Z is for...

Zeppelin

One last exception...Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

Angst can be defined as "a feeling of anxiety, apprehension or insecurity". After twenty-five letters, I am getting to the crux of it. I am closing out the challenge by making an exception for the group that was playing in the background for a decent portion of my first couple of official teenage years.

I had been a pretty simple girl as far as my taste in music was concerned. Billy Joel was a big favorite, and I was starting to dabble in Top 40 hits. The advent of MTV gave me insight into all sorts of new music, as well as a new reason to sit in front of the television for ridiculously long periods of time. In the spring of 1983, the cool kids were almost close enough for me to reach...and they were listening to Led Zeppelin. As a result, I was listening to Led Zeppelin. I bought nearly every album, in an attempt to expand my repertoire beyond Stairway to Heaven, and made sure to have the appropriate scribblings on all of my folders and brown paper bag book covers.

The boy I started dating at that time introduced me to a beautiful song, off of Led Zeppelin II. It was a sort of Led Zep for newbies sweet ballad. It became our song. I still have my second copy of the album. (The first copy fell victim to some sort of teenage girl meltdown and ended up in two pieces.) Here it is...Thank you

I have enjoyed putting this puzzle of songs together in an attempt to capture the angst of a particular decade, and appreciate all of you who have stopped by to sing along! 

**A special shout out to Misty, who helped to keep me going from letter L on by messaging with me on facebook every day trying to guess the next day's song. She even managed to understand that I didn't develop an appreciation for U2 until the nineties. I hope we can find something to talk about today...I can't live With or Without You, and hope you're with me When It's Over**

Y is for...

You Give Love a Bad Name...Bon Jovi, 1986.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

I remember taking a break from my freshman roommate, and her satin powder blue comforter, to see who else lived on our dorm's second floor. There was a room down the hall to be immediately envious of. The inhabitants were friends from high school, so let me describe the scene (as I remember it) that resulted from their planning...There were red ruffled curtains, matching red comforters, a red shaggy rug, and loud Bon Jovi music to accompany their eighties hairstyles as they danced on their beds.
An angel's smile is what you sell
You promised me heaven, then put me through hell
Chains of love got a hold on me
When passion's a prison you can't break free
Such drama! The words were so filled with angst...
No one can save me
The damage is done
...but the video was a hot happy hairy happening, that was hard to shake the picture of, for me.
Shot through the heart
And you're to blame
You give love a bad name

Playing my part for just one more letter....

Randomly forgotten

All of the sunshine and beautiful weather distracted me this weekend. Tune in Tuesday for a return to the regular (but rarely ordinary) random!

X is for...

eXception, eXtra, and an eXceptional eXtra

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

eXception: 

Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'...Journey, 1979.

Oh when I'm alone, all by myself, reminiscing about my middle school years, this song frequently comes to mind. I remember being slightly baffled for some time over what all of the lovin', touchin', squeezin' actually entailed. However, I was pretty sure I had the crying part figured out!
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na
Na na na na na na
Na na na na na

eXtra:

Against All Odds...Phil Collins, 1984.

I stand by my original song for the letter A; but, will admit to being sorry I hadn't thought of this one early on. I never saw the movie by the same name, as I was far too busy starring in my own drama, continuously adding selections to my soundtrack. 

How can you just walk away from me

When all I can do is watch you leave

Cuz we've shared the laughter and the pain

And even shared the tears

You're the only one who really knew me at all

Oh this made me cry the ugly cry. Each word seemed perfect...

Take a look at me now

Cuz there's just an empty space

And you coming back to me

Is against all odds

And that's what I've got to face

(Tissue, please. Seriously, I had to stop listening.)

eXceptional eXtra:

Time for Me to Fly...REO Speedwagon, 1979.

This gem gives me the stinging sort of tears that can sometimes be blinked away. Did I say gives? Oh, I meant used to, like thirty years ago. (Yikes, that time disclosure alone might make me cry.) Moving on to my favorite rhyme...

I've had enough of the falseness

Of a worn out relation

Enough of the jealousy 

And the intoleration

(awesome)

Oh I make you laugh and you make me cry

I do believe it's time for me to fly

Only two more letters folks...

I know it hurts to say good-bye

But it's time for me to fly

W is for...

