"Acceptable in the 80s" is a 2007 song by electropop musician Calvin Harris, based on the melody from Siouxsie and the Banshees's 1980 song "Happy House". Its video is about the style and culture of the 1980s.
The song has been used to advertise the third series of Channel 4's The Paul O'Grady Show, and extensively on E4 as well as celebratory programmes for the tenth birthday of Five, the London Marathon on BBC1, showboating on Soccer AM and also on Match of the Day 2. The song became Harris' first hit in the United Kingdom, peaking at the #10 position on the UK Singles Chart. The song is also used in the video game Dancing Stage Universe, an Xbox 360 game which came out in 2007 and the Wii game Just Dance from 2009. The song was featured on KCRW's Today's Top Tune.podcast for the Monday 1 October 2007 episode, and also used by Editors for a cover on Radio 1's Live Lounge.
"Acceptable in the 80s" was used as the opening theme for Germany's Next Topmodel, Cycle 3. It is also used in a Norwegian commercial for Miami Vice on Viasat4. In addition, the Canadian telecommunications company Telus has used the song to advertise smartphones. The track is also featured prominently in Top Spin 3, on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, Shake It TV minigame from Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party on the Wii and Music Monstars on the Nintendo DS, and on the soundtrack of Shaun White Snowboarding. It is also featured in the game Just Dance for the Wii.
It feels like the 80's
when we were much smaller
but somehow felt bigger than now
come summer my brother
you say you will marry
by this time next year it will be
you came with a ring
the obvious thing
and we were all smiling so wide
it feels like the 80's
when we were much smaller
but somehow felt bigger than now
it feels like the 80's
when our world was honest
it sometimes feels less honest now
the love of another
the cradle and cover
by this time next year will it be
we long for this things
these obvious things
when we can feel complete inside
it feels like the 80's
when our world was honest
but nothing feels more honest now