What song brings back a cherished childhood memory, and what is that memory?

[simon43]

For me, the memory is of taking month-long holidays on the island of Corfu with my family, when I was about 11 years old.  My father was a university professor, and so benefited from long summer holidays.

 

Each July, we would pack our suitcases (my parents and 2 brothers), and travel by train from our home in Leicester to St Pancras station in north London.  Then a taxi across the capital city to Victoria station ,where we could catch the 'boat train' to Dover.  Across to Calais on the ferry and another train to Gare du Nord station in Paris.  Then across Paris and we boarded the night train that ran all the way from Paris and down to Brindisi in southern Italy.  We slept as the train traveled through south France and Switzerland, and then woke up in sunny Italy by the lakes.

 

That whole next day was spent traveling down Italy, close to the coast, looking out of the window all the way at the sights.  Finally in the late evening, we arrived in Brindisi and boarded the 'Apia' ship to cross the Adriatic to Corfu island, where we arrived the next morning.  Then it was into a small boat to sail along the coast to the pretty village of Kassiopi, where we lodged with a local family.

 

Every day, we would walk to the beach. My father would sit on the beach, marking his student exam papers and swigging Retsina!  (I think everyone got a good pass mark because my father was definitely tipsy after marking 50 papers!).  I would swim in the clear sea, marveling at the coral and brightly coloured fish.  For a young boy with an interest in nature, the various centipedes and 'bugs' on the land fascinated me.

 

Each evening, we would eat in a local taverna (there were very few if any other tourists). The taverna staff would play live Greek music and encourage us to join in with their traditional dances, just like Zorba the Greek!

 

Those wonderful memories are ingrained in my memory, and for this reason I love the music of Mikis Theodorakis and similar music.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYQGlBqIrQg&list=RD23VZDS36c7k&index=5

 

 

If there is one thing that I want to do before I die, it is to return to visit Greece and to smell the fragrance of the flowers and hear this beautiful music in situ.  (In reality, it's probably a tourist ghetto strewn with trash!!).

 

How about you?

[LosLobo]

Your post has stirred some cherished memories for me.

 

I've made the same journey from Victoria Station to Corfu, only in reverse, after a two-month adventure in the Cyclades and Dodecanese in my thirties.

 

On another note, I recently watched Phoenix Movie a film about a WWII German couple, and the lead actress performed a haunting melody that sparked a long-forgotten childhood memory. 

https://youtu.be/HdxYBGHcxSY

It was a song my mother often sang when I was around six to ten years old.

 

The tune was originally from 'One Touch of Venus,' a movie released in 1948, around the time she married my father.

 

 

[simon43]

Memories are amazing.  I have visited many countries and there are thousands of events in my life that I can hardly recall.

 

But to this day I still remember the names of the Greek family where we lodged, the name of the restaurant owner, and I can even picture the stuffed tomatoes that he served, the dusty road in Kassiopi village, and I remember the few words of Greek that I learnt some 54 years ago 🙂

[Gottfrid]

That´s easy! I moved away from home, with my parents signing off on it, when I was 14,5 years old. Worked everyday after school and Saturday and Sundays. However It took until I was 16 to have my first sexual experience. Some say it´s not soo good the first time, but it was really good. Maybe you are not really a child at 16 living by yourself, but still a minor. Anyway, we made love to Cutting Crew, I just dies in your arms tonight. (Little bit cheesy as I was a hard rocker, but at that moment I would probably have sacrificed a lot more for the experience.) 😉 Also, it actually took longer time then one song. Just to clarify, guys. 😂

 

 

[LosLobo]

31 minutes ago, Gottfrid said:

That´s easy! I moved away from home, with my parents signing off on it, when I was 14,5 years old. Worked everyday after school and Saturday and Sundays. However It took until I was 16 to have my first sexual experience. Some say it´s not soo good the first time, but it was really good. Maybe you are not really a child at 16 living by yourself, but still a minor. Anyway, we made love to Cutting Crew, I just dies in your arms tonight. (Little bit cheesy as I was a hard rocker, but at that moment I would probably have sacrificed a lot more for the experience.) 😉 Also, it actually took longer time then one song. Just to clarify, guys. 😂

 

Interestingly, your story and the song remind me of the French colloquialism for orgasm, 'la petite mort,' meaning 'the little death'.

[proton]

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

For me, the memory is of taking month-long holidays on the island of Corfu with my family, when I was about 11 years old.  My father was a university professor, and so benefited from long summer holidays.

 

Each July, we would pack our suitcases (my parents and 2 brothers), and travel by train from our home in Leicester to St Pancras station in north London.  Then a taxi across the capital city to Victoria station ,where we could catch the 'boat train' to Dover.  Across to Calais on the ferry and another train to Gare du Nord station in Paris.  Then across Paris and we boarded the night train that ran all the way from Paris and down to Brindisi in southern Italy.  We slept as the train traveled through south France and Switzerland, and then woke up in sunny Italy by the lakes.

