“1999” by Prince (1982)
Dad’s song of the Day #124, Dec. 31, 2025
Too obvious? I don’t care…“1999” is a pure distillation of New Year’s Eve energy and spirit!
Sure, the world might not be spinning exactly the way we want it to be…but Prince chooses to party through the uncertainty instead of rolling into a ball.
In 1982, the existential threat of the day was that nuclear war was legitimately on the table between the US and the Soviet Union. In “1999,” Prince stares down that threat…and parties himself away from the panic:
Everybody's got a bomb
We could all die any day, oh
But before I'll let that happen
I'll dance my life away
“1999” has become something like a co-anthem for New Year’s Eve: a hedonistic, upbeat yin to “Auld Lang Syne’s” nostalgic, bittersweet yang. So, tonight, while you “tip a cup o’ kindness” to old friendships and memories, remember also to face whatever worldly dread is on your mind, flip it around defiantly, and party like it’s 1999!!
I wish you all the best of peace, and love, and music in 2026.
Spotify:
YouTube:
This series is for my two 19-year-olds, who moved off to school with the misguided belief they’d escaped their dad’s relentless nostalgia and monopolization of the car stereo. I’m very happy for anyone else to come along for the ride.
The Spotify playlist for Dad’s Song of the Day is located here:
Darn! I was as really hoping today’s pick would be Kung Foo Fighting! My childhood memories of New Year’s Eve was listening to the Chum top 100 with you. One particularly clear memory was listening to Kung Foo Fighting, jumping on the bed, and ‘pretending’ to kick each other. Awww, good times.