When It's Over...Loverboy, 1981.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

Oh Loverboy, how cruel of you to write songs like this, making twelve year old girls think that twelve year old boys were this thoughtful...always looking to rescue us from poor relationships, always intending to treat us far better. 
What did he ever do for you
What's he trying to put you through
I just don't understand
Why couldn't you just keep working for the weekend?

I am vacillating between trying to come up with the words to tell how this song resonates with my memories of the early eighties, and laughing so hard at the video. My first bad news boyfriend was a huge Loverboy fan. Come on, who was a huge fan of theirs, anyone? Even among eighth graders? I did not see that warning signal.
What's he trying to say to you?
What's he trying to tell you?
He don't really care
Nope, nobody was telling me I would not be lonely when that was over. (Not even a handsome fella with a sweet red bandana headband.) Okay, I really did choose this song because of how it captured so much of the spirit of my angst-filled world in the early eighties, but I made a colossal mistake by not only watching the video, but also sharing it with my kids. (Giggles all around.) Now I cannot pull it together.

I guess all that I can say is...
I hope you're with me
I hope you're with me when it's over
(Only three more letters!)

V is for...

Voices Carry...'Til Tuesday, 1985.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

First things first, I originally thought the words to this song were "Hush hush, keep it down now, this is scary." I am not sure how long it took me to connect the very title of the song with the actual words. (Note: I do still find something scary about it.)

It was clear to me that the guy in question was similar to what I was seeing in some teenage boys. Her choice to put up with his nonsense echoed what many girls were doing. 
Oh there must be something he's thinking of
To tear him away
When I tell him that I'm falling in love
Why does he say
Hush, hush

This may very well have been the essence of some relationships when I was in high school...
He wants me
But only for a good time
He wants me
If he can keep me in line

The angst in her voice as she sang...
He said shut up, he said shut up
She sounded so fed up, and I remember wanting to cheer for her when I watched the video.

U is for...

Under Pressure...Queen & David Bowie, 1981.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

I admit that I do not recall exactly what words I used to sing when this song played. I am positive they were incorrect now that I have reviewed the actual lyrics. The line "under pressure" was clear as a bell, and that is probably all that mattered to a pre-teen who was convinced she was being absolutely crushed by the pressure in her life.

It's the terror of knowing
What this world is about
Watching some good friends
Screaming "Let me out!"

I probably didn't know what questions they were asking with such desperation...
Why, why, why?

Yeah, I had no idea...
Insanity laughs under pressure we're cracking
Can't we give ourselves one more chance
Why can't we give love that one more chance

Amazing how a song, that felt so familiar at a time when I couldn't even begin to comprehend its message, can still be so relevant over thirty years later. Now I have an idea of what they were talking about, and it's frightening.

T is for...

Take It On the Run...REO Speedwagon, 1980.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

Oh, Hi Infidelity album, I loved you so...and I'm gonna keep on loving you. I will probably still eat and sleep, but I just might hook the turntable up. I will then proceed to sing every song at the top of my lungs, and am fairly certain that I will not need the lyric sheet.

I was a sixth grader falling, in what I assumed was love, for the first time. I don't remember exactly how many weeks that lasted before he decided to take it on the run. I knew the neighborhood, as he lived on the street behind us. Talk might have been cheap, but the story wasn't really even that good. I took the break up pretty hard, as you may have figured. Luckily, I had Kevin Cronin to commiserate with.

Once again, I didn't concern myself with all of the irrelevant details of the song that eluded to an affair, due to the fact that I was eleven and nothing that dramatic had actually happened. The thrill of singing along came once again from the overall feel for the song and its simple lyrics.
They're talking about you and it's bringing me down...
...But I'm tellin' you babe
That I don't think it's true babe
And even if it is keep this in mind
You take it on the run baby
If that's the way you want it baby
Then I don't want you around*

*I actually am glad you're here, and hope you will come back tomorrow for the letter U.

S is for...

(The) Smile Has Left Your Eyes...Asia, 1983.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

In 1983, I would have been wearing so much black eyeliner that it would have been difficult for anyone to be able to tell anything about my eyes. I obtained my copy of the Asia Alpha album by sticking a penny on a Columbia House record club card, and returning it in the postage paid envelope. It was all fun and games until the membership requirement had to be met. I think I still have the other nine free albums I got as well, plus the four I had to purchase at regular price.

