The Soundtrack of My Life - High School Anthems

To say I’m a product of the 80’s is an understatement – afterall, I attended both high school and college between 1981 and 1989 – it doesn’t get any more 80’s than that!

In High school, there's so much angst, drama and emotion - this is the time you start to grow an identity and there's so much pressure to conform to the social norms of the micro-society that is high school. The music brings back the highs and lows of that time - I consider them to be the Anthems of High School.

My best friend in high school was Cathy - [I still consider her a dear friend, even though we live far apart - the benefits of social media!] She introduced me to Journey and the first anthem on my list - Don’t Stop Believing, off their Escape Album, This was one of the first albums I remember purchasing for myself (Columbia Record club anyone?).




And as much as I like Don’t Stop Believing, I LOVE the song Stone in Love off that same album. Just two weeks ago, I was riding in the convertible and that song, which I haven’t heard in years, came on the radio. The top was down, we were stopped at a red light and by instinct, I started singing - the lyrics, in the far recesses of my brain, came without a struggle, like I was transported back to 1981.

Those crazy nights, I do remember in my youth
I do recall, those were the best times, most of all
In the heat with a blue jean girl
Burnin' love comes once in a lifetime
She found me singing by the rail road track
Took me home, we danced by moonlight

Those summer nights are callin',
Stone in love
Can't help myself I'm fallin'
Stone in love

In High School, I attended my first real rock concert. The artist? Bob Seger. The Anthem - Turn The Page.


What High School experience is without love and heartbreak? My personal anthem after a break up is Toto's I Won’t Hold You Back Now (1983)


This recording is filled with emotion and sadness - just like I remember it.


And the Police's Every Breath You Take - you know the feeling of watching what you can't have from afar....


Then, when you are angry, there is nothing more therapeutic than a little Shout by Tears for Fears (1984).



Whew, enough of the angst - High School was filled with fun, especially when school was out for summer. My favorite summer anthem - The Boys of Summer (1984) brings me back to the summer between my junior and senior year - the first summer I had my license and more freedom (enough said, right?).




Finally, as those high school days wound down, we graduated and moved on. Did anyone sing Cool Change by The Little River Band at your high school graduation?




So, maybe you are wondering why isn't Madonna or Michael Jackson on my list... Simply because I don't associate their music with a specific memory or emotion - probably because their pop style was just in the background for me.

The previous entries in my Soundtrack of My Life series can be found HERE. My next installment - now for something completely different - Classical, Jazz and Show Tunes faves from High School - because in my heart, I am a music geek.