Nothing in this world can stop you

A timeslip moment is needed, methinks...

On this day of endless reflections, investigations, second-guessing (and the occasional fucking mindless posturing) and sadness, let's instead go back a couple of decades to the heady, rave-y, Spice Girls-dominated world of 1996!

It wasn't a particularly jolly time in June twenty years ago, as far as world events go, however. In the news: Iraq was in the West's sights, and war was a distinct possibility; Chechnya and Indonesia were in turmoil; the (unmanned) space rocket Ariane 5 exploded; a massive IRA bomb in Manchester's Arndale Centre was devastating but (thankfully) there were no fatalities; Boris Yeltsin, Steffi Graf and BSE were in the ascendant, while another annus horribilis was getting underway for HM the Queen after the first of the Royal divorces - Andrew and Fergie - was finalised; the site of the planned Millennium Dome was announced for North Greenwich; football was, as it is today, dominating the minds of Britain's "blokes" as the European Championships took place; and eBay and Ask Jeeves were launched. In cinemas: Fargo, Primal Fear and Barb Wire. On telly: Ronnie Corbett's Small Talk, the ill-fated revival of The Liver Birds, and after 32 years, Top of the Pops was moved from its traditional Thursday evening slot to Fridays.

In the UK charts this week in 1996, there was a lot - and I mean a lot! - of dross: chart-toppers were The Fugees, there were a raft of football songs including Baddiel and Skinner's Three Lions, and for some inexplicable reason Peter Andre, Slime Dion, Mark Morrison, Bryan Adams and the Lighthouse Family were all selling well. Other (more palatable) artists of note included Ocean Colour Scene, Gina G, George Michael, JX, Happy Clappers, Space, Robert Miles, and Adam Clayton and Larry Mullin with their Mission Impossible re-make.

But, storming into the top five was a choon that proved, categorically, that the 90s was indeed the Decade of Club Music. Providing a much-needed boost of joie-de-vivre to all of us today, and an apposite reminder that whatever happens to us, what we are and who we are will never be cowed by madmen of any colour, creed or political adherence - here is the appropriately-named Livin' Joy and the ecstatic Don't Stop Movin'!

Livin' Joy - Don't Stop Movin'

You can do anything that you want to do
With your mind body and soul
Do it, prove it to yourself and say
I want (I want)
I will (I will)
I can do anything
It's a difficult world and you got to prove
That you're ready and you can do it
Nothing in this world can stop you
I know I can I will fulfil my dreams

Don't stop movin'
Keep it up
Keep on movin' get it right
Yeah you've got to get it right
Oh yeah oh
Don't stop movin'
I it's your life
Keep on movin' get it right
Yeah you've got to get it right

You can be mystical magical
Physically phenomenal
Good to go
Not slow
Feel the heat and let it flow

You've got to get it right

Amen, sister!