As I have grown up, my taste in music has grown to include some songs that probably aren’t the best to play in front of your parents. If you’re like me, you probably have an entirely separate playlist just of music that would be okay to play with your parents in the car. My mom and I love to take road trips together, but there is nothing more awkward than when a song such as Beyonce’s ‘Partition’ comes on and Queen Bey is singing about sex in the back of a limo.
If my parents could have their choice, we’d listen to groups such as Earth, Wind, and Fire or Chairmen of the Board, who they have seen in concert countless times. They would choose the songs that they grew up listening to on their own car rides and road trips. When I asked my parents to reflect on their own road trip music, they told me about their 8-tracks. If you’re again like me and don’t know what those are, they are similar to cassette tapes.
Between 1975-1980, my parents had 8-tracks from artists such as: The O’Jays, The Commodores, the Bee Gees, Elton John, Barry Manilow, and the Beach Boys. As my parents went off to college in the early 80s, they listened to Madonna, Chairmen of the Board, and Lou Rawls.
Recently, I have started listening to some of these artists, but I haven’t listened to all of my parent’s favorites, just some select songs here and there, and never an entire album. So, this blog will be centered around me listening to some of my parent’s favorite 8 tracks. And not just the popular songs, but the entire album. I will start with their recommendations from the mid 70s, and work my way into the early 80s. I will post album reviews and critiques for the 8-tracks and hopefully include some videos of my favorite songs.
These groups and artists had upbeat but yet relaxed tones that were good for any occasion, something I hope to imitate in my own blog. I am hoping that as this project continues, I will have broadened my music horizons and have a new genre of music to enjoy listening to and adding to my own road trip playlists. So now when I am in the car with family, we can have common ground in music tastes, and everyone can like what we choose to play. And as readers, I hope you too will grow to love some older music and can have that bond with your parents. Or if you grew up listening to this music, I hope that my blog is a way for you to reminisce on a simpler time. And I encourage you to share the memories you have with these songs, because I know I love hearing memories from my parent’s college years and realizing that my parents weren’t always so uptight after all. Whatever it is, I hope that you find this music to be enjoyable, so that families never have to endure the awkwardness of Beyonce’s ‘Partition’ together ever again.
