Monday morning at the oasis

4 August 2008

Confession time: I’m a rock ‘n’ roll woman with a great big soft spot in my gooey gooey heart for 70′s and 80′s pop music.

I started listening to the radio when I was a kid. There was always music on the record player in our house (yes, vinyl, kids, I’m that old…) — James Taylor, Livingston Taylor, Jose Feliciano, Carole King, Neil Diamond, Cream… I don’t remember when I first realized that I liked some of it better than others, that I had preferences. And then I discovered pop radio, and that was me gone. I fell stone in love with The Moody Blues, the Captain and Tennille, Elton John, Blue Oyster Cult, the Five Man Electric Band. I would lay awake in bed at night sometimes and just… listen to Voices from The World Out There.

One of the best presents my folks ever gave me was a cube-shaped AM radio (made of white and red plastic) that mounted to my bike handlebars, so I could ride around the neighborhood singing along at the top of my lungs and terrorizing the neighbors. Now I have a car with windows that roll up, so it’s easier on those around me — but I still love to sing along to that music.

And for whatever reason, today I’m thinking of Maria Muldaur. Because honestly, what could be better to start off a Monday than romance in the desert? And I’m still a sucker for anything that sounds like there ought to be a bellydancer.

Enjoy.

Posted by Kelley | Filed Under blog, life, music 

Comments

6 Responses to “Monday morning at the oasis”

  1. Barbara Sanchez on August 4th, 2008 10:42 am

    Another good desert love song with a very 60s feel is Peaceful Easy Feeling by the Eagles. I still sing along with it. And thanks for Midnight at the Oasis. It was cool.

  2. jean r on August 4th, 2008 11:11 am

    What a perfect soundtrack to my musings today! There’s an oasis with romance in my future, hurray. In other mail this morning, I learn my favorite gal has booked a 1950 Manor, a 24 foot restored vintage trailer, for a weekend retreat together. (The Shady Dell is a motel in southern Arizona that features restored Airstreams and such.) The one she picked out has wood paneling inside and a white picket fence around outside! Looking forward to it gives me a “peaceful easy feeling” indeed…

  3. Rory on August 4th, 2008 12:20 pm

    I read somewhere this weekend and now of course I can’t remember, about an interview Maria Muldaur did with Relix. Something about the number of people who tell her they were conceived to this song. I laughed out loud when I read it.

  4. Kelley on August 4th, 2008 12:36 pm

    @ Rory — I laughed too, just now.

    I was about 13 when I first heard this song, and I remember how my blink rate went up when I realized that You won’t need no camel when I take you for a ride was probably about sex!. I had no idea you could do that on the radio (seriously…. those were different days, no?)

    @ Jean — Yay, hurray for romance. I hope you and FG have a lovely time!

    @ Barbara — My favorite sing-along-behind-closed-windows Eagles song is “Take the Money and Run,” don’t know why…

    Uh oh. I feel a whole new series of posts coming on. Music and memories. I’ll try not to get too boring.

  5. Dave on August 13th, 2008 7:51 pm

    I’m catching up on old posts from my vacation period, and skimming over this I did a double take as I read “King Diamond” in your list and had a WTF moment.

  6. Kelley on August 15th, 2008 4:53 pm

    King Diamond! *laughing* He would certainly have altered the musical balance at our house.

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