If you have adult children, then MTV played a role in your musical memories.  If your kids are well into adulthood then you remember the birth of MTV and sharing that experience with your kids and before MTV turned into something other than a Music Channel.  Remember when we waited for Michael Jackson’s Thriller Video to come out?  We’d do the zombie dance in front of the TV!  

What musical memories do you have with your children?  Here’s some of mine…

Listen to Thriller  Michael Jackson – Thriller – Thriller

Saturday Morning Confusion

I was a young mom…I actually didn’t raise my kids, we grew up together, and we always seemed to be our own nucleus.  Bobby Russell had a  “one hit wonder” called Saturday Morning Confusion.  That song always makes me a little nostalgic for the days when they were little and now, knowing what I know now…I think I’d be a better mom.  I am probably the only person in the world that remembers this song, but it reminds me of when the kids were little….all chaotic, a little frantic yet warm and loving.  As I was looking around the web for some information on this odd piece of music, the interesting thing I found out about Bobby Russell, the man who wrote the song, was he also wrote another song, a song that is important to me in my midlife years.  A song, nobody would remember either unless you’re over 50+ years old too.  If you remember Bobby Goldsboro’s song “Honey”…Well, that’s what my Grandkids have all called me from the get go….Honey.  I didn’t choose the name, but I love when I hear any of them call me that.  And There You Go….I’ve just come full circle.  Thanks for coming with me.  Time flies doesn’t it?

Listen to Saturday Morning Confusion:  15 Saturday Morning Confusion

Listen to Honey: Bobby Goldsboro – Honey

Electric Avenue

Roller Skating was one of our favorite activities before my kids were too cool for me.  When Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant was played, I’d always watch my son – I could tell he was having a good time…he turned into a skating/dancing machine.  It will always be Eddy Grant’s Electric Avenue and The Oak Ridge Boys singing Elvira that will alway remind me of that roller skating rink and the fun we used to have…It was the Tarry Hall Roller Rink in Grandville Michigan.  One Saturday afternoon, we were all trussed up in skates, my son about 6 years old then, declares his need to use the rest room.  Standing vigil outside I wait diligently.  When he comes out, I notice a wet streak running all the way down his leg…I ask what happened?  In his most deadpanned voice he shrugged and said “I kept rolling away”.

Listen to Electric Avenue:  Eddy Grant_ Electric avenue with lyrics

Why Don’t We Get Drunk (and Screw)

When the kids were in High School, I would put on the same CD every Saturday when I cleaned the house.  Jimmy Buffet’s “Songs You Know By Heart”.  That CD gave me the motivation to get through the entire house, and yes, I did know all the songs by heart and yes, I did sing along with all the songs.  It was the late 80’s and my kids were only in their early teens, and it seemed rather innocuous to me until years later, when, at a family dinner, we were talking about music and my daughter said proudly, yep, I knew all the words to “Why Don’t We Get Drunk” (and Screw) by the time I was 12.  I have no excuses.  She turned out okay….right?

Listen to Why Don’t We Get Drunk:  09 Why Don’t We Get Drunk

Shake Your Groove Think

I knew my son was going to be very tall…very tall.  His dad was 6’11” and he was growing like a weed! I used to tell him there’s nothing worse than being the biggest white man at the wedding and not being able to dance, so we’re going to learn to dance….DANCE PARTY!….  That’s when I’d put on Shake you’re Groove thing.  He was only 2 when Peaches and Herb came out with it in 1978, but when I like a song I hang on to it!  Plus, it’s never too early for a dance party.  I never really thought about anything I did with the kids in terms of building their own memories, so it really surprised me when he got married and it was time for the mother/son dance, unbeknownst to me, their DJ announced it was time for the mother/son dance… and you know most mother/son dances are a little on the cheesy sides….not us….the all too familiar “There’s nothing more that I’d like to do than take the floor and dance with you Keep dancing, let’s keep dancing”, was such a great memory to bring back.

Listen to Shake Your Groove Thing:  09 Shake Your Groove Thing

It was just for me and my daughter….

My daughter was a huge Dirty Dancing Fan…and Ok so was I, there was a stage production which brought together some of the groups of the movie….We HAD to go. 😉  I was the OLDEST person there.  I loved being able to take her to a concert like that, I could see the excitement written all over her face.  When N’SYNC came to our town…Okay, I was a fan….heck I didn’t even ask her, I just bought tickets.  The funny thing was, she was well into her 30’s when we went to that concert.  I was going to meet her at the concert – I pulled into the parking garage, the attendant assumed I was going to the nice Italian Restaurant next door, parking was free for the Restaurant and since I was coming from work and all dressed up he just kind of figured that’s where I was headed….when I told him no, I’m going to the N’SYNC concert, I thought he was going to fall over.  I’m meeting my daughter here!  He smiled and said “How sweet, how old’s your daughter?”  When I told him 32, we both started to laugh.  I’ve always liked the same music my kids were listening to…I’m a sucker for Pop music!

Listen to I’ve Had The Time of My Life:  Bill Medley Jennifer Warnes – (I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life – (Extended) (cc)

Listen to It’s Gonna Be Me:  02 It’s Gonna Be Me

Losing My Religion

My son was interested in music very early in life.  We got him a guitar before he was even a teenager and he taught himself to play.  I’ll spare you from listening to “Stairway to Heaven”!   My Ex-Husband had a variety of instruments and played in a band, so he picked up a lot of different string instruments.  I liked REM and the song “Losing My Religion”, so one day as I walked into the house, he and his good friend, Joe, were positioned on the open staircase.  They had learned and were serenading me with REM’s “Losing My Religion”.  They had been practicing for weeks.  They did a great job on the song… Sweetest music I’d ever heard!

Listen to Losing My Religion:  R.E.M. – Losing My Religion (Studio Version, On-Screen Lyrics)

Volare

My son’s first car was pretty gangster!  His father helped him get it.  I got him a pair of fuzzy dice to put in the window…the car demanded it!  It was 1976 Volare.  When he got home from his car shopping trip with his father he was pretty jazzed.  He was telling me all about the car….Rich Corinthian Leather Seats…red no less.  An Alligator Leather Top and All Black Exterior Paint.  Now what would you do if someone told you they had just purchased a Volare?  You’d do exactly as I did…You’d sing the song…

Volare, oh oh
Cantare, oh oh oh oh

The next morning, Joe goes to school and he’s very excited about being about to drive to there!  Later that night, recapping our day, he said, “yeah, real funny mom, real funny!”  I had no idea what he was talking about.  “Well, obviously you called each of my teachers”.  Why would you think I called your teachers?  “Because, when I told each one of them about my new car, they all knew your stupid little song!”

Listen to Volare:  Bobby Rydell – Volare

What songs make you want to call your kids?

You can download any of the music contained in this post on iTunes!  I did!  Just click on the links below!  Enjoy!  😉

Honey, by Bobby Goldsboro

Saturday Morning Confusion, by Bobby Russell

Electric Avenue, by Eddy Grant

Why Don’t We Get Drunk, by Jimmy Buffett

Shake Your Groove Thing, by Peaches and Herb

I’ve Had The Time Of My Life, by Bill Medley & Jennifer Warren

It’s Gonna Be Me, by N’Sync

Losing My Religion, by REM

Volare, by Bobby Rydell

Thriller by Michael Jackson