Community archive

Ask something
Discussion Locked

"Musical Milestones"

0 helpful
25 replies

by gadgetgirl

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

As we all seem to be on a musical tack this week, I thought I'd put in my 2p-worth, too.

So, here is Musical Milestones. What musical milestones played a part in your life? I know I can definitively mark times in my life that a certain song/tune has made me recall instantly. What about you?

I'll start!

Some of these I'll explain the reasons they are milestones, some I won't - hey, there are some things/dates/times you really don't need to know, believe me!

Magic Moments, Perry Como - first song I remember hearing....
High Hopes, Frank Sinatra - Pa's theme tune!
You were made for me, Freddie and the Dreamers - the first time I went on a plane
Tired of Waiting, Kinks - first single bought
Bridge over Troubled Water - first LP bought
Build me up Buttercup - my first "Our Tune"!
Angel, Jimi Hendrix - loss of my fave cuz
Bright Eyes - September 75, you don't need to know
Sailing, Rod Stewart - honeymoon (wish the ex HAD gone sailing instead!)
Frog Song, Paul McCartney - our mother and daughter song (and yes, it still is!)
Rocking all over the World - general good times
Days, Kirsty McColl - you don't need to know
Last Night, Az Yet - you don't need to know
Love the Way you call my name, Charlotte Church - you don't need to know

and finally:

Penny Lane, Beatles. Played for my grandfathers birthday on the radio, requested by my grandmother, and was the only radio request we ever got played. Gran was born just off Penny Lane, and when my sailor grandfather got to Liverpool, they met on Penny Lane, and were together the rest of their lives. (Awwww.....)

So, that's my (abridged) starter for 10. There are loads more, but most either aren't that well known, or I can only remember a few words, not whole tunes or artists.

So that's the challenge - what are the musical milestones in YOUR life?

GG

(Enjoy the reminiscing.....I did. Sorta!)

25 replies

by rob mekel

Okay lett's have a go

Michelle, my belle. The Beatles, great holliday in France when it came out.
Tubular Bells, Mike Oldfield, first album bought, read some books and when ever I hear the songs I get the images of the book AND otherway around.
Baby Love, Supremes, first skiing holiday
Bad out of Hell 1, Meat Loaf, well ... lets just say ... great.
Angie, Rolling Stones, well ... I did enjoy the trip
Carmen, Bizet, my dad loved this (me to now)
Unchain my heart, Joe Cocker, real great memory's about it
Bright Eyes,Art Garfunkel, real nice times and more
House of the Rising Sun, The Animals, great evenings ... nice pool parties ... great fun
99 luftballons, Nena, eehhh lets say good times !
999 bicycles, Katie Melua, my niece (3) and nephew (4) love it and sing allong alltho they don't understand a word off what they're singing
Buena Vista Social Club Presents Ibrahim Ferrer, just love the Cuban music
Argentian Tango Music, in general, to dance to it is great.

And much more but I'll stop to this.

Rob

[i]edited: clicked "Submit My Comments" button to soon[/i]

by dmambo

I have a bad Perry Como memory. Don't get me started!

For my musical memories, a lot of it came from one of my older brothers. One year he came back from college in the summer with Springsteen's first album. I wore that out. Then, a couple of years later "Born to Run" hit the shelves just as I hit high school. It was saying what I wanted to hear.

A couple of others:
-"Eat A Peach" - I realized how good The Allman Brothers Band was.
-"Dark Side of the Moon"
-"Quadrophenia" - Kind of the same deal as "Born to Run". Helped me realize that there's a whole big world out there with choices to make.
-Dire Straits first album
-U2's first album
-REM's first album

The last 3 came out when I was a little older and was picking music out myself rather than having others feed it to me.

So, pretty much standard rock 'n roll fare for my adolescent time.

As you said - great reminiscing!

by jdclyde

REM, they were all over MTV (back before they stopped playing rock and went to full time "yo mtv raps" crap.)

Darker side of the moon, just started to get my boys into that, and they are hooked solid.

Springsteen, never like a thing he did. Just didn't do it for me. To each their own.

by j.lupo

is most in my memory - it was a really funny and happy day.

