RANDY ELROD

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What Is The First Song You Remember?

For me, it was crawling behind the wheel of my “sexy” purple 1962 Pontiac Tempest station wagon at the ripe ‘ole age of 16, and turning on the radio as loud as it would go, and hearing the band Three Dog Night wailing Joy to The World.

Growing up in a legalistic and very religious home, I was not allowed to listen to the music that shaped the world during my adolescence. So, the freedom of a drivers license, and a car of my own, a place completely free of religious control, cannot be overemphasized!

Southern gospel was the music I was force-fed all through my growing-up, and to this day, even though I have dear friends who sing it, I cannot abide it.

Three Dog Night soon progressed to Peter Cetera and Chicago (Feelin’ Stronger Every Day), which progressed to Rick Wakeman (No Earthly Connection) and Yes (Owner Of A Lonely Heart), which morphed (was that even a word in the ’70’s?) to Grand Funk Railroad (Mean Mistreater) and to Boston (More Than A Feeling),  to Kansas (Carry On My Wayward Son),  to Metallica (Kill ‘Em All) and on to, gasp, David Bowie (Changes), Michael Jackson (Thriller), Prince (1999) and U2 (War).

Today, amazingly, the highly touted and very real “generation gap” that existed musically and philosophically between my Father and I, does not exist between me and my children.

Regularly, my girls bring me music saying, “Dad, you will love this!”

From them, I have learned of the musical treasures of Florence and The Machine, Ray LaMontaigne, Butch Walker, East Village Opera Company, and on and on…

So, what is the very first song you remember?

I’m dyin’ to hear…

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78 responses to “What Is The First Song You Remember?”

  1. Jack Nikcevich Avatar
    Jack Nikcevich

    First song I remember was Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run.” What is so inspiring to me is that 40 years down the road Springsteen is still creating powerful music, not merely resting on yesterday.

    Reply
  2. Alece Avatar
    Alece

    first song i remember was “i’d like to teach the world to sing”. my second-grade teacher would sit at the piano and play it, with us all kids circled around her singing along.

    Reply
  3. Meredith Dunn Avatar
    Meredith Dunn

    The first song I remember was not only country, but sung by the King of country, Mr. George Straight. “All my Ex’s Live in Texas.”

    Reply
  4. PER Avatar
    PER

    not to be forgotten,

    “Blinded By The Light”

    Manfred Manns Earth Band

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @PER, What was that second phrase? “Wrapped up like a douche?”

      Reply
      1. Jack Nikcevich Avatar
        Jack Nikcevich

        @Randy Elrod, The song was written and recorded by Bruce Springsteen and the lyric in his version is “Douce” as in Chevy Douce Coupe. Manfred Man changed it to “douche.”

        Reply
  5. PER Avatar
    PER

    “Oh What A Night”

    Franky Valli and the Four Seasons.

    I was born in ’65. However, as the baby of 6 I had the benefit of a borrowed musical heritage!!!

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @PER, I love that song!!!!!

      Reply
  6. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    For me, first 45 I owned that I remember every word too… “I Was Made For Lovin’ You” by KISS. (I still act like a kid when I hear it)

    It was ’79 – That was also the start of my air guitar/drum career… I was awesome when I was 7.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Jason, Jason, you are STILL awesome!!

      Reply
  7. Jeffrey Holton Avatar
    Jeffrey Holton

    I was born in the early 70s, so for me, it’s Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.” I can remember being in the car when I was 3 or 4 listening to that.

    From around the same time, I also recall The Captain & Tenille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together.”

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Jeffrey Holton, Ah yes, “Love Will Keep Us together” was my dating music. Memories!! And I wish I had a dime for every time i have sang “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.”

      Reply
  8. Felicia Avatar
    Felicia

    Greetings Randy:

    To be quiet honest, during my childhood years, I listened to pretty much the music that was playing on the radio. During my teen years, I loved listening to Punk, Grunge, Alernative music, and of course I enjoyed listening to the Beatles. In College, it was World Music, NuMetal, and Latino music….and now, I mellowed out a bit..I listen to pretty much everything except jazz and “puke” rock (since you have no idea what they are saying)…. But the one song that I love and is a beautiful poetic song, is by this French singer, Francis Cabrel, “Petite Marie” dedicated to his wife Mariette……Look him up in Youtube :) you would like his music, especially if you are into James Taylor or Bob Dylan.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Felicia, Okay. Will do!!! Francis Cabrel…thanks, Felicia!!!

