Five Random Videos That Remind Me Of My Childhood

If you're a nostalgic person, YouTube can be a godsend. For no cost at all, you can take to the website, type whatever retro thing you like in the search box, and be watching videos on the subject in no time flat. It's just one of many reasons to love the Internet.

Being a highly nostalgic person, I've often visited the Tube looking for my retro-fix. During those visits, certain videos have proven to have a special kind of power, evoking my childhood years in a particularly potent way. Here, I share some with you, in the hopes that you'll share some of your favorites with me!

Ready? Here we go!

KTLA Channel 5 Movie Theater - Green Card Commercials (Circa 1994)

I grew up in Yucca Valley, California, a small town about an hour and a half from Los Angeles. One great thing about growing up in that area was that all our UHF/VHF stations came out of L.A. Since there's so much Hollywood talent in Hollywood, even our local stations felt legit. KTLA isn't exactly a "local station" (it's actually a "superstation"), but it felt like one in the SoCal area, and I loved that.

My strongest KTLA memories involve the KTLA Movie Theatre, the network's weekday night (and weekend afternoon) movie block. I have strong memories of sitting in my childhood home's darkened living room and watching that silver ball bearing enter that neon movie theater. Those memories are among my fondest, and this video brings them back in vivid detail!

TNT's MonsterVision With Joe Bob Briggs: The Road Warrior

Those of you who know me well are aware that I LOVE cheesy books and movies. The cheesier and more full of action/scares it is, the more I'll like it. Several times, I've tried to figure out where this passion came from, since it definitely didn't come from my parents. There were probably many bits of pop culture that helped me develop this love, but Joe Bob Briggs and MonsterVision probably played a role.

Really, it's a miracle I got to see MonsterVision at all, since most of the movies featured were not meant for young fifth-graders. (Thanks, mom and dad!) Anyway, the movies were wonderful, but Joe Bob Briggs was what made the feature great. His quirky redneck shtick drew me in, and his irreverent jokes kept me around. In fact, watching them now, I think they're responsible for at least some of my sense of humor. Thanks, Joe Bob!

Kids' WB Bumpers (1997-1998)

Oh, how I loved The WB! Running from 1995 to 2006, the network started as a fledgling channel and quickly turned into a purveyor of all things cool. From family-friendly dramas (7th Heaven) to supernatural melodrama (Buffy The Vampire Slayer) to sappy teenage soap operas (Dawson's Creek), The WB had something for every sensibility. I loved it ALL! I didn't watch Dawson's Creek, since I was too young to understand teen angst, and I didn't catch Smallville, because I wasn't into superheroes yet. Other than that, however, I considered every WB show amazing. The network never had a fallow period, either; thanks to later shows like Supernatural, The WB was great right up until its demise.

As much as I loved all of The WB's programming, I considered Kids' WB to be the network's crown jewel. In fact, I still do! During those two-hour blocks, you could get everything from crime drama with Batman: The Animated Series (which I got into later) to crazy comedy with Animaniacs and Tiny Toon Adventures to anime with Toonami. It was a truly special chunk of TV, and possibly the best animation in the history of weekday cartoons. Anyway, here are the promos for Kids' WB. They conjure up a lot of warm memories in me!

Days Of Our Lives Theme Song (1972- Now)

People like to make jokes about how most elderly people watch Matlock reruns and soap operas. I'm sure that's not true of all senior-aged people, but it was DEFINITELY true at my grandparents' home! I distinctly remember being at my grandma and grandpa's house on weekday afternoons and picking up on that TV schedule. I rarely watched daytime TV at my grandparents' house, but I distinctly remember Matlock always being on in the late morning, right before lunch.

After lunch, my grandma (or Nana, as we called her) hijacked the TV so she could watch her "stories." Days of our Lives came first, followed by All My Children, and Another World wrapped up the trifecta. I didn't watch soap operas then, and I don't now, but the Days of our Lives theme holds a very special place in my heart! One listen, and I'm seven years old again, playing with action figures on the kitchen table while my Nana takes in her shows!

