Dystopian future films have become hugely popular in the last couple of decades. I figure it’s because we’re already there, and this is a way to explore what’s happening without truly acknowledging it’s happening.
Do many already feel like we’re in The Matrix?
A simulated reality where we’re kept complacent and subjugated.
Perhaps our body heat is already being harvested, think about it, corporations plotting to make us fatter because obese people produce more body heat.
Maybe they’ve brainwashed people into having phones or tablets with them at all times so they’ll produce more electrical activity.
Is it easier to just live on our computers, cell phones, tablets, and so on, looking at pictures of kittens, tragedies, recipes, hoaxes, optimistic quotes that looking around at what we’ve done? Buying our children electronics, toys, trips, lessons, etc. to make up for…
I haven’t thought about this boy in years. And years and years. Why would I? It was 1976 when I went out with him. For all of about 5 weeks.
But, he who shall be obeyed, Twindaddy, wants to know for his 8th question which song we associate with our first love. So, I dredged my memory. Actually, not much dredging needed. As stated yesterday, ask me about thirty or forty years ago and I’ll give you chapter and verse. Just don’t ask me if I remembered to buy milk when I was out today.
I had been working in a local café for about two years on an afterschool basis. Sounds a bit like child slavery now, I know. But I desperately wanted a wee part-time job and to earn some money of my own.
At that point I was getting 50 pence a week ( 85 American cents ) pocket money which was fine if you just wanted to buy sweets. But I had reached the age where I wanted to buy make-up and cotton wool. Don’t ask, guys. It’s a female thing. Or maybe it was just a me thing. You need the cotton wool to remove the make-up. No big secret.
By working, I earned 50 pence an hour. Riches! All I had to do was wait tables, do a bit of cooking now and again, wash dishes now and again, wash down tables and walls now and again. Better yet, my sister ended up working with me and we had some great laughs while working. Doesn’t get much better. Earning and having a laugh. Oh, it does. Earning, having a laugh and boys coming in to chat you up. No wonder everyone wanted to work in Freddie’s Café.
Three boys in particular came in on a regular basis. And I could always tell when they were about to enter because I could hear their motorbikes arriving. Well, to be honest, they were mopeds. Or ‘poof chariots’ as my eldest brother so unkindly called them back then. Subtle, he wasn’t. Compared to his 150cc worth of Honda I suppose 50cc was a bit on the nerdy side.
But in they would come, I would take their order and, over a period of time, it became apparent that one in particular had his eye on me. And likewise. Steph, he was called by his friends. And they teased him unmercifully for taking ‘ a beamer’ every time I approached their table.
This went on for ages. Months. A year maybe.
This tall, lanky boy with his long, dark curly hair and black leather jacket could melt me more than a little.
Then he phoned me one day and asked me out. He had started working beside said oldest brother and had wangled our home phone number from him. Brother asked, ‘Was that the disease on the phone?’ Steph’s last name was Greek. ( No wonder I have such a thing about Greece. 🙂 ) To be fair, his name was a bit of a mouthful. But still. Bit mean. That’s brothers for you.
I said yes, of course. And it was a lovely relationship while it lasted. For those few weeks previously mentioned. We didn’t fall out. I bricked it, is all. I couldn’t hack it. I was 15. And I suddenly felt too young. I liked him a lot. But I just was not ready to be going out with anyone I realised. He was two years older than me, he could go to the pub (illegally!) while I still was going to the café and the youth club.
So I made up some feeble excuse about having exams in about six months. And dumped him. Face to face I might add. No texts back then. No Facebook. I wouldn’t have done that anyway. I went to meet him to go to the pictures and then didn’t.
I can’t recollect a single song that has anything to do with him. But I looked up songs from 1976 and here’s what came up.
