Old Songs Have Great Memories
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Get on my bike and ride like the wind!
There is nothing like it when I hear an old song comes on the radio. Some bring back the best memories. Some I'd like to forget altogether.
When I was 10 my aunts tried to teach me to dance. They are 1 and 3 years older than me. It was a failure of epic proportions.
I still laugh when I hear Gary Puckett and the Union Gap and Herb Alpert. We would bounce across the kitchen.. they were so good.. I would bump into the counters and knock stuff over. They would roll their eyes, shake their heads and bounce away. Fine I'll bounce all by myself!
However, my world opened up the summer I turned 12.
My sister and I were sent to Idaho for a summer of "farm living" with our grandparents. It was a long, hot, summer. I spent my time riding the horses, milking cows, sitting on haystacks, more milking cows, more haystack sitting. Then my 12th birthday box arrived from my parents. It contained a new (and my first) bikini. a volleyball, a 45 record "Humphrey the Camel" (my dad thought it was a hoot) and a transistor radio! Then my grandparents gave me their gift. A transistor radio! Wow!! A spare!! They got one channel way out there on that farm, in the middle of no where. The sound was fuzzy and I had that radio stuck to my ear everywhere we went.
I fell in love with The Carpenters! It was 1970 and most of the music was so simple. Lyrics were clean and I was in heaven.
Then there was the Jackson 5, The Partridge Family, Bobby Sherman, The Animals, The Beatles, wow, the list was endless.
I would go to sleep at night listening to Casey Kasem's "Americas Top 40" with the radio under my pillow so my parents wouldn't hear.
Once home I discovered we had moved out of our tiny apartment. My parents had bought our first (and they still live there) home. There was a huge road around the lake across the street with two neighborhood stores with lots of candy and soda. There was a cemetery down the road with no traffic. I found 2 friends with bikes, we had "stingrays" with banana seats! We would tie our radios to our handlebars and head to the store, load up on sour straws and ride for hours and hours. The big cemetery was the best because it was quiet, had no traffic, and we would eat our lunches and roam for hours.
In the city I grew up in we had three stations, one was "oldies". I would run up to my father just rolling over the stupidly goofy lyrics of the 50's songs. He would look at me and roll his eyes. " 'Oldies' you've got to be kidding! What's so funny about a 'white sport coat and a pink carnation' "?
I got a chance to wear the bikini on an outing with my church youth
group. Four of us went down a 30 foot slide, linked together, face
down... I came up, with a head full of water and the bikini top around
my waist. Horror! Oh well... I still had my transistor.. "House of the
Rising Sun" was my favorite then! But I digress...
There is nothing like the freedom a bike gives a kid. Our first set of "wheels." It's nothing short of magic.
Later on music became the memories connected with boyfriends that
came and went, frustrations of being young, of wanting to grow up and
be free.
I lost that 'girl' for several years. I got crazy and life got scary. Bad relationship choices. Drugs, alcohol, chaos. I was lost for several years.
Six years ago I bought 2 bikes. Now there is traffic. The traffic has no patience for bicyclists. I have a road bike with 27 speeds now. The roads around my area have no shoulders and it can be brutal fo get out and ride. I found a friend (Wendi) to ride with and we'd pack up the bikes and ride for hours and laugh and sing. Sometimes we would mountain bike in the wooded forest near us. It was 45 miles of no traffic and lots of laughter. She helped me find that little girl again. A best friend can do that for you. We did the "Seattle To Portland" ride one year. We got half way.. 104 miles of pain and joy.
I find myself longing for the "old days." I found an online station where I have found all those old songs. I get on my 27-speed bike, ride to the store for Vitamin Water and listen to my IPOD... and remember the 12 year old girl with the transistor radio, long braids, crooked teeth and glasses, that lived for the freedom, the peace, the adventures.
I was playing these old songs the other night when my 19 year old son came home with his friends. They laughed!!!!! "Mom, those lyrics are so goofy, the music is awful!" I just rolled my eyes. Their headphones were stuck in their ears. I have come full-circle. Why do people roll their eyes at me so much? You're doing it too, aren't you! Yes, I thought so!
