Monday, April 30, 2012

The Carpenters and the Yellow Brick Road

When I was younger, I knew all the words to all the songs on the radio.  If I turn on the 70's station today, I can still sing all those songs, and remember the lyrics.  I can't tell you what I had for lunch yesterday, but I can sing, "Afternoon Delight" from start to finish.

I tried to sing along with a  song yesterday, ha ha ha.  It's a recent song and I can't begin to tell you what any of the words were. All I heard was "nah nah nah bla bla bla."  Why can't I figure out what's being said nowadays?  Why was it so easy when I was younger?


I think I paid more attention back then.  The songs meant the world to me and they shaped me.  They sang to me.  They spoke about my heartache, love at age 12, and being on top of the world!


I had one of those record players that would play both albums and 45's.  I'll hear songs and remember the way the label looked on the 45.  I think one of the first 45s I can remember is, "Ride Captain Ride."  My brother bought that one.  How much did they cost back then, 99 cents?

I listened to The Carpenters over and over. I tried to sing like Karen Carpenter, and learned a lot of musical phrasing from her.  Her sad songs were so darn sad.  I still feel sad when I hear her sing.

I listened to Goodbye Yellow Brick Road over and over again, and didn't understand half of what I heard.  (Pinball Wizard? Really?)  I still don't understand most of it, but boy those are some good songs. 

I would sing along to John Denver, Barry Manilow, Linda Ronstadt, Barbra Streisand and any show tune you could imagine.  I spent hours upon hours in my room singing the albums from beginning to end.  Man, those were the days.  Maybe that's what I need to do this weekend?  Lock myself in my bedroom and sing for hours?

What albums did you have as a kid?

7 comments:

mel said...

Wellll.....

For a long time all we were allowed was a Green Beret album of my father's and Irish music. I grew up to the Clancy brothers and can still sing most songs.

But then, woo hoo, along came the Beach Boys - well, East Coast girls are hip....I just KNEW they were talking about me.

And then the Beatles of course....

And then what I think of as 'summer in a hot city' music - Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, going to work in the summer, driving my parents car in the city, hot and young,with the windows down.

College - Bruuuuce!

Grad School - Waoooo, werewolves of London, my man Warren Zevon, for parties, along with the Stones. Van Morrison for romantic moon-dancing nights....and still Bruuuuccee for energy and adrenaline.

What a memory lane. Thank you, JuJus!

angie128 said...

REO Speedwagon High Infidelity was my first album.

But we had a Carpenters book with music for the piano so me and my mom used to play that.

Didn't we all think we could sing like Karen Carpenter?

Music - really takes you back doesn't it? #love

angie128 said...

REO Speedwagon High Infidelity was my first album.

But we had a Carpenters book with music for the piano so me and my mom used to play that.

Didn't we all think we could sing like Karen Carpenter?

Music - really takes you back doesn't it? #love

Grandma K said...

Beatles, a lot of classical and semi-classical stuff, Willie Nelson. I was a bit eclectic wouldn't you say?

SPT said...

Hello Shawn Cassidy.... Da Doo Ron Ron was my first favorite music. And then I moved on the Journey and Styx. My brother was into Rush. I tried to be but couldn't quite get there. xoxo

sherri s. said...

Ah, AM radio...listened to on my yellow Panasonic ball radio while I laid out in the sun (read: burned).

Through the walls of my big brother's room; Beatles, Stones, Hendrix. "Brandy," "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," "Dust in the Wind," "Hotel California," Jackson 5 on the beloved ball radio.

First album I bought was Joan Jett, soon followed by the Police. And yes, I know ALL the words to all those songs...I joke that that's the reason I can't do math--too many song lyrics (including theme songs to "Brady Bunch," "Gilligan's Island," and "Three's Company") taking up room inside my brain.

Lap Dog Knits said...

Jim Croce...over and over and over again.

Through the walls I heard The Beatles from my brother's room..

I had The Jackson Five album...
but for some odd reason they scared me

oh, the laughs and smiles your blog has brought to me thinking about this...thanks!!!!