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Musical Memories
"All music is folk music. I ain't never heard no horse sing a song." ~ Louis Armstrong
I'd now like to tell of my love affair with Elvis Prelsey. His music I mean.
So, like I said, there wasn't much pre-recorded music in our house, so I listened to the radio a lot. Irish radio is different than American because it doesn't stick so rigidly to formats. So most stations played 70% top 40, with specialist shows for country music, oldies, Irish music, etc. I loved the oldies shows, and remember dancing around the kitchen with a broom. Music made disgusting household chores more bearable. Anyway, I loved all the oldies but Elvis songs were special. They were just so fresh and energetic and unlike all that Beatles/Monkees stuff. The first tape I bought was an Elvis greatest hits collection. I wore it out. I remember being excited when I found out a new neighbor was an Elvis fan too, so I got to borrow some tapes, and even listen to cds on her cd player. My father was a milkman, and we had a huge truck from Dublin deliver the milk he'd sell to our house every day. I somehow found out that 'Rasher' (Dubliners are quite inventive with nicknames) on the milk truck was an Elvis fan, so I got to borrow some tapes from him too. I especially liked the 'Sun Records' recordings. In my mid teens I discovered a pirate radio station that had an 'Elvis Hour' every week, so I became a devotee of that show, and recorded many songs. My first mix tape trilogy was of Elvis songs only. I called 'em The Live Experience, The 50's Experience, and The Movie Experience.

I joined the Irish Elvis Presley fan club, went to an impersonator's show, bought biographical books, lyrics books, tapes, videos, and later, cds. I loved Elvis on Tour, and when I met the impersonator, he asked what my favorite Elvis song was. I told him it was Never Been to Spain. Frank Chisum didn't recognize the name and had to be told by a band member which song I was talking about. I sang Elvis songs a lot, got my first Karaoke player when I was around 15 (You really should hear me at 15 singing John and Olivia's parts on Summer Nights). And when I graduated to real karaoke, Elvis songs were my first choice. I remember being embarrassed once when someone mentioned that I didn't move enough. So after that, I usually chose more mellow Elvis songs. Anyway, my Elvis obsession lessened over the years, but I'm still a fan, still excited when there's a new show about him on TV, still acquiring and enjoying his cds. A quote on Elvis in concert comes to mind. "He will always be the King, no matter what."



"Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." -Victor Hugo



Take That. Americans pretty much missed out on the whole Take That experience. They were my favorite group for years, though of course I didn't tell people that. I was branded 'queer' enough without admitting I liked boy band music. And Sweet Valley High books. Ahem! Moving on.

A Million Love Songs, Love Ain't Here Anymore, Babe, Why Can't I wake up with you. All of these songs and more spoke to the longing inside me. I thought it was good music. It's kinda sad that I feel like I have to justify liking it, but oh well. Take That broke up in 1996 I think. I remember doing a mockumentary about it for the radio course. Though I still bought and liked the solo cds of band members Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Whatever happened to Gary Barlow anyway?!

It wasn't just Take That. I liked Irish groups Boyzone and OTT, I liked Eternal and Louise, I liked All Saints. I even liked the Backstreet Boys. And I saw many of the above live at a Smash Hits Roadshow event. Lucky me.

Smash Hits, Big!, TV Hits - I got 'em all. Pop gossip, music reviews, photos, lyrics. I collected Smash Hits magazines. They're in a box at the parental home in Ireland. I liked reading about music. About who was dating who, about which pop group had failed to crack America. I liked the pictures too, and the lyrics. And the free gifts. The first diary I kept came free with a pop magazine.

 

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