Wednesday, Jul. 07, 2004 - 4:50 P.M.

All of us have songs that remind us of certain times in our lives. For me music has always been extremely powerful and has moved me in ways other mediums didn�t and still can�t. My memories have a soundtrack, a mix tape if you will, of songs that recall times and things important to me. Even now many, many years later, certain songs can bring back memories so vivid I can almost see myself in the place and time of their occurrence, remember what I was wearing and how I was feeling. Some things I want to remember forever and some I want to forget. Regardless, for the rest of my life whenever I hear these songs, certain memories will flood back. Man, I love music.

Open Arms / Journey-- Gary I�mNotGivingHisLastName. He was so fine! He was my first real boyfriend. And, by �real� I mean we were �going together,� and when we passed each other in the hall we occasionally spoke to each other. Sometimes he�d even, you know, hit me on the arm or something. True love, indeed.

Can�t Fight This Feeling / REO Speedwagon-- Rick C�monNow and Mike Still,No. Rick = complete total and utter unrequited love. Bastard. Mike = he loved me, I didn�t love him. But I said did anyway. Bitch.

Summer of �69 / Bryan Adams-- While this song was playing on my car radio, I had a car accident. I hit an empty school bus. You read that correctly. Nobody was hurt. My dignity was hurt. You see, the accident occurred right in front of my high school mere days before school was out for the summer. For the remaining days of school someone stuck a school-bus-yellow bumper sticker which read �Be careful! School Is In,� on my locker every morning.

Change / John Waite-- Makes me think of summer and the neighbor boy. And long hot summer nights spent in a car, in a place where we should not have been. Doing things we should not have been doing. What? Oh! Did you think I meant�no! I just meant that, well, okay yes, I meant all things sex. Good times.

Light My Fire / The Doors-- This song repeats �come on baby, light my fire� a lot. I remember when I was around 6 or so being the back of my grandfather�s Volkswagen bug when this song was on. According to my father, when the repetition began, I said, �I wish somebody would light his fire so he would just shut up.� My grandfather hated the �new� music and so, this comment, endeared my grandfather to me greatly and my grandfather retold this story for years.

Welcome To The Jungle / Guns N� Roses-- Takes me back to young adulthood and experimentation with all sorts of things. Whenever I hear this song I am compelled to roll my windows down, screech at highest capacity, sway back and forth and shake my head violently. I�ve been in traffic when this occurs. Perhaps some have thought I might need medical attention. I can�t help it though, it�s an uncontrollable reaction.

The Warrior / Scandal-- Recalls budding teenage years when I felt I had no power and no control over my life. But now? Whenever I hear this song, I feel I can do anything. Do not get in my wake when this song is on. I will flat steamroll you. Just stand back and no one will get hurt.

Please Come To Boston / Dave Loggins-- Reminds me of summers at the beach. I know it�s sappy. I have no defense against it, however. There�s a little bit of cheese in all of us. Admit it.

and, finally my favorite song of all time:

Brown Eyed Girl / Van Morrison-- I was not even alive when this song was released, yet it brings to mind a simpler time. It makes me happy. It makes me dance. It makes me wish they still made music like this.

Obviously, those are all older songs. Fact is, music these days doesn�t move me as much. Oh, I love the hip hop and the rock these days, it just doesn�t feel as personal to me anymore. Maybe I�m too busy to really listen to it. Maybe I'm too jaded to relate. Maybe I don�t need music to stamp my memories anymore. Maybe I�m just a child of the 80�s who refuses to give up the ghost. Then again, maybe, for the most part, the music these days sucks.

Ya think?

You Give Me Fervor - Friday, Feb. 17, 2006
Revamped Sex Camp - Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006
I'm Not Dead - Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2006
Ebert And Roeper? Watch Your Backs. - Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2005
Coffee? Tea? Map? - Monday, Nov. 07, 2005

� Purplecigar

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