Storage Space
We finally! (yes, that’s Finally with an exclamation point!) had a beautiful Sunday here in Connecticut. And so we took a nice drive in the convertible. We were headed towards the shoreline for a lobster dinner to celebrate my husband’s birthday.
Top down, the sun on my face (and kneecaps, I found out later), the radio blaring. And although I would have readily given the birthday boy his choice of music, he was in such a terrific mood he tuned (without my even begging) into Sirius’ sixties channel for me.
With a convertible, the radio actually has to be blaring – to be heard at all. But the surrounding racket has an advantage too. You can sing at the top of your lungs. Which I did.
“Down in the Boondocks” – corny, great beat
“I Saw Her Again” – ah, the harmonies
“Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me” – smooooooth
“Don’t Sleep In The Subway” – Carnaby Street
“Mony Mony” – the best dance song in the world
“A Whiter Shade of Pale” – weird and groovy
“How Sweet It Is” – cool enough for my beloved JT to sing it a decade later
“To Sir With Love” – the song I wanted all my life as the father-daughter dance at my wedding (until I was a 40-year-old bride and it was obviously no longer appropriate)
“Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat” – cute Herman
“Do You Believe in Magic” – teenage kissing music
“Please Please Me” – well, duh…Beatles
“Sunny” – I spent my allowance on that 45
“Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show” – it’s the build
and finally –
“Ode To Billy Joe” – monotonous melody, but how I loved the mystery.
I belted out every song. And every line.
And I won’t itemize the entire playlist on the return trip, except to say I knew all those lyrics too.
Half-way home it dawned on me how many songs were stored in my brain. The sixties of course has the big center parlor up in there, but there’s also an attic full of James Taylor and Joni Mitchell and Fleetwood Mac and Johnny Cash and Cyndi Lauper and a foyer with U2 and The Goo Goo Dolls and Pink; and there’s Gene Autry and Perry Como and some Disney tunes in the basement. And every Christmas song ever written.
I don’t think I have an unlimited amount of storage capacity in my brain. All those song lyrics are probably taking up more space than they should. Space that I need for other things.
If I could delete a few songs, I might have some room for other things.
I need to make a few trades.
I’ve decided to give up 25% of the Four Seasons, and 40% of the BeeGees, and 100% of Bobby Goldsboro.
And in exchange I’d like to remember:
– Where I put the only good photo of my college self.
– The directions – or at least the name – of that great restaurant we found by accident last year.
– How I tweaked that dinner roll recipe so they came out perfect that one time.
– Whether I took my allergy medicine five minutes ago, or do I still need to take it.
– The location of the property tax bill I just had in my hand.
- Posted in: Aging ♦ Humor ♦ Memories ♦ Music
- Tagged: forgetfulness, memory, middle-aged, sixties music, the sixties
notquiteold 
Have you read about the doorway theory?
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I just googled it! I need a house with no doors.
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Amazing how you can remember songs form the sixties, yet scratch your head over the TAX bill. What’s with that? I’ve been having the same problems for a number of years now and still don’t understand it. 😀
Bobby Goldsboro? Please. Ha ha ha,
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Oh my god, I even hated him way back then. You’d think I could forget the lyrics.
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Can’t stop laughing. 😀 😀 😀
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And he had dumb hair too!
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Oh s.t.o.p. 😀 😀 😀
Oops. Nasa, I think we have a problem.
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Yep. Right there with you!
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How can I remember “How Much Is That Doggie In The Window” and not remember where the hell I put the tax bill?
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I’m always amazed at the things I know–silly random things that make me want to claw out my eyes because I have retained them–and yet, to make room for them, something actually useful apparently got deleted. Yikes! This is so funny because it is true. LOL.
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I used to be unbeatable at Trivial Pursuit.
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So was I until they came out with newer additions. I don’t know the stuff from the 90s like I remember every detail from the 60s and 70s down to the exact food I ate on my first date.
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Ah, yes. Those songs are the BEST. Whenever I’m in my sister’s car, (she has Sirius, too), I love to listen to those great songs – and I also SING. 🙂 BTW, belated happy birthday to your husband!
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In a convertible, you can sing really LOUD, because no one can hear you!
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You will NOT be able to give up “Honey”. It cannot be unstuck no matter how hard you might try.
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And believe me, I have tried.
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Ah, 60s music. Yes, I remember it well. I can remember a lot of the lyrics too, much to the shock of some of the younger generations who have only heard the distorted (c)rap remake, or the re-release of the re-released re-release!
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I heard a rap version of “Angel Of The Morning” in Zumba class. I was appalled.
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They take the class out of a Classic, so all you’re left with is the ‘sic’ !
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I, also, love the 60s music. My sister and I are in agreement that if an actor or singer is under 40 yrs old, chances are I have no idea who they are. I can so relate to this poat!!
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No matter who the “younger” singer is, if female, my husband thinks it’s Lady GaGa. He’s probably right. They are all the same.
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Brilliant story… I love a blog about “nothing” just like Seinfeld was a show about nothing… And boy! a lot happened! 🙂
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No, keep the songs! Just think someday you will be able to amaze others with your memory of these golden times and the rest won’t mean a thing.
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This would not work for me. If I remember the words to songs it would be one verse…sometimes just the chorus. I can get stuck on a chorus for hours. I fear anything I could trade off for my music memory is lost to me forever. I’ll just enjoy the tunes.
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I love how music has the ability to transport us immediately back in time, at the same time, conjuring up feelings & memories of a specific time, place or person in our life. I too, am always amazed at how we can retain all of those lyrics when I can’t remember what I went upstairs to get!
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I have the same issue, it’s just with 80’s music!
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If I could remember all the things I need at the store, then I wouldn’t have to make 3 trips a day. People say, “make a list.” I DO make a list, but you have to remember to ADD the things to the list … My list is always short at least 3 things.
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I so relate to this comment. I need to remember to write on the list BEFORE I go to the store!
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Love!
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I really hate it when I forget the things on the list
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I really hate when I forget the list! And what IS the fuss all about with “multitasking”. I’m asked that all time at interviews. I would love to reply “define multitasking”.
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Love JT and Joni Mitchell btw
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I actually told an interviewer once that I handle multitasking one task at a time! I concentrate on only one thing, and then move on the the next thing. It works for me, and my attention is not scattered.
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That is a FANTASTIC answer!
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Tsk, tsk, tsk….You just described the symptoms of old-timers’ disease! Remembering past events and details, but missing the most recent. Your sis and I already are familiar with it, because we are older than you. Welcome to the club! And, which XM channel does hubby prefer?
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Yep. I’ve heard of that doorway theory and I have too many in my house!
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Going ’round and ’round the roller rink to all that music–can’t let that slip away!
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Hahahaaa! That’s sooo true about forgetting if you’ve taken medication you intended to take five minutes before – happens to me most days!
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