Songs That Take Me Back

Take Me Back

We all get nostalgic from time to time. Although, I think my age cohort, the millenials, seem to be afflicted with it the most. Maybe it's just me. Or perhaps it is just simply documented more than any other generation. At any rate, it's time for me to take a trip down nostalgia lane. It's been awhile. Lately I've been listening to songs that would often play on the radio or appear on The Box (that's the poor man's MTV) when I was a kid. Every time I listen to them, it sparks memories and emotions that simply take me back to my childhood. There's alot. I'll try to cover as much as I can remember and without being overbearing.

Pras with ODB & Mya - Ghetto Superstar

This song is one of those one hit wonders and an excellent one. This takes me to the old house garage where I was hanging out with an old friend of mine. This song happened to be playing on the radio at that moment. He lived in the same neighborhood and went to the same elementary school. So, we became close friends during this time. Why I still have this memory, I don't know. The boy was quite the smart one. Unfortunately, he grew up in broken home where his dad was absent and his mother wasn't exactly the most loving. Eventually, he moved away and I haven't seen him since. I'm not going to mention any names, but if you're out there, just know that I think about you and your brothers every now and then. I hope you're doing great.

Sugar Ray - Someday

This song immediately takes me to the old house where I spent most of my childhood. It places me in either the living room or my parent's bedroom. I would watch this video when it would appear on The Box. The guitar lines are enchanting and tug at the strings of your heart. Even back then, I felt the longing to go back but also fading away to the tune of this song. The lines "Just close your eyes and I'll take you there. This place is warm without a care" as the band plays on the beach makes me want to stay there forever.

Sublime - Doin' Time

This song takes me to my cousin's cul de sac. As kids, we would play out on the street, whether it was basketball, tag, riding bikes, hide and seek, or whatever other typical children's game. I'm not sure why it recalls those memories so specifically and so vividly. Maybe they had it playing on the radio one time while we where out playing. It even makes me recall the neighborhood kids that lived in the same sac. Those where fun times. My cousin moved to another state before we even finished elementary school. He's all grown up now with a full family. God, bless that man.

Len - Steal My Sunshine

I don't think this is tied to any one particular memory; just a general vibe during the summer time of '99. I was between fourth and fifth grade. Just makes me think of long lost friends and playing football out in the field and basketball on the blacktop. We would also go to each other's houses to play video games, water gun fights, wrestle, or just listen to music and chill. This song along with its video capture this particular moment in my life so well that it illicits warm fuzzy feelings every time I hear it. This is an absolute banger, for sure.

KoRn - Freak on a Leash

Where do I even begin? KoRn was my favorite band when I was in elementary. They would later be surpassed by bands such as Judas Priest and Slayer, but they where still great to listen to. I remember viewing the video while I was at my uncle's house on The Box. I'm not sure if that was the first time I watched it, but for whatever reason, that memory stuck with me. I also remember frequently talking about KoRn to several of my other friends that where also fans out on the playground and in the classroom. We would even argue about which KoRn album was the best. I still think it's Follow the Leader.

Slipknot - Wait and Bleed

Another one of my favorite bands while I was in elementary and middle school. I remember watching the video on The Box and being mystified by these men in masks rocking out hard on the stage with the crowd going nuts. I wanted more. Slipknot, along with KoRn, served as my gateway drug to the world of hard rock and metal. During middle school, I would meet my favorite heavy metal buddy and we would talk endlessly about all the rock and metal bands: Slipknot, Mudvayne, Metallica, Judas Priest, Slayer, the list goes on. We're still heavy metal buddies to this day and go to concerts together. In fact, we recently attended their 25th anniversary tour where they played songs exclusively from their first album and early demos. We had a blast.

Selena - Como La Flor

This song is lovely, but it also carries the pain of what could have been. I remember being at one of my parent's friend's apartment watching the news about her tragic murder. This song is sweet and it shouldn't summon such sadness. I was mere six years old when she passed. She was already a smash hit among Hispanics and was already making inroads among the broader community. Had she not been taken so early, she would have undoubtedly been an absolute global superstar. We can still cherish the memory of the time she spent here on Earth and delighted us with her beautiful voice and splendid musc. May Yolanda burn in hell. Rest in Peace, Selene Quintanilla.

Mana - Oye Mi Amor

Listening to anything from Mana brings me yet again to the old house. My mom is a Mana fan and she had all of their albums in the 90s. That includes Donde Jugaran Los Niños, Cuando Los Angeles Lloran, and Sueños Liquidos. The first two definitely occupied stereo time the most. Being a kid listening to this track and "Selva Negra" in our living room was special. I would later rediscover the band when I spent a month in Mexico hanging out with my cousin. We would frequently play Mana all day. Those where special times, too.

A Look Back

What's interesting is that none of these artists are currently staples of my listening habits. Except maybe KoRn and Slipknot. Even then, I often overlook them in favor of something like Arsis or Sacramentum. Even though I seldomly visit these artists' discography, they still occupy a place in my life and on my path to becoming a music lover. It's also clear that I deeply miss the 90s. It's only natural, I was a kid in the 90s. I didn't become a teenager until the very early 2000s. So, throughout that decade I was blissfully unaware of the world around me and totally shielded against responsibility. We all wish we could spend the days just hanging out with our friends and not worrying about bills or rent or the mortgage. It was stress free, almost paradisiacal. We all desire a return to the Garden of Eden. Alas, as we grow in years, knowledge, and experience, we also become more worldly. We become removed from paradise and must toil in the real world. Such is life.