Magical Mystery Tour

Back in the day, when Rock stations in New York City actually existed and the universe hadn't been homogenized; back when newscasters were journalists and DJ's actually liked and understood the music they played, there was a show called "Desert Island Discs". The DJ would ask musicians to come on air and program a set consisting of the 5 albums or songs that they would choose to bring with them if they were (as the name implied) marooned on a desert island. Now my bro and fellow blogger asks a similar question: What music means the most to you?

Having just turned forty (ouchy) and realizing that I've lived in 5 different decades, understanding that a mere 3 generations of my family spanned 3 centuries and wanting to accept the quick march of time, I decided to peg my answers to a time frame in the hope they'd make more sense. Here goes:

60's: I was born in 68 and so there aren't a whole lot of cogent memories there but my early childhood was colored with the images of that decade. And, as is the case with most decades, the 60's (or what we most associate with them ) didn't really start until 66 or 67 anyway and carried over until maybe 75 when Disco gave the 70's a definition of it's own. So my 60's tunes are:

Woodstock, as performed by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, written by Joni Mitchell
The summer of love and me in diapers! Damn! Sure it's trippy and maybe a little bit dated but how can you live your life and not believe that "we are stardust, we are golden, we are billion year old carbon and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden"? I beg you, Google the lyrics. It will bring you peace. Or maybe crunchy chicks.


Feelin' Groovy or The 59th Street Bridge Song, written and performed by Simon and Garfunkel
"I got no deeds to do, no promises to keep. I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep, let the morning time drop all it's petals on me. Life I love you! Feelin' groovy!" Ahh. Don't you just wish? This song most reminds me of my older brother and the weekends when he'd come home from college with a ginormous afro and pretend to dunk me in the toilet. I loved him so. Last I heard he was an engineer with a defense contractor. So much for the groovy.

70's: Ah childhood! Polyester and excellent British rock; later on came disco (which I will argue did not suck).

Philadelphia Freedom, written by Bernie Taupin (the best lyricist EVER and John's collaborator before he whored out to Disney. Oh well, platform shoes cost money ya know?) and performed by Elton John. It isn't the lyrics with this one, it's one very specific memory that for whatever reason got attached to this song; my dad and my family at Coney Island having a picnic in the parking lot by the old blue roller coaster (yes, we are Hispanic). The sun, the heat, the old brown Chevy, my mom's chewy ham sandwiches with mayo on Wonderbread and the smell of Coppertone. I miss them.

Show me the Way, Peter Frampton. This is the soundtrack for the endless summers in Brooklyn where the sun was as bright as ever it could be and the colors of childhood so warm the memory of them chills me now. As an adult I can appreciate: "I wonder if I'm dreaming, I feel so unashamed, I can't believe this is happening to me. I watch you when you're sleeping, and then I want to take your love". Oh yeah.

80's: My teens! Utterly misspent and all the better for it! Generation X had no intention of changing the world. We'd learned from all the hippies turned Gordon Gecko that idealism without action is mental/moral masturbation.
Personally, it was the longest decade ever: I turned 12 in "80 and 20 in '88. That's a lot happening in one little decade. I've had to mix artists, albums and songs; there's just too much salty goodness.

Angry Young Man, Billy Joel. Those lyrics and that prelude, God bless him!Describes every guy I ever loved, except the one I married. See, even I can grow up.

Everybody Wants to Rule the World, Tears for Fears. "All for freedom and for pleasure, Nothing ever lasts forever. Everybody wants to rule the world..." And didn't we just?

Forever Young, Alphaville . Yes dammit. I really do want to live forever, forever. But I'd like to do it young. This was my prom song and, as I told a fellow blogger, I last heard it on the oldies station. Shoot me now.

We're the Kids in America, Kim Wilde. Oh man, I can do a Molly Ringwald dance to this like you wouldn't believe! (see The Breakfast Club). Makes you wanna scream "Screw you mom and dad" and then give them a lace glove covered middle finger. We are still the kids in America and apparently we STILL live for the music go round!!!

Bat Out of Hell, Meatloaf. Oy, the angst! It's Goethe; The Teen Years. I know the album came out in '77 but it was still wildly popular in the 80's with a certain brand of tortured young man. For me that album was everything that time was, an endless succession of explosive passions and wrenching defeats. And to think my heart ended torn and twisted at the foot of burning biker. Sigh.


90's: Tough decade. Either I got old or there just wasn't anyone left to fight with or anything left to fight over or for. Apartheid got done, Mr. Gorbachev had taken down his wall with a little help from David Hasselhoff, no one was going to drop to any nukes on us and the Republican Guard surrendered to CNN. Makes you wonder why you wake up some decades.

Let Me Clear my Throat, DJ Kool. What the hell does "music in the monitors" mean anyway? I first heard this song at Coney Island, riding the Himalaya with my boyfriend the body builder. Young, pretty, healthy and in love. Uh huh huh huh, goddamn!

The Hair Metal Genre-the later years, Poison, Motley Crue et al. White Trash national anthems one and all but god, it was such brainless fun.

The Grunge Genre, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, STP. The first time I heard Teen Spirit I nearly fell off my bar stool. I thought it was the first genuine, completely unique musical form I'd ever heard. Like nothing before or since. And some of the best lyrics ever written. Don't believe me? "Take a bath I'll drink the water that you leave. If you should die before me ask if you can bring a friend, pick a flower hold your breath and drift away".


00's: What can say you about a decade that you can't figure out what to call? Is it the naughts? Or the zero zero's? I can't wait for 2013. I'm equally undecided musically . There isn't alot happening that I relate to. And what the hell is an "emo" and why are all the boys wearing guy liner? It's getting to the point that if Zach Braff doesn't include a song on his show or his soundtracks I figure it's not worth it. Could this possibly be a function of my getting older? Is this the first symptom of "if it's too loud, you're too old"? Was it not I who sat on the speaker stacks at CBGB's? I, who partied like a rock star at the Peppermint Lounge and made it to (and in) the VIP section at Limelight? Did I just name drop three totally ancient and now defunct clubs? I guess it's the natural progression of things.

Rudy Valle got knocked off the charts by Bing Crosby who was supplanted by Frank Sinatra who was dethroned by Elvis who was made obsolete by the Beatles. My friends and I have starting saying things like "they don't write songs like that anymore" or "things were just better then". In my heart, I don't think that's true. I think art and music are eternal because the human experiences upon which they are based are immutable. We're just too tired and bored and staid to really listen like once we did.

Thankfully, there are those immortal songs that live forever, at least for me. I don't know when they joined me exactly but they've never left and never will:

In the Mood, by Glenn Miller
Bolero, by Ravel
Anything he ever wrote, Mozart
My Prayer, by The Platters (my wedding song and proof that God loves atheists too)
Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans, as performed by Rosemary Clooney (yeah, yeah white soul whatever, I dig her)
Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White, versions by Perez Prado or Xavier Cougat

Now you know more about me than most. And I'm sure you don't care, which is good, this is the Internet after all. But do yourself a favor and look some of these up. They'll change your life.