My Purpose, My Inspiration, My Reverie: Joe Jackson and Roy Lichtenstein

In the early 90s, Trivial Pursuit released an edition called "The Eighties."  Subsequently I could not find this exact edition online to post a picture and since then Hasbro has a "Totally 80s" edition out. However I do still own the edition I am referring to. Anyway, this was the first realization that I was pretty brilliant when it came to useless knowledge about the 80s, particularly when it came to music. Perhaps it was because I was somewhat of a latch-key kid, having been raised on MTV from its toddler days in early 1983 when I first remember seeing Styx "Mr. Roboto" and Toni Basil cheerleading to "Mickey." Yes, I believe my MTV babysitter was part of the reason I have a knack for answering useless 80s trivia, but as I would learn later in my teacher education program that learning and memory are enhanced if attached to a feeling and comforting emotion.  Hmm.  Could this explain why I remember in 1981 my mom and I driving in our late 70s white Ford Grenada, with burgundy interior; on the corner of Spencer & Outagamie Streets; in Appleton, Wisconsin; across from what was then Coney Island & Goodland Field; hearing Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him" on the radio and being haunted.  I was about 6 years old.  I just remember his wonderfully cracked voice crooning "somethin' goin' on 'round here..." playing over and over in my head like a broken record. http://vodpod.com/watch/2160052-joe-jackson-is-she-really-going-out-with-him


I didn't actually know who sang the song until 7 or 8 years later when I got an 80s compilation cassette with this song on it (of course this song was actually released in 1978). I also would hear the song 1 time, to my knowledge, between 1981 and 1988/89. That would be in the summer of 1983. We had just moved into my now Step Father's house in Neenah, Wisconsin. I had a kiddie pool and his old 70s transistor radio tuned to 105.7 WAPL, the Rockin' Apple, and once again heard that magical voice sing "somethin' goin' on 'round here...".  I remembered the Granada, which we still had, and being in the car hearing that song. I tried to catch who sang it, but didn't. Again a mystery. Ironically, I was quite glued into MTV at the time, and remember loving Joe Jackson's "Steppin' Out" video where the maid tried on the rich woman's dress, and thinking it was cool; but not putting it together that he was the mysterious crooner from the Ford Granada. That is until the compilation tape!

Now to Roy Lichtenstein. How does this relate?  Well, I have always been a fan of Andy Warhol and Roy Lictenstein, but was unfamiliar with "The Melody Haunts My Reverie" painting until recently. When I saw it, I said, "this has to be my Facebook profile pic, it describes me to  a T!"  You see, Joe Jackson, was just the first of my attaching a good memory with a song in a given time and place. This painting explains how my brain works. How I remember things. How when I think of certain bands, I think of certain people (which will probably come out as I continue this blog), and how I remember that "True Faith" by New Order came out in 1987 because in the Spring of 1988, I heard it on the radio in Mrs. McClellan's 7th grade math class at Wilson Junior High, and went out and purchased the 45 at K-MART (still have it).  I associate songs with where I was at the time. Sort of a daydream or a reverie, and sort of a history book of my own that I have decided to share with you. So here is to Joe Jackson, Roy Licthenstein, Ford Granadas, and the first of hopefully many posts to come.