List: Songs That Instantly Transport Me To Another Space and Time
by Jenners • 03/11/2011 • Lists, My Childhood • 66 Comments
Do you have songs that instantly transport you to another place and time when you hear them? Here are some of mine.
- When I hear How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees, I’m instantly back in 7th grade and doing a “couples only” rollerskate with Tony M, the cutest boy in the class. It was the highlight of my romantic life at that point. I can remember every single sweaty, nervous moment of it like it was yesterday … down to the reflections of the disco ball on the wood floor.
- When I hear 30,000 Pounds of Bananas by Harry Chapin (and admittedly, that isn’t very often), I’m instantly back in my childhood living room (complete with purple shag carpeting and wicker furniture) listening to Chapin’s wonderful Greatest Stories Live album with my mom and dad and brothers. What I wouldn’t give to go back to that time! (Almost any song from that album would have this effect on me but this song was a particular favorite of all of ours.)
- When I hear #9 Revolution by The Beatles (and, again, it isn’t something I’ve come across often—OR EVER!), I am transported back to my girlhood bedroom with my friend and fellow Beatlemaniac Ellen trying to listen to the song backwards to hear if it really said “Paul is dead.” (We never really did figure out how to play it backwards.)
- When I hear Hot Stuff by Donna Summer, it is once again Christmas morning when I am 11 and getting my very first “grown-up” stereo. This song was the first record I played on it. My dad must have been grimacing and in pain at that!
- Whenever I hear Push It by Salt ‘n Pepa, I’m back in college dancing with my girlfriends. We used to go dancing in a big pack of girls and just had a blast. It wasn’t about attracting boys; it was about dancing with your girlfriends, getting super sweaty, and laughing until you hurt. Good times!
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click on photo for source
When I hear Baba O’Reilly by The Who, I’m back on a hot summer day in Washington, DC visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial with my mom for the first time. This song was playing nearby and made for an eerie soundtrack to the visit. If you’ve never visited the memorial, it is a powerful and moving experience. I left the wall in tears.
- When I hear Going to California by Led Zeppelin (and I did just the other day, which is what inspired me to write this post), I’m immediately transported back to my freshman college dorm where the cutest boy I’d ever seen was playing this song in his dorm room. Guess who became an immediate fan girl? (Ironically, Zeppelin’s The Immigrant Song reminds me of TWO different people and times. One is driving with a girlfriend in a car for the VERY FIRST TIME without an adult and blasting this song on the radio; we felt so incredibly cool. It was also the song that a college boyfriend played when he was having a mental freakout and scaring the bejeezus out of me.)
- When I hear Jump by Van Halen, I’m painfully reminded of my high school chemistry lab partner, who I had a massive crush on and who, in retrospect, I think actually liked me too. I was too insecure to comprehend that this might be possible and blundered my way through a conversation that might have been leading up to an invitation to the prom if I hadn’t messed it all up. Anyway, he LOVED the album 1984 by Van Halen and this song in particular. He made a copy for me on a cassette tape. Sigh.
Amazing how music can be so tied to a specific place and time isn’t it? Just writing this post was like going back in a time machine. What songs do this for you? Where do they end up transporting you?
That’s funny – “Push It” reminds me of my jr high girlfriends and parties and dancing, too. Still love hearing it.
As everyone relates when they listened to Push It, I’m able to date myself. You = Junior High. Me = College. You = Young. Me = Old(er).
The song that came immediately to mind was the Space Cowboy song by the Steve Miller band. Every time I hear it I flash back to dancing in the dining room of one of my guy friends the summer after high school. It wasn’t romantic in the least though. His dad was there and happened to be named Maurice, so when the song came on all three of us were laughing at singing loudly. Such a fun memory.
To have that song playing and have a person named Maurice would be hilarious! What a good memory!
Music always transports me. I always make a specific playlist when I go on a trip. Then those songs and artists take me back to the places I’ve been, Simon and Garfunkel in New York, KT Tunstall in London, Damien Rice in Ireland, Billy Joel in Austria, music is powerful stuff.
Oh I just love the idea of a trip-focused mix tape. That is a great idea that I’ll have to try so I can have a new way of remembering my vacations.
Isn’t it amazing how songs can stir up emotions. I have some very painful junior high dance memories with a song track of Boyz 2 Men.
I pray that you never need to hear that song again!
Great post! “Whole Lotta Love” was a big deal with me and my Bronx gal pals on the stoop. When I worked at a five and dime store as a teen, I can still hear KISS’ “Tears are Falling.” Show tunes will always remind me of days in the living room with my mom and dad. Evita, Fiddler on the Roof, Camelot…
Show tunes remind me of my parents too–particularly Camelot and Funny Girl!
I love this post! My son and I were just talking about this very thing. Lots of the music he loves now is what I listened to in my high school days:) I told him that music = memories!
That is so funny (and kind of cool that the music he likes is what liked too back in the day). What goes around comes around!
