Music That Rocked Me Into Womanhood

Time doesn’t stand still for any man — or should I say woman?

When I look back on my life and the journey I took from happy-go-lucky teenager to full-blown womanhood, I feel that there was no gradual emergence from my cocoon. No, I feel I was catapulted into a life of such depth, such responsibility and such chaos, that without the music that lived and breathed within my soul, I would have sunk into the depths and drowned.

I’d like to introduce my playlist that helped me navigate the currents of turbulence and exceptional growth.

Would you join me in this dance?

Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love

As I was emerging from my childhood cocoon, I met the man of my dreams. Not being quite mature enough to handle the speed and depth of our love, this Queen song - Crazy Little Thing Called Love, spoke to me. It explained the rollercoaster of emotions we experienced as our love grew.

Gloria Gaynor - I Will Survive

I had a difficult childhood and ran away from home in my early teen years, which as you can imagine made life tough but I had the strength to survive — what with the love of my life standing by my side AND my newfound freedom.

This song by Gloria Gaynor — I Will Survive, was my strength, my confidence and my reminder that I was in a better place, no matter how tough life got to be.

The Sweet - Teenage Rampage

The Sweet — Teenage Rampage was the song that egged me on when I couldn’t take it anymore living with my parents. It gave me the courage and strength to walk out the door and gain my freedom.

It became my mantra, especially when the terror of being homeless as a young school student hit home.

My love and I would listen to these words whenever we felt like we weren’t going to survive this thing called life.

Bonnie Tyler - It’s A Heartache

Then came the day when I lost the love of my life and with a broken heart I left the small country town that held so many memories for me.

I had to leave because I was homeless and no matter how hard we tried, my love and I couldn’t find a solution that would allow us to stay together.

So, shattered and completely lost, I headed to the big city to lose myself and my now broken heart.

Bonnie Tyler — It’s A Heartache, come along for the ride. Bonnie crooned these words in my ear for many years to come as I hardened my heart and revolved into a wild child with nothing left to lose……or so I thought.

The Pretenders - Brass In Pocket

After leaving the tiny country town I grew up in and hitting the big city, I had my tough girl persona down pat. The world was my oyster and I was going to live life to the fullest.

I’d lost the love of my life, so now I was on the warpath, flitting and flirting from man to man, without letting them get too close.

I used every womanly wile to get what I wanted, when I wanted it and The Pretenders song — Brass In Pocket, joined me in my journey.

Meatloaf - Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad

After suffering constantly through my broken, bleeding heart, I became a woman that needed no one.

I was able to leave a relationship at will, most of the time without a backwards glance, because I did not let myself fall in love for a long time to come.

Meatloaf — Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, rode this wave of pain and suffering with me and the poor hearts I broke along the way,

Alice Cooper - Only Women Bleed

After moving to the big city, I became the wild child that’s always been hidden deep inside and with this stage of my life, unfortunately it came part and parcel with the bad boys I seem to attract.

This led to shallow relationships and hard love, which is when I bled this Alice Cooper song — Only Women Bleed.

AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long

Still mixed up with those bad boys and not yet understanding it was my wildness that was attracting these heart shattering nights.

The nights would start off all fun and games, with this song by AC/DC — You Shook Me All Night Long, but then as the night progressed and the drinks increased the tempo, the nights would go down hill and become chaotic and violent.

Leif Garrett - I Was Made For Dancing

My life when I hit the big city made up for all the lost time I spent in that little country town. I was a girl emerging into a woman with stars in her eyes.

I got a boring job, just to bring in enough money so I could spend my nights partying. A job that didn’t need me to be awake to any great degree, didn’t need me to think or be mindfully present, which was good because I was usually there with either no sleep under my belt or an hour or two at most.

I’d work from 6am to 2pm, head home for 5 to 6 hours sleep, hit the town to dance the night away and usually head straight to work from the nightclub. During the work day I’d head to the bathroom for a five minute Power Nap every hour or so to get me through the day.

Leif Garrett’s — I Was Made For Dancing summed me up to a tee.

Nick Gilder - Hot Child In The City

Now this song by Nick Gilder — Hot Child In The City, became my theme song as I strutted my stuff through nightclub after nightclub, every night of the week.

I was the definition of ‘Party’.

Suzi Quatro - Your Mama Won’t Like Me

During my wild child days, not only wouldn’t I let a man into my heart, keeping love and relationships superficial but I would refuse to meet their parents. Oh no, that would mean the relationship and their feelings were getting too serious…….couldn’t have that now.

With this song playing in the background, the words to Suzi Quatro — Your Mama Won’t Like Me, I’d pack my few meagre belongings and walk out the door….breaking yet another heart as I left.

And there you have the music that guided me from my teenage years to womanhood.

Sadly, the hurt and pain carried with me and I was not proud of the ruthless woman I became for those first few years of adulthood. I’m only thankful that I slowly mellowed out the more I matured.

Although, on saying that, I may have been ruthless at that time of my life but oh boy, was I fun.

This article was written for a Rock n' Heavy (Medium Publication) Prompt that DJ apex (Medium Writer) invited me to take part in. Thank you for the invite.

Please click the link below my name to read more of my work. I would also like to thank you for taking the time to read this today and for all your support.

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Please visit my website if you'd like more information on my newly published book, Battle Angel : The Ultimate She Warrior.

Originally published on Medium