Growing up, I was surrounded by music. My parents loved to listen to music, “the oldies”, as they referred to it. There were a lot of people who influenced some of my choices, and a lot of people who just opened my eyes to some things I probably never would have heard otherwise.

I remember belting out Beatles tunes with my dad, dancing to disco with my mom, and listening to Stevie Wonder and The Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” with my uncle. To this day, I still love certain songs and they instantly bring me back to a specific day and time.

I guess that’s the beauty of music, really. It sort of date-stamps a specific time in your life and sometimes brings up good memories, and sometimes it brings up the not-so-good ones. It can instantly change your mood, transport your back in time, and make you want to dance! (Those are my favourite songs, where I can’t help but crank up the volume and bust a move!)

Some of my best memories are sitting with my mom’s boxes of 45s and flipping through them to find a song to play…Blondie, Billy Joel and one of my all-time faves, “Le Freak” by Chic. Those were good times. I eventually had my own collection, although nothing as robust as my moms, of records and 45s and loved to play them on my stereo. Of course I moved onto cassette tapes and finally CDs. Sadly my kids will never know the sound of that static-y air that precedes a song when you play a record – oh the anticipation! Apparently records are making a comeback…problem is my record player is long gone, so I’ll stick to CDs.

Movies provide a lot of inspiration too, as did teenage angst! A lot of favourites come from the movies we’ve seen, and I’ve seen a lot of movies. (More on that in a future post) My teenage years mainly consisted of top 40 pop, as per my previous post on NKOTB and Boys II Men here, however I always seemed to be friends with people who preferred a musical genre totally different than my own. I was subjected to Depeche Mode and U2 wayyyy before I grew an appreciation to them. (Please no letters, my friends totally had an influence and I really enjoy their music now. I guess at the time I wasn’t ready to be so deep).

I like some country (my mom loved Kenny Rogers, so I can honestly say that I knew the words to “The Gambler” before I knew my multiplication tables), rock (old neighbours of ours introduced me to this with music by Aerosmith, Stevie Nicks, Van Halen, Poison, etc.). I moved onto listening to hip hop and rap and still enjoy some of the “oldies” my parents love. As I grew up I can honestly say that I enjoyed a variety of music. I still do, really. I may have preferred more top 40-ish stuff, but I really like it all.

I could never pick one favourite song, that’s impossible. There are different faves for different moods, and different times and places in my life. So welcome to my Monday posts…where I will highlight one of my favourite songs, and tell you about the memory I associate with it. Today’s song is for my dad: “Octopus’s Garden” by The Beatles.

When I was a little girl, The Beatles were a staple in our house. My father loved them! We often had their songs playing in the car, over and over. Don’t quote me, but I am pretty sure some of those tunes came from 8-tracks…I’ll have to ask my dad. Needless to say, I grew to love some songs more than others. “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “Octopus’s Garden” were among my favourites. I have a clear memory of being in the back of my parents blue Pontiac LaMans singing at the top of my lungs, my dad joining in, and when we reached the end of the song, my dad would say “Sing it again, Sam!” So we’d start all over again….and again….and again!

I hope you sing it too…enjoy!

Octopus’s Garden – The Beatles

I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden in the shade
He’d let us in, knows where we’ve been
In his octopus’s garden in the shade

I’d ask my friends to come and see
An octopus’s garden with me
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden in the shade

We would be warm below the storm
In our little hideaway beneath the waves
Resting our head on the sea bed
In an octopus’s garden near a cave

We would sing and dance around
Because we know we can’t be found
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden in the shade

We would shout and swim about
The coral that lies beneath the waves
(Lies beneath the ocean waves)
Oh what joy for every girl and boy
Knowing they’re happy and they’re safe
(Happy and they’re safe)

We would be so happy you and me
No one there to tell us what to do
I’d like to be under the sea
In an octopus’s garden with you
In an octopus’s garden with you
In an octopus’s garden with you