Back to the song...I was heading off to ninth grade, and probably had very little understanding of who the solitary man was; but, I certainly recognized a great rhyme when I heard one...sympathize and eyes? Perfect!

The song also had plenty of hints at sadness...
It's over now it's not my fault
See how this feels for you
(Just the right hint of teen pettiness)

I never thought I'd see you
Standing there with him
So don't come crawling back to me
(Easy to decipher lyrics)

I was once again convinced that my singing was spectacular, and the instruments just added to the melancholy. Beyond that, I didn't know where to go or what to call my own.

Just a little random

Well, I found myself back downstairs trying to finish up the basement organization project. I don't know why I was surprised to find myself there, as trying to restore order of any kind seems to be what comforts me. I projected my sense of sanity onto others in the house and had my husband and son work on organizing the over six hundred cds that were finding their way here and there. Some of the newer ones had never been put away. Do I need to mention that they are alphabetical by group/artist? Yeah, I figured you probably guessed that. It was a big step for me to let that assignment be tackled without my input, as I recognized that my standing around was less cobwebs getting vacuumed in the basement. 

Since I didn't actually view the collection, I just grabbed a few titles to put in my now empty car. I might have topped the 10,000 Maniacs and Abba bundle. This time I will be tooling about town with the soundtracks from Shrek 1, 2 AND 3 along with Yaz-Upstairs at Eric's. I'll let you know how that goes.

As you may know, my hopes and dreams for finding the perfect bra have been foiled at every turn. (If you are new here, welcome, and feel free to get caught up here, or here.) Suffice to say, I do not need any extra issues making my undergarments more uncomfortable, especially when I don't know what they are. One of my girls was hiding this tab leftover from my EKG (routine physical) all day long before I finally noticed the problem at pajama time. Do they not count how many they put on, or where? (Or maybe I just haven't found the one on the other side yet?)

Speaking of poor fit...this kiosk is at our newly named Destiny USA mall now. Um, do those things hanging there look like anything that should be purchased without a dressing room visit? Preferably one with several mirrors to capture all angles. I see they did go all out naming the place though.

"How many girls were over at our house visiting?" you ask. 

Not a one. Aside from my son's sneakers, and the moccasins my daughter already had, that is how my daughter prepares for the nice weather. She bought those all today because the six pairs of flip flops in the basket there, that were left after she got rid of what didn't fit from last year, did not provide an ample array of color.

Gotta go get cracking on tomorrow's angsty 80's post...letter s already!

R is for...

Romeo and Juliet...Dire Straits, 1983.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

The question here is not only where to start, but also where to end...you know before the tears start.
When we made love you used to cry
(I think that was a good thing.)

Believe it or not, there was actually a day when the lyrics of this song just sort of ran together in the background of whatever important teenage things I was doing. I think the use of the names Romeo and Juliet probably gave me the natural reflex action of trying to tune out, like I would for anything else Shakespearean.

Eventually I came to realized that the dice were loaded from the start, but the time was wrong. Uh-oh! Parallels started being drawn. I was once again letting myself be drawn into a drama. How could she look at him like he was just another one of her deals? And what about my own story of falling in love right as high school graduation rolled around? The timing was wrong.

We ignored that possibility, and persevered! We fought the good fight for three years. I was beyond devastated to say the least when our relationship ended, and couldn't really listen to many songs without feeling them far too much.
You promised me everything 
You promised me thick and thin yeah
Now you just say oh Romeo you know
I used to have a scene with him...
...You said I love you like the stars above
I'll love you 'til I die...
(sigh)

Months later someone stepped out of the shade and said something like "you and me babe, how 'bout it"? Suddenly the song was being sung to me with more emphasis on the happy parts, as if things never went wrong for them.

I can't do everything but I'd do anything for you
I can't do anything except be in love with you

Do I need to tell you how this one ended? Here's a hint...
And I dreamed your dream for you
And now your dream is real
How can you look at me
As if I was just another one of your deals

Q is for...

Harden My Heart*...Quarterflash, 1981.

