Why Old Songs Bring Back Memories

Does anybody remember that "Skyrockets in Flight" song? Well, that was Afternoon Delight ^ | This was a while ago | Daniel Leviton

[SamAdams76]

Music can serve as a particularly effective retrieval cue especially if you’re talking about a piece of music that you associate with a certain context. A song like “The National Anthem” or “Happy Birthday” (which we hear all the time) that’s not so helpful – but a song that was played during that certain summer, then that song is going to evoke memories specific to that time and place.

[SamAdams76]

So I'm getting ready to move again and I uncovered a cardboard box full of compact disc box sets that I pretty much forgot about.

Remember compact disc box sets? They cost and outrageous amount of money (at the time) and were elaborately packaged with super glossy thick booklets that you didn't dare open too much for fear of breaking the binding. Most box sets contained four CDs but others contained three and some even included six!

In the collection was Bob Dylan's Bootleg Series Vol 1-3 which was released in March of 1991. That was 27 years ago! But I bought that box set virtually the day it came out because I am a huge Bob Dylan fan. This particular set had 58 unreleased songs - mostly outtakes from his studio albums.

However, I only played those CDs maybe 3 or 4 times before the box set ended up getting put in a closet alone with box sets by ELO, BeeGees, Aerosmith, Led Zepplin, Rod Stewart, Elton John, Johnny Cash, etc. I was a big box set buyer.

So I'm thinking maybe April 1991 was the last time I listened to any of these rare Bob Dylan songs. Yet when I listened to them tonight (I streamed them off Apple Music because I was too lazy to hook up my long retired CD player), it seemed like it was just yesterday that I listened to these songs and not nearly three decades.

Songs like "Talkin' Bear Mountain Picnic Massacre Blues", "Hard Times In New York Town" and "Suze (The Cough Song)" were instantly recognizable to me despite only having heard them several times during a 4-6 week stretch in 1991. I remember exactly how my den was setup at the time and how my dog would lie at my feet with the wood burning stove going and a glass of red wine at hand. Listening to those songs, I was brought back to those halycon and innocent days and it was like the intervening 27 years never happened at all.

[BenLurkin]

Does anybody remember that “Skyrockets in Flight” song?

Great. An earworm.

[BenLurkin]

Well, I guess it could have been worse....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjqeNoi6EmM

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Worked afternoon radio in the mid to late 70’s.

Used the “Sky Rockets In Flight, Afternoon Delight” clip to make show promos.

Memories...

[SamAdams76]

I'll see your Muskrat Love and raise you one Mockingbird.

I am a scholar of 1970s pop - there's not a single Top 40 song from that era that I cannot play flawlessly in my head.

[Inyo-Mono]

I have worked in radio for over 35 years, but listening to an early Beatles song from the mid-sixties brings back incredible memories, more so than the millions of records I have played on the radio since the 1980s.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Did a long road trip back in the early 80's to the sound of Supertramp and REO Speedwagon.

Whenever I'm in the car and hear either on the radio I feel like just driving on out of town.

[foreverfree]

Give me “Fool If You Think It’s Over” or “Love Will Find a Way” anytime.

[Corpus_Delicious]

Cute dog!

I've found that all my music memories seem to be organized according to the seasons of the year.

And so I'll play CDs or have playlists composed of songs from early spring, or late spring or the other seasons spanning from around 1964 through the 90s. Every month I have something I really want to hear. But I'll play it only during that time of year. It sure keeps the old favorites fresh for me.

[Lurkina.n.Learnin]

Damn you! That will be with me all night. ;<)

[T-Bone Texan]

“Sometimes She Cries” by Winger. Also, “The Last Mile” by Cinderella.

Not a fag. Just love my hair ballads!

[Songcraft]

Hey, do you remember this Dylan bootleg song (done here by Doug Sahm & Friends, including Bob Dylan)?

       "Wallflower" - Doug Sahm & Friends (including Bob Dylan)

Here's another interesting version of that song:

       "Wallflower" - Diana Krall

[henkster]

The Cars “Let’s Go” and The Pretenders “Brass in Pocket” remind me of a summer construction job, driving the company truck around Kokomo all afternoon. If those songs weren’t playing on the radio it was because I was listening to Vince Lloyd and Lou Boudreau broadcasting Cub games on WGN.

[Deaf Smith]

Son, can you play me a memory

I'm not really sure how it goes

But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it complete

When I wore a younger man's clothes.

[Old Yeller]

Old days
Good times I remember
Fun days
Filled with ship of pleasure
Drive-in movies
Comic books and blue jeans
Howdy Doody
Baseball cards and birthdays
Take me back
To the world gone away
Memories
Seem like yesterday
Oh, old days
Good times I remember
Gold days
Days I’ll always treasure

[DAC21]

Eagles Best of My Love....1976, what could have been....

[Osage Orange]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ps1lwGk6n4

[Greenpees]

Too numerous to mention. But, there are so many songs that paint a picture of a special time/ place in my life. Some of them hurt, some make me smile. I’ll take them all.

[Songcraft]

On the other hand, some people don't want to bring back painful memories through old songs, as this song expresses...

       "Please Mr Please (Don't Play E-17)" - Olivia Newton John

[Yaelle]

You’re moving? I thought you loved your place. Hope it’s for a great reason.

I agree. Certain songs connect so perfectly to memories. You can almost see, smell, feel that previous setting. There are a lot of songs that do that for me.