07/07/2005 Entry: "That motney hari steak."

The first song I remember ever being really into? "Kokomo," by the Beach Boys, for the Cocktail soundtrack. Seriously. I don't know why, exactly, but I loved that song to death. To give you some idea, we were one of the first homes in the neighborhood to have cable, and I never watched MTV. I just never wrapped my head around the music industry, and though I like plenty of stuff nowadays, I can't say that much has changed. I just kinda listen and "stay out of it," for the most part. But Kokomo? I don't want to say it touched me, because it's such a damned stupid song, but boy did I ever love it.

Despite never watching MTV, I firmly remember putting in two-hour VHS tapes at all times of day and hitting the record button, desperately hoping that I'd catch Uncle Jesse from Full House rocking the drums. I was a child at the time, remember. Seeing Uncle Jesse in the middle of the Kokomo music video for no apparent reason blew my mind. More so, it validated the Beach Boys and the song.

It was the first slice of music I'd ever purchased......almost. See, I had a few bucks, and with a vague recollection that all hit singles on cassette cost 3.49 (this may or may not have been true), I could buy Kokomo and listen to it whenever I wanted. No more clinging to the radio like it was a dying baby, begging it to breathe/play Kokomo. I tagged along on the neighbor boys' excursion to a department store (with their mother, of course), and my heart sank five minutes after stepping through the magic doors: The single was sold out. They only had the full Cocktail soundtrack, completely out of my price range. I had my friend ask his mother to buy it for me in one of the most pathetically desperate attempts to "get something" I've ever committed. She said no.

To this day, I still can't believe she said no. Don't get me wrong, I realize how shameful and ridiculous it was to even ask, let alone make my friend ask. But as uncomfortable as the request may have been, think about it. She should've said yes. Most people would -- just to avoid the awkwardness of having to say "no."

I later received the album for my birthday. The obsession had mostly passed by that point, but I still listened to Kokomo at least a hundred thousand times an hour. Yes, I managed to pull that off. God, I loved that song.

Haven't heard it in years. Last time was on some Muppets video, sung by Kermit. Not quite the same, but it felt good.

What stupid music were you into as a kid?

Also: Group 011 of The Cereal Prize Project has been posted.

PS, you know the line in the song, "To Martinique, that Monserrat mystique?"

I always thought they were saying, "I've got..to make..that motney hari steak."

Figured it was an island dish.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 07/07/2005 09:02 PM EST

I think the Cocktail soundtrack may have been the first tape I ever owned. I know it was the first tape my POS G.E. walkman chewed up and spat out in a tangled mess.

BTW, any chance we'll see those little rubber dome/suction cup poppers in a future cereal prize installment? You'd press the center and a second later it would pop up a couple feet in the air. Those things were made for small children to choke on.

Chestnuts roasted by Jason @ 07/07/2005 09:07 PM EST

The Ghostbuster's II Soundtrack. I couldn't live without that tape but I don't really know why I was attracted to it. I remember writting out all the lyrics.... which I think I even taped to my bedroom wall.

Kokomo was indeed an addictive song. I didn't hunt down the single or beg for the soundtrack... no, I convinced my mom to take me to a Beach Boys concert by insisting it was something our exchange student neighbor needed to experience. Looking back I'm impressed my grade-school self could pull that scheme off.

Chestnuts roasted by Carri @ 07/07/2005 09:11 PM EST

Acually Matt, I remember watching I think either "I Love the 70s" or one of the "I Love the 80s" shows on VH1 and they talked about Mikey, and as you said, he appeared on the show. By the way, great couple of articles.

Chestnuts roasted by Rirse @ 07/07/2005 09:17 PM EST

I too loved Kokomo. However, I didn't know ANYTHING about cocktail at the time, I just liked the song. Other Jr. High musical obsessions: Mr Big's "To Be With You" (why!?) "Don't Worry Be Happy", "Can't Touch This", anything by Paula Abdul, and the first tape I ever bought (dubbed at a thirft store) U2's Joshua Tree

Chestnuts roasted by kb @ 07/07/2005 09:20 PM EST

Rirse: Hah, didn't see that. Should change the joke, but ehhhhh.

KB -- Same on "Don't Worry..." and VERY same on Paula Abdul.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 07/07/2005 09:23 PM EST

The first song I can remember hearing and just going "Oh my God, I must hear that song as much as possible" was Safety Dance by the Men Without Hats.

I remember hearing it in Bio-Dome the first time I watched it and I thought I had hit it big... All I had to do was watch Bio-Dome if I wanted to catch a minute or so of it! Now I have it on cd, and to this day it remains one of my favorite songs.

Chestnuts roasted by Chilipeppers @ 07/07/2005 09:23 PM EST

I had the 45 for Footloose and pretty much wore the grooves off the vinyl! I have no idea why to this day. But, I'd sing and dance to it for hours, over and over. And then there's the infamous Snoopy and the Red Baron! I had the 45 when I was little but have since bought the cd!!! 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or more....

btw, I can't stand Footloose the movie. Just the song.

Chestnuts roasted by faroniousd @ 07/07/2005 09:32 PM EST

Ah, the cassingle. I remember getting "Red Red Wine" by UB40, "Wild Wild West" by The Escape Club and "In Your Room" by The Bangles in my stocking one year.
First full-length album: "The Way It Is" by Bruce Hornsby and The Range. Thanks, mom!

Chestnuts roasted by Commander Awesome @ 07/07/2005 09:43 PM EST

Kokomo and Don't Worry Be Happy were high on my list. Another one was We Will Rock You by Queen. I never even understood what the song meant, but my dad had it on tape, and I'd listed to it over, and over, and over, and over...

Chestnuts roasted by Mr. Mr. Mr. @ 07/07/2005 09:44 PM EST

The first music I was ever into as a kid was Michael Jackson. This was back when he was still a seemingly sane black man, rather than a crazy white woman. My parents bought me a record called "Chipmunks sing Michael Jackson" (No, not Alvin and the Chipmunks..some sort of rip-off), and not knowing who MJ was at the time, I really liked it. My dad bought me the "Thriller" and "Bad" albums, which I constantly listened to.

Chestnuts roasted by The Dragon @ 07/07/2005 09:45 PM EST

Oh, and I almost forgot! Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" was high on my list too! Coldn't get enough of the video! That and Genesis's "Land of Confusion".

Chestnuts roasted by The Dragon @ 07/07/2005 09:51 PM EST

I guess the first music I was really into was also Micheal Jackson. I had Bad and Thriller on tape, and played them all them time.

Also: Sha-na-na, I loved the song Duke of Earl on that tape. The tape was also pink, which, for some unknown reason, seemed to be the coolest color for a tape. I also had a blue CCR tape I played a lot.

Another early musical obsession would be Doctor Demento. I would get to listen to the first hour, and then I had to tape the second hour, since it was past my bedtime. Eventually I got a pair of headphones and listened to it on my little boombox without my mom knowing. I still have tapes somewhere with old Demento shows. I loved "Dead Puppies" "Tae Kwon Leap" "The Ballad of Irving" "Star Trekkin" and it was also the first place I heard Fresh Prince songs. They were awesome, so funny.

So anywho...

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 07/07/2005 09:57 PM EST

Seeing as I grew up in urban Sacramento, I was more into rap. I loved MC Hammer, Kid n' Play (I have vhs tapes of the House Party movies; now make some noize!), Vanilla Ice, and others. I supposedly hated New Kids on the Block, but that was mostly because all of my friends did and I didn't want to get laughed at.

