By Annette Dashofy
Apparently, I’ve reached that age where the songs of “my era” are now considered “classic rock.” A little over a week ago, I attended a festival with live music. One of the bands drew me to them, playing all my old favorites. When I checked the program to find out who they were, the designation under their name was just that: Classic Rock.
I stood and listened and sang along to American Pie. I knew every word. And I’m talking the long version. Every. Word.
How is it I can’t remember the name of someone I met yesterday, but song lyrics from long ago? No problem.
So I began pondering music. Is American Pie my all time favorite song? Maybe. Or maybe I’m thinking it is because I just heard it at that festival and it continues to roll around in my brain.
Actually, I think my all time favorite song goes back a little further. Yesterday by the Beatles. I know all the lyrics to that one, too, but there are a lot fewer of them.
As I made a list of my favorite “classic” songs, the soundtrack of my youth, I realized a lot of them were dark, sad, melancholy. Nights in White Satin, Cat’s in the Cradle…
Weren’t there any upbeat songs I liked???
Oh, yeah.
Crocodile Rock by Elton John, Joy to the World by Three Dog Night (honestly anything by either Elton or TDN goes onto my list), Brandi by Looking Glass, Dancing in the Moonlight (the 1973 version by King Harvest).
Shaking off the seventies, I have owned and worn out two copies of the soundtrack for Footloose.
I love dancing movies and soundtracks. Click here for the treat of the day.
You're welcome.
Your turn. If you were to compose the soundtrack of your life (or your youth), what songs would be on it?
22 comments:
I'm pretty sure we listen to the same radio station. The "70s at 7" is the best. I listen to it every night while I clean up the kitchen after dinner.
It's really tough to pick a favorite song from that era. Sister Golden Hair by America always reminds me of my senior year in high school when we'd skip first period and go get coffee at the Village Dairy (the "VD").
The entire Madman Across the Water album is another favorite. I like some of EJ's more obscure songs, too, like All The Girls Love Alice. We used to sing along to that one because it seemed so risque. It's tame compared to some of the stuff that's out now.
I even like disco. I could listen to the Bee Gees all day. And just try not to sing along with Donna Summer's Bad Girls (Toot, toot. Hey. Beep, beep)! My favorite song from the disco years is Last Dance, though.
Okay. I know what I'm putting on my Christmas list this year.
Ah! I didn't even touch on the disco era. LOVED Saturday Night Fever. There was a club in Wheeling, WV called Tin Pan Alley that had three levels of music. Country on the first floor, a disco on the second floor, and jazz on the third. I spent all my time boogying to the BeeGees and KC and the Sunshine Band. Shake that booty!
I finally clicked on your "treat." I love Dirty Dancing! And that song is my fav from the 80s.
There are so many songs I love, and I tend to remember the lyrics of almost all of them. I chalk that up to my obsession with words and the wonderful ways they can be put together to express emotion. If I have to choose an all time favorite song, it would be "The End" by the Doors -- a dark depressing lyric, overlaid in my mind with images of the burning jungle in "Apocalypse Now" and the desert scenes in "The Doors."
I love music and dance movies, too, which explains why I've seen "Mama Mia" several times and why my all time favorite film -- the one I can watch anytime -- is "Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical."
You bring back some good memories.
Joy to the World was the first song played at my wedding, only because the band refused to play Inna-Gadda-Da-Vida.
I hadn't really thought of Joy to the World as a wedding song, but hey, why not?
The Doors and Abba. Gina, I love your eclectic tastes!
Great Blog, Annette!
If only I could narrow it down. Brandy (of course), Magic Carpet Ride by Steppenwolf, Born to Run by Springsteen, Meatloaf's Paradise By the Dashboard Light -- I could go on for hours.
For now, I think this calls for a new iTunes playlist.
And in related news, the Bob Dylan Christmas album actually exists. All proceeds go to charity. Can't wait to listen to it!
xo
Kathy
Annette, I thought of another one from the 70s. Remember "Wildfire?" I used to cry my eyeballs out to that one!
Kathy, I have Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits if you ever want to borrow it.
Funny thing, while I love classic rock, I've never been stuck back in the 70s like some of my friends. Most of my daughter's friends comment on car rides that I'm one of the few "DADs" that listen to and enjoy current music.
I have a wide taste that doesn't include much classical or hard core country. I have about 2,000 songs on my iPod that runs the gammut of "What a Wonderful World" Louis Armstrong, to "Please Don't Leave Me" Pink.
Also not into Rap, but like some of the lighter stuff that borders on rap like the Black-eyed Peas.
Okay, Annette, no fair. This blog isn't big enough. When I was at the Colorado Springs Business Journal we had a tradition. Whoever knew the most songs was in charge of the radio. I won hands down, and finally I had to relinquish, else they threatened to throw me out the window. What you said and more, and ya know what? My kids love them (their in their twenties) and I think it's hysterical to find them listening to our music....Steppenwolf, Rare Earth, I could go on but I can't I'm late for an appt. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Oh, Joyce, I think I'd blocked out "Wildfire." Too tramatic!
No one has mentioned the BEST driving songs EVER. While Magic Carpet Ride cranked to the upper limits of auditory threshold, there are a few tunes that are MUST HAVES for a long car ride:
Radar Love - Golden Earring
and
Movin'On - Missouri
Both of those are in my car's 6 disc storage and will be thoroughly exercised on my drive to Indianapolis on Thursday evening for Bouchercon.
Best driving songs, Will? Try speeding across Kansas to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" album.
Gina, one of the BEST albums EVER. But I use that for relaxing and reflection. I think on a long drive it would put me to sleep.
However, I have to tell you, my new Volvo has the absolute best sound system I've ever heard in any car. Seriously, and I used to sell stereos. It even beats a lot of home systems. It has 1,000 watts, 5 amps, 12 speakers and 2 subwoofers complete with Dolby surround. PERFECT for Pink Floyd.
Tin Pan Alley one of the many places of my youth. Somehow I just never pictured you at the clubs. Is this before or after Ray? Spent the summer of "74" listening to nothing but Creedence Clearwater Revival. Saw Dylan this summer sorry but I didn't care for him this time around. My taste in music has a wide range these days but you still can't beat classic rock. I would say that holds true for anyone of advancing years no matter what they where listening to in their young and care free days.
I've never left the 70's, and I don't think I ever will.
Three Dog Night was the first concert I ever attended. I drove my $400 four door 1964 Rambler over 60 miles to the event, stopping often to add water and oil (gas was $.35 per gallon). Concert tickets were $3.00 each. I liked every song they did except Joy To The World. I suppose that's because I played in several bands over the years and that song was requested a lot. An awful lot.
And then there's:
Pink Floyd
Jethro Tull
The Doors
ZZ Top
Heart (great in concert)
Zepplin
The Eagles
Oh, man. There's no end to this list. All I can say is...Freebird!
Great list, Lee. And speaking of the Eagles, let me add Desperado to my own list. Their Hell Freezes Over CD is one of my collections to travel by along with the previously mentioned Footloose soundtrack and Aerosmith.
Oh, and, Becky, definitely BEFORE. Although I think we may have gone there on one of our first dates...
Annette - I saw The Eagles and Linda Ronstadt together (many years ago) and she sang Desperado with them. That was probably the best I've ever heard it performed.
I saw the Eagles when they were here in Pittsburgh last year. Awesome concert. Worth every penny (and it was A LOT of pennies!).
A friend took me to see the Eagles' Hell Freezes Over concert several years ago. I had a horrible cold and was stoned on Benedryl, so I fit right in with the rest of the crowd at the PG Pavillion. From what I remember, the concert was fantastic.
Post a Comment