Man, I love YouTube! Chasing down Memory Lane ~ Verroom!

Hey all, I am busy writing up the story of the 60th birthday bash, so hang in there – it’s a fabulous story and I have got to do it justice. I haven’t written this much in months – what fun to have my joy back! Now about that YouTube thang….

Back in the days when I was studying metaphysics, one of things we were told to keep an ear out for was hints from the Universe that might come in the nature of a song. Oh, Lordy! Back in 2013, I wrote about music wyrms (worms, whatevah) and how I came under a blessing or curse to always have music playing in my head…. It’s a fun story, so if you haven’t read it, follow that link!

This wild ass weekend, being with my oldest friends – some of which I will tell and some of which will forever stay in Palm Springs (can you hear my friends’ sigh of relief with that promise?!) – there were none of the usual distractions of TV, news, phones ringing. Occasionally, a CD playing, but for the most part, it was nonstop conversation. I was generally up first and last to fall asleep, so in the occasional silence, I became aware of songs playing in my head. Not music worms, thank You, God! It was more as though I had a radio station in my head playing a variety of tunes. Now, here’s the thing re that advice about being aware of what’s playing in your head – it could be the Universe sending you a message… sigh. Songs I don’t even like played and I swear to you it wasn’t as though I picked ’em up walking through some establishment or past a radio. John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High, for example. I never liked that song back in the day, much less now, but it was alive and kicking on the return flight.

Point is, I got home and it kept on happening. Today’s was just a line, “Welcome to my life,” with that unique guitar intro. I did a search – whew – watch out for that, some mighty strange song came up full of hurt and desperation that was NOT the song I had in my head…. Fortunately, the follow on line came thru, so it was this “Welcome to my life, there’s no turning back….” It’s a great song, in fact, not all of it, but some of those lyrics were spot on, made me grin to see ’em. I’ve been waiting at least 25 years for some song to have significance. Generally, they just haven’t. I went to YouTube to hear it and then spent a good two hours thinking of songs that led to another and all of them were important for a particular memory in time. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?

The one you cranked up really loud on the car stereo, with all the windows open or the top down, flying down a ribbon of highway, singing at the top of your lungs or the ones that made you cry, or dance like a mad woman in your living room, snapping your fingers, stomping your feet, shaking that itty bitty butt – you know. I found Africa by Toto; Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman, You Got It, and every other song I could find of his. He was just so cool. Incidentally, I served on one of those PBS fundraisers where they do a show and then urge you to call in and pledge. My night was Roy Orbison and it turns out he is their all time winner for fundraising… Then it was over to Steely Dan for “Peg, it will come back to you.” then, El Paso, about wicked Velena and her cowboy… from there to a song about the Battle of the Alamo (who knew?!), and onto Big Bad John. It was a great evening! Try it.

Big Bad John – worth a listen – actually tells a story – remember those days?

ALL RIGHT! I confess, once started, I just can’t stop – check this one out – and pay particular attention to what the audience does….