. It is the ultimate dance tune... just singing it in my head gets my heart pumping! So, this summer, when I caught my cousins (10, 13, and 15) sitting in front of the TV, just SITTING on the couch, while the opening theme song blared through the speakers, "Work that body, work that body, make sure you don't hurt nobody!", you must imagine what pain I felt. How could they hear this and not jump on the furniture in a dance frenzy?!? I sure couldn't!! While the kids sat, motionless, in front of the screen, my mom (a loyal Space Jam fan as well) and I gave ourselves quite a workout shaking our tails to the song!

The best thing, by far, about Space Jam is the music. I have absolutely no idea what's so cool about Michael Jordan talking to basketball playing looney tunes and alien monsters... not much if you ask me... but when paired with such an incredible soundtrack... it's really something special.

For some reason I couldn't find a working version of the theme song music video... or the song... LAME

And in case you aren't up with children's pop-culture of the mid-90's...

2 comments:

Kristen Gehrman said...

When I was eight I got a boombox for Christmas. I also unwrapped two cd's to put in it : Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On" and the Space Jam Soundtrack.

I probably told you this already.

But there is nothing quite like jumping on the trampoline to Basketball Jones, I Believe I Can Fly, and of course, Space Jam.

Sarah Kraus said...

i'm going to have that theme song stuck in my head for days now! but sooo worth it, great great nostalgia