Music has a funny way of resetting your mood, bringing up whims of nostalgia, and linking memories in strange ways. There are a ton of songs that I immediately think of a certain time, place, or person; or a song links me to the band who then jumps to another song that reminds me of a certain time, place, or person.
I have a 40-minute drive to work each way, so I tend to listen to stuff on my iPod. Mainly I listen to tech- or movie-related pod casts, but lately it's been more music. I have very little that I would say is "modern", and enough pop songs to be able to count them on two fingers. You see, I was born in 1976, so most of the music I listen to these days covers the 70s through the early 00s, though I do have some older stuff.
So when I'm doing 70 down the interstate, and Scorpions' "There's No One Like You" comes on, I remember listening to this album (Blackout, released in 1982) and Love at First Sting (1984) on my dad's record player when I was little. I also remember a slight titillating feeling looking at the album cover of Love at First Sting, but hey, I was young.
Anyway, I have several Scorpions' songs on my iPod, and a handful of live versions of several of those same songs. For "There's No One Like You", I just remember sitting in the spare bedroom listening to some of the album. It never hit me until much later that these were a bunch of German hard rock guys singing a lot about love and longing. From my iPod, I have:
- No One Like You (Blackout, 1982)
- Still Loving You (Love at First Sting, 1984)
- Big City Lights (Love at First Sting, 1984)
- Bad Boys Running Wild (Love at First Sting, 1984)
- Believe in Love (Savage Amusement, 1988)
- Rhythm of Love (Savage Amusement 1988)
- Send Me an Angel (Crazy World, 1990)
- Wind of Change (Crazy World, 1990)
Sounds like a bunch of pansies, but I'd never say that to guys with names like Klaus and Rudolf, and who sported tank tops under black leather jackets and black leather caps.
Of particular note is "Wind of Change" with it's cool whistling intro. It was somehow a theme song of sorts from a high school camping trip with the Science Club** in 1994 . I had some relatively impressionable stupid teenage things I remember from those camping trips, so anytime I hear a Scorpions song the web of connections eventually links me to sitting on bus on the way home with the song playing. That year was my senior year in high school, so I'm sure someone had the idea that it was a nice wrap-up to high school.
Ahh stupid youth. Thanks, Scorpions.
**Don't worry, it wasn't as nerdy as it sounds, most people joined just to do the annual camping trip up in Deep Creek.
