Monday, August 10, 2009

Why We Always Pine for the Oldies.


I keep on hearing the "good Ole days" phrase. "I miss the good o'l days; I want the oldies music; Oldies is goodies."

If you watch long enough, you'd see commercials playing on TV selling CD and DVD special editions of 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's music. Reader's Digest Music division started this idea, but now we see Time-Life and other independent producers coming up with such products.

Down at the PBS (Public Broadcasting Station), they give out special recordings of musicals to those who contribute to the station's fundraising drive; usually the musicals are those by oldies groups or bands. Just think Lawrence Welk or James Last ( although Mr. Last still holds new concerts).

And at Walmart, you'd see old TV show episodes ( I love Lucy, Gun Smoke, etc) recycled into new DVDs. Then there's TBS (Turner Broadcasting System) running endless oldies' westerns, B & White movies, and other vintage classics.

Why do the oldies music and shows appeal to us? Simply, I think because it brings back sweet memories of days past.

Yesterday, we watched a show called "Twist and Shout" at the Avalon Theatre at the Fallsview Casino in Niagara, and obviously by just the title of it, the show reveals its "oldies" flavour.

It was a short show - just 1 hour and 15 minutes. But it was fun. The musical numbers ranged from the 60's of the Four Seasons (Franki Valli's Cherry, Talk Like a Man, Can't Take My Eyes Off of You) to Aquarius and Hair, to the 70's of the Beatles' era (Twist and Shout, Sergeant Pepper Lonely Hearts' Club Band), and even Patsy Cline's Crazy, Nancy Sinatra's These Boots are Made for Walking and Presley's Viva Las Vegas, the finale.

I have a particular inclination to the music of the 70's and 80's. Somehow the new wave of music I just hear but don't really stick to my senses.

One writer, J. Zafra wrote, " I believe in the importance of the music surrounding an event." Music is really a force in shaping or furthering ideas, and in capturing moments. Look how Amazing Grace became an anthem of the Black protest movement, or how we Pinoys sing Bayan Ko during the 70's rallies against Marcos and at all those at EDSA's.

Things of old, not just audio and video, remind us of the way we've been. But I guess more people think of the future more.

It's easy to think of "oldies" because you're already familiar with them, and to think of the future, while exhilarating, is still uncertain.

Even now, I suspect you are thinking of tomorrow. What place(s) you want to see, what purchases you like to make, what movies and books to read, what pieces to write, your dream house, your dream car, your dream job.

People think of the future, and dream. It's always refreshing and beautiful. It's what makes beautiful songs, poetry, novels, films and works of art. Future is more powerful.

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