Saturday, April 18, 2015

Musical Memories - Pete & Barbie


My theme is Musical Memories:  The Memories that music brings rushing back.

Pete and I.  Me and Pete.  Barbie and Petey Pete.  Toasted and doomed to failure by many when we first hitched up. Then surprising and shocking the naysayers by weathering life's storms together for over thirty years.  One of us yearning to kill the other one minute, then rushing to their side to support them or protect them from outside forces the next. 

I swear straight out, Pete brings out both the best and the worst in me.  And I am willing to concede that I probably do the same for him. 

For most of our lives together, he did what it seemed he wanted and I did what I thought I should.  Now days it seems he does what he can and I try to do what I should. Sometimes he just can't do enough, and I'm learning more and more every day that neither can I.
  
And in this yen and yang, I identify with all the songs that were written for us.  About us.  Or at least it seems that way when you listen to them.

Mickey Gilley and "You've Really Got a Hold on Me."  We'd sing along with it when we were dating:
  
"I don't like you but I love you
Seems that I'm always thinking of you
Oh, oh, oh, you treat me badly
I love you madly

You really got a hold on me
(You really got a hold on me)
You really got a hold on me
(You really got a hold on me)

Baby, I don't want you but I need you
Don't want to kiss you but I need to
Oh, oh, oh, you do me wrong now
My love is strong now"


Then there were oodles of nights and jeep rides when we'd sing along at the top of our lungs to one another, Hank William's:


And there has been many a day I've listened to Phil Collins singing "That's All" and thinking I know exactly what he's talking about.  
"Why does it always seem to be

Me lookin' at you, you lookin' at me
Its always the same its just a shame that's all
Turnin' me on, turnin' me off
Makin' me feel like I want too much
Livin' with you is justa puttin' me through it all of the time

Truth is I love you, more then I wanted to
There's no point in trying to pretend
There's been no one who makes me feel like you do
Say we'll be together til the end"

But over and above all else there is Orleans with "Still The One".  It captures and embodies the best of us.  Why it is, after all these years it is still Pete and Barbie against the world.


"We've been together since way back when
Sometimes I never want to see you again
But I want you to know
After all these years
You're still the one
I want whisperin' in my ear

You're still the one
I want to talk to in bed
Still the one
That turns my head
We're still having fun
And you're still the one

I looked at your face every day
But I never saw it 'til I went away
When winter came
I just wanted to go (wanted to go)
Deep in the desert
our love started to grow

You're still the one
That makes me laugh
Still the one
That's my better half
We're still having fun
And you're still the one
You're still the one
That makes me strong
Still the one
I want to take along
We're still having fun
And you're still the one (yes you are)

[Musical Interlude]

Changing, our love is going gold
Even though we grow old, it grows new

You're still the one
That I love to touch
Still the one
And I can't get enough
We're still having fun
And you're still the one

You're still the one
Who can scratch my itch
Still the one
And I wouldn't switch
We're still having fun
And you're still the one
You are still the one
That makes me shout
Still the one
That I dream about
We're still having fun
And you're still the one

You're still the one
Yeah, still the one
We're still having fun
And you're still the one"


What song/songs personify you and your spouse's relationship?

Are they Still the One?  Would you do it all over again?






    



48 comments:

  1. I like this. It's so true...the memories of music take us right back. I've already decided to use music as my theme "next year"...But first I have to get through this year's challenge! LOL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We are over the hump and on the downhill slant, so there's no stopping us now! :)

      Delete
  2. The Hubzam refuses to have a serious song that is "ours." But he used to always say "Baby,Baby" by Amy Grant was his song for me.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Jeff gave me a tape within 3 weeks of us getting together with Some Kind of Wonderful by The Drifters and told me the words said what he felt :) We've been together 25 years and I've added two songs to 'our tune' 'I have loved you for a thousand years' by Christina Perri and 'I won't give up' by Jason M'Raz, both because of the lyrics :) x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How sweet! I adore that song and have it on my playlist, along with the Some Kind of Wonderful version by Grand Funk Railroad. Once when Pete and I were going through a particularly rocky patch, I made him a whole cassette tape of songs that each said something that spoke to our relationship. He played it till it wore out.

      Delete
  4. I love that song from Shania Twain. It was and still is my favorite. It used to be for me and my ex-husband and we still talk alot but we have both moved on and remarried. We have known each other since 8th grade and we have children together. We were better together before we got married and our marriage wasn't all that bad but everytime I hear this song I think of him.

    Thanks for sharing and bringing back memories.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, if a marriage has to end, better that it end with everyone still getting along. I thought the little graphic they made of that verse was beautiful!

      Delete
  5. Birds of a feather who found each other through love. It is very touching.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I can't imagine what life would be like without my husband. He is my best friend. We will celebrate our 28th anniversary in June. We love music, too. There are so many songs. There was one song that we both loved, and my husband identified with the words in a special way. He played the notes from parts of it and recorded it, so it could be played while we walked back down the aisle together after they pronounced us husband and wife.

    It was "I Love you" by The Climax Blues Band.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Honestly, sometimes I get so exasperated by something and find myself thinking "If it were only me then I could do it this way." And then I freeze and shudder and thank the Lord we are both still here. And may it be that way for at least another 30 years.

      Delete
  7. That's great that you and your hubby have stuck together 30 years. It's not always easy, is it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, it's not easy. Sometimes it's downright work! But it is a worthwhile work. All the common history between the two of you, all the things no one else could really know about you or understand.

