The Candy Shop #16

 I Could Have Had It All, Rolling In The Deep

by Nayt Housman

Since this month at It's My Kind Of Scene we’re counting down the 90s best bands and I’ve been reminiscing lately in The Candy Shop; this week I look back at the one and only sport I have ever participated in, outside school: roller skating. I’m not talking those modern, fan dangled, in-line, wannabe skates either; I’m talking quads.


When I was in year seven I began artistic roller skating lessons to learn how to twirl and hold my leg up elegantly all while rolling gracefully around the roller rink. I sucked, though I didn’t care because every Saturday morning I’d be skating with my friends and dancing/skating to some of my favourite songs of the time. Here are my favourite six.


1. Confide In Me - Kylie Minogue

Ok Kylie, now I believe you! I was never quite convinced if I liked you until this moment. I’d imagine I was each one of your sexy femme fatale characters in the clip as I was rolling. If only I’d been allowed to wear Mum's makeup and tights, things could have been very different…


2. Groove Is In The Heart - Deee Lite

What ever happened to Deee-Lite? This song was (I’m sorry I have to) deeeliteful! Also it was a perfect tempo for skating and grooving while skating and being delightful grooving skaters.

3. Mr Vain - Culture Beat 

I know what I want and I want it now. I wanna skate! And I get what I want coz I’m Mr Vain.


4. Cotton Eye Joe - Rednex

If it hadn’t have been for Cotton Eye Joe, I’d not have known what a redneck was. See? Learning can be fun, especially while skating!


5. Total Eclipse Of The Heart - Nicki French

I dedicate this song to a girl named Cecilia Hinchliffe who would lip-synch the lyrics to me as we whirled around the roller rink. Nicki French was no Bonnie Tyler but turning this song into a dance number was pure genius!


6.  Things That Make You Go Hmmm... - C + C Music Factory

To this day I’m proud to say I can still keep up with the “giveittome giveittome giveittome giveittome giveittome giveittome” part of this song and I’ve never met anyone who can match me (although I’ve never actually challenged anyone). Hmmmm… I wonder if it sounds even better when I do it on wheels? Who wants to come skating?


I love how whenever I hear one of these songs now, I’m immediately reverted to 12 years old, slightly pudgy and not quite gender distinguishable but possibly the happiest I ever was as a pre-teen, because when I was skating, I was a secret superhero and my power was being able to roll on built-in wheels while dancing.