The Song Remains the Same
Not much going to blog about but hearing an old song really got me thinking. What songs have affected my life - in any way for any reason and the song I heard is the number one song in affecting my life. That song is
Anarchy in the UK by the Sex Pistols
Now I am not saying this is my favorite song of all time but I believe it had the most impact on me. Prior to this hearing this song, I was your usual kid into BMX, motocross and Queen. Then one day in 1981/1982 on the way home from school (7th grade) I heard this song the radio (someone had a little portable) and that was it. That song changed me forever in what kind of music I now wanted to hear. For me, it was the fastest, most powerful and kickass song I have ever heard. I remember being totally blown away. Within a year, the Queen records got pushed to the back and the Sex Pistols, Circle Jerks and more made they way to heavy rotation. But this was not the only way I believe it changed/affected me. I was always into the military as a kid and always swore I was going into the military but by the time high school came around - that was no longer an option or even a thought...in no small part due to the lyrics and new ideas that I would have normally ever heard (not at all baggin on the military - I was just a kid) Punk also led to skateboarding and both of which led to a befriending a new group of people I would probably have never hung out with otherwise (the skating and punk is what brought us together) The good side is I am still friends with many of these people.
oh yeah - this also led to smoking and drinking.. you can judge if that was good or bad. :-)
This really got me wondering about where I would be and what I would be doing had I not loved this song when I heard it and stayed listening to Queen, Boston and ELO..... different friends, different hobbies maybe even a star wars geek (NOT!!!)
I truly have no idea but I am not sure I would want that life. Things happen for a reason and many of those reason are still very important to me today. And you know how they say I wouldn't change a thing..... well maybe a few tiny things but overall I would not.
Another deep thought by THE BIRDMAN!!!!
posted by birdman @ 5:36 PM
3 Comments:
Wow Birdman! That was a good post! And yes, a very deep thought! Definitely one though that stirs quite a bit of thought and emotion from me. It made me start to think about what one song really changed my life...I was an odd kid for many reasons. I loved horses and my parents bought me one when I was 12. I promised them I would always get good grades if only they bought me a horse. And I kept my word. I was very studious - getting A's and staying out of trouble. I was also odd in that I listened to Elvis, Wayne Newton, Jack Jones, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash... Talk about the oddball! That was me. All of my friends were listening to Loverboy, REO Speedwagon, Van Halen - I was way off the chart with the stuff I listened to! I couldn't talk to my friends about music, because we had such different tastes, so I kept my thoughts about music to myself. I was influenced so heavily by songs like "Folsom Prison", "Suspicious Minds", "Summer Wind" and "December". My Dad was born and raise in a very small town called Pound, VA. I grew up listening to Bluegrass and to this day enjoy bluegrass music in every way. Looking back, I think I had all the signs of someone that should have picked up an instrument. For whatever reason I picked up a set of reins instead. I truly believe that for me music was my own personal sanctuary of sorts. I like the fact I was listening to artists that no one my age even knew - save for Elvis, of course. I often think about how my life would be different today had I been listening to those same bands as my friends? It is something to think about...I think as we hit our 40's things like this surface and we think about them.... Great blog Birdman! Woohoo!!!
Great great post. I'd have to say the songs that i remember listening to and thinking, WOW, that is F'n incredible , was BOC - don't fear the reaper and The Joker by Steve Miller. My dad and mom were Uber potheads and i remember my dad having the 8 track to both of those albums. He's crank the radio up to 10 whenever those songs came on. But i'd have to say the song that really CHANGED my life was Pearl Jam - Black. Up to that time in my young idiotic adult life, i listened to only Rap. that song is what kind of pulled me away from that genre and into rock. Though i do have a hatred for Neil young for ruining them.
For me, that moment you describe was getting a copy of Van Halen's Diver Down on cassette...from a minor league baseball player that stole a bunch of shit from my parents after they put him up in our spare bedroom for the season.
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