A Musical Timeline (I)

If there's one thing I learned from the whole Diary-X saga, it's that it always pays to keep a soft copy backup of one's blog/journal entries. At least for the more important ones. So browsing through the old entries on the now defunct Windows Live Spaces blog, I chanced upon the Musical Timeline series of entries. Entries that evoke the different memories and experiences both when they were being written and when read again after close to three years.

The last entry stopped at Sept 2004 and a little updating looks to be in order. On account of the changed circumstances and conditions in which the entries were last posted, the entries will be tweaked considerably and be a lot more explicit clearer. And in light of the fact one is left in no doubt about my preferences, certain aspects should be a lot less confusing than before.

Without further ado, here's the first entry in the series:

Different songs mean Different things to us at different times. Often we place particular emphasis on certain songs at different points in our life. We may or may not ascribe some meaning to the song but it remains something which we relate to at that time. An emblem, a snapshot of our life at that instant. Revisiting these songs brings back memories, sharp and clear, a journey of one's life thus far. And here is mine.

Age of Innocence (relatively)
(The earlier years were blurred, not clearly defined unlike my adolescence possibly because I seldom listened to music then. And when I did it was almost always off the radio.)

1987
Lucky-- Kylie Minogue
"I should be so lucky. Lucky Lucky Lucky. I should be so lucky in love."

Hong Kong. Going shopping with my second aunt (who was young, trendy and incredibly fun then). Bopping and singing to Kylie along with aunt while walking back to the hotel, arms aswinging.

1992
Dream Lover and Hero --Mariah Carey
"Dream lover come rescue me, take me up take me down take me anywhere you want to baby now.."

Chalet at East coast(before the first renovation). Sand in swimming trunks. Running around the airport. Regular visits to Leon's house which we wrecked havoc in, pounding up the stairs and tearing up the garden while our moms sat and gossiped.

1993
I will always love you-- Whitney Houston
"And I (eeee I) will always love you (oooo u) and I will always love (that inimitable warble and of course ultra long note) you..."

Moving into the new house across the road. Planting stuff. Playing with earthworms. Belting out that famous line in parents' bedroom with sister. Parents mowing the garden downstairs.

1994
Girls Just wanna have Fun-- Cyndi Lauper
"I wanna be the one who stands in the sun. Oh Girls, they wanna have fun, oh girls just wanna have fun.."

One of my favourite songs since Primary three, it only assumed significance in Primary six. Bouncy, happy and a tad wild(to me then). Old Thompson Plaza, attending some crappy computer course at Infomatics. Mother telling me the PSLE results.

1994
I Saw the Sign--Ace of Base
"I saw the sign and it opened up my eyes I saw the sign... Nothing's gonna lift you up into the light where you belong. But where do you belong?"

Another favourite. Strangely enough, I always thought it to be Sun not sign, a misconception not corrected till much later.
All those car rides, to and fro from school. Rain falling heavy and hard against the window.


Age of Experimentation (The school bus years)

ACS(I) was loads of fun. It was a major change of environment and afforded a considerable amount of freedom. Remedials and choir practices were convenient & oft-used excuses.

1995
Total Eclipse of the Heart-- Bonnie Tyler
"Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart.."

For some reason this song was always played in those bleary eyed hours of the morning. 6.30 am. Shivering in the cold morning air. A small air-con van, half asleep boys. Nodding heads.

1995
Macarena --Los De Rio
" Dale a tu cuerpo alegria Macarena
Que tu cuerpo es pa' darle alegria y cosa buena
Dale a tu cuerpo alegria, Macarena
Hey Macarena!"

Purple and yellow Beverly 90210 school bag, tearing at the seams. Air conditioned classrooms. Hanging out at neighbouring void decks with ZW. 'Still life with Sarah' - Our rather attractive & sexy Art teacher who sent the already raging hormones of newly pubescent teenage boys out of control; half the class fantasized of doing naughty things to her in bed. Being neither a pubescent teen nor straight, the whole affair was understandably boring. Oily salty fries. Sudden hug from that senior.

