A 1970s Ford Pinto. Now that's a sweet ride. (Google Images)
Way, way, waaaaaaaay back in the olden days — as in, 1974 — I got an earworm that I have never quite shaken in the ensuing 38 years. All I remember is that I would hum the chorus or sing it in my head. I didn’t know anything else about it — the lyrics, the singer, the title, nothing. I must have heard it on the radio in our car — and by radio, I mean the crackly AM station that was the only available music in my mother’s Ford Pinto hatchback.
When I tell my children about the 1970s, I always make a point to mention AM radio and black-and-white TVs with rabbit ears on top. And how the internet had not been invented. And we didn’t have microwaves. Oh, and the fact that not only did cars not have airbags, they didn’t even always have seatbelts. Honestly, the girls cannot believe the primitive conditions that we had to endure back then.
Anyway, so there was this other song stuck in my head and I have never been able to shake it. I might forget it for months at at time, but then it will come roaring back, but only the tiny bit that I remember. And it wasn’t until yesterday that I finally decided to just Google the damn thing to see what it might could be.
Right now you’re thinking, “Jen, why only yesterday? You’ve had access to the internets for more than a decade now. Why didn’t you research this a long time ago?”
And my answer to that is that I assumed I was wrong about this song. That I didn’t remember the lyrics correctly or that I had possibly even made it up in my five-year-old brain and that it never existed at all.
Lest you think I lack confidence in 1974 Jen (actually, it would be 1974 Jenni, because that’s what my family called me back in the day) (that’s not a nickname that’s open for use by any of you, EVER), there’s a reason why I was questioning what I think I knew. Let me tell you another story that’s just full of randomness.
In 1980, my stepfather played baseball (softball?) in a summer league and after some of the games, everyone would go to the Pizza Inn for for some of the thinnest-crust pizzas you’ve ever eaten. The adults would give us kids coins for the jukebox while they sat around and talked. We’d shake them down for money and then we’d go play our favorite songs over and over, all evening long.
At the time, I was crazy about the song “Are You Ready” by K.C. (yes, of the Sunshine Band) and Teri DeSario. (People, DO NOT judge me for this.) Only, once again, I didn’t know the name of the song or who sang it. When I went to the jukebox to pump in my quarters, I scanned the song titles available and found a song that seemed like it might be the right one, so I loaded in my coins and chose that song. Only, my song never came up, but this other song that I hated did.
Not realizing that I had made a mistake, I loaded more coins into the jukebox and selected the same song again. Again, I was disappointed to hear a song that I did not like at all. Over and over again, I did this. Eventually, at some point that summer, I figured out that “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” by Journey was NOT the song that I thought it was and that I clearly had no everlovin’ clue what it was that I was seeking.
(Go watch that Journey video. Just do it. It’s a live performance and Steve Perry’s hair is all kinds of amazing. He looks like Nicole Whatsherface from the Pussycat Dolls, only with ginormous sideburns.)
(And as I think we all know, I seriously love me some Journey these days and I’ve brainwashed trained my daughters to puffyheartlove them too.)
Now you understand why I might possibly be doubting the memories of my 5 year old self, yes? This is why I didn’t bother to research that song that I might or might not have remembered correctly or might have possibly made up. But yesterday I did and in about two seconds, it popped right up on my computer screen.
So, what was this song that I heard in 1974 and which has stayed with me for all time? It was “Billy Don’t Be A Hero” by a group I’ve never heard of called Paper Lace. I just read up on the song and band on Wikipedia and learned all sorts of interesting things, including the fact that the band is still active.
After all that, I just had to go to YouTube and find the video. And when I did, I actually paused and tried to decide if I wanted to hear it again for the first time in ever-so-long or if I just wanted to live with my hazy memories. I actually pondered this for a few hours.
Ah, screw it. I had to listen to it. And so should you.
Yep, that’s pretty much exactly how I remembered it.
And, in the process, I managed to give myself a hellacious earworm, which should really come as no surprise to anyone, yet it did not occur to me that would happen.
Pete and I have been together for almost 25 years now, so you’d think that we’ve told each other everything that there is to know about ourselves, but we still manage to surprise each other on occasion. I mentioned this whole earworm thing last night and he immediately started humming the chorus. If I had just mentioned this to him, say, 10 or 20 years ago, then I might have saved myself some wondering.
What about the rest of you? Do any of you have a lifelong earworm or something similar?
`
What this post tells me is that you have never watched the movie ‘Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’. A tragedy that really should be remedied before you travel to the outback. It’s fabulous.
ps. We were just teasing Emma the other day about getting her a Pinto to drive.
