Music Memories

[SunBlueSky]

November always brings to mind one of my favorite songs, "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon Lightfoot. Brings back memories of hearing it on the radio up in my bedroom when I was in 7th grade. I loved it right away, and ever since, when I hear it I have to stop what I'm doing and listen. It is what I would call one of my "sit-in-the-car-in-the-driveway-until-it-is-finished-songs". Beautiful, sad, and moving.

Wondering what songs or music you love that bring back such clear memories of when you first heard it?

Here is the song on YouTube with video, audio and pictures of the ship, its crew and the news of its disappearance from radar.

A tribute to the 29 men who died November 10, 1975, aboard the Edmund Fitzgerald in Lake Superior.

Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald
Music and lyrics ©1976 by Gordon Lightfoot

The legend lives on from the Chippewa on down
of the big lake they called "Gitche Gumee."
The lake, it is said, never gives up her dead
when the skies of November turn gloomy.
With a load of iron ore twenty-six thousand tons more
than the Edmund Fitzgerald weighed empty,
that good ship and true was a bone to be chewed
when the "Gales of November" came early.

 

[naggz]

Side comment...The topic of musical memories reminded me of the movie "the music never stopped"..

https://imdb.com/title/tt1613062/


Tale of a father who struggles to bond with his estranged son Gabriel, after Gabriel suffers from a brain tumor that prevents him from forming new memories. With Gabriel unable to shed the beliefs and interests that caused their physical and emotional distance, Henry must learn to embrace his son's choices and try to connect with him through music.

 

[GrayHare]

I generally don't recall where I was the first time I heard a song, but I do strongly associate songs that were (too?) common on the radio with wherever I was living during that time period. Hey Jude, Stairway to Heaven, Hotel California, several Fleetwood Mac songs, more. For anything that played a lot on radio I can tell you where I was, down to details of the places and rooms I visited.

 

[SunBlueSky]

I generally don't recall where I was the first time I heard a song, but I do strongly associate songs that were (too?) common on the radio with wherever I was living during that time period. Hey Jude, Stairway to Heaven, Hotel California, several Fleetwood Mac songs, more. For anything that played a lot on radio I can tell you where I was, down to details of the places and rooms I visited.

Yeah, I do that too. Kinda nice, those brief glimpses of the past. Usually, the songs and memories are from my elementary and high school days. Thankfully, they are good memories, too (for me).

 

[mountainsoft]

Afternoon Delight always reminds me of a July 4th celebration when I was a kid in Washington state's San Juan Islands.

Several songs from the late 70's remind me of roller skating as a teenager.

Endless Love always reminds me of my first real girlfriend:

Most any song from the 80's reminds me of when my wife and I were dating, when I got my first apartment, and when we got married. Those were fun times.

Of course, there are those songs by Air Supply, Lionel Richie, and Kenny Rogers that remind me of the nights we spent in the back seat of my old car. 18 year old me grooved well to Gap Band and Cool and the Gang.

Unfortunately, 55 year old me is more like:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9FzVhw8_bY

 

[SunBlueSky]

Afternoon Delight always reminds me of a July 4th celebration when I was a kid in Washington state's San Juan Islands.

Several songs from the late 70's remind me of roller skating as a teenager.

Most any song from the 80's reminds me of when my wife and I were dating, when I got my first apartment, and when we got married. Those were fun times.

18 year old me grooved well to Gap Band and Cool and the Gang.

Unfortunately, 55 year old me is more like:

Yes, Gap Band "You dropped a bomb on me"!! And love the banjo on The Dead South song.

On the school bus in first grade: Three Dog Night "Joy to World", or Jeremiah was a Bullfrog (as I knew it back then)

As a kid at my cousins neighborhood pool in early 70's: Terry Jacks "Seasons in the Sun"

Roller Skating in the 70's: Grand Funk Railroad "The Loca-Motion" and Kansas "Carry on My Wayward Son"

4-H Camp at the dance floor pavilion in 6th grade: KC and the Sunshine Band "I'm Your Boogie Man"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ee3C2m3OXE

8th grade, reading Lord of the Rings: Blondie "Heart of Glass" (could always could hear the elves and dwarves in the forest with the background music of this song)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGU_4-5RaxU

On the basketball team bus in early 80's: Brothers Johnson "Stomp"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPBDMihPRJA

 

[mountainsoft]

Jeremiah was a Bullfrog

I think that was out around the same time as Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown? I remember both of those songs playing while I was with my dad at the Moose lodge. He was drinking, I was bored...

