A wise blogger once told me in a comment conversation that music is the soundtrack to your life. I found out just how true that really is over the last week. Battling a nasty sinus infection and working like crazy at my job to help get our annual tax sale up and running, it occurred to me during one of my few times of reflection that a rather significant anniversary was sneaking up on me.
Tomorrow (May 22) marks the 20th anniversary of the day that I graduated from Washington College, a small, liberal arts institution here on Maryland’s Eastern Shore in Chestertown. The school itself taught me a few things about life, and even more about myself. I was a minority on campus; there were only a few blacks there so I didn’t really have a lot in common with most of the other students. Yet I found a way to get along, and succeed through the ups and downs. Anyway, that day is one of the greatest days that I have ever experienced. I set a goal to be the first person in my family to graduate from a four-year college, and that goal was met on that day.
Back to the comment from Vivrant Thing: i got to thinking about the music that was out during my senior year. Now I had been around the internet reading a few posts about how the late ’80s was not exactly a golden age for R&B music. That may or may not be true; however I was able to think of many memorable songs from that period. Some were memorable for dancing, some for certain situations that happened in that time of my life, and some just to make me feel good, even when I hear them all these years later. I thought some more and then the idea struck me: why not make a soundtrack from your senior year? After ruminating about it, and looking again at Songs In The Key Of Life for inspiration, I found some in her list of top “fifty” songs (which now numbers over 900 strong). I thought that I could make a list of songs that would fit as a soundtrack for senior year. But because my list could number as long as hers, I gave myself a set of criteria: the song had to have been on the Billboard R&B/Soul/Hip-Hop top 100 or whatever they call it during the time period; I had to have a copy of it somewhere among the tons of music around the house and it had to make me remember the time period. I set a time period of August to the date of my graduation; if a song debuted on the chart on a date before August 1 or after May 22, it was not included, even if I heard it during the year, which cut off a number of good songs. After listing over one hundred songs, I cut the list down to 75. The list goes a little something like this (in chronological order):
- U Got The Look-Prince
- Just That Type Of Girl-Madame X
- Lost In Emotion-Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
- We’ve Only Just Begun (The Romance Is Not Over)-Glenn Jones
- (You’re Puttin) A Rush On Me-Stephanie Mills
- I Need Love-LL Cool J
- Ain’t No Need To Worry-The Winans Featuring Anita Baker
- Just Gets Better With Time-The Whispers
- Don’t You Want Me-Jody Watley
- Lovin’ You-The O’Jays
- Angel-Angela Winbush
- Let Me Be The One-Expose
- You And Me Tonight-Deja
- Don’t Make Me Wait For Love-Kenny G
- Bad-Michael Jackson
- So Many Tears-Regina Belle
- Criticize-Alexander O’Neal
- If You Let Me Stay-Terence Trent D’Arby
- I Want To Be Your Man-Roger
- So Amazing-Luther Vandross
- Skeletons-Stevie Wonder
- Baby Be Mine-Miki Howard
- Because Of You-The Cover Girls
- Girlfriend-Pebbles
- How Ya Like Me Now-Kool Moe Dee
- Love Changes-Kashif & Meli’sa Morgan
- So Emotional-Whitney Houston
- Someone To Love Me For Me-Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam with Full Force
- I Want Her-Keith Sweat
- Secret Lady-Stephanie Mills
- Love Overboard-Gladys Knight & The Pips
- Two Occasions-The Deele
- The Way You Make Me Feel-Michael Jackson
- In The Mood-The Whispers
- Hot Thing-Prince
- Pump Up The Volume-M/A/R/R/S
- Turn Off The Lights-World Class Wreckin’ Cru
- You Will Know-Stevie Wonder
- Wishing Well-Terence Trent D’Arby
- Take Good Care Of Me-Jonathan Butler
- Lovey Dovey-Tony Terry
- Father Figure-George Michael
- Rocket 2 U-The Jets
- Never Knew Love Like This-Alexander O’Neal featuring Cherrelle
- Push It-Salt-N-Pepa
- Fishnet-Morris Day
- Bring The Noise-Public Enemy
- Ooo La La La-Teena Marie
- Going Back To Cali-LL Cool J
- Man In The Mirror-Michael Jackson
- I’ve Been A Fool For You-Miles Jaye
- Need You Tonight-INXS
- Pink Cadillac-Natalie Cole
- Don’t You Know-Heavy D. & The Boyz
- Da’ Butt-E.U.
- Piano In The Dark-Brenda Russell
- Wild Wild West-Kool Moe Dee
- Paid In Full-Eric B. & Rakim
- Nite And Day-Al B. Sure!
- Something Just Ain’t Right-Keith Sweat
- Mercedes Boy-Pebbles
- Just Got Paid-Johnny Kemp
- Keep Risin’ To The Top-Doug E. Fresh & The Get Fresh Crew
- Little Walter-Tony!Toni!Tone!
- Parents Just Don’t Understand-DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
- Joy-Teddy Pendergrass
- One More Try-George Michael
- C’est Toi (It’s You)-Angela Winbush
- Run’s House-Run-D.M.C.
- Should I Say Yes?-Nu Shooz
- Make It Real-The Jets
- Paradise-Sade
- Roses Are Red-Mac Band Featuring The McCampbell Brothers
- It Takes Two-Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock
- Groove Me-Guy
This list could also serve as a soundtrack for my wife, who graduated from high school the same year. Just listening to some of these songs the memories flooded back; running to the mall to buy Michael Jackson’s Bad album the day it came out, listening to the radio (Baltimore’s V-103, and Washington’s WHUR, WKYS and WPGC), hearing some of these songs at parties in college. It’s easy to see some trends from the list, the early beginnings of new jack swing, the increased presence of rap music, including the first rap ballads, some pop and freestyle (thanks to WPGC, which was playing that music around that time), and lots of slow jams (thanks to WHUR’s quiet storm and Kevin “Slow Jammin” James). A special thanks to Joel Whitburn’s book, Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles 1942-2004 where I did the research.
Wise blogger?! *blushing* This is a GREAT idea for a post. Don’t be surprised if it mysteriously shows up over at Songs. LOL! You got some GREAT songs in here, some of which need to be added to my list. I have to add my Stephanie Mills, more of the Tonys. Sigh, let me stop before I get overwhelmed. LOL! Good idea giving yourself some criteria. I’m fairly sure I have all of my Top 50 in my collection. Now about those other 900 or so. LOL!
I’ll be putting together a hip hop list at some point too and the agony will begin again!
Vivrant,
Thanks for the props. There MIGHT be a post about what was dropped, or I might make some pithy comments about what was left in…I haven’t decided.
Another thing that I realized is how much I loved Stephanie Mills’ songs. Around that time, I liked just about anything she put out. The first half of her Home album floors me every time.
And if this does appear over at Songs, I’ll read it again…you might do one for your year. I would like to see something like that, or if you like, I’ll do one for your year! I’m always looking in that Billboard book for songs to use for mix CD’s that I make for my friends.
[...] June 21, 2009 by mindpinball Last year, I did a similar post to this one when I realized (after it had come upon me) that it had been twenty years since I had graduated [...]