*To maintain some level of sanity and to keep this challenge to songs that resonate with me, we have a Q group instead of a Q song.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

I am pretty sure that most of my MTV viewing marathons during the early eighties included this song. I can't say that I have thought much about the tune over the past twenty years, but that doesn't mean that it has lost its familiarity.

I can only imagine what trickery I had fallen prey to back then that made me think I could relate to...
You gave me your word, but words to you are lies

This lady had clearly had enough...
All of my life I've been waitin' in the rain 
I've been waiting for a feeling 
That never, ever came
It feels so close, but always disappears
Darlin' in your wildest dreams 
You never had a clue
Whoever she was singing to must have conducted himself like...well, like a teenage boy.

I could belt out that chorus with such conviction...
I'm gonna harden my heart
I'm gonna swallow my tears
I'm gonna turn and leave you here
But when the song was over, I went right back to flinging my heart at undeserving twelve year old boys. As angry as I could get, I could not seem to turn and leave, or sit at a different lunch table at the very least.

P is for...

Purple Rain...Prince, 1984.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

I never actually saw the movie Purple Rain, nor am I certain of what purple rain might refer to. However, there were certainly plenty of phrases in the song that hinted towards feelings I was sure I could relate to. I could pretend someone was singing to me...

I never meant to cause you any sorrow
I never meant to cause you any pain
(This never happened, by the way.)
I never wanted to be your weekend lover
I only wanted to be some kind of friend
Baby I could never steal you from another
It's such a shame our friendship had to end
(Typically tearing up by this point.)

Purple rain, purple rain

By the time Prince got to...

Honey I know, I know, I know times are changing
It's time we all reach for something new
That means you too...

The force and emotion with which those words left his lips made it impossible to not feel something. 

Prince - Purple Rain (HQ+) Copyright By A&M... by STARDUST72

O is for...

One Night Love Affair...Bryan Adams, 1985.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

I had the Reckless record album, yes, the black disc that you had to put on a turntable. I could lift that needle and place it down, just so, in the space between the grooves. The crackling sound told me I had hit it just right. As long as I didn't dance around my room with enough force to cause a skip, I was set. 

He was not necessarily the silent type, but oh how he caught my eye. We were sophomores in high school, and I don't think I finally looked away (in other words gave up) until the end of junior year. On three isolated occasions during that time-frame I was his before the night was through. 
How was I to know
To let my feelings go
I had some delusion, perhaps gleaned from silly love song lyrics if you can believe it, that some stolen kisses and hand holding were going to lead to an epic relationship.

Oh the disappointment...
But I lose control
As I watch you go
All my sense say I'm in this much too deep
Now you're out of reach
And I was no good at...
One night love affair
Pretendin' we don't care
Oh, and now we're left with nothin'
Crushed by a crush.

N is for...

No One is to Blame...Howard Jones, 1986.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

Ah, spring of my junior year in high school, and the smell of indecision was in the air. I had recovered nicely from a breakup and was caught between someone I daydreamed about, someone I was forever waiting for, and dating someone with potential friendship ending risks. While Howard Jones was busy trying to reassure me that no one was to blame in this cluster of a teenage mess, he was also mirroring how impossible things felt on the average afternoon...
We want everyone.
There was bound to be trouble even when we weren't looking for it...
You can feel the punishment, but you can't commit the sin.
And the line that really summed me up nicely...
The insecurity is the thing that won't get lost.

I remember singing this in my bedroom, over and over, until I had the lyrics mastered. Remember how tedious it was to rewind a cassette to listen to a song over again? Whoops, too far, or not far enough.

Aspirations in the clouds but your hopes go down the drain.

M is for...

Midnight...Yaz, 1982.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

I would be trying to do this eighties list with Sir Elton, Billy, and Barry if I had been left to my own devices back in the day. That is not entirely true, as I did date a drummer for awhile in high school, and while the Violent Femmes were intriguing (sorry Add it Up and Blister in the Sun, angsty as you are, but I had another plan), I just couldn't get my Crue or heavy duty punk on. By the time I graduated I was pretty devoted to my Hall & Oates album. Luckily, one of the girls who lived across the hall from me freshman year of college had both Yaz albums, so that is where this introduction came from.

