As time flies by
Jun. 1st, 2005 01:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
peterbirksForget the 20th anniversary of Live Aid (although I was interested to see a phone poll on "The Wright Stuff" this morning had 55% of voters saying that there shouldn't be another Live Aid concert — a figure that clearly discomforted Emma B, to whom it hadn't occurred that sometimes it's best to call it a day). But forget that. The only musical anniversary worth remembering is that it is the 30th anniversary of the recording of Born To Run.
Now, I'm ancient. I can't even remember the first time that I heard this song, although I suspect it would have been in some room in Keynes College. But it can still have an impact. It's still the best song to keep me going on the treadmill.
So, what I wonder is, does this song still have an impact on people when they first hear it? Do young people (and there are plenty of them at the Springsteen concerts) remember the first time they came across the Springsteen canon?
Of course, for them, it will be different, since Born To Run (the album) was my first awareness of Springsteen, full stop. I guess that there is a good chance that people would only come to Born To Run these days after hearing other Springsteen songs first.
It's curious, but I have little recollection of the first time that I heard songs. I remember the first time that I heard Bat Out of Hell. I remember God Save The Queen. I remember Atmosphere. And, curiously, I remember She Loves You. But that isn't that many.
Now, I'm ancient. I can't even remember the first time that I heard this song, although I suspect it would have been in some room in Keynes College. But it can still have an impact. It's still the best song to keep me going on the treadmill.
So, what I wonder is, does this song still have an impact on people when they first hear it? Do young people (and there are plenty of them at the Springsteen concerts) remember the first time they came across the Springsteen canon?
Of course, for them, it will be different, since Born To Run (the album) was my first awareness of Springsteen, full stop. I guess that there is a good chance that people would only come to Born To Run these days after hearing other Springsteen songs first.
It's curious, but I have little recollection of the first time that I heard songs. I remember the first time that I heard Bat Out of Hell. I remember God Save The Queen. I remember Atmosphere. And, curiously, I remember She Loves You. But that isn't that many.
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Memorable songs
Date: 2005-06-01 03:20 pm (UTC)I remember hearing Leonard Cohen's Suzanne played in the school chapel (!) in the late 1960s, but I can't be sure if that was the first time I heard it.
I remember hearing Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band as a whole album for the first time (I must have heard some songs from it before) in 1970 in Doha, Qatar. It was played on someone else's hi-fi system and I was impressed by the hi-fi. Subsequently the album's always seemed overrated to me, probably because I didn't hear it when it was first released. Albums then were very much of their time.
I remember hearing Pink Floyd's Ummagumma for the first time, played loud at school, probably in 1970, and thinking, "Wow, this is really far out."
I remember the first time I heard Curved Air's Second Album, in early 1973 in my second term at university. I was impressed at first hearing, which was unusual for me. (I still like it but it's not quite so impressive now.)
I remember hearing Santana's Caravanserai album for the first time as part of a late-night adventure in the Gambia, circa 1974.
-- Jonathan, near Barcelona
Re: Memorable songs
Date: 2005-06-02 09:47 am (UTC)The one song I can remember from college having a huge impact was Soon Oh Soon by Yes (it's the last 5 minutes of Gates of Delerium off Relayer). A couple of us were talking in one room and heard someone else playing it in theirs and charged off to find out what the hell it was. It's still a great song, but like most of this stuff, you had to be there and in my shoes.
Very few songs now have a *wow* impact now. I'm not sure whether this is because I'm old and jaded or whether I have so much music in my head now. The girls (18 & 15) are still able to be hugely impressed but some of this isn't just the music. One of Nicki's favourites in this sense is REM's Everybody Hurts partly because it's a nice song but also because of the video. Now that song means more to her from the visual memory as well.
There's a Dawn French line in Vicar of Dibley about considering the prospect that in 20 years time, 40-somethings will be getting misty-eyed about Smack My Bith Up. I guess it's true and people will be recalling the first time they heard Busted's Air Hostess.
Geoff C
Re: Memorable songs
Date: 2005-06-02 11:34 am (UTC)Actually, the reason that I remember the first time I heard Bat Out of Hell is a visual one -- it was a video on Old Grey Whistle Test. I was definitely playing a lot of poker at the time and I vaguely recall trying to book a holiday like, now. Not tomorrow, but now. The travel agency on the phone couldn't quite handle it, so I went to bed (I had, needless to say, been up all night). When I got up, I didn't want to go on holiday any more. Anyway, all this nebulously seems to link into that first video showing of Bat Out Of Hell. So, the impact of the video age goes back over 25 years.
Re: Curved Air
Date: 2005-06-02 12:04 pm (UTC)The Curved Air musicians were classically trained and could write music, which I suppose made them a bit different from the average rock group. I've never been keen on their other albums, but I still like the Second Album, which just happened to work. The main thing wrong with it now is that Sonja Kristina's vocals lack spontaneity, they're too mannered and well rehearsed. Probably the musicians coached her through every note. The songs are rather difficult to sing and she did well to get through them at all, but nevertheless she's the main problem -- ironic because she was the only common factor in the various lineups of the group.
-- Jonathan, near Barcelona
Re: Curved Air
Date: 2005-06-02 12:28 pm (UTC)John in Salzgitter
Re: Curved Air
Date: 2005-06-02 01:16 pm (UTC)http://www.afkm.com/ is a sad site, not updated since 2003 and carrying the thoughts that if you want to hear what's he's doing, just send him a CD-R and he'll burn a copy for you.
http://www.curvedair.com is a lot slicker and updates everyone else.
Atmosphere?
Date: 2005-06-02 10:34 pm (UTC)Curved Air... Yes? Genesis??
Date: 2005-06-03 04:18 pm (UTC)Curved Air was a strange phenomenon. The group produced a first album (Air Conditioning, 1970) that could generously be described as interesting, but isn't actually much fun to listen to. Then the unimaginatively named Second Album (1971), which I regard as a classic. There are better albums of that period, but it's enjoyable and unique: I don't know of anything else like it.
The 13-minute final track, Monkman's "Piece of mind", is rather pompous but I still like it. I think it ages better than, say, the Doors' "Soft Parade" -- which I also liked at the time. And Sonja on vocals gives it one of her best efforts.
After the Second Album, I'm afraid Curved Air tailed off into mediocrity and subsequent albums are for completists only.
Re: Atmosphere?
Date: 2005-06-03 06:36 pm (UTC)I remembered another track that I could recall the first time I heard it. Pretty Vacant by the Sex Pistols. It came on the radio while I was working in North Row Mecca betting shop in, I guess, 1977 or 1978. The manager Ray Harris couldn't stand it.
As for 13-minute final tracks, surely the definitive 13-minute track was by the Velvet Underground (yes, I know that you weren't referring to 13-minute tracks per se, but it just sprang to mind. Except, of course, that I can't remember the title at the moment). Mind is a bit of a sieve all round, really. Must be the end of the week. Heart isn't in poker, or writing, or indeed anything. Need a rest.