As for Mikey, I saw a little blurb on him from that VH1 special on child stars. I wonder what he does now. Say, wouldn't it be interesting if Matt got an interview or at least a response out of Mikey?

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 07/07/2005 10:19 PM EST

I remember liking to listen to The Monkees when I was in fourth grade,when they made their comeback with MTV showing their old show. They had some good songs,but I just don't think I could listen to any of their '80s comeback stuff today.

Chestnuts roasted by Overlord @ 07/07/2005 10:19 PM EST

For some reason I had an obsession with both Weird Al and movie soundtracks growing up. I was a weird kid.

Chestnuts roasted by cravipat @ 07/07/2005 10:33 PM EST

TO THE BEAT OF THE RHYTHM OF THE NIGHT......El DeBarge!!!!!

Chestnuts roasted by gervinator @ 07/07/2005 10:38 PM EST

Unfortunately Hanson. Yes, I have a penis and girlfriend.

Chestnuts roasted by Warx @ 07/07/2005 11:08 PM EST

Most of the music I listened to as a kid is still being listened to by me today. I grew up in the 80's, and I'm still in love with the music.
However, the stupidest song I can ever imagine liking, let alone hearing, was "Opposites Attract" by Paula Abdul. In 4th grade, that song was the biggest thing. We all listened to it on the bus, oh man the memories are too haunting.
Thank God that one didn't last too long, huh?

Chestnuts roasted by Myke @ 07/07/2005 11:11 PM EST

Myke, don't forget the reason that particular song was so taken to by kids -- essentially, the music video starred Chester Cheetah.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 07/07/2005 11:13 PM EST

ohhh and remember La Bamba...every time i hear that it sounds like the first time...even though it was beat to death on the radio

Chestnuts roasted by gervinator @ 07/07/2005 11:27 PM EST

The first one I remember being obsessed with was 99 luftballons, but the strongest by far - and to this day I have no idea why - was Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas. I wore tape number 16 of the Shell Gold collection out listening to that one.

Chestnuts roasted by Christina @ 07/07/2005 11:31 PM EST

There are SOO many songs that I had weird obsessions with when i was a kid. George Michael's "Faith" ranks up there. So did "Parents Just Dont Understand" by DJ Jazzy Jeff... For some reason I was also all about the George Harrison song "I've Got my Mind Set on You". I used to keep a blank tape in the cassette/radio jobby we had in the hopes of catching it. I'm pretty sure I still have those crappy tapes somewhere. Oh yeah Kokomo was definitely on there. I can still hear Michelle Tanner saying "Kokomo" in whatever episode the Beach Boys showed up in.

Chestnuts roasted by maladjusted @ 07/07/2005 11:33 PM EST

Heh, I am currently in the process of reliving my love of pop radio hits during the mid to late 80's. So far I have billoard's top 100 from 1983-1995. gotta love the internet....

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 07/07/2005 11:33 PM EST

The first tapes i ever wore out were Thriller by Michael Jackson, Billy Joel's Greatest Hits, He's the DJ I'm the Rapper by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. That album had much better songs than Paren't Just Don't Understand...Take for example Nightmare on My Street...Jazzy Jeff samples the Nightmare on Elm Street theme and throws a beat on top of it while Will Smith describes his "totally wack" confrontation with Freddy ( whose voice was reproduced quite accutately by their human beatbox Ready Rock C) and how he was "buggin'out" that night. THe classic part of the song is the end where Will calls up Jeff and warns him not to fall asleep and Jeff ignores him. Right before Jeff hangs up he gets killed by Freddy and you hear Freddy declare "I'M YOUR DJ NOW, PRINCIE!!!! HAW HAW HAWWW HAWWW HAWWWWWWWWWWW!!!" Its kinda freaky in a way. The other kick ass song is Human Video Game where basically Ready Rock C does his imitation of video games such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong and WIll Smoth telling us about how he was addicted to video games or something like that. A must have for people who like cheesy mid eighties pop rap. I actually still have this tape and still works for the most part....ahhhhh memories.

Chestnuts roasted by phunqsauce @ 07/07/2005 11:44 PM EST

Okay, my turn. A Music survey!, I am here to amuse and annoy

I fell in love with Tom Petty's "You Don't Know How It Feels" because I saw the video and I was fascinated with how they had to warp the word 'joint'.

Censorship is wrong kids!

I kept talking about it so much I got the album for my birthday.

It was my first album and I listened to it incessently. I didn't understand any of the lyrics until years later but it is a great album.

Wasn't Keanu in the Rush Rush video?

And yes Squee, I'm with you. Dave was the real talent in the band.

Don't hit me, I'm not trying to start crap!! Foos rule!

Chestnuts roasted by Knegative @ 07/07/2005 11:56 PM EST

Hey Mike... my childhood was dedicated to the Coming Out Of Our Shells cassette the TMNT released. I listened to that every night for the first 10 or so years of my life when I went to bed. I loved it.

Chestnuts roasted by Jon @ 07/08/2005 12:04 AM EST

You know I may sound like a complete total weirdo-but "Kokomo" whenever I hear it-and I hear it a lot at the store I work at-has traditionally brought me bad karma in a bad sort of way-along with this weird depression. Yeah I sound like a fruit cake....I mean I still think it's a good song after all that crap but it still creeps me out.

Chestnuts roasted by Mike The Great @ 07/08/2005 12:14 AM EST

My parents used to have a tape of the Big Chill soundtrack, and I remember I used to listen to "Joy to the World" over and over again for hours. Don't know why.

Chestnuts roasted by Narvi @ 07/08/2005 12:20 AM EST

"That's the fun of working in a record store. Playing crappy pap you don't want to listen to."

Sorry Mike, I couldn't help myself

Chestnuts roasted by Knegative @ 07/08/2005 12:20 AM EST

Milli Vanilli. Fucking hell. I was always trying to figure out which one was Milli and which one was Vanilli.

I can't describe how upset I was when they had to return their Grammy - I always figured that the music was awesome regardless of who actually performed it. I blame it on that damn rain.

Chestnuts roasted by eight-bit @ 07/08/2005 12:49 AM EST

I'm semi-embarrassed to say that I once loved Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" (age 7) and Madonna's "Like A Prayer" (age 4). I can remember liking "Kokomo" as well, especially the Muppet version.

Chestnuts roasted by Dean @ 07/08/2005 01:05 AM EST

oh man. for me it was Lionel Richie's "Dancing on the Ceiling." my mom gave me her old walkman when she got a new one with a radio built in, and she included that one album with it. nonstop rewinding. that, and the theme song single for the St. Elsewhere. i have no idea how i got that.

and great cereal update - but i don't remember figuring out who Mikey was as a kid! i poured over that thing for a week as a kid and cursed the tricky clues. was it the schmuck with the bicycle wheel?

i always wondered, even then, if some idiot circled the black kid.

Chestnuts roasted by evil robot ted @ 07/08/2005 01:08 AM EST

whoops, i said 'as a kid' twice. that never would have happened as a kid.

Chestnuts roasted by evil robot ted @ 07/08/2005 01:11 AM EST

My first music-related memory is singing Bob Marley's "Buffalo Soldier" in the car. I was probably about four. Yes, my mother was that type.

The first CD I ever got (I'm too young to have ever gotten tapes, unless you count The Golden Glow, which I won't even get into) was actually four CDs, I got the first two Beatles anthologies for my birthday. I can't remember the exact age, whatever year those came out.

I didn't discover any other music until I was probably 12, when I found Silverchair, The Offspring, and No Doubt. I weep when I think what deep pits of hell No Doubt and The Offspring fell into in later years...it's still too early to see if Natalie Imbruglia has killed Silverchair, though they're still my all time favorite band of all eternity, bar none.

