Afternoon Delight

On the way to work today I heard the song “Afternoon Delight” by the Starlight Vocal Band. I laughed like I always do when I hear it, and I said out loud to all the fast food wrappers on the floorboard of my car, “That song would be on the soundtrack of my life.” (Because I’m a dork like that.) That got me thinking about what other songs would be on my soundtrack.

“Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” - The Andrews Sisters – My dad used to sing this to me when I was a little girl. I like to think if I ever get married and decide to have a real wedding instead of the hit it and run type I lean towards on the rare occasions I think about that kind of stuff, my dad and I will dance to this song.

“Afternoon Delight” – Starlight Vocal Band – This was the first song ever sung to me in romance. I was 6 years old. I had ballet class on Tuesdays and my great-grandparents, who normally took me to ballet class, were on vacation. I was worried that nobody would pick me up from after-school care in time for me to make it to class. On the bus from my elementary school to after-school care I told my first little boyfriend, Paul, about it. To make me feel better, he put his arm around my shoulder and sang “Afternoon Delight” to me. I was really surprised years later when I heard this song and finally understood what it meant!

“Barracuda” – Heart – This song was always playing over the snack bar loud speakers whenever we would go to the lake. It’s burned into my brain: recreational water = “Barracuda” and a Nutty Buddy ice cream. Heh, "Barracuda" and water. Nice pair!

“Heartbreaker” – Pat Benatar – I was the oldest of a group that consisted of my sister and me and my parent’s friend’s kids, so naturally I was the bossiest. When I would get too bossy, they would gang up on me, and somehow part of the ganging up included all of them facing me with their hands on their hips, singing “You’re a heartbreaker, dream maker, love taker, don’t you mess around with Us!” That was supposed to scare me out of being bossy? Oh, okay.

“Same Old Lang Syne” – Dan Fogelberg –I danced my first slow dance to this song with Richie B.

“Jack and Diane” – John Cougar Mellancamp (or whatever variation on his name he was at the time) – My friends and I loved this song. For my 13th birthday slumber party, we called G-105 in Greensboro, NC and requested they play it, but the dj made us sing it instead.

“Rio” – Duran Duran – or pretty much any Duran Duran song from their first three albums. I. Loved. Them! John Taylor pointed at me and then threw a rose to me at a concert, and then later a roadie guy came out to ask me to go backstage. When I told him I was only 14 and I had to meet my dad after the concert, he said, “Uh, nevermind.” I don’t know what about my pink button-down oxford shirt, striped sweater, and pink corduroy pants screamed “I’m a groupie!” It remains one of the most flattering and most creepy things in my life.

“Money For Nothing” – Dire Straits – From the first CD I ever heard, “Brothers In Arms”. My parent’s friend Mike played it for me on a CD player in his car. Nobody I knew had a CD player at home, much less one in his car at that time, except for Mike! We were on vacation at Ocean Isle Beach and he drove me down to the pier to meet some friends, but made me sit in his car and listen to the whole CD before I got out. "Just listen to the quality of the sound!"

Almost any late 80’s U2 song – They’re pretty much the sound of my high school years, but to narrow it down, I’ll choose “With or Without You” because I want to.

“Right Next Door (Because of Me)” – The Robert Cray Band – I had a boyfriend who loved The Robert Cray Band, and I hardly ever got in his car without one of their tapes being played. It was 2 years of The Robert Cray Band, and this was my favorite song off of my favorite tape.

“I Can’t Make You Love Me” – Bonnie Raitt – Because someone wounded my heart and I can’t hear this song without thinking about him.

“Best of Both Worlds”- Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana - because of my nieces. I just picture Alex shaking her hair all over the place when she sings, “And then you rock out the show!”

Ugh! There’s tons more! How many songs can fit on a soundtrack? I guess since it's imaginary, as many as I want can fit! Great! Now I’ve got something new to obsess over!