Celebration time
My sister had moved back to Southern Alberta in the early 1980s, and pretty much immediately went to work at the hospital in Lethbridge. She would come home to the farm every Sunday for dinner, which was at noon in our house, and visit.
My sister had moved back to Southern Alberta in the early 1980s, and pretty much immediately went to work at the hospital in Lethbridge. She would come home to the farm every Sunday for dinner, which was at noon in our house, and visit.
She was nine years older than me, so I kind of looked up to her.
We regularly would go to movies, where she would pick me up on the farm and go to one of the theatres in Lethbridge, be it the Paramount; College Cinema, in the Woolco Mall; or Lethbridge Centre, in the Woodwards Mall.
Some of the movies I recall seeing with her were “Star Trek: The Motion Picture”; “Star Wars”; “Empire Strikes Back”; “Return of the Jedi”; “Romancing the Stone”; “Ladyhawke”; “The Karate Kid”; “Uncommon Valor”; “The Killing Fields” and many more.
On a few occasions, we piled into her silver 1980 Ford Mustang for my birthday and went to a movie then pizza afterwards.
What a feeling
One year, I am guessing 1983, so my 13th birthday, we went to Top’s Pizza after the movie. As always, we had a long conversation about the movie we just saw, then about books, TV, other movies, our family and whatever else came up.
One year, I am guessing 1983, so my 13th birthday, we went to Top’s Pizza after the movie. As always, we had a long conversation about the movie we just saw, then about books, TV, other movies, our family and whatever else came up.
That night, playing in the background seemingly on auto replay was “Flashdance…What a Feeling” by Irene Cara.
It must have played at least 20 times, like it was the only song on the juke box, or tape, or whatever was providing music.
The song, which is still one of my favourites to this day, was just imprinted on my brain.
The song
“Flashdance…What a Feeling” was recorded by Irena Cara in 1983 for the motion picture “Flashdance”. It starred Jennifer Beals as a woman working in the steel mills in Pittsburgh by day, and as an exotic dancer at night with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer.
“Flashdance…What a Feeling” was recorded by Irena Cara in 1983 for the motion picture “Flashdance”. It starred Jennifer Beals as a woman working in the steel mills in Pittsburgh by day, and as an exotic dancer at night with aspirations of becoming a professional dancer.
The song went all the way to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 28, stayed there for six weeks and spent 14 weeks in the top 10. It won the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Original Song, and Cara won the Grammy for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
The movie
As much as I loved the song, I did not see the movie until the summer of 1996, after I had left the University of Alberta, was taking some time off, and catching up on a lot of movies I had missed.
As much as I loved the song, I did not see the movie until the summer of 1996, after I had left the University of Alberta, was taking some time off, and catching up on a lot of movies I had missed.
Back in the 1980s, it was not as easy as pressing a few buttons to see an old movie. You either had to rent it from a video store, or see it rerun on TV or pay TV. That was not that easy living on a farm and rarely getting to town.
Later on, maybe seven or eight years ago, I read this article in the “Calgary Herald” about “Flashdance: The Musical” making its way across the country. I discovered it was actually a Canadian story.
I thought that was pretty cool.
Parting thoughts
“Flashdance…What a Feeling” is another rock anthem that can stir emotion and inspire. It is a combination of Irene Cara’s vocals and strong music.
“Flashdance…What a Feeling” is another rock anthem that can stir emotion and inspire. It is a combination of Irene Cara’s vocals and strong music.
More than that, it will forever be linked to a time in my life that was simple, when one of my favourite things was spending time with my big sister.
What a feeling that is.
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