We sang so loudly, which is sort of a shame since we overshadowed the hauntingly beautiful voice that was coming from the boom box. We were trying to figure out these new freedoms of college life and meeting new people, while trying to retain our grip on those we had just parted ways with. Heartbreaking, no?
Darling you know it looks bad
Just lost the best thing that I ever had
Still I don't know why I did him wrong
It's too late now he's gone...
Sometimes it didn't matter if the lyrics were a perfect fit to the situation, as long as they were sprinkled with enough anguish. As long as we could sing our hearts out with an artist who seemed to mirror some of the pain our eighteen year old souls were feeling...long distance, cheating, loneliness. Oh the drama of it all.
Well all of this rain can wash away my tears
But nothing can replace all of those wasted years
In all of this I tell you I have learned
Playing with fire gets you burned
And I'm still burning

Remembering the random

While the A-Z challenge does have me forgetting to do all sorts of unimportant things, like laundry, I have not forgotten about the random. 

I headed out this morning with sunglasses on, optimistic about the day ahead. I walked purposefully into the grocery store, thinking about the steaks I was going to stop at the butcher for on my way home, pondering what fabulous side dishes I should be gathering the ingredients for. I was foot loose and fancy free, as in I didn't even have an actual list. Yes, I know, I was living on the edge. All of that walking on sunshine made me a little crazy I guess. After I grabbed a small basket full of items (that may or may not have had the power to combine into anything fabulous), I walked out to find...wait for it...snow. I proceeded to the meat buying market (yes, I could've said meat market, but that sounds sketchy) and gathered some provisions for comfort food in the face of the gray day. Now with dinner a mere two hours away, the sun is shining ever so brightly. You win mother nature, well played, you win. I will never figure you into my meal plans again.

Speaking of food, feast your eyes on this...

...now that is bacon! Nine slices to a pound bacon.

It did not occur to me to spread the candles across more than one cupcake. These thirteen candles for my daughter represent whatever is left of my sanity going up in smoke!

So now I guess we collect candy? I am so disappointed that we don't have any Halloween m&m's laying around. (Then again these might still be here when Halloween rolls around again.) Please note: since this photo was taken an actual bag of Easter m&m's arrived on the scene, but I am too lazy to restage this intricate shoot.

Seriously? One more reason I do not love going to Walmart. This is what they are peddling? I know it is funny for a few seconds, but do you REALLY want to be the bride or groom in this scenario? Neither one is portrayed in a very favorable light, in my opinion.

Sunshine Hello Kitty? I guess Sunburnt Melanoma Kitty wouldn't have sounded as catchy. There was also Jaundiced Hello Kitty, in a fashionable yellow hue.

 

I need a snack. Huh, I guess that isn't really very random, as it is more of a constant situation!

L is for...

Like the Way I Do...Melissa Etheridge, 1988.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

I had just let myself listen to the letter K song one more time, and the pouring rain was getting the best of me. I decided to preview my letter L song while I finished up a few things in the kitchen. As the opening chords played, I thought for a split second about how I could really only remember how the chorus went. In the very next moment, the words were flying out of my mouth..."Is it so hard, to satisfy your senses?" How far in the deep recesses of my brain was that information stored?  Oh, I wasn't just a housewife and mother getting a few last minute slumber preparations under way. No, I had unleashed some inner teenage demon who was loudly singing into her cupcake batter covered beater microphone...
Tell me does she love you
Like the way I love you
Does she stimulate you
Attract and captivate you
I was hitting every word and note, as far as I could tell. Well it was raining pretty loudly, and I suppose the dog might've been begging to differ as he scampered off. No matter, as in my mind my fabulous voice and I were back in my bedroom at my parents house, pondering how that boy slipped away, and wondering just how long it was going to take him to realize that nobody would love him like I did.
Does she want you
Infatuate and haunt you
(Oh, there is no doubt I haunted him.)

K is for...

Kayleigh...Marillion, 1985.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

I was first introduced to this song as a freshman in college. I was immediately taken in, and overcome, by the story it told. I nearly cried just now as I heard the first few bars play when I found the video. Remembering those cream paint colored cinder block walls of our dorm rooms, the tissues we went through pining over our teenage romances gone wrong, as well as the ones we were struggling to keep intact. The song was a reminder of how the sweetest love could go wrong, and how crushing it would feel if that happened.

