Monday, April 06, 2009

Revisting songs

Every few months, the radio behemoths resurrect an oldie and give it a sudden burst of airplay across their numerous radio properties. Despite it's awfulness, Jane's Addiction's Jane Says is sure to pop up every few months. I've been disturbed to hear Cake's cover of I Will Survive more than once in the past few weeks. Sometimes they get it right, as in the revival of New Moon on Monday last summer. We can only hope for the likes of Oingo Boingo's My Private Life.

I keep hoping that I will rediscover one of these songs and realize I how much I should have loved it back then. One song that has rocketed from admiration to all time fave status is Don Henley's Boys of Summer. The video (below) remains one of the greatest and is what first brought it to my attention. In my teenage Misfits addled mind, the undeniable catchiness warred with the desire to not like anything by a former Eagle.

It doesn't take a doctorate in philosophy to note that a song that so perfectly captures the notions of regret and nostalgic loss will be much more appealing to a person in their late 30s than to someone in their early teens. It does raise the possibility that there are other songs out there that might have surprising resonance. I just hope it isn't a Kansas or Boston song.

2 comments:

HLK said...

Didn't some post-punk Green Day-clonish band cover this and strip it entirely of the moody sound that I think makes the song.

Tripp said...

yes, it was the Ataris. They did drain the soul as you describe.