When you are young music means a lot. Not to say it doesn't mean anything as you age, but when you are young, the type of music you listen to is part of your identity. Teenagers usually fall into one of two categories, those that go with the grain and those that go against. Those that go with the grain are the ones who listen to whatever the radio tells them to listen to. They faithfully buy the CD or download the single which perpetuates the vicious cycle of having nothing but crap on the radio. The ones that go against the grain can be broken down even further.
First you have the group of kids who listen to bizarre stuff like Gwar or Goth or Broadway. These kids are crying out for attention in their own way. They think if they make themselves so unique they will stand out and mean something. In a way they are the exact same as the kids who try to fit in with everyone by wearing the right clothes, listening to the right music and speaking with the right accent. They both want the same thing - just go about it in different ways.
Then you have the kids who just don't care. These are the people who will go on to succeed at whatever they do, but don't think they'll go on to save the world. They might, but chances are they decided to just sit around for the rest of their lives, and they will no doubt excel at it. These are the kids that all the others secretly admire - the coolly apathetic. They might try to imitate them or copy their apathetic peers, but they are usually seen right through.
When I was in secondary school we had a girl like this named Jessica. She was awkward looking, but very funny, confident and listened to whatever the hell she wanted to. She didn't care what others thought and just did her own thing. As a result she was insanely popular, but didn't really seem to care. The constant apathy of complete coolness.
I remember talking to Jessica once about a song I liked and she readily admitted she bought the CD just because she liked that song. She told me she knew how lame that was to play a particular song over and over and not listen to the rest of the CD, but she didn't really care. I always remember that, because in a way she gave me permission to do that and not feel like an idiot!
I've always been slightly obsessed with hair bands and rock ballads with Journey being one of my favourites. I would like to tell you that I am their biggest fan and that I have all their records and yada yada yada, but I can't. I am the idiot that has their greatest hits and knows all of them, but anything less mainstream I wouldn't have a clue about. All I know is Steve Perry is one ugly dude who can sing like Pavarotti on PCP. I contemplated going to see them once, but figured I'd have to sit through an impostor lead singer singing songs I didn't know, desperately hoping that they would play one of the hits.
My favourite Journey song, and ultimately favourite song ever, has always been Don't Stop Believing. I don't know what it is about this song - is it the lyrics that most everyone can relate to at some point in their lives? Is it Perry's wail? Is it the excellent, yet simple slide guitar solo? I don't know. All I know is that it's my favourite song and has been for years.
Flash back to last week. My favourite television show The Sopranos ended. Knowing it was the last episode my heart was already in my mouth. Will Tony get whacked? Will Sil die? What about Meadow and AJ? There was so much left undone. I felt like I was part of their evil, corrupt, yet still lovable family.
So picture me already on the verge of tears last week watching Tony flip through a jukebox. Of course my eye caught Don't Stop Believing on the "menu," but when he moved on I thought nothing of it. Then the family start to arrive and the tell tale chords of my favourite song begin. This is it, I think. My eyes start to tear up, my favourite show, characters and song all meet in my living room and it's all about to end. Then - ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. That's it. Over. Finito. No more.
I've since gotten over my disappointment at the end of the show, but imagine my surprise to hear my song on 2FM yesterday. Never mind that I request that song from them ALL THE TIME and no one ever listens to me. Well, apparently it is going to be number one this week.
I should be delighted, I'll get to hear it all the time, but strangely I'm not. I don't want to share MY song with all the idiot youth of Ireland. The same youth who made such atrocities as Umbrella and My Hump* hits. These idiots who have caused our radio stations to play nothing but CRAP since the eighties are hijacking MY song. NO! It's not right, it's awful. I feel betrayed by Tony Soprano. How could he have given MY song to the idiot youth of the world? NO! I want it back. It can't be number one. I wish I'd never heard that damn song. *SOB* I think I'll just have to take the lyrics to heart - have faith in humanity, despite their general idiocy - don't stop believing!
Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south detroit
He took the midnight train goin anywhere
A singer in a smokey room
A smell of wine and cheap perfume
For a smile they can share the night
It goes on and on and on and on
Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night
Working hard to get my fill,
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin anything to roll the dice,
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on
Don't Stop Believing
Hold on to the Feeling
Streetlight People
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