01
Brotherhood Of Man
Save Your Kisses For Me
02
Pussycat
Mississippi
03
Elton John & Kiki Dee
Don’t Go Breaking My Heart
04
Abba
Fernando
05
Abba
Dancing Queen
06
Chicago
If You Leave Me Now
07
Dr Hook
A Little Bit More
08
Showaddywaddy
Under The Moon Of Love
09
Tina Charles
I Love To Love
10
The Real Thing
You To Me Are Everything
11
Queen
Bohemian Rhapsody
12
The Wurzels
Combine Harvester
13
Abba
Mamma Mia
14
The Four Seasons
December ’63
15
Demis Roussos
The Roussos Phenomenon
16
Slik
Forever And Ever
17
JJ Barrie
No Charge
18
Hank Mizell
Jungle Rock
19
Candi Staton
Young Hearts Run Free
20
Rod Stewart
Sailing
21
Wings
Let ‘Em In
22
The Real Thing
Can’t Get By Without You
23
Wings
Silly Love Songs
24
Demis Roussos
When Forever Has Gone
25
Leo Sayer
You Make Me Feel Like Dancing
26
Barry White
You See The Trouble With Me
27
Billy Ocean
Love Really Hurts Without You
28
Johnny Mathis
When A Child Is Born
29
CW McCall
Convoy
30
Our Kid
You Just Might See Me Cry
31
Queen
Somebody To Love
32
Sailor
Glass Of Champagne
33
The Manhattans
Kiss And Say Goodbye
34
David Dundas
Jeans On
35
The Manhattans
Hurt
36
John Miles
Music
37
Manuel & The Music Of The Mountains
Rodrigo’s Guitar Concerto De Aranjuez
38
The Miracles
Love Machine
39
Tavares
Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel
40
Dorothy Moore
Misty Blue
41
Abba
Money Money Money
42
Rod Stewart
The Killing Of Georgie
43
Sherbet
Howzat
44
Tavares
Don’t Take Away The Music
45
The Sutherland Brothers & Quiver
Arms Of Mary
46
Tina Charles
Dance Little Lady Dance
47
Fox
S-S-S-Single Bed
48
The Chi-Lites
You Don’t Have To Go
49
Bryan Ferry
Let’s Stick Together
50
Electric Light Orchestra
Livin’ Thing
51
Donna Summer
Love To Love You Baby
52
Yvonne Elliman
Love Me
53
The Wurzels
I Am A Cider Drinker
54
Johnny Wakelin
In Zaire
55
Robin Sarstedt
My Resistance Is Low
56
Billie Jo Spears
What I’ve Got In Mind
57
The Bellamy Brothers
Let Your Love Flow
58
Yvonne Fair
It Should Have Been Me
59
R & J Stone
We Do lt
60
Rod Stewart
Tonight’s The Night
61
Bay City Rollers
I Only Wanna Be With You
62
Mr Acker Bilk
Aria
63
Wild Cherry
Play That Funky Music
64
The Rolling Stones
Fool To Cry
65
Dr Hook
If Not You
66
Andrea True Connection
More More More
67
Silver Convention
Get Up And Boogie
68
10cc
I’m Mandy Fly Me
69
The Bee Gees
You Should Be Dancing
70
Elvis Presley
Girl Of My Best Friend
71
Gallagher & Lyle
Heart On My Sleeve
72
The Glitter Band
People Like You People Like Me
73
Diana Ross
Theme From Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)
74
The Four Seasons
Silver Star
75
Rick Dees & His Cast Of Idiots
Disco Duck
76
Gallagher & Lyle
I Wanna Stay With You
77
Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
Blinded By The Light
78
Mike Oldfield
In Dulce Jubilo / On Horseback
79
Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
Now Is The Time
80
The Shangri-Las
Leader Of The Pack
81
Georghe Zamfir
(Light Of Experience) Doina De Jale
82
The Stylistics
16 Bars
83
Marmalade
Falling Apart At The Seams
84
Billy Howard
King Of The Cops
85
Bay City Rollers
Love Me Like I Love You
86
Simon May
The Summer Of My Life
87
5000 Volts
Dr Kiss Kiss
88
Guys ‘N’ Dolls
You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
89
Bonnie Tyler
Lost In France
90
Peter Frampton
Show Me The Way
91
Dolly Parton
Jolene
92
Diana Ross
Love Hangover
93
The Walker Brothers
No Regrets
94
Sailor
Girls Girls Girls
95
Bryan Ferry
Extended Play
96
Pluto Shervington
DAT
97
Queen
You’re My Best Friend
98
Thin Lizzy
The Boys Are Back In Town
99
Paul Nicholas
Dancing With The Captain
100
Lou Rawls
You’ll Never Find Another Love Like Mine
But, for today, because Phil Lynott is wearing a black leather jacket, has dark curly hair and makes reference to the boys being in town. And because I still really like this one. Here’s my choice.Now I could pick any number from above that I either danced to at the local discos and the youth club or sang along with while watching Top Of The Pops on a Thursday night. And I love quite a few of them, partly from nostalgia but also because they were excellent pieces of music that have stood the test of time.
And, no. I never once had a hair do like that! Nor danced like that for that matter. 🙂
scottishmomus 