Supermarket Sweep (1990-2003)

Here's the part where I tell you just how weird I am. While I loved the shows that were meant for my age group, I also liked a lot of stuff not meant for kids, like The Price Is Right and The Frugal Gourmet. In most cases, I can see how my love of those shows were harbingers of interests that later became much stronger, like my love of cooking. Another case in point: Supermarket Sweep!

In this case, I think what drew me to Supermarket Sweep was my burgeoning love of advertising and marketing. Most of the quiz-type games on the show revolved around ad slogans, product names, and logos, and I just ate stuff like that up with a spoon. I'm able to own that love today; it's part of who I am, and I'm not ashamed! However, when I was a kid, I wasn't brave enough to be different. I used to hide my love of Supermarket Sweep then, but not anymore!

So... yeah. I guess we're done. Tune in next time for five more videos that remind me of my childhood!

The Friday Five: Great Songs By Fictional Acts

Welcome to The Friday Five! Each week, participants are given a topic and challenged to assemble a five-song list fitting that topic. This week was a wild-card week, so I chose the topic What are your favorite songs by fictional acts?

"Teacher's Pet" - School Of Rock (From School Of Rock)

Seeing School Of Rock for the first time is one of my most vivid movie-seeing experiences. The film had just come out on DVD, and my mom had rented it from the video store. I remember not expecting much and being blown away. I loved it then, and I still do! Each role is perfectly cast, from Jack Black to Joan Cusack to every one of the kids. Most importantly, however, is the love of rock music that permeates the film. You can tell that Richard Linklater, the director, loves rock, and that love makes the film special.

One of the other things that makes School of Rock great is "Teacher's Pet," a rocker written (in the film, anyway) by Zach Mooneyham (Joey Guydos, Jr.), a student in the class Dewey Finn (Jack Black) substitute teaches for. Every great rock song "sticks it to the Man" in some way (as Finn says), and "Teacher's Pet" is no exception. The song makes the true point that rock, and music in general, isn't about getting things perfect. It's about the passion behind the song.

"Killer Tofu" - The Beets (From Doug)

When I was young, most of my favorite animated TV shows came from Nickelodeon. Doug is easily among the best of the network's '90s lineup! Doug Funnie is one of the most lifelike, relatable characters I've seen in any animated show. He's just a typical tween, complete with unrequited crushes, bully troubles, big dreams, and lots of insecurities. The rest of the cast is great, and the episodes are always well-written, but Doug himself is what makes the show special.

Like all tweens, Doug loves pop/rock music, especially The Beets. And for good reason, too, because The Beets are awesome! Just check out "Killer Tofu" if you don't believe me. They combine the punk vibe of The Ramones with the arena-rock stylings of Van Halen and the quirky lyrics of The Beatles. It's a perfect combination!

"On The Dark Side" - Eddie and the Cruisers (From Eddie and the Cruisers)

Eddie and the Cruisers revolves around a reporter (Ellen Barkin) who's investigating the strange death of Eddie Wilson (Michael Pare), former front man for the band Eddie and the Cruisers. As she investigates, she comes into contact with each of the Cruisers, who fill in a different aspect of Eddie's life. The film came and went quickly in the fall of 1983, and it's not really hard to see why: it's just a typical '80s film. It has almost no distinguishing features, nothing to set it apart in the mind of the viewer. That being said, however, it's a perfectly okay film. It's definitely worth seeing should you get the chance.

Eddie and the Cruisers's shining moment (for me, anyway) is "On The Dark Side," one of Eddie's biggest hits. The Springsteen-esque vibe doesn't fit the film's story (this definitely isn't a '60s smash song), but that's a minor nitpick. "On The Dark Side" is a delectable tune, from the opening piano notes to the beautiful sax solo to the ravaged vocals. 

