Sunday, July 19, 2009

She Must Be Somebody's Baby...

I was listening to my "Guilty Pleasures" channel on Pandora today. (For those of you unfamiliar with Pandora, it's a website where you can create your own radio stations, based on a song you like. You pick a song or artist, and they keep playing songs or artists that are musically similar. If you haven't tried it, you should. It's fab.)

"Guilty Pleasures" could basically be re-named my "Blue-eyed Soul" channel. I'm not ashamed to admit that yes, I love me some Hall and Oates. (If you don't, there's something amiss in your life. Seriously.) Other artists that crop up on this station are Michael McDonald (hearts!), The Police (not technically soul, but I'll take it), Chris DeBurgh (remember Lady in Red? So do I!!), Christopher Cross, I digress... Anyway, I was all, wooo, groovin on my elevator music, and heard this song that sounded SO familiar... but I couldn't place it. Then- I remembered. It's the song I had my tap-dancing recital to when I was like 7 years old! "Somebody's Baby", by Jackson Browne! This may not seem like a big deal to most of you, nay, any of you, but it almost brought tears to my eyes. And then, while it was playing, I could hear my teacher saying, "Fa-lap, heel-heel, fa-lap, heel-heel, rhythm step!" I can remember what a rhythm step is! I almost got up and did it out of habit.

Oh, man, and the outfit I had to wear- big surprise- was a red and white sequined leotard, with (strangely) one of those flapperesque headbands with a feather in the front. Not really time-compatible with the song, but we're talking tap-dancing here. And everyone HAS to look like they're a magician's assistant.

Wow. It's funny how a really detailed memory can pop up out of nowhere.

Well, on the off-chance that you actually like Jackson Browne, here's the song:

4 comments:

roch said...

i actually saw him about 10 years ago-sounded great. i liked his introspective and depressing songs from the 70s

chris

advochasty said...

No wonder I like you so much!

I started listening to Jackson Browne in 1972 when his first album with Asylum Records came out. It was entitled "Jackson Browne" The cover looked like a beige sponge and had "Saturate Before Using" at the top and "Los Angeles, California" at the bottom of the cover. I was living in Los Angeles.

He became my favorite songwriter. For me, his lyrics are soulful, romantic, bittersweet longings that even today embody my own quixotic, passionate connection to bdsm romance.

His songs mark times in my life so perfectly and poignantly that this morning, in honor of your post, I was choking myself up listening to him on my iPod on the way to work.

I could go on and on.

I sent this snippet of lyric from "Your Bright Baby Blues" to my lovely She, who has beautiful blue eyes.

I thought I flying like a bird
So far above my sorrow
But when I looked down
I was standing on my knees.
Now I need someone to help me
Someone to help me please.

Baby if you need me
Like I know I need you
There's just one thing
I'll ask you to do
Take my hand and lead me
To the hole in your garden wall
And pull me through.



Still have yer leotard? :-P

The Hermit said...

Another reason to like you. Not just because you are attractive, intelligent and witty but there is so much else. I love me some Hall and Oates too. As a kid I was too worried about being cool to really admit (or even realize) I was a fan but now I say it proudly. Oh the memories too.

I too can be taken back by a certain piece of music. There are some smells and music that bring me right back to elementary school.


Btw, I like that Jackson Brown song. It reminds me of being 9 years old and girls were so.....mysterious.

Mistress Veronica NYC said...

You know, it's strange, because I've gotten more positive response to this even over email. I had no idea how much people love Jackson Browne.