My dad loved a little John Denver on a snowy Saturday morning. Ann Murray joined us on the car stereo for short trips to the store. He cranked the Kenny Rogers when nothing else would suffice but the Gambler.
I moaned. I yelled. I rallied my tween-age defiance, flicked off the Sony’s power and proudly took my time-outs like a prisoner caught with a shank at lock-down. A classically disenfranchised youngster, I had no say when it came to the theme songs of family time. However, when I think back to my childhood, the background tunes that color my memories are exactly those cheesy, un-hip, “why is this song still in my head” examples of 1970’s Americana.
One of the greatest things about driving was choosing the music that served as the score for my personal movie. Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer blasted through my silly Nissan Maxima as I drove home from the DMV after passing my road test. George Michael cooperatively chanted “I Want Your Sex” as I sat dazed and content after losing my virginity. “It Takes Two to Make a Thing go Right” is imprinted from my first freshman dorm party, the moment I realized I was truly on my own and could party like THIS if I wanted to…
The funny thing is that I don’t listen to the music from that movie anymore. Oddly enough, when I feel nostalgic, I reach for a little John Denver. I look to “Sweet Caroline” and not “Darling Nikki” to soothe what ails me these days. Who put Simon and Garfunkel on my freakin I-pod? Guilty. I can’t explain it other than I’m the product of my environment. I just never thought the environment that would stick would be the cheesy, 70’s one.
jeffrey sumber, John Denver, Kenny Rogers, nostalgia, Peter Gabriel, Prince, Simon and Garfunkel, Sweet Caroline
Jeffrey Sumber is changing the world, one relationship at a time. For over two decades, Jeffrey has worked to understand the human experience from as many angles as possible. As a successful psychotherapist, marriage counselor, and life coach, Jeffrey has worked with thousands of clients who strive to live their best lives.
…throw in some Seals & Crofts and Hall & Oates and I’m with ya! (: Ah, the 70’s…rotary phones, the Love Boat, R2D2 necklaces…real things that mattered (:
Hi Jeffrey,
Very nice.
The 70’s had some of the best music – period. I wake up with a new song everyday. Even songs that I didn’t grow up with play in my head. God is my DJ. Music is the soundtrack of my life. :D
When I want to get to a place where I know all is good I turn to John Denver, Barry Manilow, Simon and Garfunkel, and Cat Stevens (Yusaf Islam). When I want to get in touch with me (where all isnt only good) then I turn to Prince, Stevie Wonder, U2, NIN, and a couple others where my soul actually stirs. Not to say that Cat Stevens and S&G particulary dont also cause that reaction, but there is only one side of me that stirs. Prince causes all of me to react and engage. John Denver wants me to save the world, Prince wants me to get in the thick of it where its complicated, down and dirty dipping in the swamp of life, relishing each joyous time I emerge from the swamp, crack off the mud and see who I am. (Which is a similar experience to cleansing oneself in the waters of Lake Minnitonka.) And its all good.
That scene with Appolonia and Prince was very important, some might say seminal, for my adolescent development… Thanks for posting, Megan!
Jeffrey