I can't even pick out a few lines, as you need the whole package! Enjoy...

J is for...

Jack and Diane...John Cougar, 1982.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

How about that little ditty? I was thirteen when this song came out, so I did recognize that those crazy lovebirds were far more mature and wiser than I was. (They were holding onto sixteen if you recall.) I didn't necessarily understand all of what was going on in that relationship. Of course there was that hint at some sort of shenanigans, behind a shady tree, to keep a young teen interested and curious.

As we sang so loudly "Oh yeah, life goes on, long after the thrill of living is gone," did we have any idea what that meant? Did we really think singing our hearts out and a teenage romance was the best life was going to have to offer? (Then again, some of us didn't think there could be anything worse than a high school broken heart.)

Changes indeed would come around real soon to make us women and men. Jack and Diane were doing the best that they could, and as I might have only pretended to appreciate the bit of angst that the bible belt was to save them from, I was also wishing them the best of luck.

I is for...

If You Leave...Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (OMD), 1986.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

It is nearly impossible for me to separate this song from the soundtrack (on cassette again of course), from the movie (Pretty in Pink), from the other movies (namely Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club). Longing to hang out with the cool kids - those cool kids on the screen (Emilio, Judd, Ally, Molly, and Anthony) while identifying with the geeks, and cheering loudly when they find happiness. One movie's princess was another movie's outcast. I may have shared the nickname of Molly Ringwald's character in Pretty in Pink, Andie, but felt more like an even less cool version of Duckie most of the time.

Okay, I will try to move on to the song itself. The bargaining of the first verse...just one more night and THEN they we would go our separate ways.  Pulled together, yet torn apart...heartbroken with no tears...not letting go, but running the other way. Can the teenage mind be summed up much better than in these contradictions and confusion? Every second, every moment...we had to make it last.

We'll meet again someday......

H is for...

Hard Habit to Break...Chicago, 1984.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

Oh my fifteen year old heart! This song was performed as a trio in my mind. Peter Cetera and Bill Champlin crooned the verses to me as if they were the most recent silly boy to crush my feelings. Alas, he had realized that I would not be there forever, and didn't know what he had until I was gone. Just when he thought I had no idea how much he cared, I would burst in with the chorus:

Now being without you
Takes a lot of getting used to
Should learn to live with it
But I don't want to
Being without you
Is all a big mistake
Instead of getting easier
It's the hardest thing to take
I'm addicted to ya babe
You're a hard habit to break

In my perfect musical world the chorus reflected how heartbroken I was as well, and certainly it was all a big mistake. (Oh, and it would've been super swell to have had someone else, equally as savory no doubt, to run to.) Yes, I was a sucker who'd have taken back anyone who could bust rhymes like those. Now, I am sitting here alternating between singing and laughing, while in some corner of my mind is a girl sobbing, in a very unladylike fashion.

I fear that deep in the night will be an endless fight and I won't be able to get this song out of my mind!

G is for...

Good-bye to you...Scandal, 1982.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

Oh, I do remember the good times baby now, and the bad times too. Ouch, some of those still smart. I have to admit that I was not much of a breaker-upper. Hmmm, I thought that was somehow going to sound better than saying I was a teenage idiot who made a series of poor choices, and stuck with them until getting dumped myself...ah, good times. I lacked the spunk and self confidence that gave Patty Smyth the ability to admit when the days were dull and the nights were long. Let's face it, most young teen romances were rather dull, aside from the crying...oops, just me? (Especially since we were tethered to wall phones and actually had to stop communications when our land line rights were restricted.)

Anyhow, it certainly was a long departure for Patty, with all of the strain and pain on her heart...and her love...and her heart. All of that straining could not have been comfortable...at all. Guess it is better to say...Good-bye to you!

Random reorganization!

Hey! It's Sunday, not Tuesday, but this is where the random will be landing this month to accommodate my a-z challenge schedule. Does this give the illusion that I am an organized being with a plan? Yes? Good. Let's see what those fabulous eighties earworms shoved to the back of my mind when they took over...

We stopped at a NYS Thruway rest stop to use the facilities and grab some grub. Little did I know that small electronics emergencies could be tended to there as well. Seriously? Vending machines aren't just for Clark bars anymore?

