Sunday Scribblings: Music
We're watching Top Gun late tonight, and I'm transported, back to 1987 when this movie came to video and I watched it again and again with my best friend, Jennifer, in her parent's family room.
With our teased-bang, stirrup pant style, we rented this movie, among others, reveling in the "boys," reveling in the music, believing that one day, only an arm stretch away, our own life movements would occur against a sexy soundtrack, that a wholesome guy in a uniform might serenade us with "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" in a smoky club.
Jennifer's brother and one of his friends were going to college to be pilots. Commercial pilots. Much different than the flyboys at Miramar, racing motorcycles along long stretches of desert highway after a day of racing fighter jets in a cloudless sky. They slapped hands the way Maverick and Goose did during the volleyball game, and Jennifer and I were just uncool enough to think that that was cool. We practiced the slap; we never got it. Jennifer's brother drove a jeep. We begged him for rides downtown. He dropped us off behind McDonald's, his mirrored sunglasses glinting in the dusky light. We wanted him to be Tom Cruise even more than he did.
The theme of the prom that I attended in 1987 was "Take My Breath Away," and now, when I hear that song, I am back in my little paneled bedroom, tugging a pink Gunne Sax strapless dress up over my boobs as I waited for my date to arrive (white tux). I felt breathless then, and I feel breathless again with the weight of memory.
I watch this movie now and I tell Lou these stories. I pause to scrutinize the volleyball scene, then I marvel at how cute Meg Ryan was with short hair. I still get excited when Kenny Loggins sings "Danger Zone" as the F-14's race, and I still cry when Goose's broken body falls into the ocean.
That's what music does. It makes you long for the future, and once the years finally pass, it carries you back again. It inspires you to choreograph your life, with soft movements and wide-open leaps. A quick fire two-step, a funky disco hustle, but also a graceful, memory-filled waltz.
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To read more Sunday Scribblings or submit one of your own (please do!), click here.
With our teased-bang, stirrup pant style, we rented this movie, among others, reveling in the "boys," reveling in the music, believing that one day, only an arm stretch away, our own life movements would occur against a sexy soundtrack, that a wholesome guy in a uniform might serenade us with "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" in a smoky club.
Jennifer's brother and one of his friends were going to college to be pilots. Commercial pilots. Much different than the flyboys at Miramar, racing motorcycles along long stretches of desert highway after a day of racing fighter jets in a cloudless sky. They slapped hands the way Maverick and Goose did during the volleyball game, and Jennifer and I were just uncool enough to think that that was cool. We practiced the slap; we never got it. Jennifer's brother drove a jeep. We begged him for rides downtown. He dropped us off behind McDonald's, his mirrored sunglasses glinting in the dusky light. We wanted him to be Tom Cruise even more than he did.
The theme of the prom that I attended in 1987 was "Take My Breath Away," and now, when I hear that song, I am back in my little paneled bedroom, tugging a pink Gunne Sax strapless dress up over my boobs as I waited for my date to arrive (white tux). I felt breathless then, and I feel breathless again with the weight of memory.
I watch this movie now and I tell Lou these stories. I pause to scrutinize the volleyball scene, then I marvel at how cute Meg Ryan was with short hair. I still get excited when Kenny Loggins sings "Danger Zone" as the F-14's race, and I still cry when Goose's broken body falls into the ocean.
That's what music does. It makes you long for the future, and once the years finally pass, it carries you back again. It inspires you to choreograph your life, with soft movements and wide-open leaps. A quick fire two-step, a funky disco hustle, but also a graceful, memory-filled waltz.
____________
To read more Sunday Scribblings or submit one of your own (please do!), click here.
posted by Cate at 11:12 PM
30 Comments:
that was beautiful....
I watched Top Gun ages ago or so, but I also can remember Take my Breath away and the theme when they flew...that were the time when you for the first time drink secretly beer with your friends and you feel really really reckeless because of this....
'inspires us to choreograph our life' - that's so true, creating the soundtrack of our life... music is the past encapsulated in its notes - it's amazing really isn't it. funnily enough, i hated Top Gun, even when i was a teenager, but Take My Breath Aaway still transports me back to that time as you couldn't get away from that song - it was everywhere! lovely post, thank you
Sx
Ahhh ... Top Gun!