      Reply
  9. mandythompson Avatar
    mandythompson

    I’ve been thinking about this all day, especially since it keeps popping up on my twitter feed. ha!
    Ok. I think I’ve got it…

    “You Are My Sunshine” — My grandmother used to sing to us when we were kids, and man did she sing this one a lot. Other option was gonna have to be “I’m in the Lord’s army (Yes Sir!)”…. How many times did I sing/march around the oak trees outside her church during Sunday school! She was our teacher as well. :)

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @mandythompson, Oh my goodness…both songs stir deep memories!! Thanks, mandy!!

      Reply
  10. Stephanie Tanner Avatar
    Stephanie Tanner

    Gotta be Crystal Gayle’s “Don’t it Make My Brown Eyes Blue.” I remember that I had a white canopy bed and the post finials could be removed and made into fantastic microphones. There were quite a few impassioned solos sung to my bedroom mirror, but none with the conviction of Crystal Gayle’s early 80’s hit! I begged my mom to let me grow my hair down to my knees!

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Stephanie Tanner, I love the finials being the microphone. i used a bicycle handlebar! Awesome!!

      Reply
  11. Aaron Avatar
    Aaron

    Kills me that I can’t remember the name of the song, but I can hear the melody in my head as clearly as I can picture the Gordon Lightfoot record album it played from in my dad’s early eighty’s record player. Not long after I inherited that player as my first stereo system (complete with wood veneered 12″ cabinets), I re-wrote the lyrics as a tribute to my dad for father’s day and dubbed it on to a cassette with Gordon in the bg, and my pre-pubsecent soprano vox wailing in the foreground.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Aaron, That is absolutely awesome story!!! Gordon singing bgv’s for you…and the wood veneered cabinets. Oh. My.

      Reply
  12. Derek Avatar
    Derek

    What a great topic.

    For some reason my father seemed to know every radio personality (mostly country music DJs) in our hometown of Wichita, Kansas. He would always bring home 45s for me to listen to. But the first song I remember from my youth was the title track from the album “ABC” by the Jackson 5. I played that album (and especially that song) to death. That is, until I left the LP lying out on the driveway in the hot sun. Ooops!

    Next I graduated into a serious KISS phase. I grew up in a religious family that was in church most every week. But one of my favorite memories is that I asked my parents for (and received) a copy of “Hotter than Hell” by KISS…for Easter. Hilarious!

    I was pretty much a passive music listener until one Saturday night in 1982 when I saw Rush’s “Exit Stage Left” concert on MTV. That night altered my course in a PROFOUND way. I begged my parents to buy me an electric guitar (which they did), played in bands throughout high school, received a music ed degree in college, and am still very active musically to this day.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Derek, Ah, LP’s in the hot sun. I remember that!! You definitely had different parents than me!! :)

      And the rest of your story…is awesome. From one music major to another…thanks!!

      Reply
  13. Shannon Lewis Avatar
    Shannon Lewis

    Abbey Road by the Beatles… the whole thing. I think the memories go back to around 4.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Shannon Lewis, Ah, yes. A Classic!!! Did you say 4? Shut up!!! :)

      Reply
      1. Shannon Lewis Avatar
        Shannon Lewis

        @Randy Elrod, Are you shutting me up because I’m younger than you, or because I have memories from being 4?

        Reply
  14. Ron Swanson Avatar
    Ron Swanson

    Ridin in the family camper to the Colorado River and listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Ron Swanson, CCR…was there “smoke on the river, i mean, water? :)

      Reply
  15. Jacquie Avatar
    Jacquie

    I grew up listening to anything and everything so can’t remember first song. I can tell you though my very first album was Billy Joel’s Glass Houses. Love that man’s music!!

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Jacquie, Billy Joel is truly America’s troubadour!!! Love him!!

