When you were a teenager and you had your driver's license....the volume was up on the radio in that car. It meant freedom. This song was playing at some point. The windows were probably rolled down, too (we didn't push buttons to do this back then). Heatwave's 'The Groove Line'.
Then Homecoming Dances in the fall (maybe prom, as well, but I was still too young to attend those)...the second song was a slow dance feature. Decades later and nostalgia rules as it always does. 'Always and Forever' by Heatwave.
I saw Firefall in concert several years ago in Snowmass, Colorado. It was during a visit to Aspen that fortunately coincided with seeing these guys perform. I remember it being a beautiful evening outdoors, everyone sat on lawn chairs or blankets; it was cool enough to need a jacket while watching a gorgeous sunset behind views that were forever. The icing was seeing a band from my younger days.
Sharing. 'Just Remember I Love You' and 'Cinderella'.
I came of age with ABBA. When I was in high school, their songs were getting played on the radio and I became aware of them even though they had been around a little longer. When I was in college, some of my girlfriends and I drove to Florida for spring break and ABBA's music was everywhere. It is what I think of first when I recall that trip.
Their music brings such wonderful memories for me; one can say nostalgia is in overdrive when I hear one of their songs and I probably know the words to most, if not all, of them. Last year, I saw 'ABBA Voyage' at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, and a couple of years ago those same girlfriends from college and I got together for an ABBA tribute band concert. Add the stage productions and movies of 'Mamma Mia', and well, I continue to attend anything ABBA related. I probably always will. Their music gets me dancing and singing. Most importantly, it's music that makes me happy.
The Bee Gees had hits before I discovered them, too. The movie, 'Saturday Night Fever', revealed their music to me and I've loved them ever since. Feeling nostalgic today.
From the 1982 archives...I was in college and working at a radio station. The first photo is marked April of 1982 and was taken by a fellow photography student. I was sitting in the University Center between classes. On the table in front of me are a cup (probably Coca Cola, as it would be a few years before I turned strictly to Diet Coke), a salt (or pepper) shaker, a couple of text books, and something dark which could've been my tripod. Without a doubt, my camera was just out of the frame and nearby. Of course early 80s hair, along with triple pierced earlobes (most of which have grown closed), and overalls of the era. Of course it's a black and white photo, but I remember those overalls very clearly. They were pink! I was probably wearing my pink Chuck Taylor Converse high tops to match. I'm certain I had a sketch book with me, as well. This image pretty much defined me at the time.
The second photograph is of the same timeframe although it isn't dated; however, the years coincide. I'm in the production room of the radio station where I worked, and I've no idea what I was doing...maybe a VoiceOver for a commercial. Oh, to say...rising with a bullet on the Billboard Charts again. I suppose only radio people would understand that statement.
Finally, the songs below came out around 1982 and were definitely playing on that radio station. To remember the young girl in these photos listening to them at the time...nostalgia.
Once again, I'm sharing a couple of songs that bring nostalgia for my early days. Good ones. I was a new mom in the early 1990s. Both of these were released at that time around 1992 and 1993 (I think). Check out the lyrics.
Neil Young's 'Harvest Moon'; 'Ordinary World' by Duran Duran.
It's a Journey kind of day. I do believe that Steve Perry (of Journey), the late Karen Carpenter, and the late Freddie Mercury (of Queen) were blessed with the most beautiful voices I've ever heard, especially for their genres of music.
January 2025. It marks the thirteenth anniversary of this blog. Some of the posts I've shared over the years are nothing but silly drivel; some are creative in content and nature (sharing my books of fiction, sad attempts at poetry, my photography and paintings, plus everything related to all of it); some posts are thoughts of the moment, memories, nostalgia, Youtube videos; while some dive deeper into what might be going on outside of my own life. I don't write about the latter much anymore because of the divisive nature and ugliness shown, but I wish that I could. Maybe someday.