"A Lot Of Livin' To Do" - Conrad Birdie (From Bye Bye Birdie)

When pop sensation Conrad Birdie is drafted into the U.S. Army, agent/songwriter Albert Peterson comes up with the perfect publicity stunt to send Birdie off. The stunt goes like this: the night before Birdie reports for duty, he'll appear on The Ed Sullivan Show, sing his newest song, and give a typical American girl a kiss for the road. The American girl, Kim McAfee, is thrilled, but Kim's boyfriend, Hugo Peabody, is less than excited. And fun ensues! That's the book for Bye Bye Birdie, one of my favorite musicals! The songs are catchy, the comedy is frothy, and the characters are likable. What more could you want?

All the songs in BBB are great, but my personal favorite is "A Lot Of Livin' To Do." The lyrics do a perfect job of depicting what it's like to be a teenager, full of energy, with a whole wide world in front of you. You feel like you can do anything, go anywhere, be something special. That's a really amazing feeling, and "A Lot Of Livin' To Do" captures it well!

"Heartland" - Dusty Chandler (From Pure Country)

I couldn't let a list like this go by without including one of my favorite movies: Pure Country! In the film, Dusty Chandler (George Strait), country music megastar, decides he's tired of all the glitz, smoke, and lights. After one particularly flashy show, he walks off his tour bus and disappears into Texas country. With that, Dusty embarks on a quest to get back to his roots, falling in love with a pretty rancher (Isabel Glasser) along the way. Meanwhile, Dusty's manager (Lesley Anne Warren) desperately searches for her star while slimeball roadie Buddy Jackson (Kyle Chandler) impersonates Dusty onstage.

There's a lot of reasons I love Pure Country: George Strait's presence; the nostalgic '90s feeling; the fact that Isabel Glasser is drop-dead-gorgeous. Mostly, though, I love the country songs and the love for the American Heartland. Like Dusty Chandler, I feel most at home in the wide open spaces, what some people might call "cowboy country." Love of that land permeates the whole movie, but it's strongest in the song "Heartland," Dusty's biggest hit. I love the sepia-toned portrait of ranch country that the lyrics paint. It's idealized, but in my heart, that's what the heartland is. 

What about you? What fictional bands/singers do you love?

The Friday Five: Favorite Songs I've Never Told Anyone About Before

Welcome to The Friday Five, a series where, each week, bloggers and YouTubers are given a topic and assigned to choose five songs fitting it. This week was a wild-card topic, so this is the one I chose for myself: REVEAL FIVE FAVORITE SONGS YOU'VE NEVER TOLD ANYONE ABOUT!

"Best Song Ever" -  One Direction

For whatever reason, there's a stigma that says that guys aren't supposed to like boy bands and teen idols like One Direction. I say nuts to that! I like what I like, and I don't apologize for it! Anyway, now that I'm off my soapbox, let me tell you why I love this particular tune so much. I love songs about the power of music and how it can define a moment in our lives. (In fact, in that way, this song is basically a power-pop version of another favorite of mine, Clint Black's "State Of Mind.") I love how "Best Song Ever" states that it's not the quality or the message of the song that matters as much as what it symbolizes. That's all too true!

"1-2-3" - Len Barry

When it comes to evaluating songs, I'm more of a vocals/lyrics person than a music/production person. There are times, however, when the production is so AMAZING that it can overshadow lyrics that aren't anything special. "1-2-3" is a classic case of that sort! The lyrics aren't bad, but they are generic; it's something that you could hear in a ton of other '60s-era love songs. Just listen to that MUSIC, though! Isn't it awesome? Producer Jimmy Wisner took the "Wall Of Sound" recording techniques that Phil Spector had pioneered and did Spector one better. This is such an underappreciated gem!

"Future In Your Eyes" - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes

Sometimes, I like to think about what my first dance with my bride will be. (That's the kind of thing we hopeless romantics think about sometimes.) Of course, my future bride will have a voice in this decision, too, but I'm definitely putting in a good word for "Future In Your Eyes!" The shuffling, bluesy beat would be perfect for a good, romantic dance. What makes this song really special to me, though, are the lyrics. Most love songs seem to be more about the excitement of infatuation, rather than sticking with someone forever. "Future In Your Eyes" gets all its romance from the idea of being with one person forever, and I love that. So, yes. This song is definitely in the running for my first dance!

