Name That Tune

I love Sirius radio.

With one flip of a knob or touch of a button, I can visit any decade of music. From the

late 1960s when I first began listening to music, to the 1980s which in my opinion, was

the last good decade of music, Sirius has it all.

But I’m blessed with a gift. Or is it cursed?

I know titles and artists. And usually the year the song was released. If the singer was a one hit wonder, I know it even more. If I ever owned the 45 record, I can tell you the recording label and what it looked like. That’s why I like Sirius Radio. The display screen not only shows the title and artist, it shows the year the song was released.

It's an obsession. After I read the display to prove myself right or wrong, only then I can enjoy the song.

Every song I hear contains a memory. A memory of when I first heard it. A memory of riding the streets of Jackson and listening to the AM radio, fading in and out, in my Volkswagen Beetle. A memory of where I purchased the record.

In this day of instant gratification and the ability to magically download a song to your phone, young folks will never experience the anticipation of waiting on new records to appear in the record bin, like the one located near the front door at the Super 5 & 10, or searching through the records hanging on pegboard hooks at The Art & Music Center in Downtown Jackson. It was exciting to see all the records carefully placed in order of Billboard’s Top Ten.

I still have all my albums and 45s. And can tell you where each came from, including the first 45 I ever bought.

It was “I Think I Love You” by The Partridge Family. It was released in 1970. Bell recording label. It was a silver label with a bell on it. I bought it at the Super 5 & 10.

Yep, I think it’s a curse.

From the mind of me.