Whitesnake Friday

Sorry, no time for pictures (again). I'm completely slammed, BUT, I do have a little story for ya. So, I'm driving the girls to school today, and that song came on. Here I go again on my own...goin' down the only road I've ever known. Like a drifter I was BOORN to walk alo-oone...(whoa whoa whoa)...but I made up my mind. I ain't wastin' no more TIIME...here I go AGAAIIINNN...

Okay, maybe I didn't have to write out ALL the lyrics. But, NO MATTER how many years pass, EVERY time I hear that song it brings me RIGHT back to 7th grade: Beth Facendini, the cutest girl in school. She had golden-airbrushed skin with honey curled hair, and iced blue eyes, surrounded by the blackest natural lashes. All the girls fought over who'd get to sit by her. And the boys, well, they apparently fought over who would get to lip sync Whitesnake songs to her. It didn't matter that he was singing that he was a "hobo, born to walk alone", because he was the hottest 9th grader up there on that talent-show stage, banging his feathered-brown locks back and forth, declaring his profound love for just her. Tears streamed down her perfect doll face as the gym shrunk into their own personal, junior-high karaoke bar. And I sat there, coke-bottle glasses and way-too-short mushroom perm wondering  WHAT it was LIKE to be Beth Facendini. I'm actually still wondering.  

Anyone else have any songs that take you right back?  

Comments

[Kate Mefford]

You just slay me, time and time again!!!

[cathy]

ohmygosh, you just captured how I felt my ENTIRE school life...while I watched life happen to other people. Wow, that was really well said. And I have to admit that all songs by George Michael take me back. :)

[Susan N]

Van Halen's FEEL YOUR LOVE TONIGHT.....reminds me of Summer 1987 and my boyfriend Allen! If you don't know it...not a VH song that was real popular..but it was popular in my life......and it can still be a HOT song!

[Mama]

Brilliant!

And when you figure "it" out, tell me.

Actually, I'd put money on the fact that Beth Facendini is now Beth Botticelli with five kids, grandly obese, and nagging at her stubbled faced, wife-beater-tee-shirt-wearing clod of a husband to get off the sofa and mow the damn lawn. She devours chocolate for the endorphine high and watches Dr. Phil and Oprah each and every day wondering how the elusive "it" feels.

[Steph]

Ahhhh.... the memories...one is Prince's "Purple Rain" that the 'drummer' in a 'band' dedicated to me during the 9th grade talent show, but my favorite is Journey's "Open Arms". During a party I stood next to the piano and sang at the top of my lungs:

"So now I come to you
With BROKEN ARMS
Nothing to hide
Believe what I say
So here I am
With BROKEN ARMS
Hoping you'll see
What your love means to me
BROKEN ARMS"
I seriously thought it was 'broken arms' and still have not lived it down.

[tracey]

Ma ma ma my Sharona!

My my my my my WOO!

[Melody A.]

Oh, no. Journey's Open Arms, 5th grade. We lived on a military base and every Friday was Teen Night at the Teen Center. I think I was 10. Kids of all ages were dropped off here for the evening. It was a rec center with arcade games, pool tables, concessions, and a basketball court. The court was used for roller skating during the first half of the evening and then if was turned into a dance floor. But that song was the infamous last song and every girl sat on the benches and hoped that they were asked to dance by that last song. Now I'm totally scared to be the mother of two girls remembering how much we wanted to dance with a cute boy. And I wish I had a picture of myself with my short shorts wearing my skates with the huge poms on them, hair permed AND the coke bottle glasses. Oh, and I'm remembering getting a note in my pocket from a boy reading, "You're fine." Too funny. Good ol' days.

[Melody A.]

I musta just posted seconds after Steph up there! 2 Open Arms memories!

[Great Dane Addict]

Any song by Poison on the album Look What the Cat Dragged In. Takes me back to 4th grade when I used to bring my pink BOOMBOX to school *EVERYDAY*, and we'd play that out on the playground while some guy pushed me on the swings during recess. And he'd only push me. Awesome.

[Jennifer A.]

The end of 7th grade--Montgomery, Alabama. Cari Compton and I sat on the bleachers of the gym...saddened about our upcoming move away from Brewbaker Jr. High and from each other. We were both military brats...uh, I mean...DEPENDENTS. We had only been there a year...but that was typical for Air Force families.

The song that played for the try-outs would forever shape the fabric of my being...on that fateful day in the gym, as we got teary-eyed watching a moment in history we would never be a part of...

And, as we got up to leave after try-outs were over, I realized that my beloved Red-White-Blue swirly comb had fallen out of the back pocket of my jeans. I mean, how would I EVER get those feathers to fly that way again?! A doubly sad day.

"Don't turn around, oh-ooohhhooo,
"Der Kommisar's in town, oh-ooohhoooo."

Sigh.

And, I wonder why in the world my daughter is so dramatic. : )

[cathy]

Maile, I think you might have the COOLEST MOM EVER!!!!

[dawnfh]

I actually did a jazz dance in 7th grade to "Centerfold" by the J Giles band. Now that I'm older and a mom, I'm horrified that parents actually let us dance to that song. Whenever we hear "Centerfold" on the radio, my husband who has heard the story, always asks me perform what I remember for him. Yea, right! No way Jose...

Oh, and I totally remember dancing down the line (you know where there were the boys and girls on separate sides) to Michael Jackson's "Off the wall."

[Susan N]

I did a roller skating routine to Centerfold and whatever that song is that the girl from Little Miss Sunshine danced to....what is that again? My old brain is going numb....although I don't think I knew what all the words meant...

[Susan N]

remember it now..SUPERFREAK...she's alright, she's alright......girl is kinda kinky...she's a SUPERFREAK

[k]

Pearl Jam for sure.

[Misha Pisha]

Whitesnake, Ratt, Jon Bon Jovi with all that glorius hair..yes those were the half dressed men on posters that were decorating my room. What was my mother thinking? I LOVE music, especially any song from my childhood. What I can't believe is that the 80's were 20+ years ago. That just doesn't seem right.

P.S. To all the "girls" thanks for another glorius, laughter-filled evening. I could not survive without you! xx

[Misha Pisha]

GLORIOUS...must be my word of the evening...where is that glass of wine!

[Jason]

Who cares about Whitesnake! All I remember is Tawny Kitean in the video... Paul...can I geta WHAT WHAT...

[arizaphale]

I'm an old bird but going back to high school.....'Big Old Jet Airliner' by the Steve Miller Band. I had been going out with the Rotary Exchange Student (my first big love) who was going back to New York State. Every time this song came on I was a dissolving mess. Still gets me even today. Oh and at the same time, Crosby, Stills Nash and Young put out "Just a Song Before I go"...another airport song!!! Freaky timing.
And I agree, your Mum is sooooo cool!

[Stacy]

actually the same song brings me back to high school. we used to have those singing booths in the mall here where you could go and record your voice singing along to the tune. well, i can't sing. in fact, i was told then that i sounded like alvin from alvin and the chipmunks. yup!