"Just Love" - Chelsea Robson

I'm particularly happy to include this song on the list, because it happens to be by a friend of mine! It's been my pleasure to know Chelsea for a little over a year now, and I consider myself blessed to count her among my friends. I love her blend of country and pop; her voice features a great mix of femininity and moxie that reminds me of Linda Ronstadt and the band you'll find below! This song isn't one of her more uptempo numbers, but I love this song even more, because it always moves me. I'd feel awkward telling you much about this particular song, since it's based around such a personal story. I'll let Chelsea do most of the talking (and singing) here, but I will say that the song is wonderful!

"Walk Like An Egyptian" - The Bangles

Oh, how I love The Bangles. They're one of those bands that could capture any kind of vibe, from light frustration ("Manic Monday") to dramatic romance ("Eternal Flame"). They also crafted the ultimate dance song with "Walk Like An Egyptian!" All dance songs are fun to listen to, but I particularly love this one because of the message the lyrics evoke. I love that the Bangles portray their new dance as one that brings everyone together, from ancient civilizations to hardworking waitresses to punk teens to hard-nosed cops to... well, everyone! Heck, according to the Bangles, walking like an Egyptian can even promote world peace; they're even doing it in Russia and Japan! The idea that everyone can come together over dance and music is really appealing to me!

(Sidenote: doesn't Susanna Hoffs look beautiful at 2:46? I think I have a new celebrity crush.)

What about you? What favorite songs have you never revealed to anyone before?

The Friday Five: Songs That Remind Me Of Spring

Welcome to The Friday Five! It sounds like an action movie, but it's not! Rather, it's a weekly series where bloggers are given a topic and are assigned to come up with a five-song list fitting that topic. This week, the topic is: WHAT SONGS REMIND YOU OF SPRING?

"Do You Believe In Magic?" - The Lovin' Spoonful

In later interviews, Lovin' Spoonful front man John Sebastian would say that he wrote "Do You Believe In Magic?" for purely commercial reasons. He would state that he wrote the tune merely because he wanted to appeal to teenagers, and that the song didn't reflect his personal feelings. Be that as it may, it doesn't diminish the magic of the song itself! The rolling beat and the jangling autoharp get me feeling happy right away, and the message of the lyrics (music and dance can help you get away from your troubles) is delightfully hopeful. The whole tune carries a light, bouncy vibe that I immediately associate with springtime!

"Homegrown Western Saturday Night" - Chris LeDoux

Picture this: you've been cooped up in your house all winter. You've watched as the trees outside have gone from vivid reds and yellows to bare branches. Cabin fever is starting to set in. Then, eventually, you notice something: temperatures are rising and the trees outside are budding. It's spring, and you're gonna GO OUTSIDE! And while you're outside, why not PARTY? To me, few songs express that "let's party outside!" feeling better than "Homegrown Western Saturday Night." The songs conjure up such vivid imagery; I close my eyes and see the old man making his town-famous steak and apple pie, Jim and Sally sitting in the porch swing, the kids playing tag in the tall grass, and the local band plying their trade in the old bandstand. I can see it, and I want to BE there!

"Little April Shower" - Bambi

"Little April Shower" has always been one of my favorite Disney songs! Unfortunately, it's also one of the most underrated; people seem to like it, but it often gets shunted to the side by flashier tunes. That's neither here nor there, though. What is important is that this song reminds me of how magical spring showers can be! I used to love rain as a kid, and then I became a stick in the mud when I grew up and had to drive in it. "Little April Shower" reminds me of all there is to love about rain. In other words, it makes me feel like a kid again!

"Wagon Wheel" - Darius Rucker

There's something about folk music that smacks of spring. There's something about the image of haggard tramps wandering back roads and plucking guitars that reminds me of springtime. "Wagon Wheel" isn't a folk song, strictly speaking, but it feels like one, and that's what matters. There's something amazingly romantic about the idea of a guy hoofing it across the country to get back to the girl he loves, and the spare arrangement only solidifies the image of this guy shambling along the side of the road, with holes in his shoes and worn patches on his jacket. I love it!

