Boulder, Colorado
December 27, 2020
Last night I got the urge to listen to some songs from an earlier time - the 1980s. I've included here some of the songs that I listened to, that reminded me of what I remember as a less complicated time. When to some degree we were unified by Top 40 radio. I recently saw a list of the Top 100 songs of 2020; I did not recognize a single one. In 1985, I bet 7 out of 10 people my age could tell you what the number one song in the country was - thanks to Casey Kasem.
The lyrics to Kenny Chesney's "I Go Back" summarize my feelings pretty well:
"Jack and Diane" painted a picture of my life and my dreams, Suddenly this crazy world made more sense to me Well I heard it today and I couldn't help but sing along 'Cause every time I hear that song
I go back to a two-toned short bed Chevy Drivin' my first love out to the levy Livin' life with no sense of time And I go back to the feel of a fifty yard line A blanket, a girl, some raspberry wine Wishin' time would stop right in its tracks Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go back
I used to rock all night long to "Keep On Rockin' Me Baby" At frat parties, college bars, just tryin' to impress the ladies I heard it today and I couldn't help but sing along 'Cause every time I hear that song
I go back to the smell of an old gym floor And the taste of salt on the Carolina shore After graduation and drinkin' goodbye to friends And I go back to watchin summer fade to fall Growin' up too fast and I do recall Wishin' time would stop right in its tracks Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go back
We all have a song that somehow stamped our lives Takes us to another place and time
So I go back to a pew, preacher and a choir Singin' 'bout God, brimstone, and fire And the smell of Sunday chicken after church And I go back to the loss of a real good friend And the sixteen summers I shared with him Now "Only The Good Die Young" stops me in my tracks Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go back
To the feel of a fifty yard line A blanket, a girl, some raspberry wine I go back (I go back) To watchin' summer fade to fall Growin' up too fast and I do recall
I go back (I go back) To the loss of a real good friend And the sixteen summers I shared with him I go back, I go back, I go back