Flashback

I found this surfaced in Facebook memories today. I had posted this exactly a year ago. 

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I had a lot of fun with the books/movies/games that have stuck with you over the years. This morning, I was listening to “I Remember You” by Skid Row, and was instantly transported to age 13, sitting at my desk at my new school that I only attended for a year in 8th grade, scribbling the words to this song and “18 and Life” into my desk, using the pen to form grooves to hold on to the words.

I remember that feeling of wanting to leave a mark, of this being such important music to me at the time. I remember thinking of the future student who would sit in my now-defaced desk thinking on the words and feeling a connection to a stranger from the past, that felt the same things.

Now I challenge you to list 10 songs that transport you. The biggest requirement is that when you hear this song anywhere, a specific memory pops into your head, and you don’t have to use google or whatever to figure out the year or how old you were — you just know because it’s an indelible part of your memory makeup and who you are. Some of these songs are going to be… dumb and embarrassing to mention, I’m sure, but be honest. 

For me, in no particular order:

1. I Remember You, as listed above.
2. Somebody, by Depeche Mode. http://youtu.be/LgooMi4NYhY – I’m a senior in high school. I’m at the Korean Student Association banquet. It’s not the closing song, but it’s almost the end of the dance. I’m here alone because my boyfriend is in Germany for the year. I am missing him. I almost want to dance with anyone at all because this song defines everything about love as I know it to that point. I want to weep, but I am happy that I know this kind of love. Everyone I ever made a mixtape for got this song on it.
3. Groovy Kind of Love, by Phil Collins. http://youtu.be/HsC_SARyPzk – I’m 12 years old. I’m slow dancing at one of the first boy-girl parties ever with a boy to this song. This is “our song” for me & my first “boyfriend”, who did amazing things like carry my books and help me vacuum my living room and remembered all the things I like. The best first boyfriend anyone could ever have had. He was so sweet and I didn’t know how to show my feelings, but I thought he was the greatest person ever. 
4. Paper Lanterns, by Green Day. http://youtu.be/Gh3RhwVr1Bk – It was on the mix CD that Seppo made for me while we were still just friends. Here’s what I remember him saying to me, “I made this mix CD. If you want it, you can have it. If you don’t, I’ll just keep it.” I very clearly thought he made himself a mix CD and made me a copy just because. As such, I didn’t realize that I should be listening to these songs as things he was saying TO me and that he had in fact made this CD specifically for me. Oops. So when I listened to the words (and I listened carefully), I assumed it was about this other girl he liked. 

I listened to that mix CD in strict order for years and years. I just realized that I don’t have the full playlist on my computer right now and I’m freaking out. I need to find the CD. 🙁
 
Also, HOLY CRAP THIS VIDEO! It’s from 1990 apparently, when they are playing at Pinole Valley High School. WOW. I can’t imagine having seen them at my own high school. That’s insane.
5. Forever Young (Dance Version), by Alphaville. http://youtu.be/-5Yx2TnN9mc?list=RD-5Yx2TnN9mc – I’m in my pastor’s son’s car, crowded in with far too many people for the size of the car. He is doing pickups for Friday night bible study. He is driving possibly a bit too fast, and the car is full of youthful energy. All the windows are down and this song is blasting. I vaguely feel like this song is blasphemous but can’t help loving it and feeling like this moment will last forever and no time at all.
6. All of Me, by John Legend. http://youtu.be/h0dvSoTQ0DY – Seppo played this for me earlier this year, and it was my first time hearing it because I don’t really listen to the radio. I’m sitting on the couch, listening to my iPhone. Out of nowhere, I start sobbing. We’ve been together for so long, and we still feel all of these words. The words hit me in the heart and I’m down for the count.
7. Bit Part, by Lemonheads. http://youtu.be/ca6N9FN-rbQ?list=RDca6N9FN-rbQ – My high school long-distance boyfriend (sorry these are so boyfriend-related) sent me a mix tape in the mail. I’d never heard of the Lemonheads before. Half the mixtape is REM and some other stuff (actually, I remember every song but I’ll pretend to be cool about it all), and in the mix is this short amazing song. It is perfect. It’s him. It’s us. I immediately rewind after listening to the entire tape and listen to this one song over and over.
8. You Got It (The Right Stuff), by New Kids On the Block. http://youtu.be/oI57ea0oP7Y – I remember exactly where I was when I heard this song & saw the video for the first time. We had MTV back in the days when it was almost entirely music video after music video. The tv was on. It was the summer when I turned 12 years old. I saw this video and instantly, I walked right up to the tv and stood next to it. I stood there until they played this video again, not turning the channel, not looking away. It was the first time in my life that I reacted this way to any music or band. I was a tween and I had boyband fever. 
9. U Can’t Touch This, by MC Hammer. http://youtu.be/otCpCn0l4Wo?list=RDotCpCn0l4Wo – One random day in the summer of high school, I was walking over to where I tutored a couple of younger girls. I was probably 17 years old. The walk was long, so I used to read or listen to my Walkman while walking. Yes, I used to read while walking in the street. Anyway, one time, this song came on the radio while I was on an empty street. So I started doing the hammer, as you do. I had been doing this for like 20-30 seconds, when I look up and see ANOTHER KID in the street, looking at me and LAUGHING. GAH!!!! I speed-walk away.
10. Such Great Heights, Iron & Wine cover of Postal Service song. http://youtu.be/jB8tId_7Q0M – Our first dance song at our wedding. :’D
I’ll tag some people, but really, anyone who wants to should do it. Just tag me back so I can see it. Picking some people that share some of the same song memories as me, and some people whose musical memories are bound to be interesting. 🙂
[snipped list of names]