So this anniversary post contains some New Year's resolutions of sorts. I hold myself accountable for all of them and plan to do better, but there are so many people that I personally know (and of course those I don't!) who should be accountable, as well. We can all do better.
♥︎ Be Accountable. If you make a mistake, own it.
♥︎ Remember. Remember those in your life because someday they won't be in your life anymore; someday your own memory could diminish, too, where it's impossible to recall those memories that are so very important. Everyone gets old...if we're lucky.
♥︎ Show kindness. Showing anything but is only a poor reflection on you.
♥︎ Respond to communication. I'm slow at responding to emails but I always eventually respond, and phone calls aren't always convenient. Text messages were supposed to make communicating easier and quicker...but it seems it's gotten easier to just ignore those. It really seems rude and thoughtless.
♥︎ Show patience. With life, goals, and with people.
♥︎ Hold yourself to the same standards you set for others; and set the standards equally for everyone if you set them.
♥︎ Don't engage in suppressing or repressing others' thoughts and their need to express them. Listen with respect, whether you agree with them or not.
♥︎ Think. Stop following like sheep especially if it goes against logic, knowledge and common sense.
The remainder of this post contain the lyrics and video of Part of the Plan, a great song written and performed by the late Dan Fogelberg. He sings 'One Day We'll All Understand'...I'm still waiting to understand life, but it is less foggy than it used to be.
As always, thanks to all who continue to read what I share here.
Part of the Plan
Music and Lyrics by Dan Fogelberg
I have these moments all steady and strong I'm feeling so holy and humble The next thing I know, I'm all worried and weak And I feel myself starting to crumble
The meanings get lost, and the teachings get tossed And you don't know what you're gonna do next You wait for the sun but it never quite comes
Some kind of message comes through to you Some kind of message comes through And it says to you
Love when you can Cry when you have to Be who you must That's a part of the plan Await your arrival With simple survival and
One day, we'll all understand One day, we'll all understand One day, we'll all understand
I had a woman who gave me her soul But I wasn't ready to take it Her heart was so fragile and heavy to hold And I was afraid I might break it
Your conscience awakes and you see your mistakes And you wish someone would buy your confessions The days miss their mark, and the night gets so dark
And some kind of message comes through to you Some kind of message shoots through And it says to you
Love when you can Cry when you have to Be who you must That's a part of the plan Await your arrival With simple survival and
One day, we'll all understand One day, we'll all understand One day, we'll all understand
There is no Eden or heavenly gates That you're gonna make it to one day But all of the answers you seek can be found In the dreams that you dream on the way
Growing up in the south at the time I did, one knew this song. The imagery and lyrics were lived; the voice was as familiar as our own mamas and next door neighbors calling us to eat dinner (not lunch, and supper was later). The haunting music and storyline leave all listeners (southern or not) guessing at the meaning.
Why did Billie Joe jump? What exactly did they throw off that bridge?
We wondered about the answers, coming up with our own guesses to make it fit while listening to the song on the radio...windows rolled down in the old car, dust kicking up from the tires as the hot, thick air of summer arrived and ultimately overstayed its welcome. Guesses didn't make facts.
Only Bobbie Gentry knows the answers.
"It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day..."
'Ode to Billie Joe' ~ Written and Performed by Bobbie Gentry
I just recently discovered there was/is a dance called 'The Funky Broadway' from the 1960s...sort of like the 'Hustle' of the 1970s. Dances that involved certain moves, performed in groups for fun. Think Bump, Twist, Charleston, Line, Square, Shimmy, Robot, Swing, etc. Each had its own era. But 'The Funky Broadway'?
A Netflix documentary of the musical group Cowsills included a song of theirs that played over the closing credits. It's called 'Some Good Years' and it's a great, great song! Having never heard of it, I watched the Youtube video. Not only was I mesmerized by the song, I was amazed at the dancing moves of the youngest band member, Susan. While I assumed she was a naturally talented dancer at around eight years of age, she was actually dancing 'The Funky Broadway' which was apparently dance moves that originated to a song of the same name. I guess. I just read the comments sometimes. Anyway, the group's history is a somewhat tragic one, so this wonderful song seems a bit of a surprise.
