Chrissy Amphlett, lead singer of the Divinyls dies at 53.
You may not know who Chrissy Amphlett or the Divinyls are, but if you’re anywhere near 40, at some point you’ve probably found yourself singing “When I think about you I touch myself…” in a public place, maybe at a picnic surrounded by your parents and kid,s and thought: “OH MY GOD WHAT AM I SINGING?”
I Touch Myself is a catchy tune. So catchy it sort of sneaks up on you that you’re crooning about masturbation in front of strangers.
It’s tragic that anyone as young as 53 would die, even if I do have one eensy-weensy problem with Chrissy Amphlett and the Divinyls:
Chrissy Amphlett is to blame for one of the most embarrassing moments of my life.
I was in college, hanging out at some little dance club in Stone Harbor New Jersey with a friend and probably thinking I was pretty cool because I was
a.) barely 21
and
b.) drunk
Which are really all the things you need to think you’re the most amazing creature on the planet.
Chrissy Amphlett and the Divinyls’ ode to the solitary rumba came on, and my friend and I began to dance even though we weren’t on the dance floor, but rather leaning against the bar (probably to keep from falling over.) Like I said, I Touch Myself is a catchy tune, so dancing to it, even unofficially, isn’t really all that embarrassing.
It wasn’t until maybe two weeks later when the memory of dancing to the Divinyls came back to me in the middle of the night and I sat straight up in bed screaming “NOOOOooooo…!”
As if watching myself from above, I relived how I had oh-so-sexily pantomimed to I Touch Myself, running my hands down my hips and shaking my booty. Imagine Marilyn Monroe singing Happy Birthday Mr. President after downing a bottle of muscle relaxers and donning a jeans skirt.
So sexy. So proud.
So, wherever you are, Chrissy Amphlett, I am sorry to hear about your untimely death to breast cancer. I’m going to make a donation to Susan G. Komen for the Cure in your memory, because thanks to you and the Divinyls, I never danced in public like that again.
At least I don’t think I did.
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The radio station I worked for in college promoted their show opening for Gene Loves Jezebel. Of course, I ended up meeting everyone associated with Divinyls but Chrissy, who was sick or something. They’re legends in Australian and not so much here. But it was sad to hear of her passing.
great story
Thanks for bringing this to our attention, Amy. A) her death and B) your fun moment! 53 is waaaay too young. I was in college when this little gem was popular, and I got many laughs when my roommate’s boyfriend (now husband) embarrassed her by singing it to her at parties!
If that’s your most embarrassing moment, consider yourself lucky…
I’m so sad she died. I love that song!
What a great tribute! You’re right, it is a dangerously catchy song. Humming it just comes naturally, you know? I remember the first time I heard it and realized what it was about…I was giggly and weird about it of course, but I was also blown away and impressed at the ballsiness of the song.
I like the line at the end, “I honestly do,” as if the whole song we thought she was kidding.
Wow, that is a good point. It’s like she’s saying “No, seriously, I’m not just being whorey to get your attention. You really move me like that.” If I had a nickle…
Oh my, those things we do when we’re 21 and cranked. How many times a day do you kneel down and thank the on-call deity that when we were young(ish) there was no Facebook and no Twitter, nobody in the room had a high resolution camera on their phone, and that ‘Tagging’ was a wholly different thing? I’m up to 6 times a day. 9 on a Saturday.
We were SO lucky!
This song is great until your 13-year-old son hears you sing it and rolls his eyes out of his head.
Ha! Yes! That’s hilarious and so true… my nieces keep me informed on what a dork I am.