Cover Me In Sunshine with Permission to Dance just Follow Your Arrow during Back to School: 80s VS Now

Monday has arrived and Monday means music! For the month of August, our Spotlight Dancer is our very own friend and co-conductor, Alana from Ramblin’ with AM! The theme selected for this week is “Back to School (for a lot of the country) songs about school/college or the end of summer”. Today is literally the first day back to school for LIttle Dude, so perfect timing! Let’s get this school party started!

Let’s start with one of my favorite summer tunes by a favorite artist and her daughter – as we wind down the hot summer months, this is perfect segue into my favorite season of fall. 

Here comes the sunshine, here’s P!nk and Willow Sage Hart with “Cover Me In Sunshine”:

Next up is a group I’ve only recently started listening to, a seven-member South Korean boy band that was formed in 2010 and debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment.

The septet co-writes and co-produces much of their own output. Originally a hip hop group, their musical style has evolved to include a wide range of genres. Their lyrics, often focused on personal and social commentary, touch on the themes of mental health, troubles of school-age youth and coming of age, loss, the journey towards loving oneself, and individualism.

Their work also often references literature and psychological concepts and includes an alternative universe storyline. This new song from them can be considered the official song of the (end of) summer. 

Give a listen to BTS with “Permission to Dance”:

At the beginning of a new school year, it’s important to remember to be yourself, which is where this song comes in. The artist’s intention with the song was to focus on the hypocrisy of society, starting with its opening couplet:

“If you save yourself for marriage you’re a bore. If you don’t save yourself for marriage you’re a horr…ible person.”

She said regarding the assumption made after the long pause between the first and second syllable in ‘horrible’:

“It’s actually been really fun playing that one and seeing people’s reaction when they hear the first line.”

The song started as a gesture for a pal:

“It started off as a poem, honestly, for this friend who was going off to Paris for four months studying and she was leaving everything she knew behind, going to a foreign country [and] didn’t know the language. I gave her this little arrow necklace and I wrote a little poem and it had ‘follow your arrow’ in it, ‘kiss lots of boys,’ and it kind of started there, but it turned into a bigger idea.”

Here’s Kacey Musgraves with “Follow Your Arrow”:

Last, but certainly not least, I always love to check out the new videos this funny family does, especially their back-to-school ones, because they’re always so on point.This one is no different!

Get ready for some laughs, here’s the Holderness Family with “Back to School: 80s VS Now”:

That’s a wrap for this week – see you on the dance floor! 

Now on to the particulars of Monday’s Music Move’s Me:  

I have the supreme honor and privilege of being a co-host with the inimitable Xmas Dolly and our musical cohort, the awesome Cathy from Curious as a CAThy, Callie of JAmerican Spice, and Alana of Ramblin’ with AM!

Want to join in the fun? It’s easy – just find a tune that rocks your boat, post it and link up – don’t forget to grab Xmas Dolly…er, um, I mean her button…over at her place here. Check out Xmas Dolly’s sidebar for the random themes we sport each week – and you can always ask for a specific theme of music you like, too. Check out the other music lovahs and let’s jam!