MMMBop, ba dubi dop ba doo bop, ba ba du

As I sat down to write this blog I the song “MmmBop” by Hanson came on the radio. It was followed up by Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’” and then numerous memories of the past. It is amazing how a song can bring up specific memories in time from our past.

“MmmBop” was a huge hit “back in the day” when I was 15 and a freshman in high school. At that time, my brother was a senior in high school and fortunately, he let younger brother hang out with him and his friends every once and awhile. I would remember “cruising” around town in the Grand Am, or in his friends Reliant K car. Over the radio a “MmmBop” or two could be heard while extreme car dancing commenced. We had to keep our ‘cool’ status so we didn’t ever tell anybody we actually liked the song, but deep down in side, we knew we did! Summer cruising with my older bother, one memory that comes with the beat of the drums and 3 adolescent boys singin’ in harmony!

“Free Fallin’”, what does that mean to you? To me, it means remembering the time that I “just HAD to have a guitar”. Not only would it bring me fame, money, and of course, women, it would boost me into Harlan Community High School lore. Well, it didn’t really turn out that way. Instead, I found that learning how to play guitar isn’t as easy as Esteban makes it look on the Home Shopping Network. I couldn’t even grow the perfectly manicured finger nails to pluck to strings like the guitar master himself. Each time I hear the song “Free Fallin’”, I look back and remember playing a few riffs on the guitars that now collect dust on my wall between use.

There are many songs that remind me of my years as a Simpson student. My first roommate could attest to this next one. “Shaniqua (don’t live hear no’ mo’)” was a huge hit, at least in my mind. During move-in day my first year on campus I did not only play the song a billion-kagillion times, I played it at a billion-kagillion decibels!

The chorus of “Livin’ on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi was a so-called theme song for my fraternity. Each dance we held always contained the rock tune which was sung/screamed by each member. Just this past month I found myself being tossed in the air at my wedding reception by my fraternity brothers to the sound of Richie Sambora and Bon Jovi doing their thing.

“The Red and the Gold” is another song that takes me back to my college years. It can be heard at numerous Simpson events. The lyrics say it all! Take a listen for yourself at: http://www.simpson.edu/library/research/redgoldsong.html . It is basically a song of pride and remembrance of the 4 great years spent as a Simpson student. Each time I hear the familiar tune, it is hard not to smile and go back to those days!

What songs have you lived your life to? Maybe “The Red and the Gold” will become part of your life as well. Heck, I think I might have to go out and by a soundtrack to my life-it doesn’t look to bad!

GO STORM!

Andy