Does anyone else even know who Silverchair is? So few people (at least in America) do.

Still, none of that is really crappy music, I still like it all. I didn't listen to anything really awful until about age 13 or 14, when I was swept up in the *N Sync craze. No Backstreet Boys, mind you, I was a one boy band gal. That was a dark era...Thankfully I have returned to better music taste. I would like to defend myself and say that I still listened to The Beatles and other *real* music (*N Sync doesn't count so much...) throughout...not like it's an excuse for owning all of their albums (those exclusive to other continents also) and seeing them in concert twice...

I just remembered my brief flirtation with Celine Dion and the Titanic soundtrack at age 12. Bleh.

Chestnuts roasted by Mara @ 07/08/2005 01:23 AM EST

Aruba, Bahmas, come on pretty mama Key largo, Monteago...
Loved that song. Beach boys were always one of my favorites. California girls was also good.
The Pretty Woman soundtrack was another one I really liked. It was one of the few ways I could listen to Prince.

Chestnuts roasted by Missa @ 07/08/2005 02:06 AM EST

Why is the Beach Boys song "Kokomo" from 1988? I thought it was from the early 60's. In fact, I thought all Beach Boys songs were from then, and that they had long retired to live their lives by the time I came into the world. Did they reunite just to make that one record, or what really happened?

Sorry; I'm a caveman when it comes to music education.

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 07/08/2005 02:25 AM EST

Jesus, that was the first song you remember being into? Wow... Well, I'm only a couple years older than you, but now, I feel much older.

First songs for me:
1. Karma Chameleon - Culture Club
2. Wake Me Up (Before You Go Go) - Wham!
3. That's All - Genesis
4. Hurts So Good - John Cougar Mellancamp
5. Jesse's Girl - Rick Springfield

I couldn't go with just 1. I just couldn't! These 5 songs (there are probably a few more) are all lumped together forever in my brain as being played at basically the same time in my life, and I was deeply in love with each of them, so there's no way I could pick one over the other.

Chestnuts roasted by Ryane @ 07/08/2005 02:32 AM EST

I think the first two music videos that really struck a chord with me were that Jesus Jones one-hit wonder song, and "My Mind Is Playing Tricks On Me" by The Geto Boys.

Chestnuts roasted by Review the World @ 07/08/2005 02:36 AM EST

Mars, I found this from songfacts.com ... and searching for this song is where I found songfacts.com!

"This came together when producer Terry Melcher was hired to work on a song with The Beach Boys for the Tom Cruise movie Cocktail. The Beach Boys' best days were behind them, and they had been playing fairs and nostalgia shows. They were one of the most popular bands of the '60s, and had a bunch of songs dealing with recreation and fun, which is why they were asked to record for the movie."

Chestnuts roasted by Ryane @ 07/08/2005 02:43 AM EST

I always thought they were saying "tuh mah te nake that Maserati Steak." That'd be one hell of a steak.

We're definitely coming from the same place. "Kokomo" was a big song among the kids in my nieghborhood, along with "Don't Worry Be Happy" and all of Paula Abdul's stuff. I guess the Beach Boys weaseled out some 80's street cred for a few weeks there. Remember that Fat Boys duet, "Wipeout"? I remember some of the cool (white) kids lip syncing to that in my elementary school music class. I thought to myself "Man, these dudes are way cooler than me, they even listen to music from the streets."

But the two songs that did the biggest number on me? "Red,Red Wine" by UB40 and "Girl, I'm Going to Miss You" by Milli Vanilli. Ah, Romantic Longing: 1988-style. Just enough to make a 9 year-old weep.

Chestnuts roasted by Kris @ 07/08/2005 04:04 AM EST

Prince's "Batman Soundtrack" was the first real album I had. It was closely followed by the Fat Boys "Crushin'" and I listened to both tapes so many times they wore out and died.

Chestnuts roasted by Grey Weirdo @ 07/08/2005 05:53 AM EST

i always thought that he said:
"i've got to make a bunch of rotten steak" i guess enunciation is pretty important.

i remember as a kid i was really into mc hammer and kris kros. i probably still have some tapes somewhere. other than that, i would rock out to the oldies tapes you could get from shell gas stations. mostly the 50's one because it had johnny b goode, which was my favorite song from my favorite movie Back to the Future.

Chestnuts roasted by big jerm @ 07/08/2005 07:15 AM EST

I, too, was completely obsessed with Kokomo. I was the king of NY when my dad brought home the Cocktail soundtrack. Not as a present mind you, but just because I loved the song so much.

I remember loving "Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" - it was the tape my friend and I played in the car if we went to Chuck E. Cheese. Oh yeah, and Tag Team. Yes, Whoop There It Is. No amount of hip music that I now own can cover this up.

Chestnuts roasted by Jeff Mack @ 07/08/2005 08:20 AM EST

It deeply saddens me that most of you on here know nothing of the Beach Boys other than Kokomo. Don't get me wrong, it is a phenominal song, but my God people! You haven't lived until you've listened to the album "Pet Sounds". Buy it. Now.

Aside from my love for the Beach Boys as a child, which all started at my dance recital when I was 4 and did a dance to "California Girls", my first real CD purchase was Madonna's Immaculate Collection. And I never looked back...

Before that, there were the 45's I had: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (which is now my cell phone ring tone), Wild Wild West by the Escape Club, and the Ghostbuster's theme by Ray Parker, Jr.

Chestnuts roasted by bitchpants @ 07/08/2005 08:48 AM EST

Mike the Great...I'm coming for you!!! MWUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!!

Mara, yep...I sure know who Silverchair is.

Wow...I'm starting to feel old all of a sudden! I didn't realize that a lot of the regular visitors here were younger (at least, a little) than me.

Some of the first music I remember listening to... Prince's "Purple Rain" album, MJ's "Thriller" album, Beastie Boys "Licensed to Ill", and of course, all the "Hairspray Bands" of the 80's: Poison, Motley Crue, Bon Jovi, Metallica, G 'n R...

The first cassette I ever owned was either one of those latter, or Richard Marx... I had this huge affinity with his music. Don't go reading much into that, cuz "It Don't Mean Nuthin'."

Oh, and the first CD I purchased? Queensryche "Empire". "Caaaan youuuu hear it coming?"

Chestnuts roasted by bad karma @ 07/08/2005 09:02 AM EST

Wow, lots of Kokomo obsessions here. I guess I liked it at the time.

First tape was that Genesis tape with "Land of Confusion" on it. Got it after seeing the MTV video of all the puppets blowing up and just had to be able to listen to it whenever I wanted.

Stupid music I was into includes Iron Maiden. I don't know how I thought that screeching about obscure metaphors was any good. "The Loneliness of a Long Distance Runner" comes to mind. Blech. They are actually still touring and releasing a new album in August.

Lots of other memmories jogged by other posts here. Paula Abdul, DJ Jazzy Jeff, MC Hammer, Wierd Al et. al.

Chestnuts roasted by Jimbalaya @ 07/08/2005 09:12 AM EST

When I was in junior high school, my obsession was 'Back to the Future' (Yeah, I attended junior high school in the late 90s. So?).
I had the BTTF soundtrack and I played it to the point the tape wore out. My absolute favorite song on the soundtrack was and still is 'Time Bomb Town' by Lindsey Buckingham.
Forget 'Back in Time' and 'The Power of Love'. This song kicked ass. That orgasmic chanting in the song friggin RULED!

I now have the song on my portable MP3 player.