Theme from Stripes - Marching band competition awards. I was playing a bass sax (if you ever saw one, they are BIG and I was small). It was bigger than me and I had to have wheels on the bottom. We went on the competition field and the Judges say, "Is the band ready" and the band responded "That's the fact Jack" and off we went playing the theme from the movie Stripes. hehehe

Of course the judges on the field would walk right in your path and you had to pretend they weren't there. You should have seen their faces when they saw this little girl playing the big bad bass saxophone and rolling it along, down the line, over the hills, and on their feet. :^)

by thefrown

"Whisky in the Jar" Thin Lizzy - got me into Rock at a tender age; never looked back.
"Sheer Heart Attack" Queen - first album.
"Easy Livin'" Uriah Heep - first ever rock gig; blew me away.
"Rocking all Over the World" - Was at Wembley for Live Aid in '85 - oooh Jeez; what a day!
"Kick" INXS - Lent the CD to a girl who was a regular in the pub I used to drink in; finally wound up marrying her!
"Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" The Platters - 1st dance at my wedding with the missus (aah!)
"Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" - Otis Redding - my Dad loved this style of music, whenever I hear this track I think of him. Miss ya Dad!
"Brown Eyed Girl" - It's just one of those songs that cheers me up; don't know why.
"Geno" Dexy's Midnight Runners - Reminds me of the early 80's, and the good times me and the lads had down Covent Garden when I was footloose and fancy free. (Always preferred "Geno" to "Eileen")
"Shadow Play" Rory Gallagher - used to go to this heavy rock place in North London; the times I had there too ...

by mickster269

"Wishing You Were Here" - Pink Floyd, just in case you didn't know. This one is the one that reminds me of my first love- my High School girlfriend. She was younger than me, so when I went to college, we broke up. But we never stopped talking. We still love(d) each other - but it never fails, that when one of us is available for a relationsip, the other isn't. ("We're just two lost souls swimming in the same fish bowl, year after year")

The other one is Pachabel's Canon. I discovered this piece when I was learning how to play the Violin in 4th grade. As I got better, I progressed from playing 3rd violin, 2nd violin, and finally 1st violin parts. It was played at my HS Graduation.

In college, I was asked to join a quartet to play the Canon at a school function. I got back up to speed on it, played it at the function- and broke my left hand the next day playing football. It was the last piece I ever played.

Since then, I have had it played at my wedding, the birth of my son, the night after my divorce was final, the day I taught my son to drive - it plays intentionally or unintenionally at seemingly every milestone in my life.

Both of those pieces of music stop me dead in my tracks - they bring back a flood of memories, wome wonderful, some bittersweet.

by dmambo

A lot of "Wish You Were Here" was an homage to Syd Barrett, who died this week. He dropped out of Floyd after going a little loopy. I think it was Floyd's way of letting him know that he wasn't forgotten. The band took care of him financially all along. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is directed to him.

The silver lining is that David Gilmour took Barrett's place.

by tig2

worth repeating...

I was in Pike Street market in Seattle years ago watching the guys throw fish (yes, they really THROW fish). That level is considered the seventh level from the hillclimb side. On level three, there is a patio and a concrete chimney is formed by the successive levels.

On the third level, a quartet from the U had set up and were playing. We got closer to listen and they began the Pachebel. For the entire piece, you could hear nothing but the beauty of the music- no cars, no crowd- nothing but the sweetness of a beautiful piece of music beautifully played.

One of the moments of your life that you never forget and wish you could share...

by jdclyde

Well, here goes.

First Album I ever bought was Alice Coopers greatest hits.
First single was the Mamas and Papas, California dreaming.

Significant memories:
Turn the Page, was a fav of my dads. We played it at his funeral. 1983.

Deep cuts the knife, by helix, AND silent night, by BonJovi. 1986/87. Two tapes we listened to a lot when I was with "the one and only". Those two song still make me think of her. Still get a cold stab down my spine when I run into her, after all this time.

Someone Else, by Queensryche. A song that always was a fav of Thing Two's (my boy). Was always good for a quiet snuggle session.

Beethoven's fifth, done in all fart noises. This is always good for getting Thing One (my other boy, twins) to be rolling on the floor, tears down his face, laughing uncontrollably. :D You should have seen him in the fart scene in "Rocketman"! :^0

Why ain't I bleeding, by LA Guns, 2000, when it all began to go bad, or at least when I found out.
http://tinyurl.com/o959a

On Your Way Down, by Stabbing Westward. The song starts out:
[i]I hope I see you on your way down
I hope you break every bone
I hope it kills you on your way down
I hope you die alone[/i]
Those that know me can take a wild guess who that song makes me think of.

