Ultimate Time Traveler

I was born in the mid 60’s, I was a young child/preteen in the 70’s, and a teenager/young adult in the 80’s.

With all the great music from those era’s, I tend to lean hard into the 70’s!!

In my humble opinion, 1977-79 was the peak period for some of the best and most amazing music!! I guess it’s because in those days, I didn’t have a care in the world. I lived to play and explore and growing up on a small farm in the middle of no-where Indiana, play was easy.

As a matter of fact, everything was “EASY”

Easy as a Sunday morning”

Easy: A song released in March of 1977 and written and sung by Lionel Richie.

As an 11-year-old, I had no idea of the deeper meanings of love and heartbreak. I only knew that on my orange/white record player, that this man could sing, and it made my heart feel good to sing into my hairbrush microphone!

Now as an adult, being fully aware of the pain that comes hand in hand with love. I understand and connect, all too well to these lyrics, and like magic, it still makes my heart feel good!

“Why in the world would anybody put chains on me?

I've paid my dues to make it

Everybody wants me to be

What they want me to be

I'm not happy when I try to fake it! no!

Ooh, that's why I'm easy

I'm easy like Sunday morning

That's why I'm easy

I'm easy like Sunday morning!”

We had to help keep things going on the farm, but no matter where we were, or what we were doing, we had music!! Sony Walkman, portable radios and eight track tapes, and record players! We were singing and making our own music, using tennis racquets as guitars and makeshift microphones!

It is amazing how music, at least the ways to hear and access it has changed. Today you have Apple music, Spotify, Amazon, you tube, Pandora.

We had AM!! A station that was popular on AM in our town was WOWO. They played everything, and between almost every song was a local add, interrupting to pay for broadcasting. And then in 1978, Steely Dan released a song, “FM, no static at all” and seemingly all at once, FM stations popped up everywhere. Music would never be the same!

“Sara smile”

Another song from those carefree days -that to this day, sends a kind of “sara”tonin through my body and mind. It’s amazing how these songs can take you back in time to a memory, vividly!

It was August, I was 10, there are 6 of us kids in my family and we still had summer on the brain. We were playing king of the raft at the pond, playing a jam box from the shore on double D batteries. When this song came on. We began to sing into our thumbs and playing air guitar. I’m not certain, but there may have been some synchronized swimming going on!

“If you feel like leaving, you know you can go

But why don't you stay until tomorrow

If you want to be free

You know all you got to do is say so

[Pre-Chorus 2]

When you feel cold, I'll warm you

And when you feel you can't go on

I'll come and hold you

It's you and me forever”

” Wichita Lineman” Glen Campbell

Now this song came out in the late 60’s (68) But was on the radio for quite some time! It has a lonely, melancholy feel to it, that even as a young child I appreciated.

This song came back to me again while watching Netflix. I was watching the series “Ozark” and this song was playing in the background through some wonderful memories, right up to the tragic end of one of its characters. I remember crying, not because of the scene necessarily, (although it was well done) But because of the power and release a song of this quality can give.

Ride down the long lonely backroads into the solitary life of a lineman and feel a song that resonates a strong emotion few people can resist.

“I know I need a small vacation But it don't look like rain And if it snows that stretch down south won't ever stand the strain And I need you more than want you And I want you for all time And the Wichita lineman is still on the line”

I need you more than want you, and I want you for all time…. WOW! Who doesn’t want to hear that!

James Taylor. Classic, crisp, and captivating.

The next part of my playlist would include Taylor songs from 1970-1990

” Fire and rain”

“Carolina on my mind”

“You’ve got a friend”

” Shower the people”

” Don’t let me be lonely tonight”

"Copperline”

James Taylor has an almost magical ability to draw you onto whatever road he is walking. To invite you into the room he is in and making you a participant in whatever emotion he is experiencing.

He will always be a part of my playlists, regardless of my moods!

I could go on and on, obviously we haven’t even touched on the “rock” side of the 70’s

So, to finish and tie up my playlist, my go to is:

“superstar”

Originally performed by the Carpenters, in the 70’s, of course, it was so well redone by Luther Vandross later in 1993, that if pressed, I would choose his version.

“Long ago, and, oh, so far away

I fell in love with you before the second show

Your guitar, it sounds so sweet and clear

But you're not really here, it's just the radio”

“Don't you remember, you told me you loved me baby?

You said you'd be coming back this way again baby

Baby, baby, baby, baby, oh baby

I love you, I really do”

Music so transforming, so relevant it transcends time!

If you need a reason to escape or need to know someone else has been where you are and remind you that you are not alone. Maybe you just want an excuse to slow down.

This playlist is guaranteed to take you there.

It never fails, on the hard days, on the days I need some help remembering what matters.

I turn on this playlist to rewind time and let go, remembering the freedom of childhood again!

Put in my earbuds and transport in time. There I am riding my bike down that old country road or sitting on the banks of the pond and letting the sun and water wash my cares away. And the best part about it is, I can go whenever and for however long I choose:

I need only to press repeat.

Thank you for time traveling with me, if you enjoyed the ride, please leave a heart.