I considered taking a quick bath in the Grand Central Station restroom sink, but luckily I saw this sign first. Phew!

The banner announcing that the church's gift shop was open just wasn't enough, yet I am still curious as to what they were selling...autographed missalettes? My son comforted me by saying that Jesus did ask people to follow him.

Not sure where to put your spare change? My niece's toes work, but I cannot provide a reasonable explanation for why I felt compelled to do this.

Hope Stacy doesn't mind latecomers...or maybe she will think I am early for this coming week!

F is for...

Fight for Your Right...Beastie Boys, 1986

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

In 1986 I had weathered the general social anxieties of middle school and was trying to safely navigate my way through the end of high school. I wasn't feeling particularly rebellious by the late eighties, or at least wasn't terribly showy about whatever I was trying to get away with.

However, when Mike D, MCA and Ad Rock told me to fight for my right to party, I really felt like there must have been some injustice I could protest against. Maybe I was being denied my right to party and just hadn't noticed. I may have been more concerned about the clothes I was going to wear, and certainly had no idea what to do with my hair.

Suffice to say, the song made me feel like I should take action, but didn't know how. Perhaps there were other people I could have been helping. I decided the best thing to do was sing along...loudly. My absolute favorite part was the rhyming in the final verse:
Your mom busted in and said "What's that noise?"
Aw, mom you're just jealous it's the Beastie Boys!

E is for...

Endless Summer Nights...Richard Marx, 1987.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

Setting: LeMoyne College girls' dorm, third floor, fall of 1988.

Summer had indeed come and left without a warning. We were starting our sophomore year, fresh from tearful good-byes to our boyfriends. As if we couldn't muster up enough sorrow on our own, the hairspray goddess I shared that glorified closet with for the semester brought her newly acquired copy of Richard Marx's album.

Oh, how could a grown man have possibly penned such perfect lyrics to tug at the heart strings of co-eds suffering from long distance romance? Well, at least the chorus seemed spot on, and that was when we sang the loudest anyway. I didn't have much love for any of the other songs on that cassette (Wilma Flintstone here). Actually, the only purpose, at that time, of entertaining such lyrics as "time was all we had until the day we said good-bye" was to induce crying. More tissues, please.

D is for...

Don't You Want Me...Human League, 1981.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

I have to admit that the initial angst I felt from this song was caused by the video. You see, I spent a lot, and I mean a lot, of time watching MTV in the early eighties. I was a preteen with working parents who had far too much free time. The first issue the Human League posed was that no, I didn't want them. I could not have told you what song I was hoping Nina Blackwood would announce, but this was not it. (Nor was Take the L out of Lover...and It's Over, and boy was that on a lot too.) The other problem I had was the video itself, in that I did not understand it. In fact, I just checked it out again and am still confused.

I did eventually grow to accept the song, perhaps for the heartache it suggested. It was also fairly easy to sing along with (lyrics-wise), which was a double bonus. Don't you want me baby, don't you want me oh? (repeat, and repeat some more)

I wondered who was telling the more plausible version of the story. Was the cocktail waitress going to find greater success even without Mr. Modesty, or was he truly an integral part of her upswing? Was it fair for him to threaten her? Was I going to be lucky enough to get turned into someone new? Would I ever have a five year relationship? 

C is for...

Careless Whisper...George Michael, 1985.

Angsty 80's songs, from the soundtrack of my life, is my theme for the A-Z challenge this year.

Guilty feet have got no rhythm. You know what other kind of feet lack the ability to keep a steady beat? Drunk ones. However, drunk voices are pitch perfect. The setting: a high school party in 1986. I remember being caught up in an embrace, as my dance partner and I serenaded each other...rather loudly. Ah yes, while time can never mend the careless whisper of a good friend, we figured we were safe based on volume alone.

I was a sucker for someone taking time out, of whatever other deep teenage conversations might have been going on, to share roughly five minutes with me. I was even more dazzled if he brought flawless lyrics to the dance. I can still hear the words we shouted at sang to each other as the song intensified...

...Tonight the music seems so loud
I wish that we could lose this crowd
Maybe it's better this way
We'd hurt each other with the things
We want to say...

We could have lived that dance forever. Such feeling, such passion, such...oh, song over? Beer empty? Sure, see ya later.