Whole lotta rosie, AC/DC. When I was a rock-n-roll DJ, I would play this because my brother was dating (and later married) Rosie. :D

Fairies wear boots. Black Sabbath. A good bud ALWAYS wore some buttugly cowboy boots for a few years. ;\ Yeah, that got some air play too!

Morrocan Sunset, by Joe Satriani. Great for road trips or when looking to just sit and be.

It seems there are more special songs for the bad times than the good, or at least that I can remember at this time. Some were just fun, but not many were special in a good way. Will have to think on this.

by mickster269

And by "record" I mean "45".

There was a new movie out, called "2001: A Space Odyssey" I was fascinated by the theme song "Also sprach Zarathustra" by Strauss. I saved up my allowance, and went to the record store to by the 45.

I rushed home, put the record on the turntable, placed the needle on the record... and heard the unmistakeable opening...

"Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Take your protein pills and put your helmet on.."

At the age of 10, I had yet to learn how to spellcheck...

by jdclyde

is what I meant when I said "single".

The second was "Aquarius" by the fifth dimension!

and I had to save up as well and buy my own. It was the only thing saving me from Ma's MAC Davis and John Denver.

Dad on the other hand got me into the deep purple, uriha heep, Sabbath, Zepplin and more.

by jamesrl

My childhood was filled with wonderful music memories.

Just about any christmas hymns are nostalgic for me - starting singing in the choir at age 5, soloed that year for Chritsmas service -"Away in a manger".

Beatles Hard days night, and Yellow submarine, Let it Be - saw the movies when I was a kid - happy times.

Rolling Stones -Satisfaction - memories of Ed Sullivan show, and how the Rolling Stones were so unlike the Beatles - remember the dicsusion with my parents.

Cecilia by Simon and Garfunkel - listening to AM radio on a brand new transistor radio with the great girl next door. She died of cancer 4 years later.

Long and Winding Road - heard that in the car right after they announced the Beatles were breaking up.

25 or 6 to 4 - Chicago - memories of playing in Band, when the 70 year old conductor thought he'd throw something modern in for the kids. I'm sure he never read the lyrics. Later in my political life some friends of mine and I would gather at someone's house, drink beer and listen to Chicago albums (early ones only).

Sleigh Ride - Leroy Anderson - every band percussionists dream. I loved ringing the sleigh bells, or using the thing that made the whip snap sound. For those concerts my "junior" band joined the adult band for concerts - great memories.

These eyes - The Guess who - My uncle owned a restaurant/diner and this was on the jukebox - we'd visit and I would plunk money into it to hear this song over and over.

Conquistador - Procul Harum. First 45 I got with my own money.

We've got tonite - Bob Seager - lets just say, once upon a time, in band camp....

Tubular bells. We just got the new hi fi system at high school, and a bunch of had a free period and a copy of tubular bells. I think we warped the art students across the hall, and almost broke glass by testing the limits of the output.

Anything from the Mikado or Anne of Green Gables, the Musical - played in the orchestra for Mikado(percussion and sang backup on chorus when needed), was stage manager for Anne of Green Gables and sang from the wings.

Handel's Messiah - I stopped singing in church at 17. In university I was dragged into a sing along messiah, which was really an ad hoc concert. I was hooked and that lead to my choir career.

Unchained Melody - Righteous Brothers - wedding song. I sang it to my wife on our first dance, including the falsetto.

I could go on and on.

James

by maxwell edison

[i]Precious and Few by Climax[/i]: Just before one-too-many precious moments.

[i]Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meatloaf[/i]: For the line, Praying for the end of time, so I can end my time with you!

[i]Forever and Ever Amen by Randy Travis[/i]: For the one that promised forever would really last forever.

[i]Promises by Eric Clapton[/i]: For the line, How could we know that promises end.

[i]You are the Sunshine of my Life, by Stevie Wonder[/i]: For the one who once brought sunshine into the room.

[i]Positively 4th Street by Bob Dylan[/i]: For the lyrics, I wish that for just one time, you could stand inside my shoes, (then) you'd know what a drag it is to see you.

