To the Oldies Stations of the 80s and 90s,
Wow times have changed, huh? I know that a lot of time has passed, but I was still pretty surprised and upset when “oldies” stopped meaning songs from the golden age of rock. I would even be happy with a station that played 80s stuff.
I know you can stream whatever music you want now, but you and I both know that isn’t the same, Oldies Stations, right? I’m talking about turning on the radio and tuning into something that your favorite DJ is putting together. Something that is available in one time and place. That’s what I’m talking about.
My dad knew the lyrics to every one of those songs. Now my sister and I do. Did you know that? That’s all thanks to you, Oldies Stations. We particularly liked the Saturday night request shows. We never called in, but we listened, the four of us in our living room, and sang along and sometimes danced around. Our parents were so young when they sang the songs from their youth. They were so strong when they danced the dances they had learned years before. They were both such good dancers. The alchemy of those nights will never be recreated.
I’m starting to wonder if they ever happened at all.
We bought a new car recently and with it came a Sirius XM trial – do you know about Sirius Radio, Oldies Stations? I don’t know if you’d love it or hate it. It’d be cool to hear your take some day – and I liked to play the 50s and 60s and 70s stations. There is one for each decade. And I liked to scan them to see what they were playing. But when it’s 24 hours a day of music from one decade, we’re talking pretty deep cuts. I didn’t know a lot of the songs. They were playing stuff I had never heard before. I couldn’t sing along. So the trial’s over and that’s OK.
I’ll remember you always,
-e.