Music Years Of My Life: 1974

Summer.  The best time of the year when you're young.  Well, for me it was.  There were no year round schools when we were lived in Germany.  The school calendar went from September-June (first week only).  From early June until the day after Labor Day, I was free.  No sports activities until August.  So, what to do.  Just do normal things that kids do when they are ten years old.  Play with your friends, go to movies or the public pool.  Radio's were everywhere I went. Here's the deal.  You hang around the Military apartments where we lived and there's bound to be someone hanging around outside listening to something.

"Band On The Run", "Billy Don't Be A Hero", "Night Chicago Died", "Sundown", "Rock Your Baby", "Feel Like Makin' Love" (R. Flack), were #1's that summer.  A Stevie Wonder song that only went to #16  called "Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing" is near the top of a list of non-#1's.  Others?  "Waterloo", "You Won't See Me" (A. Murray), "You Make Me Feel Brand New", "Entertainer", "Rock and Roll Heaven", "Sideshow", "Help Me", "Rikki Don't Lose That Number", all fondly remembered.

Radio was everything back then.  I still had no record player.  Was still a year and a half away from buying my first album (my first music purchases were albums, not singles).   Summer memories play a big part in our youth.  Music is an incredible part of that experience.  When I hear those above songs today, I always pause for a second and am instantly taken back to a simpler, easier, innocent time.  Not ready to grow up.

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