“April is the cruelest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain” -T.S. Eliot One of the lingering regrets of my life is that I never produced an angst-ridden, hormone-fueled high school mix tape in the cruel grip of springtime for a girl with whom I was hopelessly enamored yet didn’t know how to impress my feelings upon so that they would be reciprocated, so I channeled them through the artform of music by compiling what was, in the days of cassettes, called a “mix tape” in a desperate bid to express myself, in the process creating an artifact of undying devotion that would be looked upon fondly in perpetuity by all involved parties.
I first heard "Leaving on a Jet Plane" at a summer camp in 1985. I was voluntold to give up three weeks of my glorious suburban summer in central California (temps in triple digits nearly all summer long) to work in the Kitchen Crew.
About 6 of us teens were responsible for preparing, cooking, cleaning three meals for about 150 people a day. I totally imagined this as my new definition of hell--but it was paradise. I ended up spending the rest of the summer there, and the next 3 summers until I joined the Army.
We had one dude, Dane, who played the guitar and sang like a rock star. He's always sing 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' at the last campfire. We did this candle thing--one person would light there candle from the campfire, and the entire staff/camp would then create this long line/gauntlet so all the campers could give their final good byes.
We sobbed every week. My eyes are actually misty right now.
I'm 17 years older, so my mix tape would have much more Van Halen, Journey, Def Leopard...but I do love Smashing Pumpkins & Third Eye Blind (Wounded is my favorite).
Well done. Nice break from the madness of the moment.
That first paragraph probably expresses best what so many of us had thought, felt, done. I don't know half the music you put there, but I'd probably add the Smiths, 'Please let me get what I want' ... hahaha.
I first heard "Leaving on a Jet Plane" at a summer camp in 1985. I was voluntold to give up three weeks of my glorious suburban summer in central California (temps in triple digits nearly all summer long) to work in the Kitchen Crew.
About 6 of us teens were responsible for preparing, cooking, cleaning three meals for about 150 people a day. I totally imagined this as my new definition of hell--but it was paradise. I ended up spending the rest of the summer there, and the next 3 summers until I joined the Army.
We had one dude, Dane, who played the guitar and sang like a rock star. He's always sing 'Leaving on a Jet Plane' at the last campfire. We did this candle thing--one person would light there candle from the campfire, and the entire staff/camp would then create this long line/gauntlet so all the campers could give their final good byes.
We sobbed every week. My eyes are actually misty right now.
I'm 17 years older, so my mix tape would have much more Van Halen, Journey, Def Leopard...but I do love Smashing Pumpkins & Third Eye Blind (Wounded is my favorite).
Well done. Nice break from the madness of the moment.
bsn
That first paragraph probably expresses best what so many of us had thought, felt, done. I don't know half the music you put there, but I'd probably add the Smiths, 'Please let me get what I want' ... hahaha.
Emo hipster? - nah, you got Johnny Cash in there and John Denver. Nothing better than the two Johns.
Nice selection. The only thing missing is a cut from Patti Smith's Horses album. :)
Not dark enough. You need somen Nic Cave.