1995
Joseph & the Amazing technicolour Coat( Any dream will do)
"And in the east (echo)
The dawn was breaking (ah a ah)
And the world was waking(ah ah)
Any dream will do (repeat)"

The only musical I enjoyed in my four years in choir, probably cause it was neither composed nor written by Lim Jxx. The costumes were fun. Running around in a frock-like robe and skullcap felt amazingly liberating.
Practice, practice, practice. Sneaking to the canteen for snacks in frock-like robes. Drink stall auntie laughing and saying, "Wa so cute, like a little girl!" Polite frown. Chasing Adrian barefooted backstage. Feet thumping on the cold hard stage.


Age of Awakening

The joy and power that knowledge brings. Puberty, glorious puberty. The wonders of the Net and numerous opportunities it afforded made the Awakening more spontaneous, more gratifying. The consequences of having such knowledge(porn, fact that there were others out there and accessible) and putting it to good use, never an issue.

March 1996
No More I Love You-- Annie Lennox
" No more I love yous..Language is leaving me in silence.."

Last month I sat on the school van. School van. Good ole Bus number 74. 45 mins of dozing off. First ever movie outing with friends. Fair game starring Alec Baldwin and Cindy Crawford. mIrc. Discovering and chatting on GayTeens @ SG (the predecessor of the SGboys channel on MIRC). Computer Lab. Checking out 'Dr Ruth' with Annie and descending into bouts of mirth at her 'expert sexual advice'.

(1996-1998)
Gounod-- Faust(Highlights)
Track 11 " Alerte, alerte...Anges purs"

The first song ever to have such a huge impact. The booming bass and powerful soprano of Mephistopheles and Marguerite entwining each other, each trying to do out do the other as they spiral up the scales with a final joyous epiphany as Marguerite breaks free and ascends heavenward. Uplifting.
Waiting for our turn backstage. Huddled over disc man. Shared ear phones. Goosebumps. Day after the dismal sec 3 finals. Chem 'O' level prac.

Mid 1996
Jagged Little pill-- Alanis Morisette
"Swallow it down.. it's a jagged little pill..It feels so good.. swimming in your stomach.."

Literature project. K's (classmate) house. Books, paper, pen (We started with those on our attempt to start work-But you know how teenage boys are) Proceeded on to his PlayStation one. Then to the Computer for some good ole porn - that somehow changed from tits to dicks, not that I minded. And of course, Bed.

1997
Do You believe in Life after Love?--Cher
"Do you believe in life after love? I can hear something inside me say, I really don't think you're strong enough."

Discovering the amount of fun a pack of cards could provide. Bridge, Taiti, Hearts, Spades. I had my own kakis (similar likeminded addicts). We played anytime: Recess, Chinese class, After school. And anywhere: Classmate's hostel, Library, classroom.

End 1997
Kiss Me -- Sixpence none the richer.
"Kiss me beneath the milky twilight, lead me out on the moonlit floor. Lift your open hand...so kiss me"

Lido. Cineleisure. Neoprints. Lunch appointments with people off GTS on IRC, some good some bad. Bad ones got the boot, for the good ones we went for coffee and more.. One of which progressed from Office to table to carpet.

1998
Prelude & Fugue in E Flat--Bach (by Wolfgang Ruesbam)
Grand, stately, majestic, imposing. If this kind of music was played in church I would go willingly sunday after sunday.. just for the worship session.

Pimples, one of God's incomprehensible gifts to man. Blotters. Conniving sales women out to make commission, selling useless facial products. Library. More Bridge. Ranting against USA govt in history essay. Library. Chemistry teacher selling sweets in class.

1998
It must have been Love-- Roxette.
"It must have been love but it's over now. It must have been good but I lost it somehow. Oh it must have been love.."

Skipping choir practices to catch movies. More lunch outings. Of uniforms and under wears - Peeps with the aforementioned erm preferences. Doing a favour for a lesbian friend who needed to convince her dad she was straight so that she could go on a cruise with her gf. Standing outside the gate. Friend casting a worried glance back at the door. "I dun think he's convinced" She said. "Kiss me, quick!" "Huh?" "Hurry!" So I did. I never knew people kissed oranges.

1998
Dancing Queen--ABBA
"And when you get the chance..you are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen.."

He liked ABBA too. Lido. French documentary. First time making out at a movie. Movie was boring, making out wasn't. Shopping at Far East plaza. 77th street. Starbucks. Venti mocha frapp. With cream. Lots of cream. Cream mm.

To be continued..