Is that song in Priscilla? I don’t remember the song, but that is one fantastic movie!
yes, it is
1974. 17 year old Jeanne hated the song Billy Don’t Be A Hero.
It was all Elton John, James Taylor, Judy Collins and Cat Stevens on my radio. In the 1970 Chevy Vega. Unless we were in my future husband’s 1974 Ford Mustang (still miss that car). Then it was all Grand Funk Railroad, The Who and Jethro Tull.
Right now my earworm is that Carly Rae Jepson song…Call Me Maybe because the daughter walks around singing it all the time.
Jen, I had no idea that 1974 was 400 years ago!
I remember hearing that song –can’t say it became an earworm, but when I played the video link, it was familiar.
I don’t have an earworm like that, but Rob does –”Everybody Plays the Fool Sometimes” is pretty much always playing in that man’s head.
Cassi, thanks for catching that error. Obviously, I was oblivious.
In-A-Godda-Di-Vida…..Iron Butterfly, 1968/69? That song rumbles around in my head when I am cleaning or working in the garden. Don’t know why. I can hear the instrumental parts and I forget the words, except the title verse. I had the album- yes, vinyl ! ps- I had a Pinto wagon as my first car. It was a stick shift.
First, thanks for the earworm. My 9 year old self loved that song….so dramatic, it was right up there with “Seasons in the Sun” and “Last Kiss”. Oh the tragedy that was 1974!
I don’t know if I can ever forgive you, I was an idiot & clicked play on that song. Worst mistake ever.
Aw, I was just a wee little babe that year…
Second the recommendation that you watch Priscilla stat. I have it on DVD if you want me to bring it along. : )
Right now my earworm is that Gotye “Glad you came” song. Because both my kids are singing it on endless loop. Usually at the top of their lungs (thankfully they have pretty decent pitch).
I had a friend who’s dog was named Billy that we would sing that song to. I had no idea that song was that old.
My favorite music to listen to circa 1974 in my parent’s yellow pinto? “Steppin’ out (Gonna boogie tonight)”, Tony Orlando and Dawn. I STILL have the 45 too.
1974 was the year I got a record player of my very own along with Beach Boys “Endless Summer”, another treasure I still have. Amazingly enough, my absolute favorite side of the 4 sided double album, record one, side one, has no scratches. Pretty impressive considering my age at the time, the years I spent listening to it over and over and the fact that I still have it.
Oh, you’ve brought me waaaaay back in time, honey.
For me it will always be “Crocodile Rock.”
That was an awful song! I know, because I owned the album. And I am not sure I can forgive you for doing this to me, as I had managed to forget it until today. I might just hum it constantly next weekend.
Ohhhh, I LOVED (and ok, I still do) “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero”!!! Wow, you’ve sparked such a memory that I might actually have to write a blog post!
Oh, Alison, Seasons in the Sun was one of mine, too, and Cats in the Cradle. And American Pie, Brand New Key, and One Tin Soldier. (I think those were ’72.)
OMG, I can’t believe this is what all the texts were about yesterday
That song is awful!
Jeez, I’d forgotten all about that song. As I listened to it, I could sing along word for word. Omg. That’s one of the reasons I love my iPod: I can privately listen to all these awful songs from my youth without getting ridiculed by my kids.
You tell a good story, Jen.
My mother told me I was named Jennifer so I could be called Jenny, which of course I hated. When I started 1st grade I made sure Mrs. Jones called me Jennifer, and Jennifer I remained until years later. Then all those little Jennifers ( curse you, Love Story!) came along and it seemed prudent to retreat to my original moniker.
Have a great weekend.
I LOVED”Billy Don’t Be a Hero.”It’s right up there with Terry Jack’s “Seasons in the Sun.” I’ feeling the need to create a Pandora station around one of these musical gems!
I’m not clicking on that! You can’t make me!
Paper Lace! I think they also did The Night Chicago Died, and maybe Cherokee Nation? Not sure of that second title, but I sure remember the song!
Gosh I love Google. The Cherokee People (Indian Reservation) song was Paul Revere and the Raiders, and the version of Billy Don’t Be a Hero that was a hit in the States was by Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods (kind of a second-tier KC and the Sunshine Band)!
Mike says that when I’m thinking about something I hum the theme song to the Odd Couple. No, I have no idea why, but once he pointed it out I realized I had been doing it for years without even knowing it.
OMG you are hilarious! Journey — the lead singer skeeves me out but there are certain songs that pull my heart out because of the memories.
Remember the first microwaves, the ones as big as the dishwasher that made the lights in the house dim every time we used it?
I do remember that song and all the others mentioned – you got me thinking and I posted about a song from when you were ONE on my blog today.
I have a love/hate relationship with this comment section. I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep with all those songs running through my head tonight….