My Memories of Music.....

          I totally consider myself a "Child of the 80's".  I can easily sort life events and music and memories by my years in high school and college.  I can remember starting 1983 (sophomore year in high school) by watching MTV’s New Year's Eve Rock'n'Roll Ball with Duran Duran singing "Hungry Like The Wolf".  They were my absolutely favorite band of all time.  I always knew I would marry a bass player (and I did), but for many years I dreamed it would be John Taylor.  Not that I am complaining about the bass player I snagged.  Donnie Inman will always be my #1!!!!!

I know it’s kind of weird!  I remember Peter Gabriel and his song Sledgehammer which came out my freshman year in college in 1986 (which BTW is also one of my top 5 make-out songs—I will get back to that later in this blog). 

One of my all time favorite performers is Prince.  I have seen him in concert a couple of times and he was the ultimate performer.  I even paid for a concert ticket twice in high school when I lost my original ticket.  The film Purple Rain was and still is one of the only movies I will watch over and over.  Junior year (1984) was a good year because of Prince. 

I look back on some of the old cassette tapes I had back then and I see Bananarama (remember them), "He Was Really Sayin' Somethin'" "Shy Boy, "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye, " and “Cruel Summer”.  What about Kajagoogoo?  Too Shy, their one and only hit is still on my IPOD today! 

Now, I must admit to being a fan of Culture Club in the 80’s.  I spent many days singing “Church of the Poison Mind” and  “Karma Chameleon”.    I remember cruising in my Super–cool-Datsun 200SX with the windows down, singing “Everybody Have Fun Tonight” by Wang Chung,  “Down Under” by Men at Work and who can forget A Flock of Seagulls, “I Ran”.

My husband thinks it is hilarious that I can still sing most of these songs word for word.  Now as a musician, he doesn’t listen to lyrics, he listens to music…Me, I still remember most of the words to tons of  one-hit wonders like “I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow (remember the chick with the Mohawk),  “Tainted Love,” “Mickey,”  “Der Kommissar” (in both English and German), 99 Luftballons (I only remember that one in English)  Even the super obscure songs like Aldo Nove’s “Fantasy,” Scritti Politti’s “A Perfect Way,” and Michael Damien’s “Rock On’”  I can sing verbatim. 

            OK—Let me finish this blog with my top 5 Make-out songs of all time.  It’s funny how my list has not changed much through the years.  You might be surprised by my choices.  No sweet, slow, sappy love songs for me…..and no I am not a freak!

#5-Kashmir-Led Zeppelin

#4 Leave Your Hat On-Joe Cocker

#3-Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezing by Journey

#2-Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard

#1-Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel

Man, the 80’s were AWESOME!  It makes me want to download some of my favorite Oldies!  Did I just say that my music was old?  Damn, have I turned into that person?  Oldies used to be the 50’s and 60’s music.  Now it’s 70’s and 80”s.  Where did the time go?