Music has this amazing ability to transport us back in time... sideways... upside down... inside out... to whereever we were when we first heard a song... wherever we were when something special happened in our lives... we are magically airlifted in the musical time machine! Last night's re-opening of
KISN radio really shook us up and down and all over the place! It was a party to remember forever. Facebook went crazy and we were all together in a big room dancing and chatting, as each song transported us...
Another Park Another Sunday... BAM! I am in the car with high school chums, future college roommates, Denise, Elaine and Karen... driving from Portland to Rexburg, Idaho in my parent's 4-on the floor automatic "Renault" (we pronounced it Re-NALT back then) with ONE 8-track tape: The Doobie Brothers! Just took one line and I was in that car again - laughing and singing and dreaming of our futures and Ricks College...
Dream a Little Dream of Me... BAM! I am in the car with Reed Card, my first steady boyfriend. I am 15... we are in my driveway after our date... the porch light has been blinking a few times (signal from parental units that it's time to come in). He finally puts his arm around my shoulders and leans in for our FIRST KISS... my first real kiss... the one that you never forget... while Mamma Cass serenaded...say nighty night and kiss me... just hold me tight and tell me you'll miss me... I had to walk around the block twice before my knees stopped shaking...
Money for Nothing... BAM! I'm cruisin' Broadway with my cousin, in my newlywed husband's bright red
4x4 Ford Ranger. Cassette deck blaring at the top of the decibel level... and the speakers blew! I don't know when I've laughed so hard. It was the first time we had spent a week together "sisters" instead of "big cousin-little cousin"... and it is a memory I cherish. I can't hear that song without being in that truck... at that moment... with Melinda...
How about those family car trips? We've all been there... dad barking that "driver gets to control the radio"... which often meant the dreaded
news station (even with a disc jockey father!)... but sometimes... sometimes... kids ruled (or at least he let us think we did).
There is someone, Walking Behind You... BAM! I'm driving to the beach with my family. Denise is spending the summer with us and we are in the back of our
Mercury Montego Convertible... sun up... top down... Matt, Denise, Feather, TV and I all packed in the back... mom and dad in front... Dad and Denise are singing at the top of their lungs
TURN AROUND... LOOK AT ME! What a moment... were they more special because we didn't have "repeat" buttons?
Crocodile Rock.... BAM! I'm dancing with Tom....
I Need you...... BAM! I'm with Todd...
You're still the one.... BAM! Greg...
Hanky Panky... BAM! I'm in 6th grade hoping the bottle will point to Brad...
And the list of BAMS! goes on and on and on...
Then of course... there is
PUFF the Magic Dragon - dad's theme song... but more importantly, the one he sang when he visited the sick kids... kids with leukemia, whose dying wish was to meet my father and Feather... who would lay his nose alongside their bed, while daddy sang PUFF to them... I didn't realize at the time how that would affect me forever... the BAM is more soft... sweet... meaningful...
And now many songs have double meanings: we have our own youthful memories, and we watch, as our kids hear the same music (original or remake) and layer upon layer form their own musical time machines! Music surrounds us every step of the way... cheering us on... crying with us... making us feel young again! When DJ Dave made a little dedication to dad tonight... BAM! I was a little girl again... and saw a silly grin come over my father's face, as he cranked up the volume and twirled me around the living room...
THANK YOU KISN!
Close your eyes and teleport back to 1966... where were YOU when you heard this song?
But the best part is the ending... Little Jackie Paper is all grown up...
