First I will address the title of the blog. A few years ago (3 I think?) a television show called "Californication" with David Duchovny had a very special guest star in the form of 80's heartthrob singer and actor Rick Springfield. It was a line (in various incarnations - ie. being 'fucked' by, OR alternatively in the first person reference). It was very funny, he poked fun at himself and played a very much over the top version of himself and I loved every minute of it. Now, as for the blog entry of the day. There will be likely TWO. (Yes Kristina you read correctly....TWO! Are you excited? LOL)
Growing up in the 80's the music was so different than what it is now. Maybe it's because I'm older and I'm doing the whole "Back in my day..." bullshit that I always swore I'd never say like my parents or grand parents however...Back in my day....music WAS different. It was rarely (if ever) this emo bullshit life sucks crap. That didn't come until the 90's when grunge came into play. Now I'm not going to bash on grunge, but it just wasn't my thing. Now I'm sure you're saying "what about punk music K?" Well yes okay there were the whole "I wish I was dead" type lyrics, but it was done with better clothes, style and combat boots. What's not to love? PLUS who's going to argue with a guy who can manage to get his hair to stand up in a point 3 feet above his head? (BTW I always wondered how they did that). We had style back in the 80's.
I've always liked music. Lots of different kinds, classical, musicals, the stuff my parents used to listen to....I was raised on the Holy Jewish Trinity after all (Manilow, Streisand, and Diamond), SOME country (just not horribly twangy shit) pop, rock (LOVE me some hair bands... KISS, Van Halen (80's Halen though not this reunited stuff they have now. Or Van Hagar is just fine by me too!), Poison, Whitesnake, Journey....I could really go on. But music was FUN. We were just coming out of disco, and if NOTHING else disco was FUNKY and FUN. It was harmless ya know? No one killed anyone after listening to disco, alright maybe after listening to Disco Duck...but who could blame them? At worst we wore bell bottoms and platform shoes and did a platter of coke. (Okay not me specifically I was like 8 at the time). But seriously? It's disco. So much music today is derived from disco and music that has come before it...and yet people used to rip on it, and still do. Ahh but such is life I suppose, there's always something...but rest assured ladies and gentlemen...no world wars, turf wars or gang wars were ever started over Blondie's "Heart of Glass" or Chic's "Le Freak". They were both just good, FUN-ky tunes.
I think the one thing all my favourite music has in common is that it's an emotional connection between myself and the music. The lyric "The music between us" is a perfect example. It's a connection with something within the track, either the vocals, lyrics, the keys, guitar, drum or bass line. It's SOMETHING that speaks to me, and I think that's likely true for everyone. There's that connection to whatever music it maybe, but it's up to the individual to figure that out.
Sometimes it's the silliness of the lyrics that I love. I give you Guns and Roses "I used to love her" for an example. "I used to love her, but I had to kill her. I used to love her, but I had to kill her. She bitched so much, she drove me nuts, and now I'm happier this way. I used to love her, but I had to kill her and I can still hear her complain." I mean really? Seriously, no chance of a Grammy award there, but completely ridiculous but funny at the same time. Sometimes it's not the lyrics at all, they're not romantic or funny -- but catchy none the less...for example Forgotten Rebels (A Canadian punk band from the 80's) lyrics from a song they wrote called "Surfing on heroin". It's no Grammy winner either, however it's catchy and has on occasion been stuck in my head for days at a time. "I'm surfin' on heroin. I'm surfin' on heroin. Get a needle gonna stick it in. I'm surfin' on heroin. I'm so drugged up, I'm so fucked up. I'm surfin' on heroin."
Then there are those lyrics that have spoken to me on a personal level, for whatever reason:
"The sun drips down bedding heavy behind, the front of your dress all shadowy lined and the droning engine throbs in time with your beating heart." ~ The Chauffeur - Duran Duran
"There's such a sad love deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel open and closed within your eyes. I'll place the sky, within your eyes." ~ As the World Falls Down - David Bowie
"She's got eyes of the bluest sky, as if they thought of rain. I hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain." ~Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N' Roses
"Be, As a page that aches for a word, Which speaks on a theme that is timeless. And the one God will make for your day." ~ Be - Neil Diamond
Sometimes, like I said it's not a lyric at all. Sometimes there are no lyrics at all...it's something else within the music. A feeling it invokes. A memory. A thought.
Lyric-less beauty #1
Lyric-less beauty #2
Both of those songs, for various reasons invoke such emotion in me and have done from the very moment I first ever heard them. It's a strong emotion. One of love, passion, and usually I end up in tears or at the very least misting up. They're not sad tears in either case, just emotion brought on by memories of beautiful times with extraordinary people whom I adore with every fiber of my being. And yes, I realize the second song came out not in the 80's but within the last two years, however it is by a band who understands the 80's in the most profound way.
I guess I'll always be an "80's child" - the musicians from that time frame were such and made such a profound impact on my life, I'll never get rid of it. Not that I'd want to. Now, if'n y'all don't mind..."I want to put on my, my, my, my, my boogie shoes. Just to boogie with you."
One Last Glimpse,
~K
PS. I'm adding an addendum to this. I was never into The Smiths. It was pointed out to me that yes, we had emo music in the 80's (The Smiths being a PERFECT example of that) but I have never been into mopey music. It's just not who I am. I'm too much of a perky person...I guess? I mean that's not to say I haven't been a little emo bitch at times because, ESPECIALLY when I was a teenager I was or at least could be. I have done things, I'm not proud of that are very angry and dark. But...normally you know...Glass half full/ Half empty? I could never see actually out of that saying which was the down side. If the glass is half full, that's great there's still more to drink...if the glass is half empty...in my eyes...you're THAT much closer to your next drink. It's win/win in my opinion.
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