my musical childhood...as seen on youtube

when i was growing up, music was a big part of my life. it would go on to be one of driving forces behind most everything i do and, to this day, music remains a cornerstone of my present daily life and my past, cherished memories.

but, as much as i pride myself in the finely-tuned and varied musical tastes i have acquired and held on to over the years...the beginning was...well, frankly, embarrassing.

inspired by a facebook gesture from my lovely wife, a recent search through everyone's favorite online depository of brilliance, youtube.com, allowed me to rediscover a song i hadn't thought of in quite some time. it was a song that was a staple in my house growing up. and it got me thinking:

"what were the top 10 songs of my childhood?"

of course, it wouldn't be legit unless i stuck to some sort of self-deprecating criteria like "number of times listened to" as opposed to something lame like "favorite."

so, sit back and imagine a 7-9 year-old me sitting in my basement or in my yellow shag-covered living room huddled next to either this:

...this:
...or, depending on the level of awesomeness, this:


...and enjoy the "top 10 songs, by sheer number of plays, of my childhood...as found on youtube."

(in no particular order and with no particular sense of dignity)

10) lionel richie - "you are" 1982


the one that got me thinking about this whole thing. the song is pure, infectious pop-romance. lionel owned my childhood. he was the first concert i ever attended. that said, the only thing more embarrassing than this starting off the list...is the fact that this is only ONE of two lionel songs on the list. of course, the only thing cheesier than two lionel richie songs is...


9) barry manilow - "copacabana" 1978

...two barry manilow songs. the first of which, of course, being the classic and tragic story of lola, rico and rico's diamond earring. i heard this song in a gap at the mall about 8 years ago and was horrified when i knew every word even after not hearing it for more than a decade prior.


8) julian lennon - "too late for goodbyes" 1984

john's little boy produced the second 45 record i ever purchased. i don't know why i loved it...but i did. and i listened to it all the time.


7) kenny rogers - "the gambler" 1978

dad listened to country music on the am radio. real country. he grew out of that shortly after i did, but some of it stuck. to this day, i can't hear "the gambler" without thinking of that 8-track cartridge and my neighbor getting annoyed while babysitting me because i wanted to listen to it again...and again...and again.


6) jeffrey osborne - "on the wings of love" 1982

i have no real comment about this one. it just is what it is.


5) michael jackson - "billie jean" 1982

honorable mention goes to the entire "thriller" album. i wore that thing out. but "billie jean" has been and always will be my favorite mj track. there were millions of white suburban kids just like me all over the country. and for good reason.


4) alabama - "mountain music" 1982

say what you will, the boys from alabama could write a catchy tune. one of the greatest little surprises of combining cd collections with my wife a few years ago was the fact that i instantly owned alabama's greatest hits...something i hadn't had since ronald reagan was in office. grandma and grandpa didn't actually used to play it like this...but it still holds a place in my heart.


3) stevie wonder and paul mccartney - "ebony and ivory" 1982

i was probably too young to know how awesome this song truly was. the former beatle and motown's favorite son combining on an uber-cheestastic ode to racial harmony. how popular music continued on in the shadow of this masterpiece is beyond me.


2) barry manilow - "mandy" 1974

i remember all my life
raining down as cold as ice
a shadow of a man
a face through a window
crying in the night
the night goes into

morning, just another day
happy people pass my way
looking in their eyes
i see a memory
i never realized
you made me so happy, oh mandy


1) lionel richie - "all night long (all night)" 1983

if you listened to this song a million times...not only would you not even come close to the number of times i listened to it, but i also guarantee that it will be impossible for you to have a miserable life. i don't throw around the word "transformative" to often...but sometimes, you just have to call it what it is.