Oh, THAT'S what that was

Here's the list of song snippets from yesterday, not that anybody else is interested, but it was fun for ME.

To make sure I remembered right, I looked all these up on the wonderful, all-knowing world wide web, and I revisited all these songs, remembering my life at the time I first heard them, and wondering why they stick in my head to this day.

I've added a little to each one, finishing out the phrase that usually is in my head, that I left out yesterday when I was afraid I'd give it away.


1. "ninety-nine dreams I have had, every one, a red balloon": 99 Red Balloons, Nena

This one is from the years our kids were young and we had just bought our stereo. It was one of our most expensive purchases, and quite a splurge for us. I can remember crying at the beautiful sounds coming out of it. The first tape we played on it was "Ocean Music," something we picked up at a department store. It sounded like real water coming out of the speakers!

Anyway, one of the first other tapes we had was Nena, 99 Luftballons. I loved the German version, and still do, even though I don't understand German.

2. "money, money, money, must be funny, in a rich man's world": Money, Money, Money, ABBA

Another tape from those early years of our stereo. I used to do aerobics to ABBA music. And then I read some background on the group, about their broken marriages, and then the music became too painful to listen to. Which is sad, because I still like it.

3. "please, mister, please, don't play B-seventeen": Please, Mister, Please, Olivia Newton-John

This one comes from further back. When I was in high school I received an Olivia Newton-John album as a gift. This was one of the songs on it, not to mention that it got a lot of airtime. I think there were only two songs on the album I could stand to listen to.

4. "aye, calypso, the places you've been to": Calypso, John Denver

From the same era as the Olivia album, because I got a John Denver album about the same time. I liked this song. Musically, it really did take me away on the high seas.

I even went to a John Denver concert once. It was, like, the only concert I ever went to, except for Mike Warnke, and that doesn't count.

5. "Billy, don't be a hero, don't be a fool with your life": Billy, Don't Be a Hero, Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods

This was on the radio when I was a sentimental junior-high girl. I remember my mom's girlfriend despised this song because it made Billy out to be stupid for being a hero and fighting for his country. That gave me something to think about.

6. "too young for love they told her, waiting for the love of a travelin' soldier": Travelin' Soldier, Dixie Chicks

I don't know how old this song is, but I think it's relatively new. Hmm. Now that I think about it, it has a similar theme to "Billy." Oh well, I like it anyway.

7. "How long do you wanna be loved? Is forever enough, is forever enough?": Lullaby, Dixie Chicks

This is a Dixie Chicks song that I discovered last year on YouTube. It's very hushed and beautiful.

8. "you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave": Hotel California, Eagles

I think EVERYONE knows this song. I remember it from my young days of listening to my radio under the covers at night. I was fascinated by it, even though it was a little creepy. Especially since at the time I had no idea what it meant. The only kind of grid I had for understanding was that at church they talked all the time about the End Times and about the Beast who would rise up to rule, so when the song said, "they stabbed it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast," I had a vague notion it must be about Satan, or something.

Now I have a better idea what they're talking about, but I'm not going to say, in case I'm wrong.

9. "I took two shots, got no ducks, and cold, cold hands": Two Shots, John Denver

This is another song off of that John Denver album. I DON'T like this one, but IT WON'T GO AWAY!

(It's stupid. Have you ever read the lyrics? What in the world is he talking about?)

10. "I write the songs that make the young girls cry": I Write The Songs, Barry Manilow,

Ahhh, I used to cry over this one when I was a young girl of thirteen.

11. "you don't ever laugh like you used to, and I don't wanna see you blue": Bop With Ya Baby, Dan Seal

I used to cry over this one when I was a young mother. I think I identified with the woman in the song who was tired and blue, and I hoped my husband would notice and sweep me off my feet to go have some fun.

12. "Key Largo, Montego, baby why don't we go": Kokomo, Beach Boys

Same general theme, only from a few years ago when I was a tired mom of teens. And then we got to go on our super 25th anniversary car trip, and I don't cry over the song anymore. But that doesn't stop me from dreaming.....

13. "Well,you kissed me and stopped me from shakin' and I need you today, oh Mandy": Mandy, Barry Manilow

Another song I cried over when I was thirteen. And why is it that now poor, dear Barry kind of embarrasses me?


Well, there you go. A glimpse into the tape player in the archives of my mind. Yes, tapes. The memories are still on tape, even if the new stuff is on CD.