Chestnuts roasted by Ekkostar @ 07/08/2005 09:17 AM EST

Never was a fan of beach music (Jimmy Buffet, etc.). As a young kid, I have to go along with OVERLORD and say the Monkees were big. We even had a Monkees club (not to be confused with the Pee Wee's Playhouse club).
Speaking of BACK TO THE FUTURE, I also had (sigh) Huey Lewis and the News' "SMALL WORLD" album. I am not going to diss him now but why oh why could I not have had one of his earlier (i.e. better) albums?? I guess "I want a new drug" was to racy for my parents.

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 07/08/2005 10:07 AM EST

Matt,

Which one is Mickey in the poster? Is it the Rock and Roll guy on the top? Damn, these riddles.

As for songs, I was somehow obsessed with Solid as a Rock for whatever reason. I would play it on my tape player over and over again until I memorized all the lyrics. I also loved all of Paula Abduls songs. Damn Corey Clark!

Chestnuts roasted by King Chachi @ 07/08/2005 10:08 AM EST

Surprisingly, Kokomo. I thought I was the only one.

Chestnuts roasted by StarfleetCaptainRob @ 07/08/2005 10:11 AM EST

Hah, one of the two first CD's I got was the Beach Boy's "Still Cruising", which had Kokomo on it.

Loved that song.

Chestnuts roasted by Piscez @ 07/08/2005 10:24 AM EST

Yeah which one is he anyways? I do totally remember that campaign. And I had those binoculars, at least for the probably 30 seconds they lasted before falling apart.
As for music, I think I'd have to go with the "Miami Vice" theme. I remember my first three cassettes ever were Miami Vice soundtrack, Bruce Springsteen "Born in the USA," and Phil Collins "No Jacket Required." So come to think of it my first song obsession may have been either "Born in the USA" or "Sussudio" instead, but I think it's the MV theme.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 07/08/2005 10:25 AM EST

And Manimal, if you haven't already, see American Psycho.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 07/08/2005 10:26 AM EST

Matt. It was MC Skat Cat in the Opposites Attract video with Paula Abdul.
I'm sorry. I swear to read THEN post from now on.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 07/08/2005 10:30 AM EST

Well, as a really young kid my musical obsession was Kids Incorporated, which doesn't really count because they just regurgitated other people's music. Still, I played those tapes over and over and pretended I was part of the band. As a young kid with no allowance and no other source of income, pre-recorded music was at a definite premium. My dad loved the Flashdance soundtrack and played it a lot, so I was really into that as well. On the topic of misheard lyrics, I remember singing the words to "Seduce Me Tonight" as "Fruit Juice Me Tonight" and my dad asking my mom whether I should be told the right words. When she said no, I figured they were pretty bad.

However, I remember what a big deal it was on my 10th birthday when my parents took me to the record store (and yes, it was) to pick out any cassette I wanted. It was like the sky opened up and heaven came down. Like any self-respecting girl in 1989, I went right to "G" for Gibson, Debbie. With such a body of work, choosing was difficult, but I ultimately went with Electric Youth. I played it constantly and even have tapes of me singing along with the whole thing. I believe that "Forever Your Girl" came into my life a year later and my loyalties shifted.

When I think of being obsessed with particular songs, I am taken to my moody pre-teen/early teen years when I was all about the melancholy love song. Summer of '92 - Jon Secada's "Just Another Day", Summer of '93 - Toni Braxton's "Another Sad Love Song" (which I taped back to back on one tape so I could listen to it over and over), and the only single I remember buying, Celine Dion's "Where Does My Heart Beat Now" (because my boyfriend and I skated to it.)

Oh, and Ekkostar, my song of choice was Eric Clapton's "Heaven". All the really cool songs in that movie got the shaft when it came to screen time.

Chestnuts roasted by Lori @ 07/08/2005 10:34 AM EST

I just gotta punch in here, J Geils Band, Freeze Prame and Angel is a Centerfold. THose were the first I was into.

Chestnuts roasted by Tom_Slick @ 07/08/2005 11:46 AM EST

On that Find the Mikey poster, I like how they try to make you assume Mikey grew breasts.

Chestnuts roasted by Mr. Mr. Mr. @ 07/08/2005 11:52 AM EST

I have quite a few Dr Demento shows on tape. I have Weird Al tapes and CDs. My tastes range from Motown through Prog Rock, with stops at New Wave, Heavy Metal, Novelty, and Cuc-amunga! But Matt the Mighty asked about the stupid things, though. Even though I have a Stryper tape, which is more of a weapon if you use it right, I can sum up my shining example in two words:

New Monkees

Yeah, I know.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 07/08/2005 11:54 AM EST

Like a lot of you, I was a big fan of Thriller when I was very young. I remember listening to it in my sisters room when I was about 4 or so. But the Kocomo thing reminded me of this sigle I got from K-Mart when I was 10. It was a song called "Spin that Wheel" from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie Soundtrack. I never would have listened to it if the cover didn't have a picture of Raphel and April O'neil on it. That was enough to get me to listen to it over and over again.

Chestnuts roasted by Mr. Wilson @ 07/08/2005 11:54 AM EST

I was very young at the time of Thriller, but having older bros/sisses in the house meant it was on quite a bit -- especially the video. You know the bald, blue monster in it? That guy always scared the piss out of me.

I'm now having flashbacks to Samantha Fox.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt @ 07/08/2005 12:05 PM EST

Weird how music and cereal prizes collide in my life, but the first tape I can remember being obsesive about was the Adventures of Pete and Pete soundtrack that was a send in premium from...Frosted Mini-wheats, I think.

Polaris (the band that played the theme song, other songs, and that inspired little Pete to learn guitar (the power of distortion- outey --> inney)) rocked, and set my course to rebel against my family of Garth Brookes loving zombies.

Any chance you have that tape Matt? And...want to rip some mp3s?

Chestnuts roasted by Mad Cow @ 07/08/2005 12:19 PM EST

Hey- Did anyone but me get "bullfrogs and butterflies" when they were little? I had that on recorde and listened to it not stop from about 4 to 7 years old. It was mostly church songs, but everyone seemed to know them.

Chestnuts roasted by kb @ 07/08/2005 12:25 PM EST

I loved Cyndi Lauper as a little girl. I had a cassette of two of her lesser known singles (I can't remember the names off hand) when I was about 5 or 6. Of course I also loved 'Girls Just Wanna have Fun' and 'Time after Time'. Most kids my age at the time were listening to Raffi!..haha. I also used to sing 'Every Time You Go Away' by Paul Young and 'We Are the World'...that song where a whole bunch of famous artists at the time were part of. 'We Built This City' by Jefferson Starship was also high on my list! I remember rockin' out to it with the other kids in preschool. Music just isn't the same anymore...haha.

Chestnuts roasted by Marzipan @ 07/08/2005 12:34 PM EST

Oh I loved so so many songs when I was really young, both my parent were big into music, so I loved the The Beatles, Queen, Steve Miller, Geneis, Cream, and Eric Clapton.

But the first tapes I ever owned and loved that wasnt something my parents listend to were Bryan Adams, Barenaked Ladies(Canadian can you tell?) and Paul Abdul, I also had 2 or 3 tapes of the Mini Pops and they sang stuff by Wham and Clutre Club and all that kinda stuff. I also loved Kokomo so so so much, and Dont Worry Be Happy by Bobby McFerrin!

I also had a deep love(and still do) for Tarzan Boy by Baltimora b/c it was on the end credits of TMNT 3 sucha bad song but so so so great!

Lets not forget Im Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the waves, I did an online quiz and they told me it was my theme song.