I thought I'd share the song below; while the quality of the video isn't great, the song is perfect. Be impressed by the various clips of a young Susan's dance moves.
The late Karen Carpenter is trending on social media. Her voice, talent, and it being in the middle of her death (February 4) and birth (March 2) could be reasons; yet, I've read a younger generation is suddenly discovering her gift of a voice and talent as a drummer.
Her voice was beautiful and unique; I've heard it described as "if silk had a sound" which is a wonderful description of what it was like listening to her sing. All of the Carpenters' songs bring such nostalgia; her death in 1983 brought awareness to anorexia nervosa.
I find myself suddenly telling Alexa to play music by the Carpenters...
One of the best covers of any song is Katie Melua's version of The Cure's classic Just Like Heaven. It's shared below. While it has nothing to do with the words I've written in this post, I do like it. A lot.
I Like…
A book that I don’t wish to end but can’t stop reading until it does
The smell of coffee in the morning and my need for it
The familiar things being comforting
My dog sleeping at my feet
Snow falling in the evening when I’ve no reason to be outdoors in it
The nostalgia of hearing a song and what it meant to me a lifetime ago
Wandering antique stores…remembering and imagining.
The scent in the air announcing rain before it actually happens
The way the afternoon sun angles, hinting autumn is near while the calendar says summer
Bonfires, and fire pits in crisp air,
And fireplace glow
Scents of pine, and cinnamon, and nutmeg,
From candles burning and ovens baking
The way a grocery store smells weeks before Thanksgiving through Christmas,
Apples and pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns
Leaves falling, carpeting the earth’s floor, crunching under our feet
That everything is haunted in October.
I Like…
Bookstores and public libraries
Freshly baked bread, the smell and taste of it
Drinking hot chocolate and finding different ways to make it
Always learning
The joy of travel and the greater joy of returning home
Sleeping in my own bed
Finding art in everything…the way tea pours, the curve of a vase, the shape of a tree,
Music and the peace of mind it gives me listening to it
Writing…composing my thoughts, creating with it
Wine in the evenings
My cameras, capturing magic, freezing time.
I Like...
Spruce trees covered in snow, the branches sloping from the weight of it,
Strands of multi-colored holiday lights woven around it reflecting and muted through the whiteness
Decorating the Christmas tree with ornaments from my travels
Holiday movies and shows of my youth, shown every year, watched every year,
Wearing hats and jackets and coats, the more variety the better
Anticipation…of good, of normalcy, and receiving it
I love this song. Even though I'd forgotten about it until I heard it again on Sirius XM the other day. It was released in the summer of 1986, and I remember clearly what I was doing and planning when I first heard it.
It was during a modeling job I had in Atlanta. I was being photographed for a bridal magazine; through the makeup applications and touchups, dress and hair changes, this song came on the radio during the shoot. It was a stop-everything and listen to this gorgeous song...and everyone did. I also recall it so vividly because I'd been asked to audition for a bit part on Miami Vice, so I was pretty excited about it. It's interesting how songs trigger memories, as do sights and smells.
While there are so many things going on in the world, I'd like to "fire off" about them here. But I won't. Opinions. We are all entitled to them. We have a right to them. Suppressing, stifling and bullying someone because of a difference of opinion is nothing but fascist tactics.
Sharing some more music instead. These particular blog posts are easy, less messy and are much better than reading the lunacy on Twitter, or any other social media platform.
Music video #3 of good music from Youtube. I like sharing these, and this particular song meant so much to me as a parent when Rod Stewart released it. The words resonate, and nostalgia hits hard whenever I hear it now.
Forever Young, performed by Rod Stewart; songwriters: Bob Dylan, Jim Cregan, Kevin Savigar, Rod Stewart
