Babe, I’m leavin’…
Posted on: May 8, 2008
Okay, so I was driving in my not-so-cheap-to-run-yet-comfy-vehicle to the grocery store and I was flippin’ through the radio stations to find something to hum along with. (…something with which to hum?…Let’s break all of the rules and END WITH PREPOSITIONS!) After circling the FM dial a couple of times, I finally hear the beginning of a song that makes me pause… those CHORDS… I feel a stirring within…ahhhhh…. Next thing I know, I’m belting out a song I haven’t heard for a decade without missing a note or flubbing a lyric.
“Babe, Im leaving, I must be on my way; The time is drawing near; My train is going, I see it in your eyes…The love, the need, your tears. But I’ll be lonely without you! And I’ll need your love to see me through! Please believe me, my heart is in your hands, And Ill be missing you!!!!!!!!!”
I am in the Albertson’s parking lot, engine running, an almost 30 year old song blasting from my mom-mobile, singing ballad-style at the top of my lungs. You know what I mean–neck stretched long, contorted and emotion-filled expression, head nodding and bobbing at the appropriate emphasis spots–yeah, if my kids were in the car, they’d be on the floorboard.
“You know its yoooooou babe!! Whenever I get weary and I’ve had enough, Feel like giving up, You know its yoooooooou babe! Giving me the courage and the strength I need, Please believe that its true. (ding a ling a ling; ding a ling a ling) Babe, I love you.”
It’s amazing how a song can take you back in time…roller skating rinks on Friday night. Hoping the cool guy with Jordache or Brittania jeans would ask you to couple skate with him. Not just holding hands, but the cool way to couple skate…he skates backwards and you skate forward. You’re also hoping you aren’t as klutzy as you were last week. First, his hands were on your shoulders-okay! my shoulders!-and I was just concentrating on being cool…then I skated right into his skates and took him down. We both tumbled and caused a mass pile-up on the northeast corner of the rink. He had to be carried off of the rink and taken home–something about a hamstring?? Yeah, I was coooool.
This was also on the first album I ever bought with my own money. I was 10 years old and at a K-Mart with my cousins and my aunt. It was a best-of album–Best Love Songs of 1979, or something like that. I had other albums (Shawn Cassidy!), but this was chosen and bought by ME!
Isn’t it also amazing how you can remember EVERY WORD to a song you haven’t heard in EONS, but you can forget a password you set up just hours ago?
The song finished and I ran inside the store to get the milk, bananas, noodles, and foot fungus cream (just kidding!) that I needed. There’s nothing like an old, nostalgic song that triggers warm and fuzzy memories to make you feel like a kid again. I don’t think I will go roller skating anytime soon, or try to injure or maim anyone around me, but it made me put aside the weight of adult responsibilities and concerns for a few minutes and sing.
Oh, and I must’ve needed an extra boost, because the mystery-music-machine inside Albertson’s was playing Faithfully, and I wasn’t the only one mindlessly singing. (How do we remember these lyrics????)
11 Responses to "Babe, I’m leavin’…"
May 10, 2008 at 9:14 am
Yes! Jingles are amazing…”To be a Pepper, original like a Pepper, all you’ve gotta do is taste…” or “I’d like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony! I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.” Today, it’s hard to remember what the ad is promoting…and there really isn’t many jingles or theme songs to TV shows for that matter.
Thanks for your comment!
May 18, 2008 at 11:57 am
Hi,
I saw your comment on Pioneer Woman, and because your link said “Jenn in AZ”, I had to look. I’m in AZ too! We must be around the same age too, if the Styx and Journey lyrics can get you going the way they do me. It’s weird the way that those lyrics stick with you, isn’t it? If only everything were that easy to remember!
May 24, 2008 at 9:58 am
Kaity and I can’t stop singing songs from “Grease.” I’ve been strolling down memory lane lately–“Godspell,” “Grease.” Those weren’t the days, but there are some good memories from them.
June 19, 2008 at 2:37 am
Somehow i missed the point. Probably lost in translation 🙂 Anyway … nice blog to visit.
cheers, Ferrule.
June 23, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Hi I just had to pop in from Pioneer Woman too since you claim AZ. I love AZ grew up there, but must live in Oregon now.
Have a great day.
August 17, 2008 at 10:43 am
I’m right there with you – rollerskating, Jordache, shopping at Kmart for music and a great song!
Good memories 🙂 How the heck did we get this old?
August 23, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Found you from PW. You are a great writer! I enjoyed this post. I can totally relate. Those roller rinks were awesome! I miss those days.
October 27, 2008 at 1:53 pm
My doughter is amazed at how many old songs I know and can sing along with. I tell her “it’s cause I’m old, sweetie!”
October 29, 2008 at 6:31 pm
I just found you on PW’s website…I laughed out loud at the Rexie story.
Great site, too! 🙂
Journeys--Trips with Falls 
May 9, 2008 at 4:00 am
Music is definitely a powerful thing! I remember all sorts of jingles from AGES ago, and I, too, find myself remembering lyrics to songs that I didn’t know I even knew! Fun post!