Ah, memories. We create moments in our lives that will mean much more in the future than when they happened. Sometimes these memories are remembered so fondly that they seem more valuable than the present. Today we'll explore a series of nostalgic songs. Not songs that we grew up listening to, but songs that dwell on the past more than the present. But perhaps you did listen to them when you were younger.
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5. Bell Boy - The Who
Quadrophenia, the second rock opera by The Who in 1973, still makes my head spin with its story. But one thing is clear: no one can stay young forever. In the second half of the album, the protagonist Jimmy meets up with a member from a gang he grew up with. And not just any member, but his idol, now dressed as a bellhop at a local hotel. The member, known back when as Ace Face, has learned to make up for the mistakes in his youth, and live in the modern age with a full-time job. While Jimmy still pursues what keeps him young, Ace Face learned to grow up and abandon his thug life.
4. Tender Years - John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band
Even if you haven't seen the film Eddie and the Cruisers, this song still carries out its meaning. The past carries on with the singer, to the point of not letting it go. In the film, the memory of the band Eddie and the Cruisers almost "haunts" the remaining band members, as the mystery of Eddie's disappearance was never solved. And with that, the good times shared in relationships also carry with them. The song may be short, but the memories were long lasting.
3. Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
This song works for the end of August, every year. Missing the good summer that passed by. They were "the best days of my life", according to Adams in this hit. The song focuses on the aspirations of the singer's youth, and even though he went through a few fads, the time spent with his friends and date were remarkable in the long run. That's the spirit of the past we all hope for, that our memories mean more now than when they started.
2. Glory Days - Bruce Springsteen
Such a cheerful song for a harsh story. Bruce meets up with people of his past, who used to hit it big when they were young. The only thing he finds in common is that the past was their best, and not much happens in their life nowadays. Let's hope the irony of getting old and thinking back doesn't get to The Boss. Although in the same album, "Born in the U.S.A.", he does recall his childhood and friends from yesteryear in the title track.
1. 1985 - Bowling for Soup
If name dropping was a phrase in 2004, this song would have invented it. The song tells of a young mother who lost her dreams. Since then, her whole world seems different, and she cannot comprehend the changes in pop culture, especially in her idols as a teenager. This song refers to many 80's bands, as the name suggests, from Madonna to Van Halen, as well as a few movies like "Breakfast Club" and "St. Elmo's Fire" (or does it mean the song? Both were around that time period). The song demonstrates Debbie's dreams being long gone, as well the good music she grew up with, and can only remember what she once wanted from life: to be the ultimate groupie.
Time changes, and so does our perspective. The past may be another part of our life, or the culmination of the best things we've ever done. Many remember the past with fondness, while others live in the past and can't see the here and now. In fact, the past was once a here and now. But what happens when you live in the past and miss the present? Only time will tell.