Chestnuts roasted by IHAQ @ 07/08/2005 12:49 PM EST

When i was a kid i was really into some Alf record i got from buger king, i think it came with some stuffed Alf toy?

Do you remember that matt?

Chestnuts roasted by Skeletor @ 07/08/2005 01:10 PM EST

I remember the first tape I bought being Kris Kross' Totally Crossed Out, and then my dad bought me some good music: Corrosion of Conformity's "Deliverance", which I still have (10 years later). The first single I remember liking was Alyannah Myles' "Black Velvet", which still rocks.

Woo!

Chestnuts roasted by James NeuFutur @ 07/08/2005 01:18 PM EST

I'm surprised none of the girls on here have mentioned this yet but the first music I was really into as a kid was Jem and the Holograms. God forbid if I missed a show and didn't get to tape off the song from that episode. I still have a bunch of tapes made by me with the stereo held up to the tv recording it. As for the first "real" music tape I'm sure it was Girls just wanna have fun, Thriller album, Pop Goes the World, something like that. The first 45 I ever had was nightmare on my street (still got it).

Chestnuts roasted by MissKitty @ 07/08/2005 01:21 PM EST

Heh, Kokomo was my first favorite song too. And my first tape I ever bought was the Cocktail soundtrack. ^_-

Chestnuts roasted by Anne Packrat @ 07/08/2005 01:41 PM EST

My first favorite song was "Letter B" from Sesame Street. It was taken straight from the classic "Let Her Be." Afterwards, when I first heard the Beatles' version, I thought THEY ripped it off from Sesame Street!

Chestnuts roasted by M Stowers @ 07/08/2005 02:13 PM EST

The first songs I remember that captured by adolescent mind were: "Let the music play" by Shannon and "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics. I used to listen to the Weekly Top Forty with Kasey Kasem to chart their progress.

I also wore out a cassette of George Michael's Faith.

Chestnuts roasted by Traynor @ 07/08/2005 02:17 PM EST

When I was a kid, it was all about tese two songs:Turtle Power by Partners in Krhyme,and the Ninja Rap by Vanilla Ice.I still have the ninja turtles soundtrack and I still listen to it,no matter how much people ridicule me for it.I also still have Mc Hammer"s album with Can't Touch this .Rap was so cool in the early 90's.Too bad it completely sucks now.

Chestnuts roasted by Suren @ 07/08/2005 02:53 PM EST

Man, these comments bring back so many memories. I remember watching home video's of me dancing in diapers to Phil Collins. "Land of Confusion" fit right in with muppets.

Of course, "Don't Worry, Be happy".

But the song that really gets me as 80's music? I'm embarressed to even say it...

"Stars to Fall"

Chestnuts roasted by jono @ 07/08/2005 03:12 PM EST

@Jono I'm glad someone else remembers Land of Confusion. I haven't heard the song in probably 15 years, but I can still hear it, you know.

@Matt Wow, I somehow totally forgot about Samantha Fox. I can't remember a single song she sang, but I can picture a poster of her my older brother had in his room.

Another good topic. Now I'm going to have to find some of this crap and listen to it.

Chestnuts roasted by Jimbalaya @ 07/08/2005 04:05 PM EST

Samantha Fox: Naughty Girls Need Love Too.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 07/08/2005 04:10 PM EST

The first song I can remember thinking was really cool was "Epic" by Faith No More. "IT'S IT - WHAT IS IT?" Still don't know what the hell that's supposed to mean.

I thought that line in Kokomo was something about steak until you educated me. I thought it was better when it was about steak. DAAAAAMN YOUUUU

Chestnuts roasted by blizack @ 07/08/2005 04:15 PM EST

These songs I remember distinctly:

"It's Hip To Be Square" by Huey Lewis and the News

"Walk Like an Egyptian" by The Bangles

The Miami Vice soundtrack.

I remember thinking that the Miami Vice soundtrack was cooler than it was because it came in one of those cool smoky/clear plastic cassettes. I also wore out my mom's Greatest Hits of The Monkees.

I may be a loser, but I'm truthful.

Chestnuts roasted by Jeremy @ 07/08/2005 04:16 PM EST

Somewhere in my vast Bear Cave/Rat's Nest, I have a couple of photos of Samantha Fox from her British tabloid pinup days. Hubba-Hubba!

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 07/08/2005 04:37 PM EST

I just wanted to say that I have enjoyed visiting your website. I don't know if you received my email or not about information on the Kellogg's Safari Hut or not. However, if you want to see a photocopy of the box advertising it from 1982 or pictures of the Safari Hut that I own please email me back and let me know. My email address is astaria_27017@yahoo.com.
Thank-you.

Chestnuts roasted by Candy @ 07/08/2005 05:18 PM EST

Oh, I just thought about something, I had the Mario Bros. movie soundtrack.

I feel dirty even saying that. Must have repressed the memory of it.

All I can remember from it was Everyone Walk the Dinosaur by Was (Not Was).

But I've always had respect for John Leguizamo since that movie, so I guess it wasn't all for not.

Chestnuts roasted by Knegative @ 07/08/2005 05:40 PM EST

It was "everybody DO the dinosaur," and talk about a song that fell into obscurity--not even my local 80's radio station will play that song. I haven't heard it since 1990.

There are times when I wondered if it had even existed.

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 07/08/2005 05:53 PM EST

I'm about to make everyone feel old, but practically everything mentioned above gets played regularly on VH1 Classic. Great channel that I watch more of then MTV.

Songs for me:
Land of Confusion-Genesis
We Didn't Start the Fire-Billy Joel
Opposites Atract-Paula Abbdul
We need a Hero-Bonnie Tyler
Big Time- Peter Gabriel
Open Your Heart- Madonna at her sexiest
Anything New Kids on the Block
Walk like an Egyption-Bangles
Don't Dream, It's Over- Crowded House
Everybody Wants To Rule the World and Shout- Tears for Fears
Here I Go Again- Whitesnake
Gangstas Paradise- Coolio
Losing my Religion- REM

But the first full-fledge CD I bought? A CD of Muppet songs bought it 2 years ago. It's awesome.

Chestnuts roasted by JLAJRC @ 07/08/2005 05:54 PM EST

the dinosaur song was on that 80's movie with Batman aka Michael Keaton as a guy in a mental house

Chestnuts roasted by kb @ 07/08/2005 06:02 PM EST

The first song I really liked was "Bad to the Bone". Probably one of the least embarrassing things about my childhood. I didn't own any tapes or anything, and I had to wait for it to come on the radio or an episode of Alvin and the Chipmunks (usually the latter).

I think the clues for who Mikey is best fits the guy with the bike tire. I'd like to think that's not him though, because there's tons of far more interesting people on that poster. Ultimately, I'd choose the little girl with the ugly hat just because I can.

(BTW Matt, you misspelled "udder" as "utter" when you were talking about milk)

Chestnuts roasted by RewolfJ @ 07/08/2005 06:07 PM EST

Knegative, I hate to be a nit-picker, but I believe the proper spelling is "all for naught", rather than "all for not." And, just to tie this back to topic, I remember back when i was in, like, 4th grade, totally jamming to Ugly Kid Joe and "I Hate Everything About You" God, what was I thinking?

Chestnuts roasted by Red Menace @ 07/08/2005 06:11 PM EST

Jhnnywalkr, haven't seen AMERICAN PSYCHO yet but I will add it to the Netflix list.
Glad to see TMNT soundtrack getting so much love. I never had it but I had the VHS and still sing that song that was played when we first see Shredder's lair. I always thought those lyrics alone warranted the PG rating.
P.S. just saw FANTASTIC 4. Liked it better than I thought but.....