I was 17 when ABBA’s song “Dancing Queen” was popular, and hearing it always send me back to the high school gym, where all our dances were held. At the time, I really didn’t understand the word “only” as in “only 17″!
I’m sure that 17 seemed like a perfectly fine age! And I can’t wait to read your post on the Holt book!
A great post. It’s funny how the power of music is now recognised as a therapy used in many homes for the elderly/children with learning difficulties here in England.
30,000 Pounds of Bananas?I’m intrigued.
I guess the only thing weird about music therapy is that it took so long to be recognized as useful!
And the 30,000 Pounds of Bananas is a song about a banana truck that crashed outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania. Harry Chapin was such a good musical storyteller and this song was so fun. On the live album, he does a thing where he talks about all the different ways he thought about ending the song before sharing the real ending. It was what made our family fall in love with Harry Chapin.
Mmmm hmmmmm … but don’t tell anyone
You know, I have a lot of songs like this, and most of them are on my ipod. I was thinking recently that a few of them take me back to some pretty painful times, and I needed to erase them, but for some reason, I never do that. I am glad that all your songs bring you happy memories!
Well there are ones that don’t take me to a not so good place either but I decided not to share them.
I just adored the video. My little grade school heart got all poundy.
Watching it now, I’m just sort of confused…
And yes, the skating rink was the setting of many a soap opera moment back then.
And for your viewing pleasure: the video
Why thank you lady!
Oh wow, I just love this post. I always have songs inducing memories. It drives my son crazy. We’ll be in the car and a song will come on and I’ll say, “this is the song I was skating to with my 7th grade crush…”. I love how music brings back the memories and I love the memories you shared with us.
One day your son will be doing the exact same thing!
Oh my gosh – this is so fantastic – pretty much anything 80′s takes me someplace
Like back to the 80s? : )
Paula Abdul is the first that comes to mind. Her song Forever Your Girl was the couple’s song at the skating rink one time while I was in grade school, and two boys wanted to skate with me. It was something of a minor drama (and probably the only time two boys were after me simultaneously).
And her song Rush, Rush had what was to me at the time such a sexy video with Keanu Reeves….
Wow! Kaeanu was in an Abdul video. Hard to imagine. And wasn’t grade school rollerskating so filled with drama and passion? : )
When I first started reading your post I thought I probably had some but would not be able to name them, but what’d'ya know I came name a couple.
Afternoon Delight takes me back to a lunch with my parents when I was too clueless to know what it meant but loved the firework sounds. Pop Music – my first kiss, at the skating rink, lol. Party all the time – dancing with my dog Mandy, lol. I’m sure there’s more but I was surprised that while reading yours I came up with those.
I am so glad you had a couple come to you. And your comment made me remember MY memory with Afternoon Delight (we saw it performed at a John Denver concert…the first big concert my parents took us too. All of us kids fell asleep before the end!!!)
Great post Jenners! And great memories too. I’m a big fan of music and certain songs do take me back down memory lane. You mentioned Push It by Salt ‘n Pepa…lol…that reminds me of grammar school when me and my BFF would rap along with it while it blasted on my little pink radio. I thought I was soooo cool…lol.
Funny how Push It was big for me in college and you in grammar school…I am feeling old now!
I had to write my own post on this topic, I love your journey back in time. Hope you enjoy mine.
Oh I am so excited to read your post. I will be by later to check it out.
you are brilliant to think of this. i have thousands
of songs for the same amount of memories, but
whenever i hear ‘moonriver’ from “breakfast at
tiffany’s”, i think of my aunt who had a lovely voice
and sang it while doing her chores.
What a wonderful way to make chores go by faster!
So many songs bring back memories. I’ll focus on one you mentioned, #9 Revolution by the Beatles. I bought a white, White Album. My sister and I decided to paint our bedroom and we listened to this over and over. I remember being perched on the top of the ladder repeating Number 9…number 9.
I love that I am not the only one with a memory of that song. And I had a red and blue version of the red and blue greatest hits albums. Thought they were so cool.
What fun! Push It instantly transforms be back to high school in a car with the boy I was sure would realize we were meant to be together if only he knew me. I couldn’t put a complete sentence together so he did not see the light.
But as fun follow-up, he saw me on campus at Ohio State my senior year and remembered me. We went out and I realized that he was a complete idiot
Thank your lucky stars you didn’t end up together! : )
Isn’t is amazing how powerful music can be? I have always been deeply affected by music and I have always listened is good times and bad and to this day it will take me back. “Stairway to Heaven” takes me back to freshman year in college when my crush and I sat outside on a beautiful day. He was playing that song on his guitar and I just melted. Completely and totally, weak in the knees, head over heels in love! Whenever I hear that song, I can remember how I felt, almost like I was there again! Right now I am listening to the Eagles on my iPod—-their sonds just make me feel good. Relaxed. Happy. Man, do I love music!! Thanks for a great post!
I can totally imagine that scene.. I could see myself falling in love like that too.
