What you won’t find here is today’s bonus words but what you will find is at least 2 minutes of reading to help you sleep while at work.
I frequently use the term ‘providing a soundtrack for our lives’ when referencing music and how a solitary nifty little ditty can instantly trigger memories. It doesn’t even have to be a song you like nor do the lyrics have to fit the moment and it’s not something that you need write down as your subconscious is adequately outfitted at retaining all of those anecdotes that have ultimately made you who you are. Please allow me to delve into detail and peruse a moment or two from my own personal time line.
1984 – Rock You Like a Hurricane by The Scorpions.
This is the song that was blasting through my walkman speakers when I broke both my ankles while jumping my Honda XR 80. It should be noted that this was not my fault had the girl I was trying to impress stayed at home instead of opting to spend her summer with her grandparents, who were my neighbors by the way. No, I never did get the girl.
1987 – Rock’n’Roll All Nite by Kiss
This tune played all day in the car leading up to an eventful day in the bright lights of Winnipeg. I, along with fellow cohorts Chico and Weezee would later be explaining to city cops why we shoplifted some Colours Cologne, along with some choice musical selections of the cassette nature. It would also mark my first court experience, my first juvenile probation officer and a lifelong ban from Eaton’s. I still feel I came out the winner though; when is the last time you saw an Eaton’s store?
1988 – Oowatanite by April Wine
This song was playing in the distance when I experienced my first true kiss. She was a Mexican exchange student whose real name is Marichu but I couldn’t pronounce it so I called her ‘Taco’. Used to hanging out with the older kids, she tried her foreign hand with someone her own age. We smacked lips underneath a big ole’ cottonwood tree and she would later tell me I was a horrible kisser. Taco went back to dating older guys and I went back to my poster of Heather Thomas.
1990 – Don’t Treat Me Bad by Firehouse
My ride was a 1979 Cutlass Supreme, complete with a jet black paint job, smoked out windows and a transmission that had a non functioning reverse gear. Regardless, this was also the tune playing in that cassette deck when I ‘pulled’ my first case of beer as a minor. I want to say it was either ‘Club’ or ‘OV’ only because I didn’t know that better ales existed at the time.
1994 – One Bourbon, One Scotch , One Beer by George Thorogood
Lost in life, I felt university would solve my problems. Signing up for all of the ‘ology courses like sociology, psychology and anthropology, I also signed up to rent a house with four other party animals. And while I excelled at failing all of my courses, I still can’t suck back a flaming zambuca without being reminded of that song and the night one of my roommates, J.J. Dalton burnt off all his goatee hair when said shooter went awry.