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 07/08/2005 06:56 PM EST

I've always been curious to know why exactly Matt hated American Psycho so much.
I was way into The Monkees when I was a young teenager, but I still am because they rock.

Chestnuts roasted by squee4242 @ 07/08/2005 07:46 PM EST

Wow!! Kokomo is the earliest song I ever remeber being into also. Now I'm a little younger than you, Matt...don't know how much, but a little bit. I remebered it always being played on the radio though.

Another song I remeber really being into was Mony Mony by Billy Idol. I broke our old VCR when I was a kid playing and replaying that song over and over again.

Chestnuts roasted by The Cause @ 07/08/2005 07:53 PM EST

Man, that TMNT movie soundtrack kicked ass! I wish I still had mine. I still have MC Hammer's "Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em" and still listen to it once in a while. Which is a little odd, since these days you could't pay me to listen to today's rap music. I was a huge fan of Technotronic, too, anyone remember them?

Chestnuts roasted by Destro @ 07/08/2005 08:42 PM EST

My mother was an aerobics instructor who made her own tapes and was a music-a-holic anyway, so I've been listening to "adult" music for as long as I can remember. My sisters and I spent hours dancing to my parents' record collection, mostly of kids' records and classic rock.

The kids' stuff was something else. Amid the short versions of Disney movies and cartoons were two colorful Raggedy Ann records. One was a reletively straightforward Christmas album about the dolls' holiday party that I listened to year-round.

On the surface, the other record was the story of a rainy day that eventually got nice enough for Ann, Andy, and their buddies to go on a picnic. The thin framework was merely a hook on which to hang perky, weird songs that, with the exception of a bland theme tune and Ann and Andy's catchy "Brother Come and Dance With Me," had nothing whatsoever to do with rain and outdoor meals. Mom preserved most of the songs from this record on a cassette (though not the dialogue - probably no great loss), and we listened to it long after the record wore out.

Other records that influenced my childhood included...

Billy Joel, "An Innocent Man" and "52nd Street"
A Paul McCartney solo album whose title escapes me now (Mom was a huge Beatles fan and still followed their solo careers)
Lionel Ritchie, "All Night Long"
Michael Jackson, "Thriller" (no respectable mid-80s household was without it)
Huey Lewis and the News, "Sports" and "Fore!"
Donna Summer, "Bad Girls" (That was Daddy's - Mom hated disco, but we loved that song)
Phil Collins, "Sueidio"
Bruce Springsteen, "Greetings from Asbury Park" and "Born in the USA"
The soundtrack to "Eddie and the Cruisers"

Note Bruce Springsteen and "Eddie and the Cruisers"; those two and Billy Joel were seminal in my childhood, as they were "local." "Eddie and the Cruisers" had been filmed in the South Jersey area, and Springsteen and Joel sung about the things we were familiar with - the life of fishermen, summer on the boardwalk, the men who performed ditties on pianos for pennies in local bars, talking about "the old days" with your buddies in the back rooms.

By the late 80s, we mostly listened to the big pop music. I couldn't afford to buy my own cassettes until well into my teens (by which time my interest had turned to jazz and showtunes), but my sisters used their babysitting money to buy Kriss Kross, Milli Vanilli, Tiffany, the Bangles, Bananarama, the Party, and, above all, Debbie Gibson. Those two were nuts about her. They had books about her, posters with her on it, the sheet music to her songs, and even that hat she always wore and the "Electric Youth" perfume. Mom contributed Paula Abdul, Madonna, the Kinks, and the soundtracks to "Cocktail" and "Dirty Dancing."

I got my own cassettes for the first time on my 11th birthday; they were that "Still Cruisin'" album with "Kokomo" (I also like another movie song from that cassette, "Make It Big" and Wilson Phillips. Wilson Phillips are long gone, but I'm hoping to replace the Beach Boys, as the tape is finally wearing out.

I remember the Jem and the Holograms cassettes very well. I listened to them all the time on my little sister's Jem tape player/playset stage. I'd get bored and set up all the dolls we had like they were actually playing the music. I was a very unpopular and very lonely kid, and doing stuff like this helped to pass the time. We had one for the Rose Petal Place sets, too. I don't remember how we got it, but I think I can still sing at least one of the songs.

Incidentally, I bought my little brother the soundtrack for the first TMNT movie from a toy collection expo at the Convention Center two years ago. He's a huge fan of all three movies and still has the CD...though I'm not sure he knows that it's older than his 12 years...

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 07/08/2005 08:56 PM EST

I'm also a big Monkees fan, Squee, thanks to a girlfriend who obsessively collects Monkees stuff; yes, they do still rock, and their show is still a blast 30 years later.

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 07/08/2005 08:59 PM EST

destro-
Pump The Jam? Yes! everyone of my 11 and 12 year old friends seemed to know that by heart.

Chestnuts roasted by kb @ 07/08/2005 09:10 PM EST

The Addams Groove by MC Hammer.

Chestnuts roasted by Paul @ 07/08/2005 09:27 PM EST

I remember performing Kokomo with my girl scout troup at some sort of international fair. I think everyone was there to represent a country, and our troop got stuck with Fiji, and we made some sort of banana treaty thing and got stage fright before performing. Everyone was really excited about their parts, and then they forgot them, but I got to hold up my favorite parrot glass for the line about "tropical drinks melting in your hand."

Probably not much time after that, I got really into "Bohemian Rhapsody" and listened to it over and over again, enough times to make me freak out and have nightmares, even though I didn't really understand it.

Chestnuts roasted by Shia @ 07/08/2005 10:53 PM EST

Didn't mean to get snappy. But I knew I was right

It's odd, but cdnow has George Clinton as doing the version on the soundtrack.

Hey, I did not remember Tie Your Mother Down being on there. Now I kinda wish I could find it.

The Foos did an awesome version of the song with Queen.

Chestnuts roasted by Knegative @ 07/09/2005 01:14 AM EST

Damn, that's so strange. Kokomo is like one of the first if not THEE first song I remember learning some of the lyrics to and humming the tune in my head at all times when I was little. I too was amazed by seeing Jesse and the Beach Boys playing together.

I just got back from California recently (as I told you in my e-mail) and my gf's friend was singing "Wish they all could be California girllss" at this Hawaiian restaurant we went to. It made me start humming Kokomo in my head again while we were there.

God bless those songs.

Chestnuts roasted by Matt(#2?) @ 07/09/2005 01:41 AM EST

Who sung THIS one?

"Bad, bad, bad, bad boys, you make me feel so good."

My mother really hated it whenever it came on the radio...she was probably afraid I would ask what was going on in it. I do have to wonder how it got on a family station to begin with.

Chestnuts roasted by Mars @ 07/09/2005 01:55 AM EST

I'd have to say Jump by Van Halen, (even though I denied it later on for some time) and The Transformers Movie soundtrack. You know, with the song, Touch by Stan Bush.

Chestnuts roasted by Heathtown @ 07/09/2005 02:00 AM EST

I really didn't listen to a lot music when I was a kid. I lsitened to thos Disney's Childrens favorites. But when I was 3 I was really into La Bamba. I use to make my cousin play it at the local Round Table.

I didn't really get into music unitl I was about 8. I got into Rap and Slow Jamz. I was obessed with Kriss Kross and En Vogue. and I use to act like I was from "the hood". And my mom got me into Blondie, which I don't consider "bad" music. In like 1995 I was really into the Friends theme "I'll be there for you" and I even bought the first soundtrack. And for a while I was really into female rock like Leah Andreanione and Sheryl Crow. For some reason in 2001 I bought a Vatamin C single. What was I thinking! :0

Chestnuts roasted by pikachulover @ 07/09/2005 02:11 AM EST

Oh, another Samantha Fox song (which I think was more famous in the US than the previously mentioned track) was "Touch Me".

