Musical memories
The other day on the radio, the morning drive-time crew was discussing songs that should be banned from the airwaves. Not those that are obscene or distasteful, but tunes that turn your stomach. Bad dates, bad memories, bad times that a particular song brings to mind.
I have a few, but I also have many more songs that make me smile when I hear them. Songs that remind me of good times, good friends and good feelings. So, when I first heard that the songs of ABBA were being made into a musical, I knew I had to see it. I never made it to the Broadway show, but today I finally got around to seeing the movie Mamma Mia.
It wasn’t the best movie I’ve seen. Not by a long shot, but the music was awesome. Flashback to eighth grade. I was a nobody. Well, I played volleyball, ran track, was on student council and had friends, but I wasn’t a cheerleader, so therefore—a nobody.
But one night at a middle school dance, Don Heintzelman—a somebody—asked me to dance with him in a dance contest. The song was “Dancing Queen” and we won. Our prizes were gift certificates to a music store. I bought a Barry Manilow album with mine.
Don and I became friends, served on student council together in high school, worked together at the Water Bowl in the summers, and in our senior year we dated. After high school, I stayed home and attended Ball State; he went off to Notre Dame. His family still lives in Muncie,
but I haven’t seen him since high school. I’ve been to a few of my class reunions and apparently, the one or two I’ve missed, he was there.
I still have fond memories of Don, of ABBA, and of course, of the one night in eighth grade when I was a dancing queen.
I have a few, but I also have many more songs that make me smile when I hear them. Songs that remind me of good times, good friends and good feelings. So, when I first heard that the songs of ABBA were being made into a musical, I knew I had to see it. I never made it to the Broadway show, but today I finally got around to seeing the movie Mamma Mia.
It wasn’t the best movie I’ve seen. Not by a long shot, but the music was awesome. Flashback to eighth grade. I was a nobody. Well, I played volleyball, ran track, was on student council and had friends, but I wasn’t a cheerleader, so therefore—a nobody.
But one night at a middle school dance, Don Heintzelman—a somebody—asked me to dance with him in a dance contest. The song was “Dancing Queen” and we won. Our prizes were gift certificates to a music store. I bought a Barry Manilow album with mine.
Don and I became friends, served on student council together in high school, worked together at the Water Bowl in the summers, and in our senior year we dated. After high school, I stayed home and attended Ball State; he went off to Notre Dame. His family still lives in Muncie,
but I haven’t seen him since high school. I’ve been to a few of my class reunions and apparently, the one or two I’ve missed, he was there.
I still have fond memories of Don, of ABBA, and of course, of the one night in eighth grade when I was a dancing queen.
Comments
I thought *I* was the dancing queen? How could *you* have been? I've been telling my kids that I was the dancing queen. Sniff.
LOL. Seriously, I was never a huge ABBA fan, but I told my girls when we saw the movie about how I would listen to that one song over and over in my basement and dance and sing and I truly believed I *was* the dancing queen. :)
I too just recently saw Mama Mia...I agree...not the best movie I've ever seen, but so much fun! They have released a sing along version from what I hear. I assume the lyrics of the songs run across the screen so you can sing the (correct) words.
When you hear Cameo's "Word Up" what do you think of?! :)
LA, Solid Gold, 1986?
Sonya
Sonya, you made my day! :) So funny!
I hate that song.
elizabeth
Amy