I love, love, LOVE this post!!! Music has always been a very close second to my true love – books. (shh, don’t tell!) There have been many a song I have listened to over and over just to get me through a moment. One particular song that me and my girls play whenever any of us are in a truly foul mood is “if it makes you happy” by sheryl crowe. We always blast it and sing it at the top of our lungs until the one who is so mad/sad/hurt/etc. finally starts laughing and singing too. I’m even smiling as I’m writing this singing the song in my head. . .
thank you for the reminders, Jenners! awesome post!
It is good to have a song to take away sad moments like that. And what a good choice.
I know! My contributions are such a downer!
I have three songs that take me really different places in childhood. I have really painful memories associated with Styx’s song “Babe,” and I just hate that song as a consequence. Every time I hear “Lady” by the Little River Band, I remember my parents telling me about a boy who lived the next block over passing away in a house fire. I think they told me about it so I wouldn’t do the same thing he did, which was hide under his bed, and also so I would know why he wasn’t at school anymore. The third one is “Reunited” by Peaches and Herb. That was playing on the radio the night after we’d spent the day at Disneyland, so that song is connected with Disneyland and good times for me.
Wow. I hope you never hear Babe or Lady ever again. That would be like getting ambushed.
LOL! Not Lionel Richie… the guy I was slow dancing with TO Lionel Richie… yeah, he “turned out” gay.
Oh okay! Thanks for clarifying!!!!!
Mr. Blue Sky by ELO – that sums up all the wonderful summers of my youth with my first boyfriend!
What a wonderful place to be taken to!
My life is one big soundtrack! I would love to offer a few good ones, but there are way too many to pick. When I saw your post, my mind instantly exploded with them. I would say though, that Styx was a force for me in middle and early high school, more than the average group. Also some Journey. Pink Floyd was huge for me in college (so you know what circles I was running with!) as well as Peter Gabriel, Dire Straits, etc. But it is amazing how just one song, maybe even an artist I wasn’t really into, can mark a place in time. This is how I store my memories!
Our college soundtracks are pretty similar. I love how so many of our memories are tied to songs like this. I think I need to start making mix tapes! (or in this day and age, an iPod playlist)
Ah the BeeGees. Yes. Slow dancing, along with Lionel Richie’s stuff. Wonderful memories. Even though I just found out this past year (25 plus years later) that he’s gay… yep… it makes me want to rethink my memories, but I refuse to!
My rollerskating memory songs: Sky High by Jigsaw and Funky Town, by I forget who…Lipps something?
The Fixx… I had just walked into the house from buying this album when many friends of mine jumped out of the corners and screamed surprise! You see, it was my 18th birthday.
Asia… every song… high school.
I could go on and on and on and on…
Lionel Richie is gay? Hadn’t heard that one. And I bet your heart starts pounding whenever you hear the Fixx!
Right Said Fred’s I Am Too Sexy…Mexican vacation w/ HB, where we won the dance competition (because we tripped each other up and ended up rolling around on the stage)
anything by The Doors…first month of college (because the movie soundtrack was popular right about then, and it made me a (temporary) Doors fan)
The Offspring’s Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)…a particular group of co-workers, because we once tortured a co-worker by leaving this song as a message on his answering machine, simply because he HATED the song
What I wouldn’t give for video footage of that dance contest!
I LOVE classical and Baroque music. I just think those times were so civilized. Maybe a little stinky due to lack of sewage and few baths but still civilized. I like to have the music playing in the car or in the house. It reminds me to be “civil” when I have a crazed morning of kid craziness.
Now you have added a whole new thing to think about when I listen to classical music. Now I will always think I am smelling sewage! : )
Whenever I hear Walk Like An Egyptian-I am taken back to my bedroom at about 7 years old, I had it on a record and would play it and dance around my room.
I can see you singing into a hairbrush and walking just like an Egyptian too!
I couldn’t begin to name all the songs that do this for me, as you know from my monthly iPod Roulette entries. I think a few that stand out in my mind are: Can You Feel It by the Jacksons (the summer after college with my friend Deb), Baker Street (my summer in Oxford, England), Storm at Sunup by Gino Vanelli (my freshman year in college) and Pink Floyd’s The Wall (my time at UT-Knoxville). I can be transported just thinking about them!
After reading your iPod roulette posts, I know you could write a book about this topic!
For me, there is an old song titled “There once was a tiger, tiny little tiger” Hearing that song sends me back to my grandmothers house where I heard it for the first time. We used to play the record over and over again to hear it. It was so much fun. Music for me is all about the emotions. I always seem to tie songs to a feeling that they evoke within me.
You are so right. Songs can be tied to emotion in such a powerful way. What a sweet memory of your grandma.
What a neat post this is! For me there are so many. The first one that came to mind is Kool & the Gang’s Celebration. My girlfriends and I would go out dancing and that’s the song we waited for to start getting our dance on. Like you, we went together and left together. Those nights were just for us girls to dance and have fun.
Wasn’t that the best–going out and dancing with your girlfriends? I miss that!