Songs and Memories #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday.  It's my last Monday as guest host, and it is time for another episode of Music Moves Me.

Who are the members of Music Moves Me ?  We are bloggers who blog about music each Monday. If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! 

So let's get started.

As the guest host, I get to pick the theme as I have done all of July.  Thank you all and I hope you enjoyed my themes as much as I enjoyed your music picks for July.

My theme for today is "You Pick"  Anything goes but just remember our simple rule:  you must include at least one You Tube or Vimeo video or your post may be subject to removal or labeling "NO MUSIC". You are welcome to write about music. too but we need that video!

For myself I am picking "Songs that remind me of something in my life".  It's interesting (to me, anyway) the theme I developed as I kept remembering.  The ability to remember is so tied into music, as anyone who has had a loved one with dementia or has worked with that population knows.

I must start with still another tribute.  Peter Green, co-founder of Fleetwood Mac, died in his sleep on July 25 at the age of 73.  Green had struggled with mental health issues a lot of his life and ended up leaving Fleetwood Mac.  At that time, Fleetwood Mac was more of a blues group rather than the band many of us remember. 

Green was one of the top rock/blues guitarists.  A couple I sometimes babysat for while in college had an early Fleetwood Mac album.  They introduced me to a number of groups, including Fleetwood Mac.

Here is Fleetwood Mac with Green performing "Black Magic Woman" in 1970.  The Santana hit was a cover of this song, which was written by Peter Green.  This is my first musical memory I want to share.

This next song reminds me of a fun college field trip I took in 1971 with my then boyfriend (we were in the same college geology class), and a couple of classmates.  Boyfriend (now my spouse of 46 years) was driving and we were all playing the drumming parts to this song and just grooving with the day.

Next up is The Delfonics and their 1970 hit "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time).  It was actually released in 1969 but who is counting?  I associate this song with the bus trip I took with fellow high schoolers and some college students to study the 1970 total eclipse of the sun.

This next song, for some reason, I associate with standing (and standing, and standing) in line at the 1964 World's Fair in New York City.  This became a hit in 1964, as I mentioned, but was actually written for Darlene Love and recorded by her in 1963.  However, Phil Spector, who co wrote the song, did not like her recording.  Here are the Dixie Cups and "Chapel of Love".

This song will forever remind me of the late, great DJ Dan Ingram.  I was so fortunate to live in New York City.  Dan would play with songs.  This 1965 classic from Jay and the Americans, Cara Mia, has Jay Black singing a vocal section (sorry, I don't know the technical term) about 1:48 for several seconds. Dan would stretch it out to be almost as long as the rest of the song.

Two more, from 1985-86.  A lot happened in my life in 1986 and this is one of several songs that got me through some of that time.  Presenting Eddie Money and Ronnie Spector and "Take Me Home Tonight".

Finally, this song, which was on the last new vinyl release I ever purchased:  Amanda, by Boston, reminds me of my early years in the community that has become my home for over 30 years.  I wonder how many baby girls were named after this song? 

In writing this blog post, other musical memories started to flow. Maybe I'll do a part two of this blog if you enjoyed this post.  (I sure hope it won't include still another tribute.)

Why not let me know in the comments?

BONUS video:  a tribute to the late, great Regis Philbin, from the cast of RENT.  This is a special version of the play's song "Seasons of Love".  Regis Philbin, who, like me, grew up in the Bronx, brought me so many memories.  They range from Regis and Kathy Lee to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and more.  RIP, Regis.

And that, my musical friends, is a musical wrap.

See you next week!