Welcome to Music Friday, when we feature songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, we rewind to 1984 and the shimmering synths of Wang Chung’s “Dance Hall Days,” a song that captures both the innocence and intensity of youthful love — crystallized in the hallucinatory image of amethyst and sapphire.
Frontman Jack Hues sings,"So take your baby by the wrist / And in her mouth an amethyst / And in her eyes two sapphires blue / And you need her and she needs you.”
The line has intrigued listeners for decades. During a 2006 interview on the "Just My Show" podcast, Hues explained that the song begins with a simple dance-hall romance — “Take your baby by the hand” — but by the final verse, “it’s all a bit more hallucinogenic… how things that start off simple get complex.”
That complexity is part of what makes “Dance Hall Days” such a gem of 1980s pop. The song’s lush production and dreamlike lyrics evoke the intoxicating mix of memory, desire and nostalgia. Hues’ use of gemstones adds layers of symbolism — amethyst representing spiritual clarity and transformation, and sapphire symbolizing wisdom, truth and emotional depth. Together, the stones suggest a mystical, almost ritualistic image: the woman becomes an idealized muse — a goddess-like figure, “adorned” with gems that capture the preciousness of the moment.
“Dance Hall Days” became a worldwide hit, charting in 12 countries and peaking at #16 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Its cinematic allure led to placements in a long list of films, including Bachelor Party, Pretty in Pink, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, and The Fighter.
More than four decades later, Wang Chung — founded by Jack Hues and Nick Feldman — continues to perform for loyal fans worldwide. In 2025, the band played to sold-out crowds on the "I Want My ’80s Tour" with Rick Springfield and John Waite, following a 2024 co-headlining run on the "Abducted by the ’80s Tour."
In May 2025, the group released Clear Light / Dark Matter – Greatest Hits & Near Misses, a two-disc collection of chart-toppers, deep cuts and rarities that celebrates their enduring appeal.
When Wang Chung took the stage at The Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA, this past August, audiences sang along to “Dance Hall Days” as though time had stood still — proof that its crystalline blend of rhythm, memory and mystery still shines after four decades.
Check out the video of Wang Chung's Mountain Winery performance. The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along...
“Dance Hall Days”
Written by Jack Hues. Performed by Wang Chung.
Take your baby by the hand
And make her do a high hand stand
And take your baby by the heel
And do the next thing that you feel
We were so in phase
In our dance hall days
We were cool on craze
When I, you, and everyone we knew
Could believe, do, and share in what was true
I said
Dance hall days, love
Take your baby by the hair
And pull her close and there, there, there
And take your baby by the ears
And play upon her darkest fears
We were so in phase
In our dance hall days
We were cool on craze
When I, you, and everyone we knew
Could believe, do, and share in what was true
I said
Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days
Dance hall days, love
Take your baby by the wrist
And in her mouth, an amethyst
And in her eyes, two sapphires blue
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her and she needs you
And you need her
And she needs you
We were so in phase
In our dance hall days
We were cool on craze
When I, you, and everyone we knew
Could believe, do, and share in what was true
I said
Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days
Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days
Dance hall days, love
Dance hall days
Dance hall days, love
Credit: Screen capture via YouTube.com.