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 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.
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