Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. was already generating massive buzz before it even hit record stores, thanks to the success of its lead single, "Dancing in the Dark."
The summer of 1984 was absolutely stacked with chart heavyweights. Both Duran Duran and Prince spent weeks sitting comfortably at No. 1, making it impossible for "Dancing in the Dark" to climb any higher than No. 2. That didn't matter much, though. Springsteen's popularity exploded, and suddenly everyone wanted a piece of The Boss.
The music video became almost as iconic as the song itself. It's famously remembered for launching the career of Courteney Cox, who was pulled onstage to dance with Springsteen during the performance. At the time, she was just another aspiring actress. Not long after, she'd become one of television's biggest stars.
I remember that summer vividly because so much of it was spent sitting outside with a giant ghetto blaster, listening to the radio and waiting for my chance to call in and win an album. Back then, stations gave away records every hour, and getting through on the phone felt like winning the lottery.
A few days after Born in the U.S.A. was released, my friend and I both made it our mission to win a copy. She got through first and became caller number eight, taking home Steve Perry's Street Talk. Naturally, that only made me more determined. An hour later, I finally beat the busy signal, became caller number ten, and won my own copy of Born in the U.S.A.
As exciting as winning the album was, what I remember most is the two of us heading to the radio station together to pick up our prizes. It was such a simple moment, but it's one of those memories that's stayed with me all these years.
Looking back, if MTV hadn't played the "Dancing in the Dark" video every few hours that summer, I'm not sure I ever would have become such a fan of Springsteen's biggest album. Funny how one song—and one lucky phone call—can become such a lasting memory.
Check out the video below and see if it brings back a few memories of your own.