I am grown up now and free and she is with me again. She will always be with me.
And I smile.
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Comments
Ah, thank you Cris! This is a new thing for me, sharing things I've locked away for years. This feels good and I'm happy to have you share it with me!
Thank you!!! This is a great surprise!!!
Don't laugh, but I got me a tricycle last year -- and I love it. It's wide enough that I don't have to be worried about being side-swiped, and there are sidewalks and bike trails near enough where I live to make it real fun. And yes, I sing: Yes, Pink Floyd, Bowie, Lou Reed. . . .
Oh Teresa, awesome!! I sing a lot, mostly if I'm alone, to my cat (tho he's a huge critic - see my changing lyrics one)
Ride safe, it's great fun yes?
Candie
very nice hub i like old songs
Lgali, thanks, sing along.. we like a lot of voices (and you might drown me out---its a good thing!)
Thank you for a lovely piece Candy V. I will turn 60 in a few months so we share the same slice of history. We too grew up listening to Elvis and the Beatles and Peggy Lee and the Ventures.
In our valiant effort to relive those days, we have formed a small club which meets and listens to only retro songs. Except that we dont meet as often as we should.
The great thing is I know a number of young adults who have grown up listening to the music their parents loved,
. They too seem to love this music from the past
Thank you, Sabu!
That music is, really, timeless. So many have been remade, yet kept the flavor of the original. Glad you have a group you can share these things with. Very cool!
A Carpenters fan! Didn't they make the most amazing music? :)
Thank you FP! Karen had an amazing gift!
No eye rolling here or maybe just a tear in recalling how good and hopeful those days really were. Musical portals are two edged swords they can give joy and sometimes sorrow but it's good to open our pure minds of remembrance. Thanks KC
thank you, Larry. Your sharing means a lot to me. I appreciate you getting me started on this journey..still have a lot to learn, you are right!
Candie...thanks for becoming my fan....it lead me here to your work....I'm right there with you. My parents liked country music...how hicky can you get?? Funny, now I have an appreciation for all kinds of music...depends on my mood....even country! My town was small and safe and I'd ride my bike to the neighborhood store and buy football cards with the stick of gum in them...still have them.....oh and those gag items like the whooppee cushions and invisible ink. I'm your fan now and will be back for more reading .
Hey RB!! I'm glad you're here, been reading your stuff on the that "Irish prirate" guys site.. you're a hoot! O I loved whooppee cushions!! as the song says "the times they are a-change-n". No doubt we will never grow up,tho, eh?
You got that right...still a kid at heart. and the brain of a 10 year old.
Let's meet and bring sour straws and soda and we can sit and laugh and talk about what a bummer it's gonna be to get old!
Probably have to pack a lunch for that one!!
I'm in, you know a good swimming hole with a tire swing?
A good skinny dippin hole...no tire swing tho
I'll take it, I'll pack a lunch, you bring the tunes!! How do I get to Venus?
Great hub Candie. I love the older music I never rolled my eyes at the music my parents listened to I still listen to it. I could listen to a mixture of music and not really notice the difference. I have a cd I made I listen to in the car, its filled with music from Patsy Cline to Kid Rock. One of my favorites is "Disco Duck" that makes my kids look at me with rolling eyes. I don't understand much of the music the kids listen to now.
Sunshine! Welcome!! I loved Disco Duck! Yeah!! I don't get it all either, but I've learned to really enjoy some of it, I, too am very eclectic in my tastes.. grab your bike, lets go for a ride!
I had a blue version of that bike in the bottom photo...it was perfect for delivering papers and riding to Wrigley Field in the summer before the Cubs were hip and you could watch a ball game for 5 bucks and have coke and a hotdog in the sun.
Trooper! thank you for sharing your great memory of bikes and freedom!! There is nothing like it, as a kid! $5 to watch a game and eat, boy you can't do that any more!