My dad used to take me to the bar with him a lot when I was a kid, so I often hung out at the Jukebox playing songs that were funny to a six year old kid. I'm sure the other guys in the bar were thrilled.

Blondie "Heart of Glass"

Yep, I remember that one from my roller skating days. There are so many that remind me of that time, but for the life of me I can't remember the names of any of them right now.

Of course, I can't believe I missed this Marvin Gaye and Journey, some of our favorite back seat tunes.

 

[Nemo2]

A 'current (reprised) memory' and one I 'sing' (if it can be called that when I'm doing it), to DW:

 

[Bir48die]

Making out with my girlfriend whenever these two came on the radio: "First Time Every I Saw Your Face" by Roberta Flack. Then "If" by Bread. If we were driving had to find the closest pullout area and park.

 

[HFWR]

I can recall the general era of certain songs, but generally not a specific incident.

Two exceptions that come to mind: “Ruby Tuesday” by the Stones reminds me of the Apollo 1 fire, and “Riders on the Storm” by The Doors recalls Jim Morrison’s death.

 

[Gumby]

The first time young Gumby ever scored, he was in the back of a Ford Econoline van with a long legged, blued eyed, raven haired beauty and this was playing on the radio.

 

[bloom2708]

My dad had an awesome collection of 45s when I was growing up in the early 70s. Some of those songs are still some of my favorites.

Starland Vocal Band - Afternoon Delight
Rick Nelson - Garden Party
Firefall - You Are The Woman and Just Remember I Love You
Beatles - I'll Follow The Sun
Don Rich & The Buckaroos - Buckaroo
Gilbert O' Sullivan - Alone Again (Naturally)

Too many to mention.

 

[DrRoy]

Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon puts me back into college.

 

[6miths]

Some great memories. We had a Gordon Lightfoot CD in the van when the kids were young so they all know 'The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald' by heart and I could tell them of seeing the ship many times having been born in Sault Ste Marie, having family in Point Edward/Port Huron and spending lots of time under the Bluewater bridge on the St. Clair River.

Of course, 'Stairway to Heaven' was always the last song at every high school dance so lots of memories there too. Good memories of Meatloaf's, 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light' and 'Time Warp' from the 'Rocky Horror Picture Show'.

 

[Nemo2]

'Rocky Horror Picture Show'.

Never attended a showing, but at one time lived near The Roxy, where aficionados would apparently dress up as characters from the movie and call out the dialogue at the weekly screening.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxy_Theatre_(Toronto)

 

[mountainsoft]

Smoke on the Water - The only song our high school band knew how to play.

 

[timbervest]

In 1972 I worked the summer as a dishwasher in a pancake house. The radio was going constantly and I had drilled into my head the following played over and over (among others):

• The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
• Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
• American Pie - Don McLean
• Without You - Nilsson
• Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
• (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right - Luther Ingram
• Heart of Gold - Neil Young
• The Candy Man - Sammy Davis Jr.

Especially hated the part of the Candy Man where Sammy sings "You can even eat the dishes" which would want to make me throw the dish I was washiing across the room!

 

[Rianne]

I have to go with an entire album. In high school, we played this album almost daily. I've memorized all the words from every song. I can still sing (almost) every word.
Neil Young, After The Gold Rush

 

[HFWR]

In 1972 I worked the summer as a dishwasher in a pancake house. The radio was going constantly and I had drilled into my head the following played over and over (among others):

• The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Roberta Flack
• Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
• American Pie - Don McLean
• Without You - Nilsson
• Brandy (You're a Fine Girl) - Looking Glass
• (If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want to Be Right - Luther Ingram
• Heart of Gold - Neil Young
• The Candy Man - Sammy Davis Jr.

Especially hated the part of the Candy Man where Sammy sings "You can even eat the dishes" which would want to make me throw the dish I was washiing across the room!

I spent eight months or so working at a Pizza Hut. Featured prominently on the jukebox was Barry Manilow’s “Mandy”...

 

[Nemo2]

I spent eight months or so working at a Pizza Hut. Featured prominently on the jukebox was Barry Manilow’s “Mandy”...

When I was a young guy I heard of a pub having their jukebox removed....owner apparently made a comment about hearing Running Bear 40 times in a row.