      Delete
  8. How sweet. You've got so many songs together. (No songs for me. I'm perpetually single.)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, well, one never knows when that may change. I had sworn to just go out and have fun and not get serious about anyone. Then it snuck up on me.

      Delete
  9. You've made it over thirty years - no matter what, that is really awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  10. My wife and I got married out of high school. People said that we were doomed to fail. Well, we've been together for 43 years as of July 1st. We are more in love with each other now than when we married in 1972. Two songs that reflect our life together "Colour My World" by Chicago; and "Look at Us" by Vince Gill. Thanks for visiting my blog page and leaving a comment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's great! And good songs, too. Drop by Caneyhead any time.

      Delete
  11. We have such different tastes in music, finding one song is next to impossible, though we keep trying.I figure we will keep looking and keep the music fresh. Love the post and the music!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I was familiar with your previous post but this one was new to me.
    #Blogging from A-Z 2015 this year two themes Movies and What’s in a name
    4covert2overt ~ A PLACE IN THE SPOTLIGHT http://4covert2overt.blogspot.com/
    DEFINING WAYS http://mariacatalinaegan.com/
    ⋱ ⋮ ⋰.,;***;,.⋱ ⋮ ⋰
    ⋯¤♥¤⋯.(^_^)⋯¤♥¤⋯
    ⋰ ⋮ ⋱..._/l\_...⋰ ⋮ ⋱
    ♫ ƤҼƌҪҼ ƌƝƊ ĻƠṼҼ ॐ βԼƐֆֆїɳɠֆ ƌƝƊ βԼїֆֆ ♫

    ReplyDelete
  13. Very beautifully written! :) And I like the song lyrics. I feel like there is a song out there for every type of relationship...

    @TarkabarkaHolgy from
    Multicolored Diary - Epics from A to Z
    MopDog - 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary

    ReplyDelete
  14. "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" is a good song.

    I don't know the song by Orleans, but I love "You're Still The One" by Shania Twain, which is what I immediately thought of when I read that song title.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, that's sweet Chrys! There are other songs that make me think of me and Pete, too! But the day I actually wrote this entry, he had been being all snarky with me and my mind went to the ones that that cover all the mixed emotions of a relationship. Then I saw the graphic for Shania's song and just had to include it. LOL I've never been any good at staying mad at that man!!

      Delete
  15. I love all of the songs you listed, they will be stuck in my head all day and that is okay. My husband and I will be celebrating our 8th anniversary this June. Our song is Wave on Wave by Pat Green. We still listen to it all the time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, that's a good one! My son introduced me to that song. Eight years! Y'all are off to a good start!

      Delete
  16. What a great post. I love the way that you strung together these songs which are perfect for describing the fluctuating feelings in relationships. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Tracy, as I told Chrys in a comment above, I had planned on using some of the sweeter songs that I Identify with me and Pete, but he had been being Snarky to me at the time I wrote it, so I went with the ones that cover the full range of emotions a relationship takes you through.

      Delete
  17. Wow...what a trip down musical memory lane. Awesome!!! Congratulations to you guys..ya'll are Still The One's! We watched 'Jersey Boys' last night....that was also a trip down memory lane...and we were outta our recliners dancing to Sheeeerrry...Sherry Baby! Yep, going on 50 years and we are 'Still The One's ", too. Great post, Barbara.
    Congratulations for making it through the end of the third week. I am visiting from Co-Host AJ Lauer’s Team.
    Sue at CollectInTexas Gal
    AtoZ 2015 Challenge
    Minion for AJ's wHooligans

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. OH, fifty years Sue!! That is wonderful! Good to know y'all still dance together. That's lovely. I just hope me and Pete can live into our 80's to make it to 50 years.

      Delete
  18. so many songs that can pierce the heart. I like your Pete and Barbie forever.
    For Ray and me, "Peaceful Easy Feeling" by the Eagles. I'm late to comment due to busy weekend but look forward to next week. Hmm - what shall Q be?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've got to say, that song wouldn't pop in my head as a couples song, but I like it!!! That's nice. Don't know if that would ever be how to describe me and Pete. But it's nice!

      Delete
  19. Bravo - your blog sums up relationships soo well - I still don;t know where Caneyhead is tho..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Caneyhead is a old community in S.E.Texas. Thanks for your kind words!

      Delete
  20. I remember that Phil Collins song! And I know I've heard "Still The One" more than a few times...and that pic at the bottom is Shania Twain's "You're Still The One" right? There's another more recent song I could add to that theme ...Paramore's "Still Into You"

    I was a huge Paramore fan a few years ago but they're too 'pop' now and I'm not still into them anymore... but it's great to hear that you and Pete are still going strong! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't heard the Paramore song. Will have to check it out on Spotify. Yes, the graphic has lines from Shania Twain's song. Thanks for the sweet thought!

      Delete
  21. More than 30 years...wow! Congratuations to you two. The husband and I have been together for just about a decade, but we've only been married for 1 1/2. The song mentioned by Chris...Paramore's "Still Into You" was actually one of the songs we played at our wedding. It suits us perfectly. Thank you so much for visiting me! I'm glad to have been able to find you in the A to Z! Elle @ Erratic Project Junkie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've listened to it since Chris mentioned it, and it is a nice song. Here's to many more years together!

      Delete

So glad you stopped by! Come 'round any time. ~ Barbara

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...