Recollections of an Eighties Summer

It’s retro Friday in the Metro, and what better way to end the week with an 80s themed compilation. This mix -“Recollections of an Eighties Summer” - is a soundtrack of all the summers I spent back in the decade.  

Some of my memories are quite hazy while others are as vivid as they could possibly get. A case in point is my recollection of spending endless warm twilights sitting near the steps of a neighborhood convenience store, waiting for the chance to catch a glimpse of Elaine, the sunshine of my life back when I was 12, step out of her house and just breathe. While thinking about this, I can also clearly recall the smell of barbecue being grilled near the store, the sight of little girls playing Chinese garter on the other side of the road, and the sound of Martha’s raspy voice coming out of a radio singing:

It happened one summer

It happened one time

It happened forever

For a short time

A place for a moment

An end to dream

Forever I loved you

Forever it seemed

The rest of the songs in the mix have also their own unique visual, olfactory, and auditory attachments. Whether it’s attending remedial algebra in school, bathing under a waterfall in our province, or just playing hooky with my pals, the music they come with continues to tug at me and move me, and gets me wondering how something as precious as childhood can both be fleeting and eternal all at the same time.

Tracklist:

01 The Downtown Lights - Blue Nile

02 No Promises - Ice House

03 Left Of Center - Suzanne Vega

04 Suddenly Last Summer - The Motels

05 Fade Away (Live) - Fra Lippo Lippi

06 Into The Night - Benny Mardones

07 King Of Pain - The Police

08 German Girl - Lotus Eaters

09 Tender Years - John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band

10 Spell - Deon Estus

11 What I Am - Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians

12 Don't Disturb This Groove - The System

13 To Live And Die In LA - Wang Chung

14 When The Lights Go Out - Naked Eyes

15 Motortown - Kane Gang

16 Arizona Sky - China Crisis

17 Voices Carry - Til Tuesday

18 Advice For The Young At Heart - Tears For Fears

Check it out