 

That whole next day was spent traveling down Italy, close to the coast, looking out of the window all the way at the sights.  Finally in the late evening, we arrived in Brindisi and boarded the 'Apia' ship to cross the Adriatic to Corfu island, where we arrived the next morning.  Then it was into a small boat to sail along the coast to the pretty village of Kassiopi, where we lodged with a local family.

 

Every day, we would walk to the beach. My father would sit on the beach, marking his student exam papers and swigging Retsina!  (I think everyone got a good pass mark because my father was definitely tipsy after marking 50 papers!).  I would swim in the clear sea, marveling at the coral and brightly coloured fish.  For a young boy with an interest in nature, the various centipedes and 'bugs' on the land fascinated me.

 

Each evening, we would eat in a local taverna (there were very few if any other tourists). The taverna staff would play live Greek music and encourage us to join in with their traditional dances, just like Zorba the Greek!

 

Those wonderful memories are ingrained in my memory, and for this reason I love the music of Mikis Theodorakis and similar music.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYQGlBqIrQg&list=RD23VZDS36c7k&index=5

 

 

If there is one thing that I want to do before I die, it is to return to visit Greece and to smell the fragrance of the flowers and hear this beautiful music in situ.  (In reality, it's probably a tourist ghetto strewn with trash!!).

 

How about you?

 

Lucky bastard!

[simon43]

6 minutes ago, proton said:

 

Lucky bastard!

Yes!  Looking back on those times so many years ago, I realise that I was very lucky to experience such events which are ingrained in my subconscious.  I must find time to visit Greece again ....

[Gottfrid]

27 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

Interestingly, your story and the song remind me of the French colloquialism for orgasm, 'la petite mort,' meaning 'the little death'.

It was anything but death, my friend.

[BarraMarra]

Ah the olden days and the hot summer we had in 1976. I used to go on a little Island called Piel Island just off the Coast where i live in the north west of England. I Remember my little hand held Transistor Radio and this song was always being played. Every time i hear this song it reminds sitting on Piel Island listening to this. 

 

 

 

[Keeps]

Born to be Alive by Patrick Hernandez (1978 I think?). I can't say I am a particularly big fan of the song but I do remember that it was playing in the background when I had my first 'proper' kiss with a girl at 10 years of age. It was the cousin of a friend of mine who had come to stay with him for the 6 week summer holidays. 

 

She was 12 years old so I was viewed as a bit of a 'player' amongst my friends. 555 

[Hummin]

Jumping Jack Flash Rolling Stones

Love Hurts Nazaret

Ace of Spades Motorhead

Gypsy Uriah Heep

White Wedding Billy Idol

Money Pink Floyd, but hard to say one song and not albums when talking about Pink Floyd Where I have Dark Side Of The Moon as favorite sided with Whish you where here

[Keeps]

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

Jumping Jack Flash Rolling Stones

Love Hurts Nazaret

Ace of Spades Motorhead

Gypsy Uriah Heep

White Wedding Billy Idol

Money Pink Floyd, but hard to say one song and not albums when talking about Pink Floyd Where I have Dark Side Of The Moon as favorite sided with Whish you where here

And what cherished childhood memory did all these songs trigger or are you just sharing with us your playlist? 555

[Hummin]

5 minutes ago, Keeps said:

And what cherished childhood memory did all these songs trigger or are you just sharing with us your playlist? 555

I'm afraid I replied before I read the intro. Only the heading 🧐

 

Edit note, half of the heading

[sipi]

Rolf Harris.

[KannikaP]

Ghost Riders in the Sky, sung by my Dad with his guitar to me & my brother. I was 4 years old.

The Cruel Sea by the Dakotas was the first song I learned on lead guitar with a group in 1963, aged 15.

Don't Worry Baby by the Beach Boys. That was my type of music, and I follow vocal harmony still.

Yellow River by Christie was the first song I sang in a professional band in 1970 at age 22.

[Ludzilla]

I don't have any particular cherished childhood memories, but I remember feeling a special joy when this song was aired on TV

[proton]

 

 

[ujayujay]

 

[Coota]

On 8/29/2024 at 8:35 AM, KhunLA said:

You can, and other countries manage.   OR ... Buddha forbid, try not building on low level flood plains, would be even a better solution.   oops ... too late.

 

Nong Khai city as a retaining wall, and works ... most of the time     Same with Vientiane, Laos, as haven't read about them being flooded out for some time, though don't really pay attention.

How's that going for Nong Khai now?

[KhunLA]

1 hour ago, Coota said:

How's that going for Nong Khai now?

Minimal research will have pointed out, the Mekong floods almost every year.  Use to up to watch it almost crest every year when living at Udon Thani.

 

You can't fix stupid ... don't build in flood plains.

