A little background - my parents lived separately basically my entire life. On the weekends we would stay at my dad's house in Maryland while during the week, I stayed with my mom and grandparents in Virginia. So whenever we left my dad's house on Sunday evenings back to Virginia, it was always when Delilah was on the local soft rock station and we would listen to her program during this ride home. This being the late Nineties, there were many songs which I'm sure were played and I have since long forgotten, but there are two which for whatever reason have linked themselves to this Sunday night drive. The first is Seal's "Kiss from a Rose."
As I was driving home earlier tonight, Kiss From a Rose came on the radio and instantly I was transported back to when I was 8, sitting in the back seat of my mom's burgundy Corolla coming home from my dad's house. I can see the violet skies transitioning to dark blue as the sun sets behind us. Tall trees surround us with branches hanging over the winding two lane road while peeks of light from the houses tucked away behind the brush glimmered like earthbound stars to my 8 year old eyes. There is the gentle hum of the car's engine revving higher and lower we rolled up and down hills. I can even feel the cool air conditioning on my skin, soothing compared to the humid summer air outside. I'm sitting in the back seat watching the world pass as the song played from the speakers.
This drive itself is not something especially unique. I've probably ridden the route thousands of times since I was a baby, but it is such a significant part of my childhood because of how regular it was. Nearly every weekend until I got my own license, this was the routine. So when Kiss From a Rose song came on during my drive home tonight and I had a flashback to my childhood self, it was honestly a little unsettling but not in an uncomfortable way. It was familiar and warm.
When I got home, I instantly played the other song that I associate with this exact same moment of my early childhood. That song is "I Love You Always Forever" by Donna Lewis. This song was one of my favorites growing up. In fact, my mom would remind me in my teenage years that when I was little, I would always sing along to the song knowing every word like the back of my hand. Even today I remember the lyrics despite not being able to tell you who the singer was until I just looked it up for this post. Like Kiss From a Rose, this song takes me back to the same summer night drive. For whatever reason, both of these songs became linked to this period of my life.
I'm sure you probably have songs which take you back to some key memories and parts of your life much like these two songs do for me. Go listen to them. Hopefully they will bring back some happy memories like these two did for me.
All the best,
JP
