Nobody can count how many people on the dance floor—in the club, the party in the high school gym, the frat house, the bar mitzvah, the wedding reception, on the deck of the mega cruise ship—how many have grandly declared their love while lip synching to this song. Just look into their eyes, give a little smile, and mouth the words: “I’m so in love you with you / I’ll be forever blue…” while forming your hands into a heart. In the 1980s, a decade stuffed with great dance songs, this pop-synth anthem stands out as the greatest.

 Erasure, “A Little Respect,” 1988. Written by Andy Bell & Vince Clarke.

This post is part of Music 100, a love letter to songs. 100 words on 100 songs in 100 days, running from Groundhog Day to May 31, 2025.

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