The other night, reminders of 1986 came flying out of no where at me. It first started when I was listening to some Elvis Costello, and the song I Want You played. Then later, I was scanning the channels and came across Top Gun. I knew it was a sign that 1986 had to be looked at. Ok, maybe not a sign, but at least an idea. So here it is, a look at 1986, in both music and life.
So, the first song on the list is, of course the song that started it, I Want You. This is maybe Elvis at his most brilliant, and considering the incredible brilliance of his music, that’s saying something. But the song pretty sums up what 1986 was for my life. The pain of my life, of loosing my wife, the divorce, loosing pretty much everything I had. Elvis pretty much got it spot on in the song. The thing I didn’t know at the time is that I had hit the bottom, and I’ve had a pretty damn good 22 years since.
Now, Top Gun is another story. It came out in 1986, the same year I joined the Navy. Now, it was NOT the reason I joined…the divorce mentioned above is the reason. In fact, I didn’t even see the damn movie until 1987, when I saw it at a dollar movie theater in san Diego. The irony is that I went to boot camp with a bunch of guys who actually joined based on that movie. Thrust me though…I was stationed on an aircraft carrier, and that movie isn’t anything like real life. I just cannot fathom someone watching that movie and being dumb enough to actually want to join the Navy. Just crazy. It’s like watching Generation Kill and deciding to join the Marines! Enjoy!
4 responses so far ↓
1 Larry // Aug 17, 2008 at 10:47 am
Great list sir…the only thing I’d add for myself would be Lift’s What You Make It by Talk Talk…as this was the year I graduated from college (yeah, I kn0w. now I’m carbon-dating myself) that particular song loomed large.
2 Infonistacrat // Aug 17, 2008 at 12:05 pm
@Larry:
1986 was the year I should have graduated from college myself, if I hadn’t dropped out a couple years earlier. I finally did graduate in 1993 though, so all turned out well, I suppose. Thanks for the comment!
3 Robert Lindsey // Aug 18, 2008 at 10:59 am
Holy cow! I can barely listen to this list. It’s bringing up all kinds of emotions but I don’t really know why or where they come from. I thought Falco was from earlier, and some of these were from later. I don’t really know.
Robert Lindsey’s last blog post..Big Willie Says Buy American!
4 Infonistacrat // Aug 18, 2008 at 1:39 pm
@Robert Lindsey:
They might be from earlier or later…I actually got them off a list I found of the top hits from 1986. Like all things on the internet, I guess my mileage will vary.
Leave a Comment