 

Better research = Better life

[Evil Penevil]

For me, it's The Ballad of Davy Crockett.   The image of Davy standing alone at the Alamo,  swinging Old Betsy at the horde of Mexicans, remained with me all my life and defined my sense of duty and heroism.  It became my view of Israel standing against 450 million Arabs and two billion Muslims.

 

 

 

[ThaiFelix]

For me most songs I like are a key to some time in my life.

[Wrwest]

21 hours ago, simon43 said:

For me, the memory is of taking month-long holidays on the island of Corfu with my family, when I was about 11 years old.  My father was a university professor, and so benefited from long summer holidays.

 

Each July, we would pack our suitcases (my parents and 2 brothers), and travel by train from our home in Leicester to St Pancras station in north London.  Then a taxi across the capital city to Victoria station ,where we could catch the 'boat train' to Dover.  Across to Calais on the ferry and another train to Gare du Nord station in Paris.  Then across Paris and we boarded the night train that ran all the way from Paris and down to Brindisi in southern Italy.  We slept as the train traveled through south France and Switzerland, and then woke up in sunny Italy by the lakes.

 

That whole next day was spent traveling down Italy, close to the coast, looking out of the window all the way at the sights.  Finally in the late evening, we arrived in Brindisi and boarded the 'Apia' ship to cross the Adriatic to Corfu island, where we arrived the next morning.  Then it was into a small boat to sail along the coast to the pretty village of Kassiopi, where we lodged with a local family.

 

Every day, we would walk to the beach. My father would sit on the beach, marking his student exam papers and swigging Retsina!  (I think everyone got a good pass mark because my father was definitely tipsy after marking 50 papers!).  I would swim in the clear sea, marveling at the coral and brightly coloured fish.  For a young boy with an interest in nature, the various centipedes and 'bugs' on the land fascinated me.

 

Each evening, we would eat in a local taverna (there were very few if any other tourists). The taverna staff would play live Greek music and encourage us to join in with their traditional dances, just like Zorba the Greek!

 

Those wonderful memories are ingrained in my memory, and for this reason I love the music of Mikis Theodorakis and similar music.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYQGlBqIrQg&list=RD23VZDS36c7k&index=5

 

 

If there is one thing that I want to do before I die, it is to return to visit Greece and to smell the fragrance of the flowers and hear this beautiful music in situ.  (In reality, it's probably a tourist ghetto strewn with trash!!).

 

How about you?

Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed in reflecting on my own travels and the music I associate with those experiences. But, on reflection, I have decided to him the memories and songs close ...

[Wrwest]

1 hour ago, Evil Penevil said:

For me, it's The Ballad of Davy Crockett.   The image of Davy standing alone at the Alamo,  swinging Old Betsy at the horde of Mexicans, remained with me all my life and defined my sense of duty and heroism.  It became my view of Israel standing against 450 million Arabs and two billion Muslims.

 

 

 

I recall as I watched as a child and can still sing the song! Only in this year was I informed as Davy Crockett being a 5th Cousin, 5 times removed.

[Denim]

I remember being 5 or 6 years old driving through snow at Christmas with my dad while this was on the radio. For some reason it has stuck in my head.

 

 

 

My dad listened to this a lot on his tax write of Bang and Olufsen whilst polishing the floor in the hall wearing only his y fronts.

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

I remember that song from when I visited with my sister her friend. No video at that time.

For whatever reason only that song stayed in my memory.

 

 

 

 

[OneMoreFarang]

13 minutes ago, Denim said:

My dad listened to this a lot on his tax write of Bang and Olufsen whilst polishing the floor in the hall wearing only his y fronts.

 

 

 

I also remember that one, but no specific memory of where and when.

I just looked it up, it's from 1967.

 

 

 

 

[Evil Penevil]

Another song which has stuck with me through the years is Running Bear.  It was played at the funeral of a classmate when I was about ten.  My mother and some other parents were totallly outraged that a pop song  was played at a funeral, but they didn't say anything.  According to the mother of the girl wgo was buried,  Running Bear had been her daughter's favorite song.  When we got home, my mom just shook her head and said something about "white trash."

 

I didn't share my mom's opinion and thought it was fitting they had played a song the girl liked.

 

 

[JimTripper]

I saw Venom live when I was a teenager. They had a mosh pit and some fat guy fell on me and I could not get up off the floor and I felt like I was suffocating as it was very hot and sweaty in there. The fat guy could not get up off me due to his weight or just because we were all drunk. People still spinning around. Some guy reached down and pulled me up from under him. I was always thankful and wondered who that guy was that helped me up. Never saw him, it was just an arm.

[1FinickyOne]

Thanks Simon - what a wonderful story. We had many family trips when I was young and it ignited a lust for travel in all of us.. 

 

I spent a month on Crete in matala and listened to Joni Mitchell songs as she was there the year before me.. maybe 1972... fond memories.