[i]Watermelon Wine by Tom T. Hall[/i]: For the lines, Women think about themselves, when men-folk ain't around ..... And friends are hard to find when they discover that you're down ..... Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes ..... God bless little children while they're still to young to hate ..... Ain't but three things in this world that's worth a solitary dime, But old dogs and children and watermelon wine.

[i]Bottle of Wine by the Fireballs[/i]: Just because it segues in so well at this point.

by jamesrl

Before I bought for myself, we would get KTel albums for significant events as gifts.

They were played over and over and we would never skip a track. I was exposed to some music that we didn't normally hear on AM radio in Ontario, like Soul, Motown etc.

My brother bought the soundtrack to Hair - loved it.

James

by maecuff

Dizzy by Vic Reeves - first record I ever owned. I think I was 5 or 6 at the time.

The Clancy brothers and Tommy Makhem (sp?) at Carnegie Hall - my dad listened to the album about a trillion times.

Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd - my best friend's parents were complete stoners and they listened to this all the time. I can't hear a song from that album without remembering my childhood.

Walk This Way by Aerosmith - when I officially switched from pop music to something else..

Don't Change - INXS - reminds me of breaking up with my boyfriend of 5 years (this is a GOOD thing)

Stray Cat Strut by The Stray Cats - My one unrequited love used to sing that to me. (age 19 - 20)

In Dreams - Roy Orbison - My husband has been singing that to me for 11 years now.

I've Got My Mind Set on You - George Harrison, my 18 year old son used to light up and giggle every time he heard that song when he was a baby.

Creep - Radiohead - No reason, it's just a good song.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight (I have no idea who did that song) - I remember that song was playing when I learned that the brother of one of my friends had drowned. I think I was around 11 years old then.

Were these supposed to be chronological? Oh well..

There's probably many many more.. I'll be thinking about this for a while.

by maxwell edison

The Guess Who: My first live concert.

The Moody Blues: The best live concert, bar none.

Fleetwood Mac: The best concert I don't remember.

Spyro Gyra: Most fun live concert -- several times.

Rolling Stones: Loudest live concert.

Rolling Stones: Only live concert I left early.

Bob Dylan: Most disappointingly bad concert times.

Lyle Lovett: Most surprisingly good concert.

Dolly Parton: The absolute nicest performer I've ever met at a concert.

Tony Bennett: The absolute nicest performer I've never met at a concert.

The Beatles: Shaped and influenced my childhood, but never saw them in concert.

Almond Brothers: The concert that started my ears ringing.

Willie Nelson: Saw the most times in concert, including several times at Gilley's (circa BUC)

Manhein Steamroller: Most amazing audio at a concert.

Blue Man Group: Most amazing visuals at a concert.

Red Rocks: Best venue for a concert

Red Rocks: Venue attended most often for concerts.

by maecuff

to go to red rocks for a show. I only know it by the U2 video.

My first concert was Aerosmith in 1977. The last concert I saw was The Cramps at a little club in Cleveland. There are so many in between, I don't think I could possibly remember all of them. Tom Petty is very good in concert. And the times I saw Bruce Springsteen, his shows were always good.

by mickster269

When they did their "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" vid.

Or, at least, that's what my friends tell me.

Also saw Tom Petty there.

by jdclyde

First concert was Cheap Trick. It was fun when they came to town a few years ago and I was able to take my boys. Still sounding good.

Most entertaining and best sounding live? Queensryche, hands down. LiveCrime is one of the best sounding live CD's of all time!

Just cool was KISS. About a dozen times I would say!

Best comeback, Judas Priest. Saw them last year and they sounded AMAZING! They are playing to old tunes, but it is for their retirement, not the sex/drugs/rockenroll of old so they were actually SOBER on stage and it was tight! A MUST SEE, if you get a chance.

