S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night!

~ humoringthegoddess

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night!
S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night!

Gonna keep on dancing
To the rock and roll
On Saturday night, Saturday night
Dancin’ to the rhythm
In our heart and soul
On Saturday night, Saturday night

Bay City Rollers, 1973

 

Today’s thoughts in the clouds are more of a shake, rattle, and roll of the brain in general and memory in particular.

I was wondering — how important was Saturday night to you? Moreover, how important was Saturday night to you when you were 16, 17 years old?

I heard this song on an oldies station the other night. I happened to be driving home, the sunset orangy and red and beautiful, the weather on the tip of being warm. And I thought about  how special Saturday Night was once upon a time. Especially to young dreamy girls. (Maybe guys too — I never asked!)

The generation 10 years before me sighed and danced to All I Have to Do is Dream by The Everly Brothers and hoped and prayed someone would ask them out on a date to a soda shop or drive-in or record shop. Having a date on Saturday night was very important to one’s ego and status back in 1958. 

Back then, the ultimate proof of a successful Saturday night was “going steady.” Tokens of that depth of commitment were getting pinned, wearing your boyfriend’s letterman sweater, or exchanging school rings. 

My generation of 1968 was not much different. Being pinned or exchanging high school rings was still important. I remember going steady during part of my high school life, and always needing to do something on Saturday nights. I was dreamy eyed listening to  Love is Blue by Paul Mauriat and spent hours either talking on my pink princess phone to girlfriends or reading Modern Bride or Seventeen magazines.  

This song got me to thinking. The Bay City Rollers were sooooo excited to go out on S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night. Even in 1973 that was the  highlight of the week! The ultimate goal! The pièce de résistance!  

Time moves forward. Things change. Times change. Girls and women change. And I wondered what dating life was like for girls 16-17 years old back in 1988. Or 1998. Or even 2008.

I dunno — even though my late high school days were an emotional mess, I miss having a special date night of the week to plan for and to look forward to. Not that I still don’t go out on Saturday nights — maybe I just miss the innocent anticipation.

Was Saturday night a big deal to you? Is it a big deal these days?

I would love to hear your stories. Your experiences. Your thoughts.

♪♪ Blue, blue, my world is blue …. Blue is my world now I’m without you ♪♪♪

 

Published by humoringthegoddess

I am a writer of fantasy fiction that often surrounds middle-aged women. I am a married mother of two and granny to three, a BoHo Chic kinda gal. I am recently retired and busier than when I worked 9-5. But writing and blogging is my main game.

20 thoughts on “S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night!”

  1. Well, the other legend was Resurrection Mary by Resurrection Cemetery in Willowbrook, but that was sort of a drive. At 16/17 besides downtown Chicago…and Old Town. A small hang-out in Elmhurst called The Abbey. Went to York High School. Do you remember the early days of O’Hare runway watching, that there was a very small vendor who sold hot dogs and cotton candy to the plane watchers? Or the drive-in on Rt.53? Kiddy Park on North Avenue in Melrose Park? Adventureland? Santa’s Village?

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  4. In 1971 it was known as the Peabody Estate at Mays Lake. There was a large monastery run by the Franciscan Friars and the body of the monk was preserved in a tank of formaldehyde behind a curtain in the chapel. His spirit was supposed to chase off visitors on the grounds at night. So, of course in high school, we would visit in the dark watching for the monk. The monastery was sold to the DuPage Forest Preserve District. It is still there in Oak Brook, Illinois..

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  9. I also remember going out to O’Hare. Did you also go out to May’s Lake and look for the spirit of the monk in tennis shoes?

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  10. I remember a big deal when I was 16-17 and my date and (and others) would go out to O’Hare Airport and watch the planes take off right at the end of the runways. Now the police would arrest you for that!

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  12. I grew up in Lake Geneva which meant cruising back and forth through town, looking for girls and complaining about flatlanders, Gas was around 29 cents/gallon and you could get a pretty good meal at Dog and Suds for a dollar
    Yes those were the days.

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  14. Saturday night was a big deal when I was younger. Now, I admit we try to go out to dinner or see friends, but I’m not obsessed about it

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  17. I enjoyed your nostalgic post. Saturday night meant cruising in one of three locations, parties, clubs, and dancing (of course). It also meant working – I worked at a video store and we were open late. I did not date too much in high school – I was more social with friends. Staying home was not option! 😱 I still enjoy Saturday nights – now I just listen to music and dance around my house. 😂

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  20. Saturday night was always a big deal when I was a teenager. You felt like a total loser if you didn’t go out on Saturday night. Even my daughter, who was a teenager in the late 80s, and early 90s, fell to pieces if she didn’t have anything to do on a Saturday night.

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