So well written. Your last paragraph sums up exactly what music is supposed to do. Very cool.
Your last paragraph really made me think about how music influences young minds to grow, and now I'm in an almost panic thinking of the overtly sexually dross on the airwaves that is marketed, especially towards young girls. Great post, though!
Great post. I love when music sparks the old memory box. It's quite amazing how songs play a significant part in many of our lives.
Thanks for sharing such a beautiful post.
Read ya' later!
Hi Cate!
I love what you said about how music affects the way we dance/want to. How true..
I hope that one day when I grow up I will have memories as sweet as your's. (:
You are the queen of the masterful detail! I was THERE, man. All I wanted out of life for a time was a Gunne Sax dress.
A memory inspired by your memories. While younger, I had a similar hairstyle to Kelly McGillis in Top Gun, which was TEG's favorite movie back then. So when he met me, he watched it and couldn't get me out of his head, which is why he called, which is when we started dating. :)
Oh wow, I wore that soundtrack out when I was younger. The songs made me feel restless and reckless and like life was full of possibilities. Thanks for the memories, Cate - both for sharing your memories and for invoking mine.
What a fun glimpse into your musical past Cate.
Lol, oh my god I wore a gunne sax dress too! And my hair was on a side pigtail. This was a GREAT read Cate. Awwww, so many memories...
a.
Such memories! And my parents actually DID meet in a bar in San Diego where he was a young naval officer (though not a pilot) and she was a tan co-ed. Ha ha! I watched this movie many times, too, and other movies of the 80s have left their soundtracks burned into my brain, like Dirty Dancing, which I picked up for a dollar at a garage sale yesterday. I must admit I am weirdly excited to see it again. It's been a while!
That's one of music's greatest powers, as you have so skillfully said, to transport us - forward or back. Great memories and great songs!
Ah yes Top Gun. So good to remember. I haven't seen that movie in ages. Might have to check it out again...
I too loved that movie! Your last paragraph was terrific and very true! Sweet memories :)
Cate, this is perfect.
I snuck into that movie and loved every cheesy moment of it. This post transported me to those days.
I remember seeing Top Gun so many times at the cinema with my best friend Liz. Haven't seen it since and I wonder if it would have the same effect now?
The music, however, is a different matter I'm sure and would instantly teleport me back to the exact position in time and place.
Wonderful post, truly.
"With soft movements and wide open leaps"--like the best writing does. Like you did here. Always enjoy my visits here, CAte.
how odd, I just had a dream about Tom Cruise last night, and I'm not even a fan...Though I do remember his smile in the movie...I was mor partial to the flight instructor..Tom Skarrit..I think...
Oh that brought back some memories! LOL! I still love that movie, and I still love that wonderful(cheesey) music... I actually almost went into the airforce because of that movie. Ha! I wanted to be Kelly Magillis so bad. How cool was she?! So old Hollywood and Lauren Bacall-ish.
:)
It inspires you to choreograph your life, with soft movements and wide-open leaps. A quick fire two-step, a funky disco hustle, but also a graceful, memory-filled waltz.
Oh the beauty of your lines sweetie! I love that movie as well. Every single song it in evokes an emotion!
What fabulous memories! I loved Top Gun and haven't seen it in forever. Perhaps I will rent that soon!
xoxo
Music is my favorite (of course I repeat myself constantly on this topic) thing in the world.. but your post took me back to that Top Gun part of my life as much as watching the movie would.
Too bad Tom Cruise has flipped out! Where is Goose when you need him most?
Fun look back at some familiar memories. Did you, by chance, dance to a 33 of the soundtrack from Grease about 10 years before this? I love when any of these songs comes on "the oldies" station!
This is a great post and reminds me that the music of "Top Gun" makes that movie worth watching over and over again justs to HEAR it over again. Love it all.
really nice post, i kinda felt the same way about an officer and a gentlemen.
Oh the way that film made me feel, all romantic and ready to be swept away despite my age :-)
Music is good at being a time capsule all right.
"Take my breath away" is a great song by a great 80's band...
Berlin had two other awesome songs that I loved..."No More Words" and "Metro" are killer 80's tunes :)
Bradley
The Egel Nest
Thats exactly what music does! that last paragraph truly says it best. I remember loving TopGun too just as you did!
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