Most fun, took my boys to see Mudvayne last year and they still talk about it as the best concert they have ever seen. (I take them to about six a year, and have been for about five years now, so they have been to more concerts and sporting events than many adults I know). They also saw why I sometimes come home rather brused up. The mosh pits get mean sometimes, and it is fun to throw around the young pups! ]:)

Cool show. Took Thing One to see Dream Theater/Joe Satriani/Kings X two years ago, and it was a great show and a great time. So much so that from hearing Thing one go on and on and on about it, when it was time for the G3 tour, Thing two decided to come along. Ex didn't come, awww what a shame! ;\ (before split)

Ozfest is always a wild time. This will be the first time in six years that I will not be going. Just not impressed with the line up this year. Almost the entire first stage is now "hate metal". I don't mind agressive metal, but groups like hatebreed are just stupid. Too old? Nah, just still have a brain.

the days of traveling with the local rock-n-roll bands was cool, because we got to open for and meet and even run lights for BOC, Nazarith, Jackel, and I believe the band was "strut", consisting of Uncle Ted's old whiplash bash band, including Charley Hune and the dude from Brownsville Station that wrote "smoke'n in the boys room" but for the life of me I can't remember his name.

Biggest jerk without a reason? John Kay. Made good and sure as soon as the opening band was done they were thrown out of the dressing rooms and out into the general population before he would come into the building. We opened for him at HARPO's in Detroit. (The GREATEST concert bar in the world at the time!) It looked like a hells angels reunion! The reception for him was very ho-hum because except for Magic carpet ride and born to be wild, he played all new stuff that no one knew or cared to hear.

Strangest? Tie between Slipknot, Cradle of Filth, and Marilyn Manson. If I HAD to choose, it would be Cradle, followed by slipknot.

WORST show I have been to in decades was Dokken. I ended up leaving halfway through because old Don was HORRIBLE. Most times never even TRIED to hit his highs that gave them their sound, and the few times he did try, it was god awful! (two years ago)

Great White and Whitesnake both put on a good show still.

by dmambo

Warren Zevon in the Harvest Moon Saloon in Atlanta with just a piano and acoustic guitar. That dude could write a song.

Dire Straits in the Agora in Altanta. We were kicked back with our feet on the stage before the show began. Super close.

Every time that I've seen Neil Young. The guy's great on stage. Like he really cares about the audience.

by thefrown

Thin Lizzy - farewell tour - Phil Lynott; the guy was awesome, knew how to command a stage; the complete showman.

Uriah Heep - as I've said elsewhere, the first rock band I ever saw live; blew me away and I've never looked back

Bruce Springsteen - that guy just doesn't know how to say "Goodnight!"

Live Aid - Sweltering heat, Wembley Stadium, everyone on a complete high (really fell out with the family over this one - it was my cousin's wedding day - but hey, it was worth it!)

Motorhead on the "Bomber" Tour (UK) - went to eight of these - I love how that 8 string bass of Lemmy's nails you to the wall and makes your soul vibrate! (Think that's how I contracted tinnitus!)

by rludwig

Moody Blues - YES!. 15+ concerts over the years
The Who at Fillmore in SF. So close you could feel the breeze as Daltry swung the mic.
Pink Floyd at the Rose Bowl.
Jefferson Airplane in Golden Gate Park (SF) and a reunion some years later at the Fillmore (Grace could still belt 'em out).
B.B. King
Bill Graham's wake in Golden Gate Park.

by maecuff

that's not a bad idea. My husband has a college friend who lives near there and I would love to go and actually meet her in person. We've talked on the phone to each other for years now but have never met. It's funny, because she'll call and talk to my husband for two minutes then ask for me and we talk for two hours.

I think I'll call her this weekend and see if we can arrange something. I'll look for you in the crowd.

by rludwig

White Bird: It's a Beautiful Day. First album I ever bought.
Come Tgether: Youngbloods. Grew up in SF in the 60's. That song still makes me weepy...so beautiful.
Story in Your Eyes: Moody Blues. For my friend. Her eyes captivated me.
I Know You're Out There Somewhere and Wildest Dreams: Moody Blues. For lost and missed loves.
Here Comes the Sun: Beatles. For wife, now ex-.
Touch of Gray: The Dead. 'Cause that's where I am now; a touch.
Jimi Hendrix. My whole time in high school. Great times.
Crystal Ship, When the Music's Over, The End:Doors. Crystal Ship is the song that will be played last at my funeral.
Division Bell (the album): Pink Floyd. Lives have so many turns; people and places that come and go.
Which brings me to the last:
In my Life: Beatles. The lyrics say it all.

This discussion is closed to new replies.