Memories and Music

I enjoy the occasional ZZ Top song now, but back when they were really popular I didn’t much care for them.

On New Year’s even 1982, my friend Troy and I were at a New Year’s party in some guy’s basement (he was a friend of Troy’s; I didn’t know him). It was a small crowd, perhaps 20 or 25 people. The stereo was tuned to DC 101, which at the time was a hard rock station. Sharp Dressed Man was hot and - IMO - getting way too much air play. It came on the radio and I wandered over and began changing the station. You would have thought I’d just sprouted another head. The party didn’t some much grind as screech to a halt. Everyone turned to see the idiot who didn’t like ZZ Top. In an almost single voice, they shouted “Put it back!”

Yikes. I quickly complied and high-tailed it away from the stereo in search of safer stomping grounds.

What memories does this song make you think of?

In 7th grade I went to the Christmas dance with a girl named Susan. I suppose you could call it my fist ‘date’. The actual events of the dance itself have faded, except for the song ‘We are Family’ by Sister Sledge. When I hear it, I can recall with perfect clarity standing outside after the dance waiting for our parents to arrive. We were bundled against the cold and I had my arm around her waist. When she saw her parents’ car, she turned and planted a kiss full on my lips before darting off. My first kiss!

We are Family, by Sister Sledge

What memories does this song make you think of?