Chestnuts roasted by James NeuFutur @ 07/09/2005 02:42 AM EST

My sister and her friends always sang the lyrics to Kokomo as "a rotten stink." For most of my life I thought those were the lyrics.

Chestnuts roasted by springsprite @ 07/09/2005 07:44 AM EST

MARS-Miami Sound Machine

Chestnuts roasted by The Manimal @ 07/09/2005 11:31 AM EST

Saw the Fantastic Four movie last night. Only two real complaints. Johnny was too much of a butthead. And, they screwed up Dr. Doom. Otherwise, it was all right. Stan was there too. I always thought the Beach Boys could have done better than Kokomo.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 07/09/2005 11:41 AM EST

One of the first songs I remember wanted desperately as a kid was Oh Yeah from Yellow. I saw it on Ferris Bueller and couldn't get enough of it!

I also really loved Weird Al as a kid and absolutely wore out my Beastie Boys Licensed to Ill tape. Gooooood times.

Chestnuts roasted by SonofStimpy @ 07/09/2005 04:58 PM EST

I don't remember the first songs I was into, but I will tell you about the very first CD i ever bought (and still listen to):

Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits

it was released sometime around 1995 and that's probably when I bought it. It has 19 different songs from classic saturday morning shows, but covered by 90's bands

they were:

1) The Tra La La Song (The Banan Splits theme) by Liz Phair with Material Issue
2) the Speed Racer theme by Sponge
3) Sugar Sugar (from The Archie Show) by Mary Lou Lord w/ Semisonic
4) the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? theme by Matthew Sweet
5) the Josie & The Pussycats theme by Juilana Hatfield & Tanya Donelly
6) The Bugaloos theme by Collective Soul
7) the Underdog theme by The Butthole Surfers
8 ) the Gigantor theme by Helmet
9) the classic 60's Spiderman theme by The Ramones
10) Jonny Quest/Stop That Pigeon (the Dastardly & Muttley In Their Flying Machines theme) by Reverend Horton Heat
11) Open Up Your Heart and Let The Sun Shine In (from the Flintstones) by Frente!
12) Eep Opp Ork Ah-Ah (from The Jetsons) by Violent Femmes
13) Fat Albert theme by Dig
14) I'm Popeye The Sailor Man by face to face
15) Friends/Sigmund & The Seamonsters theme by Tripping Daisy
16) Goolie Get Together (from the Groovie Goolies) by Toadies
17) the Hong Kong Phooey theme by Sublime
18 ) the H.R. Pufnstuf theme by The Murmurs
19) Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy (from Ren & Stimpy) by Wax

to me, the best songs are tracks 1, 2, 6-10, 12 and 16. The worst ones are proably tracks 13 and 19. To those, I'd prefer to the originals (preferrably Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy)

I haven't been able to stop listenting to the album for the last year or so now.

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 07/09/2005 05:49 PM EST

I live on Kokomo St. so I have the pleasure of the song playing in my head for hours on end everytime I pull onto my street, or get my mail, or tell someone where I live. The more I try to avoid thinking about it, the more it plays... It's...slowly...driving...me...insane...

Chestnuts roasted by JoeyJoeJoeJammyJam @ 07/09/2005 07:07 PM EST

MARS-- Inner Circle sang Bad Boys, maybe Miama Sound Machine did too but Inner Circle did the version used for the Cops theme

I was definitly into the Beach Boys as a kid, they were the first concert I ever went to. It was a Jones Beach, I was maybe 12 and I loved it.
I think my all time favorite as a kid was Vanilla Ice though. I got his album on cassette when I was 6 or 7. The lyrics were in the insert. I definitly rapped along to every song and am proud to say I still know all the words, haha

Chestnuts roasted by Hot Pocket @ 07/09/2005 07:08 PM EST

Sorry to double-post, but..

Invader Norbert-- I have that CD too! I haven't listened to it in years! I remember I ordered it off of BMG or something. I was disappointed when I listened to it and it wasn't the originals, but after I got over it, I really liked the Josie and the Pussycats theme.

Chestnuts roasted by Hot Pocket @ 07/09/2005 07:12 PM EST

Matt, sorry about the long link that screwed up the blog for AOL users (me included).

I guess most people would consider the Josie and the Pussycats soundtrack as stupid, but its easily one of my top 10 albums of all time.

On a related note, Letters to Cleo rule!

Chestnuts roasted by Knegative @ 07/09/2005 07:14 PM EST

My first musical memory is kinda' tied into the first toy I remember getting too. I was with my dad in some department store in Glasgow, the day after becoming aware of he man from my neighbour and becoming instantly besotted. I came away with Prince Adam, which I was thrilled with, even if he was a bit...pink. As we were standing in line to pay, I heard "Last Christmas" by Wham over the speakers, and I thought it was just the prettiest thing...I still do think it's a great wee song, I covered it with my band last xmas.

As a side note, I'm OBSESSED with The Beach Boys. I don't think there's a more consistent body of music anywhere else in pop than what they produced between '63 and '72.

Chestnuts roasted by casiokid66 @ 07/09/2005 07:26 PM EST

Starwenn- The Kinks, they are one of my top fav bands right now, when I was young I loved Come Dancing(still do its my favorite song!), I remember whenever it came on the radio my parentes would crank it up for me.

While were on the subject of music, I saw in another blog someone talking about Our Lady Peace (I believe it was Knegative?) anyway I was just wondering how big they are in the states or anywhere else around the world, I thought they were still more of a Canadian thing, Im not into them so much anyomre but back in 94 till like 98 or so I was in love!

Chestnuts roasted by IHAQ @ 07/09/2005 07:38 PM EST

I remember being hooked on Lionel Richie's song about partying all night long (can't remember the title). Yeah, that rocked.

Chestnuts roasted by Jordan @ 07/09/2005 11:59 PM EST

I don't know what was wrong with me, but the first cassette I owned was "Sadeness Part I" by, yes, Enigma.

Speaking of Kokomo lyrics, listen to the song by DaVinci's Notebook to the tune of Kokomo, which is called "Camel Toe."

I haven't heard Kokomo the same way since.

Chestnuts roasted by Jay Nickola @ 07/10/2005 12:07 AM EST

It's been mentioned a couple of times here (buried beneath the music survey), but Mikey was the guy with the bike tire. Unfortunately, I'm a bit older than many people here and I remember it very well. (I grew up being told I looked 'just like that Mikey kid').

And not to be too nit-picky, but Mars - the Was Not Was tune is actually Everybody WALK the Dinosaur...

First music ever purchased on my own: "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant

Chestnuts roasted by Seawoolf @ 07/10/2005 01:24 AM EST

I think that the strangest music I was ever into was Pac-Man Fever. It was also the first album I ever bought when it came out in '81. I used to listen to that thing constantly. It amazes me that Jerry Garcia would do an entire album about arcade games.

Chestnuts roasted by Dragonfire @ 07/10/2005 10:35 AM EST

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK.....Step by Step was my first tape, along with the TMNT soundtrack

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 07/10/2005 11:08 AM EST

I was never that fond of "Kokomo," especially since I had to sing it in showchoir. I'm actually kind of surprised that no other girls have mentioned this, but my first musical memories are of Duran Duran. My older sisters were OBSESSED, and by age 3 I could sing every single one of thier songs, and I cried when the band broke up to form Arcadia and Power Station. My sisters also turned me on to Pet Shop Boys, ABC, and Tears For Fears. I loved old school DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, especially Nightmare on My Street. I also loved Wierd Al, in fact Wierd Al in 3-D was the first tape I ever bought. Other firsts were the "Dirty Dancing" and "Young Guns 2" soundtracks, both of which were birthday gifts when I was 12.