"Young Hearts" - Commuter

What's springtime without spring fever, and what's spring fever without young love? And not just young love, but the most INTENSE kind of young love, the kind that burns bright and hot for a little while before it fades away into memory forever. For me, "Young Hearts" does a perfect job of conveying the feeling of that kind of romance. I think it's something about the chorus. The lyrics are simple, but they evoke so much of that feeling I'm describing:

Young hearts beat fast

Driving down the road

Rubber, plastic, metal, glass

Why did you have to go?

Young hearts die young

When they're all alone

And there's no turning back now...

It's cheesy, overly dramatic, and '80s-kitschy, and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's spring fever in song form! (Of course, the song involves death in a car crash, but we'll just avoid that unfortunate detail!)

What about you? What songs remind you of spring?

The Friday Five: Songs About Fools

Welcome to The Friday Five! It sounds like an action movie, but it's not; rather, it's a weekly series where bloggers are given a topic and assigned to come up with a five-song list fitting that topic. This Friday, the topic/question is: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SONGS ABOUT FOOLS?

(Unlike other Friday Five-ers, who know how to follow rules, only two of my songs mention the word 'fool' in the lyrics. These are more songs about people who do foolish things.)

"Fools Rush In" - She & Him

"Fools Rush In" is just one of the many impeccable songs to spring from the pen of Johnny Mercer. Basically, that means that it's a song that's almost impossible to mess up. I like every version I've listened to, from Frank Sinatra to Etta James to (probably most famously) Ricky Nelson. My favorite has to be this unplugged cover by She & Him, though; Zooey Deschanel's interpretation of the lyric feels the most emotional. This tune is great no matter what, though; it describes exactly what it feels like to develop a crush on someone.

"Ooh Baby Baby" - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

In my mind, there's no more foolish act than cheating on one's spouse or significant other. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles's "Ooh Baby Baby" is a great song about a guy who has just realized how foolish he was and wants to rectify his mistake. (The song is also pretty brave in that it states that the girl may not be blameless, either.) The song leaves us hanging; we never do learn if the girl decides to take him back. However, the arrangement is so lush and the vocals so beautiful that we don't care that we're left to wonder.

"Glory Days" - Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen built an amazing career on songs about fools. From men who run out on wives ("Hungry Heart") to guys to turn to crime to impress their girls ("Atlantic City") to people who drag out loveless relationships ("I'm Goin' Down"), The Boss has often turned to foolish acts for inspiration. Out of all those songs, however, "Glory Days" feels the most poignant to me. The lyric does a fine job of painting two characters who foolishly live in their memories: a former high-school baseball star and a former homecoming queen. Those verses are melancholy, but the saddest verse is the final one, where the singer recognizes that he'll probably become the exact same fool someday.

"Waist Deep In The Big Muddy" -  Pete Seeger

"Waist Deep In The Big Muddy" is probably one of the most controversial songs of the past fifty years. It's a haunting anti-war song that tells the story of an ill-fated military maneuver in Louisiana. It makes its point VERY bluntly, and that irked a lot of people in 1967, when the song was first released. I think that part of the song's history is interesting, but it resonates with me on a more personal level. I'm guilty of the same kind of foolishness the the Captain displays in this song: marching on when everything around you tells you it's a bad idea. (I'm particularly guilty of this with romantic relationships.) This song is a vivid, powerful reminder to me that such a course of action is a dangerous one.

"I Won't Say I'm In Love" - Susan Egan (from Hercules)

I wouldn't say that Hercules is my favorite Disney musical, but "I Won't Say I'm In Love" is definitely one of my favorite Disney songs! David Zippel's lyrics are really clever in that they depict Megara (Susan Egan) foolishly denying her heart while trying to not foolishly run into another relationship. (Sounds like Meg might have heard "Fools Rush In" a couple of times.) However, she soon comes to learn what Master Oogway says in Kung Fu Panda: "One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it." Meg (and we) eventually come to learn that love can't be denied. If there's one kind of foolishness that it's okay to indulge in, it's falling in love!

What about you? What are your favorite songs about fools?