Boys of summer

My partner is djing his playlist into the loungeroom and Don Henley's 'Boys of Summer' is playing.  I hated this song in year nine, but now it's strangely evocative, bringing back memories of swimming in a country channel and riding bikes home at the end of the day in togs and towels, and listening to the top 40 hits on the radio - the only couple of stations available. Casey Kasem's top 40 on Sunday night, like the Oracle of Delphi for a 14-year-old in nowheresville.

Now Prince's 'Sign of the Times' is playing. My final year in high school, when I was developing some understanding of the larger world around me.  I remember this being a very powerful funk anthem.

OH NO, now we've got Dave Edmunds' 'Girls' Talk' - back to year seven, a yellow skirt and neon pink sneakers with neon blue net socks, the fifties revival in 1979-1980.  We had a sort of social dance thing at high school and I remember I wore the dress my mother wore to the prom in the early 60's. I felt like a total bump on a log but I bet I was absolutely gorgeous.  I saw a photo of myself at 24 the other day, and was amazed that I could have worried about my looks, thinking I was fat etc.  If I had a time machine, I would go back and tell that girl not to worry about a thing because 'THIS IS THE PRETTIEST YOU ARE EVER GOING TO BE WITHOUT TRYING!'

Here comes John Cougar Mellencamp...