I noticed a few other people commented on "Thriller." That was easily the scariest thing I ever saw as a kid. The end part with Vincent Price laughing was the worst...that man was terrifying!

Starwenn, I thought I was the only person who remembered Rose Petal...thanks for letting me know I'm not crazy.

Chestnuts roasted by Kieran Alexis @ 07/11/2005 01:27 AM EST

I'm fresh out of 1980, and the Cocktail soundtrack was the first tape I ever bought. My friends and I made up a dance to the "Hippy Hippy Shake" and dressed up like..well...hippies and performed it for the school. I also really got a kick out of "Oh I Love You So"...I guess I guess I guess you know!

Also a big fan of Paula Abdul's "Shut Up And Dance" tape I got at a fleamarket for my 10th birthday along with a pair of neon bike shorts and a New Kids t-shirt.
Fuckin'A!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Kristal @ 07/11/2005 03:34 PM EST

I have little shame in saying as a yuut, I listened incessantly to Walk Like an Egyptian by the Bangles (which still graces my ipod to this day, and abracadabra by whoever the hell sung that.
*sings*
"abra abra cadabra,
I wanna reach out and grab ya!
abra abra cadabra,
abracadabra"

Pure genius.

Chestnuts roasted by King Peter @ 07/11/2005 11:48 PM EST

Abracadabra was sung by Steve Miller. The first song I can think of really liking was the B-52's 'Love Shack.'

It's hard to think about 'Kokomo' without singing the Bob and Tom Band's 'Camel Toe,' a parody of that song. One of the best songs from the show though.

Chestnuts roasted by mjf7583 @ 07/12/2005 05:20 PM EST

I was in love with Davy Jones from the Monkees in the 80s. My mom still had her old albums from the 60s too! Mom also had WHAM!, Hall and Oates, and the We Are the World tapes in our 85 minivan.

I never liked Kokomo though. I grew up in Indiana. There is a town called Kokomo in Indiana 40-50 miles north of Indianapolis. I couldn't understand why the Beach Boys were singing about some craphole town in central Indiana. It sure as hell wasn't tropical!!!

Chestnuts roasted by Queej @ 07/13/2005 10:33 AM EST

"Eye of the Tiger" Baby. Eye of the Freakin Tiger.

Chestnuts roasted by aneeda-fajita @ 07/13/2005 01:46 PM EST

Ah! So it was the one with the bike tire. Looking back at the clues, well, it's pretty obvious I guess. Thanks Seawoolf (and whoever else might have mentioned it in this thread but I didn't read). I remember the contest too, but couldn't remember the result. It was a HUGE deal, at least to us kids.

Chestnuts roasted by jhnnywalkr @ 07/13/2005 04:35 PM EST

You're welcome, Kieran. I still remember the songs on the "Rose Petal" cassette we had. I don't remember how we got the cassette. It might have come with one of the books, as I don't think they came with the dolls. (We only had one, Dafodil.)

I actually did a little research on the "Rose Petal" place toys online and found out they were supposed to have released a second line of dolls and playsets, but the line's early success flared out amid a glut of similar cute girls' toys in the mid-80s. Kenner ended their production in 1985. The second wave of Rose Petal dolls were never released, and the prototypes are supposedly collectables now.

It's a shame the line didn't last longer. I bought some of the picture books for less than a dollar on Amazon.com and found myself enjoying them. Though sometimes too sweet for it's own good, the characters were somewhat more sophisticated than those of the similar "Strawberry Shortcake," and the two specials made around the line were in the same exciting and slightly odd mode of the original "My Little Pony" hour-long extravaganzas.

Chestnuts roasted by starwenn @ 07/14/2005 08:10 PM EST

The first tape (other than kid song tapes or books on tape) I owned was "Air Supply's Greatest Hits." I listened to that tape all the time until my dad got sick of hearing it. He eventually took it away and made me a real tape of songs from artists such as Bon Jovi and Aerosmith from his CD collection (which was a big deal back in 1987. Eventually, I found a Beach Boys tape at a yard sale along with a cheap little walkman cassette player. I listened to this tape a LOT. Eventually, I was out walking with my Beach Boys tape and ran into some people from school. He asked what I was listening to. I told him. I was made fun of mercilessly the whole summer.

Chestnuts roasted by Tom @ 07/14/2005 11:30 PM EST

I had a tape by Corey Hart with Sunglasses at Night on it. I snuck into the tecaher supply room at my school and made copies on the tape duplicating machine. I then sold them to my grade 6 class at $1.00 each -- until the teacher found out. Had to stay after-school for 2 weeks for that.

Chestnuts roasted by revcc @ 07/15/2005 09:38 AM EST

Ah, memories. I had Daffodil and Rose herself, but I never got to see the show or read any of the books. I'm going to have to track those down, especially if the show was similar to the "My Little Pony" shows. Thanks for the info, Starwenn.

Chestnuts roasted by Kieran Alexis @ 07/15/2005 10:47 AM EST

I remember the first album I was into.. the soundtrack for the film 'Im gonna get you sucka'.

"Im gonna get you sucka.. you dirty mother 'DONT YOU SAY THAT!'"

You can imagine how depressed I was when told I was not allowed to watch the film because it was 'vulgar'

Chestnuts roasted by tomato paste @ 07/16/2005 05:42 PM EST

This is hilarious--the "Cocktail" soundtrack was one of the first albums I remember being "into" as a kid. We gotta be pretty close to the same age, man.

The first song I ever intentionally went to the store and bought was Europe's "The Final Countdown." Space travel, grandiose fanfare--what kid couldn't rock on with that? Yeah, I was about five or six. They were still selling singles on VINYL at that time, and I got a little 45 of it at the local Kmart.

Chestnuts roasted by Pfilip of Everywhere @ 07/16/2005 06:39 PM EST

My first music obsessions were Debbie Gibson (I was all about 'Electric Youth' - even had the short lived perfume) and Janet 'Nipples' Jackson. I swear, I wore out the Rhythm Nation cassette. I played it and played it and played it - but only on the second side. I didn't like the first one, for some stupid reason, so I just kept rewinding and replaying the second side. Finally, it died in the middle of 'Lonely'. Thank God for thrift shops though - I found another cassette and promptly smacked down a whole quarter for it!

My other embarrassing music obsession was Whitney Houston, in the Bodyguard era. I begged and begged and begged for that tape and I finally got it from my uncle for Christmas. I think I played it till it died (just on the Whitney side) too.

Wow, nostalgia.

Chestnuts roasted by ladymacbex @ 07/17/2005 08:39 AM EST

Rick Springfield. *hangs head in shame*

Miami Sound Machine did the "Bad Boys" you wrote the lyrics to, MARS. That was before they were Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine.

Also really liked Billy Joel.

Chestnuts roasted by Aimee @ 07/20/2005 12:36 AM EST

i was born in 79, but the first songs i remember were from 1981. one of the first ones i remember is "lost in love" by air supply. i'm totally in love with 80s music. i never cared for kokomo. music in the late 80s was definately not the same as it was in the early-mid 80s. though there were some good songs. my first tapes were bobby brown "don't be cruel" lp and paula abdul "forever your girl". argh

Chestnuts roasted by mattg @ 07/20/2005 04:28 PM EST