Saturday Nine: Shut Up and Dance (2014)

This week's Saturday Nine:

You can hear this week's song here.

1. This is about a man who meets the woman who is his destiny on the dance floor. Do you think we each have One Great Love preordained by fate? Or do you think life offers each of us many opportunities for romance? I'm gonna go with the latter. Some part of me believes in fate and that not everything is a coincidence, but I also don't think fate has only One Great Love for us.
   
   
2. Lead singer Nick Petricca says this song is inspired by a true story. He was all keyed up and his girlfriend dragged him onto the dance floor, insisting that dancing would cheer him up. Therefore he considers this song an "anthem to letting go and having fun." Think of the last time you really had fun. Who were you with? What were you doing? Monday night with my friend Chelsea, jamming out at the Paramore concert.
   
   
3. The dance floor incident that inspired this song took place in Echo Park, an LA neighbourhood located near Elysian Park and Chinatown. Tell us about your village or city. Do the neighbourhoods have interesting names? I guess it would depend on your definition of interesting, but my current city (which is just north of Toronto) includes neighbourhoods called Locust Hill, German Mills, Cathedraltown, and Mount Joy. If we're talking about Toronto core, though, where I grew up and went to school and currently work in, there's neighbourhoods called Yorkville, Rosedale, The Annex, Forest Hill, Kensington Market, Riverdale, and Cabbagetown.
   
   
4. Walk the Moon promoted this record by a performance on Good Morning America. Are you enthusiastic and energetic at 7:00 AM? Or do you hit your stride later in the day? I am most definitely a night person.
   
   
5. "Shut Up + Dance" is the biggest hit by Walk the Moon. The band members met as at Kenyon, Ohio's oldest private college. Tell us about something that's old and revered where you live. There's actually a lot of historical buildings in Toronto, but I'd say the one that stands out to me, at least architecturally, is Casa Loma.
   
   
6. Walk the Moon took their name from the Police song, "Walking on the Moon." What's your favourite song by Sting and/or The Police? I'm gonna go with "Message in a Bottle."
   
   
7. In 2014, the year this song was popular, Robin Williams took his own life. What's your favourite Robin Williams performance? Mrs. Doubtfire. Oh, man, I watched that movie so many times growing up. Always put me in a good mood.
   
   
8. Also in 2014, the Apple Watch was introduced. Are you wearing a watch as you answer these nine questions? No, I don't wear watches at all because there's usually nickel in the back plate and I am extremely allergic to nickel. (It causes an instant rash.)
   
   
9. Random question — You must create a coat of arms for yourself, representing your life and spirit. Which of these items would you place at the center: a heart, a sword, or a pen? Mmm... probably a heart.