Swing Out, Sister
My morning ritual of flipping between the dreary news and VHI-Classics reaped great rewards this morning. All in a row I heard:
*Swing Out Sister – “Break Out”. I loved this song in high school. I remember feeling so liberated (at 15 years old) buying the tape in Copley Place because I felt so grown up. You see, my parents actually allowed me to come to Boston for a long weekend with my best friend, Missy. And even more surprising, she allowed me to stay with Missy in an apartment with a gay guy that she’d never met (it was a 20-something year old friend of Missy’s mother). We had a blast that weekend – he even got us past the bouncer and into Division Sixteen (the place to be in Boston in the mid-80’s). Looking back at the pictures we took that weekend, I can’t imagine how the bouncer let us in…we looked so young.
*The Human League – “(Keep Feeling’) Fascination”. This brings me back to when my mom used to do book-keeping for the Cape Cod Academy. Since it was across from our house on West Bay, I used to go and hang out with the rich kids (it’s a private school). I just remember playing with my little scooter (essentially a skate board with a post and handle bars) and hearing that song (along with Naked Eyes cover of “Always Something There to Remind Me).”
*Peter Shilling – “Major Tom”. Apparently, this is some tribute to David Bowie…I just remember hearing the song at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Osterville. We were going on some sort of field trip (to Boston, I think) and I first heard this song and fell in love with it instantly. “4…3…2…1…earth below us, drifting, falling, floating weightless, calling, calling home”. OK – so the lyrics aren’t so great looking back…but I was just a kid, dammit!
*INXS – “Listen Like Thieves”. Actually, I never saw the video for this song until this morning. This wasn’t my favorite song off the album (“Kiss the Dirt/Falling Down the Mountain” was), but it did bring back memories of Dowse’s Beach. Missy and I would bring her little pink boom-box, sit on the bach and listen to INXS and T’Pau endlessly. As for the video…is Michael Hutchence in a latex outfit? I didn’t know those existed back then.
Unfortunately, those were the only videos I was able to see this morning because I had to continue getting ready for work. I’m really eager to see VH-1 Classics’ new show that airs on Sundays at 11…it’s all so-called “alternative” songs (The Cure, the Smiths, Stone Roses, etc….). I just keep forgetting when it’s on.
Anyway, those videos were a lot of fun for me this morning – espcially on such a rainy, dreary day. Does anybody else have songs that act as soundtracks to their lives? Comment below and let me know the story!!!!!!
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Always Something There to Remind Me. Ah, this song makes me remember the summer days on the beach in the burbs…fantastic 80’s music blaring out of the park district speakers…
“Our House” by Madness reminds me of that beach too.
I just love 80’s music.
Where do I start my list? Gloria by Laura Branigan (RIP)….Love is in Control by Donna Summer….Let the Music Play by Shannon. Ok….I admit, I was a club baby when I first came out….and WOW the memories that go along with those songs are not fit to print.
Sade’s first album did not leave my walkman for MONTHS when it first came out. it was such a part of that period of my young life, when i had just moved to new york and walked everywhere with music playing in my headphones.
I LOVE VH1 Classics. That is my alarm at 5:30 and I lay there and snooze to the music until my actual alarm goes off at 6:15…if I could pipr the music into my bathroom I’d listen to it while I showered/shaved.