Meeka’s Music Challenge

Colin threw down the gauntlet to Meeka, who threw it out to us. Metan picked it up. Now here are my offerings. The challenge was to blog about the music from your favourite decade. I don’t really have a favourite decade. Music comes to me from different times and styles, from classical to country, and from a range of sources too.

However, to be reasonably true to the challenge, I have interpreted it as music that reminds me of a period in my life. It’s around the mid 70s. I was involved with a chap who loved music, collected it, listened to it, remembered it and spoke about it. Never have I  been so immersed in music. We went to hear bands in pubs, including Skyhooks, and we listened to tapes in the car as we travelled the long distance to our Queensland holidays. Countdown was new and exciting. Everyone in the shared house would gather round the (new) colour TV to watch. I remember the stir Abba created with their Mama Mia video clip. Those lips! Was it the first we had seen?

So here are some songs that take me back to that time. (It was an interesting experience going down the wormhole of Youtube to find these. Links to forgotten bands and singers made it difficult to choose just these. There may be a Part 2.)

The first I thought of was Al Stewart’s The Year of the Cat, 1976. We owned the album and I loved looking at the album cover to see how many cat references I could find. I thought he was a one hit wonder, but it turns out he has produced 15 albums! Enjoy the flairs and hair in this clip. Good sax solo too.

I remember the first time I heard Joan Armitrading. We went to the Sunbury concert — Santana, Fleetwood Mac. It was great, but my standout moment was hearing Down to Zero playing as we arrived. I asked a friend who it was, and I thought they said “John Armitrading”. This one, Love and Affection, has stayed with me through the years, and stopped me wallowing in tears and self-pity many times. Again, a fabulous sax solo, and I just love the deep voice in the chorus.

Boulder to Birmingham has also stayed as one of my favourite songs, and Emmylou Harris one of my favourite artists. This clip is from a later period. There is no sax, just Emmylou’s clear and beautiful voice, supported by guitars, mandolin and harmonies.

Then Bruce Springsteen burst onto our turntable. This clip of Born to Run captures the energy and the power of the band. And yep, there is a saxaphone! Not the solo of Jungle Road, but still pretty damn good.

Now, to calm us all down…Gordon Lightfoot was another who provided the soundtrack to my life then. If you Could Read My Mind Love takes me back there.

I couldn’t leave this journey without a Bob Seger. He always reminds me of a housemate who had a crush on a friend of a friend because the friend looked like Bob Segar! She did keep a pet duck in her room, so maybe her view on life was a bit skewed. Anyway, here is a much older Bob, with a surprise guest. And yes, by chance, there is a saxophone solo in it!

Thanks for following me on my indulgent nostalgia. I would love to hear of your favourites. Leave me a comment  🙂