Blister in the Sun
From the unofficial Duke TIP Wiki
"Blister in the Sun" is a 1983 song by the Violent Femmes. This tradition is more common on Duke West than East (it has existed far longer at West than East to my knowledge), and has only recently spread to Davidson. It has been a tradition at Kansas since the campus's first TIP dance.
"Blister" is played near the end of every TIP dance, though never the last song, as that is reserved for "The Time Warp." At East, it is the first traditional TIP song played, usually happening just before sunset.
The dance is a simple twist. During the first verse when the snare drum is played at the end of a line, the dancers will clap twice, pause, and clap twice again, following the hits of the snare. During the third verse, the singer sings quieter and quieter with every line. As the singer gets quieter, the twists should get lower, and the dancer should pace him/herself according to how low the dancer can twist. After a number of quiet repetitions, the singer pauses and returns to full volume. Upon hearing the return to full volume, the dancer should jump and begin dancing at a normal height for the remainder of the song.
At Duke East Term 1 2007, Zach refused to play "Blister" during the first dance. A group of 4th years began to scream the lyrics to the song whilst the last slow song played. Zach leaned over to the microphone and pronounced, "Blister is dead." There was an outrage, and the rest of the night, the 4th years played "Blister."
The next day, a group of altruistic fourth years created flyers exhibiting the "TIP commandments" #47 and #49...to play "Blister in the Sun" at every dance and to form an inner circle of fourth years during "American Pie." On the Thursday before the next dance, many fourth years posted the flyers in Bassett, Brown, and Alspaugh. At the next dance, "Blister in the Sun" was played, and an inner circle of fourth years was formed after first forming one large circle.
They do not play Blisther in the Sun at Texas. Or at least they didn't Term I 2008.
[edit] Lyrics
When I'm walking I strut my stuff,
Yeah I'm so strung out. clap
I'm high as a kite,
I just might stop to check you out. clap
Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun!
Let me go on
Big hands, I know your the one!
Body and beats, I stain my sheets, I don't even know why. clap
My girlfriend she's at the end,
She is starting to cry. clap
Let me go on
Like I blister in the sun!
Let me go on
Big hands I know you're the one...