OHHH...for the old days with such great memories..or at least the ones that take us back. To once again...hop on the bicycle of old (Golden Orange-Schwinn StingRay) to the ol' 7-11 store far away...with a pack of kids...all ridng beside you...and a pocket full of change to splurge on ice cold sodas...and candy bars, gum, and trading cards. Why does that seem to be so awesome to us in older years? And of course...the now "Oldies" playing along to the turn of each pedal...even when no radio was around...the songs were! Great Hub, Candie V...as always!
Poetryman - I know why it means a lot to me, it was care-free. The biggest decision was to choose between the Cola Slurpee and an Orange Crush.. or a big hunk (which lasted forever) and the sour straws which broke in your pockets. To be young and no worries.. except.. I had a crush on Scott Anderson and did he know it? Maybe if I rode my bike by his house 8 times he'd notice and come out to play???
Good One! But at least the girls just had to ride by for attention. The guys had to do "Wheelies"...ride with no hands...fix their bikes up all cool...or jump off of "home-made" ramps...for attention. Schwinn bikes were heavy...they had a lot of metal in them...(maybe more than in some cars today)...back in the day. I say this 'cause they added more pain to a "Wipe-out"...still I wouldn't trade those "care-free" days...as you say...for anything.
Ah, well it's like the birds, the males have to do all the antics to get the girls' attention!! I like playing "hard to get" now.. Winning Scott meant I got to be the center when we played football.. I thought it was for my talent, but it was recently pointed out to me there were other factors involved, of which I was unaware.
Funny...how that worked like that....Huh? I am laughing...way too hard to type...after that one!
LOL! Ah to be young and innocent.. I do have to say tho that I learned to throw a mean spiral!!
Oh oh! Now I have the House of the Rising Sun melody running through my brain. Those were the days! Beatles, Beach Boys, Peter, Paul and Mary, and do you remember Wolfman Jack? I think he broadcast from a powerful station down in Mexico. My girlfriends and I would stay up and listen to him at slumber parties. Oh...and hootenannies! Someone could always play a guitar and we would sing endlessly. Thanks for the retro memories. What fun!!!
Peggy, Thank you! They are great memories aren't they!!
This is so true. It reminds me of all the songs that were hits at important moments of my life. Thank you for sharing this.
One2get2no!! I'm am so glad you liked this one! Thank you so much for visiting, it's so great to see a new face!
Candie, This really brought back memories. We are compatriots in the age department. I, too, loved the freedom of bike riding and those uncomplicated, kinda sappy songs. My turning point summer was also spent at my grandmothers. Not on a farm, but similar magical memories. Thanks for writing this nostalgic hub.
Here's to Bobby Sherman and the Partridge Family and especially... The Animals (the second album I ever got, after Meet the Beatles). Cheers, MM
Thank you MM!! It has been a long time since I've seen you! Ah, the 'oldies' hub seems to have been resurrected! Nothing like these memories.. I was just listening to 'House of the rising sun' a little bit ago.. they just don't seem to age! Thank you for coming by - and I'm glad you've kept that avatar!
Candie, I'm so glad she is with you now. Please don't ever let her go away again.
My life spans those different songs and I can relate to all of them in some way or another. "White Sports Coat" was important to me for some reason long forgotten .LOL
But there are many songs that stay in your heart forever and The Carpenters are certainly there, some songs always bring a lump to my throat. *hugs*
Oh Candie - what a lovely meandering through memory lane - I'm so glad I followed ag here! So many songs that punctuated our growing up, each one loaded with special memories - thank you for the music memories!
ag - you do get around tonight! Many many thanks for all your support, encouragement and advice on these old hubs! I appreciate you more than I can say!
Shalini! Ooh.. are you following him around tonight? LOL! I would love to know how you guys find these old ones.. they went forever with few people noticing.. now lots of attention! I truly loved doing this one.. one of my first.. Now redoing all of them. Thank you for finding it and sharing it with me!
Cris A says:
8 months ago
what is it with 12-year olds, music, and great memories? they seem to be a common package (remember the movie Stand By Me?). Thanks for sharing your fond memories here, as it took me back to my own childhood and growing up years. Nothing like a good soundtrack for reminiscing about the old days when the world was younger than today! :D