Nostalgic Music Month Day 28

Journey by Jon Hilton

In the early 80’s the music of Steve Perry and the group Journey was a part of the fabric of my life. When I remember the high school freshman version of myself. I am sitting in an English class at Lincoln Academy, listening to my teacher Mr. Murphy rattle on about sentence structure. Staring out the window at the rain-soaked soccer field, watching the seagulls fly around and eat worms. My only thought was, “I have four more years of this? I’ll never make it through the boredom.”  The Journey song, Don’t Stop Believing always takes me back to that version of myself and the lessons I learned then. I did make it and it wasn’t all that bad. Now those days are just a random memory or two.  Thank you, Journey, for all the help along the way.

1. Don’t Stop Believin’– From the opening notes, this song always makes me feel 15. Even though I have never been to Detroit, and I have never taken the midnight train to anywhere, I can relate to that feeling as a young man. We all have dreams, goals, and things we want to experience in life. I am still chasing my dreams and will continue until the day the game ends. This song was a motivation then and it still is today. There is always a chance to achieve success and get what you want in life.  Just Don’t Stop Believing. Working hard to get my fill.Everybody wants a thrill. Payin’ anything to roll the dice, Just one more time. Some will win, some will lose. Some were born to sing the blues. Oh, the movie never ends. It goes on and on and on and on.
2. Lights– This song takes me to a visit of the 19-year-old version of me. I was living in South Portland, at SMVTI. It was located right on the ocean and at night you had the perfect view of Portland Harbor with all the lights of the city and the boats coming and going along with the lighthouse at Spring Point. It was a time of freedom and growth that only a young man can know. If I only knew how much more I needed to learn then. But youth doesn’t see life that way. It is protected by a lack of experience and a confidence life can take away from you. We were all golden then.  When the lights go down in the city. And the sun shines on the bay. I want to be there yeah, in my city. Ooh, ooh. So you think you’re lonely
   Well, my friend, I’m lonely too. I want to go back to my city by the bay.
3. Wheel In the Sky– Most functional people set goals and have desires about the things they want to achieve. Sometimes we experience glitches in the system that appear to be setbacks toward our dreams. But when you look at any experience from the end back, you can see how that perceived bad luck actually pushed you toward success. You gained a valuable skill or learned a lesson you needed. That is how the game of life works. The wheel in the sky reminds me of this, to be hopeful in our down times that they will take you where you want to go. It is just not in the fashion you thought you would arrive there. Life is a growth game,  it serves people well to remember that. Oh the wheel in the sky keeps on turning
   I don’t’ know where I’ll be tomorrow.
4. Feeling That Way– If you have any doubt that Steve Perry’s voice isn’t one of the greatest instruments in music, then listen to this song. When Perry sings his part it grabs you and makes you remember all the times that you were wondering if she was feeling that way about you, or not. This song is a memory of all of those summertime romances. Some were feeling that way and some weren’t. All of the lovely ones that I am thinking of had an impact on me in the best of ways. Take a trip to a memory and listen to this song and appreciate the talent that is and was Steve Perry.  When the summer’s gone. She’ll be there standing by the light. What she’s been to, where she’s gone to. She should know wrong from right. Is she feeling? Are you feeling, you feeling that way too?  Or am I just, am I just a fool?
5. Still They Ride– Even though it has been over 30 years since I had my moments of growth at Lincoln Academy. There is still a part of me that is firmly rooted in that community. it takes a short trip to

   

   Damariscotta/Newcastle to be flooded with memories of those old times and the people that I shared that experience with. I still see Wright’s Store in my mind, the arcade at Laverdiere’s.  Yellowfront Grocery downtown, and a thousand other things that have changed. I don’t want them back because they could never be as good in reality as they seem in my memory.  But maybe just for a moment, we can still cruise through town and see those familiar faces one more time.  This ol’ town, ain’t the same
   Now nobody knows his name. Times have changed, still, he rides. Traffic lights, keepin’ time. Leading the wild and restless through the night.

   Loverboy  by Mike Martin

   Today is a good day to pick on my uncle Billy. I coached Madelyn’s softball team this year. I was somewhat hesitant to volunteer my serveries to the team.  Madelyn, like her father, is intense. She speaks her mind and is not scared to show her emotions.

   These facts left me hesitant to lead the team because I wasn’t sure how Maddy would respond to my leadership style. She responded well and the season was a success, concluding with a playoff victory and a sleepover birthday party.

   After our playoff win, the Superstars (the name the 9 and 10-year-old team members decided to call our team) were all recognized for a prominent trait they had shown over the course of the season.

   We, the coaches of the Belgrade Superstars, gave each team member a team photo with a certificate, an award thanking them for their commitment and dedication. Superstars were recognized for loyalty, leadership, dedication, confidence, courage, positive attitude, and other qualities that they brought to our team. Maddy was recognized for her passion.

   Passion is a Martin family tradition and every time I watched Maddy respond passionately to a circumstance created from her involvement on the team. I would think of my uncle Billy.

   Bill Martin is a passionate man. When I was young, I spent much time with my uncle. He is someone that can be counted on. He was always available for the loan of a car or a ride to the concert. (Or a ride home from California but that is a story for another day)

   Loverboy is a Canadian rock band formed in 1979 in Calgary, Alberta. Throughout the 1980s, Loverboy accumulated numerous hit songs in Canada and the United States, earning four multi-platinum albums and selling millions of records.

   In 1982, Loverboy was extremely popular, and when they were scheduled to play at the Augusta Maine Civic Center during the summer of 1982, all my friends wanted to go. I could have found another ride to the show, but my uncle Billy volunteered to be our chaperon, so I had to accept his offer

   I was thankful for the ride, but my uncle, my cousin Heidi and our friend Lisa Rowe were ready to leave long before I was. I am not sure how Heidi and Lisa found me during Loverboy’s performance, but they did, so I had to leave early. Just like I’m ending this post early because Jon Hilton is in a hurry because he is working this weekend vs Working For The Weekend.

   Everybody’s working for the weekend
   Everybody wants a little romance
   Everybody’s goin’ off the deep end
   Everybody needs a second chance, oh
   You want a piece of my heart
   You better start from start
   You wanna be in the show
   Come on baby lets go

    

   Loverboy – Turn Me Loose 
   I was born to run
   I was born to dream
   The craziest boy you ever seen
   I gotta do it my way
   Or no way at all

   Please, have a great day, and if you have any questions, drop us a line and please partake in #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth and while you are at it take a trip to Greenville, Maine-I understand the foliage is majestic this time of year! #visitGreenville

   #OctoberNostalgicMusicMonth #visitGreenville