The Playlist of My Youth

One of many albums in my collection

I’ve often written in this blog about the impact music has played in my life, how it fed my imagination and dreams, and its relevance in how I’m able to create. It sets the tone and inspires. My musical discovery began in the same manner as most pre-teens: the extreme dislike of what the older generation of the time favored, and listening to radio stations that reflected my own likes (often when my parents weren’t listening, but much easier to do so when I got my first transistor radio). 

I know most women of my generation rushed to the magazine stands at the local grocery stores looking for the latest issue of Tiger Beat Magazine, which had monthly sensationalistic coverage of the current heartthrobs, with color photo spread accompaniment. So many of those photographs were torn out and taped on my bedroom walls. Tony DeFranco and the DeFranco Family. The Bay City Rollers (which I think is the first time I’d ever seen a kilt, and it was cool. Of course.). Young teens. I was one of them, and it was how I also got to know the music of the time. 

When I was about seventeen, I attended my first concert. Peter Frampton. I’m sure he was featured in those Tiger Beat issues but, by that time, I’d grown out of them.  My tastes were maturing.  Over the years, I would see dozens of artists in concert, some I was fortunate enough to see before they were famous: Cheap Trick, The B52s, R.E.M.... What’s interesting (and wonderful) about my generation is that the great music of that era includes three decades of differing sounds and genres. It endures.

Then MTV launched. I was a communications major (broadcast journalism) when it first aired, and remember sending in an audition tape in hopes of being added as a future VJ (many did). That didn’t happen, of course, but I thought MTV the greatest thing of that time period and watched probably too many music videos at the time.  Many artists of the 1980s owe MTV much in spearheading, if not reinventing, their careers. 

My daughter has some of my albums of that time, or vinyl as it’s called today. She and I were talking about some of her favorites and I told her I’d make a playlist of my own for her. Then I turned to Spotify because you’re able to share a playlist you create with others, but as in most things that involve a password, I couldn’t figure it out because I’m technology-challenged. Oh, well. It takes me a while, and it’s much faster if I just share it here. 

So, I’ve included what I call a playlist of my youth in no particular order. These songs are so relevant to me that every time I listen to them, I’m taken somewhere else…nostalgia does this. This is not a soundtrack of my life (only part of it) because there is so much music that I currently listen to that was created much later, and none of it is listed here. I’ve also not included any tracks by my favorite artists and bands, such as Fleetwood Mac, Eagles (including Glenn Frey and Don Henley solo), U2, Heart, Journey, Elton John, etc. because I like most of the music from these artists. All of this is music of my life. Below are simply individual songs that influenced me in my early years (pre-teen, teen, and early twenties), and I’ve certainly overlooked/forgotten some.  Also, I’m only mentioning the songs and the artists who performed them. If you can figure out Spotify, maybe create your own playlist. I guess I’ll continue using my iPod until it dies. Thanks for reading.

 

For What It’s Worth – Buffalo Springfield

My Back Pages – The Byrds

Get Together – The Youngbloods

In My Life – The Beatles

Drift Away – Dobie Gray

Dance with Me – Orleans 

Coming Around Again – Carly Simon

Will You Love Me Tomorrow? – Carole King

If You Could Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot

Alone Again (Naturally) – Gilbert O’Sullivan 

Wedding Song – Noel Paul Stookey

Sentimental Lady – Bob Welch

Sister Golden Hair – America

Ventura Highway – America 

Holiday – Madonna 

Borderline – Madonna

Freedom – George Michael

Father Figure – George Michael

You’re Only Lonely – J.D. Souther

Reminiscing – Little River Band

Just Between You and Me – April Wine 

More than a Feeling – Boston 

Good Times Roll – The Cars

Since You’re Gone – The Cars

How ‘Bout Us – Champaign 

If You Leave Me Now – Chicago 

Just Remember I Love You – Firefall

You Are the Woman – Firefall

Right Down the Line – Gerry Rafferty

Our Lips Are Sealed – The Go-Gos

Rocky Mountain High – John Denver

Imagine – John Lennon 

Lola – The Kinks 

I Melt for You – Modern English

Always Something There to Remind Me – Naked Eyes

Lotta Love – Nicolette Larson

Magic – Olivia Newton-John 

Baby, I Love Your Way – Peter Frampton

Show Me the Way – Peter Frampton

You’re My Best Friend – Queen 

Don’t You (Forget About Me) – Simple Minds 

Into the Mystic – Van Morrison