Amateur Ska and Other Musical Memories

It was like 17 Again, or maybe Freaky Friday or Peggie Sue Got Married, except without the time travel or body switching. A few weeks ago I went back to high school, but it was mostly in my head and completely accidental.

I was choosing a playlist as I walked up the stairs at the gym and somehow activated the shuffle feature.  And the next thing I knew, I was mentally transported back seven years and I was back in Idaho, younger, slimmer, watching Battle of the Bands with my best friend Laura. And I have a photo to prove it.

Idaho Falls Battle of the Bands, circa 2005

I couldn't help but smile listening to the lyrics that seemed so articulate and soul-searching at the time. 2 Fat 2 Fly was a band some of my guy friends formed, and going to their shows was one of my girlfriends and my favorite pastimes. We made shirts. We learned the songs. Bless my heart, we even bought those CDs and put them on our iPods. And apparently, they stayed.

2 Fat 2 Fly shirt made with iron-on paper, a CD jacket photo and $5 Walmart white shirt. That guy was the bassist.

I was surprised (but really, not that surprised) to find I still knew the words to all the songs and, in many cases, the story behind them. "Hot Fudge Sundae" included the ingenious parallels between the door at Dairy Queen and a broken relationship ("I've been pushing for so long, now it's time to face the truth: It's a pull door"). The small town of Rigby, which was home to our high school rivals the Rigby Trojans (and as a side note, my future husband), was cleverly disguised in lyrics as "The Land of Trojans." Soooo sneaky. And who could forget the lovely imagery in "Don't Sweat It"? ("What am I ever gonna do about this little thing my armpits do? It's like having a water fight with myself every time I see you.") Classic.

I felt a little nostalgic listening to my favorite amateur ska and thought of those band members and friends I use to go to shows with. Most of us are married, and many of us have children of our own. I thought, "Those were the days. Music truly has a powerful effect on invoking memories." Then, the more piercing and productive question came to mind: "What new memories am I making?"

My answer came when I was finished at the gym and got back in the car and heard my new favorite song on the radio. "What Makes You Beautiful" immediately took me back to a couple weeks before we moved to Texas, when I blasted this song in our little half-packed apartment and danced with Lyla, changing each "You" in the song to "Lyla." She giggled and Ryan laughed. I think of it every time the song comes on.

There are other gems on my iPod, too. This Diamond Rio classic puts me right back in Ryan's old Honda Accord when we were dating, when he somehow got me to love country music with his personal rendition of "Unbelievable." I pretended in my mind that he was singing about me. Looking back, I think he might have been. And we all know the story behind this song.

My brother Matt use to sing this song in the kitchen while swing dancing with me. I was really little at the time, but I can't hear this song anymore without thinking of him. When I was a little older, my dad and I would ruthlessly tear this song apart. (How could a car be STALLED on RAILROAD TRACKS?!) We hate it, but I love the memories of it.

I don't usually ask you readers questions on the blog, but I'm curious—what songs bring back specific memories for you?