      Reply
  16. Jay Avatar
    Jay

    Lying on the floor in front of our new stereo console listening to “Travelin’ Man” by Ricky Nelson and trying to sing like him!

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Jay, Nice!! Did you take him??

      Reply
  17. Audra Krell Avatar
    Audra Krell

    I was 4, pedaling around on my purple tricycle singing “Please come to Boston, she just said no, boy you come home to me”. Good ole Dave Loggins.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Audra Krell, Ah, yes. What a GREAT song!! Thanks, Audra!!

      Reply
  18. Jason Avatar
    Jason

    I can remember being around 8 years old and sitting in the floor of my parent’s house listening to The Eagles’ “The Long Run” over and over to the point my mother came over, took the 45 and put it on top of the fridge so I couldn’t get it.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Jason, Sounds eerily like my past… agh…

      Reply
  19. Amy M Fry Avatar
    Amy M Fry

    No relation to Matt up there.

    The first album I actually OWNED was Meet the Beatles. My Dad bought it for me. I was 11. Beatles,, Hermans Hermits, Lovin’ Spoonful, I loved ’em all. Loved the British Invasion music – My Dad did own the car radio, so I grew up with Marty Robbins, Johnny Cash, etc, and never lost my love for them. Have VERY eclectic taste in music to this day, and I’m so happy to be able to say I passed it on to both my sons. One is a collector/listener and one is that AND a guitar & keyboard player and praise-worship leader. I think though, that ‘My Girl’ has got to be my #1 favorite song of all time.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Amy M Fry, Ah, yes. that is my oldest daughter & me’s “song.” It was the song for the daddy daughter dance at her wedding.

      Reply
  20. Todd Smith Avatar
    Todd Smith

    Every rose has it’s thorn by Poison, shannan smith’s 7th grade birthday party

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Todd Smith, Ha, Todd!! you even know the place!! Nice!!

      Reply
  21. KO Avatar
    KO

    I remember being around 7 or 8 and having two records in particular playing all the time in our house. One was a John Denver live album that we loved, and the other the Carpenters. I would try to match pitch and tone to Karen Carpenter’s voice and sing just like her. Ooh, also remembering Evergreen, Barbara Streisand, and trying to hold out that last note as long as she did! (couldn’t do it as a 7 year old, but got close!)

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @KO, Ha!!!! Nice. Babs!!

      Reply
  22. Matt Fry Avatar
    Matt Fry

    Jeremiah was a bull frog!

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Matt Fry, Yeah, baby!!!! Was a good friend of mine!!

      Reply
  23. Judy McD Avatar
    Judy McD

    Well, I’d like to say it was some groovy rock song, but if I’m being honest, it’s probably “Swinging On A Star,” an old pop tune (made popular by Bing Crosby & the Andrew Sisters) that my mom used to sing to my sisters and me. Mom was all about classic singers and showtunes – the joke with my sisters and I was that, by kindergarten, we didn’t know a single nursery rhyme, but could sing anything from “South Pacific” or “The Kind and I” . . .

    Btw – there’s a line in “Swinging On A Star” that goes “Oh would you like to swing on a star?/Carry moonbeams home in a jar?” – for years I thought “Cary Moonbeams” was a person.

    Hee. I hadn’t thought about that song in years . . . it really is a fun one to teach kids.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Judy McD, Ah! That is a GrEAT story, Judy!!

      Reply
  24. Vince Avatar
    Vince

    wow! I have that feeling once again…gonna go spin The Wall

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Vince, What does “spin” mean? :)

      Reply
  25. Vince Avatar
    Vince

    Pink Floyd – In The Flesh

    Up until then, nothing sounded remarkable. It changed my life forever.

    It doesn’t really have a chorus or a verse. It was huge and visual and I never thought music could be so dynamic and multidimensional. I was kidnapped into the song. It demanded that I stop and listen. The singer sounded like he was wiling to die for the song.

    All that and it’s just an opening track to a rock opera album, it’s not really a song as you might hear on the radio.

    That moment is burned in my memory as i stopped and stared at the record player and new nothing would ever be the same.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Vince, Yes, Vince. It is great art! It has layers!!

      Reply
  26. Rocco Capra Avatar
    Rocco Capra

    It was in an apartment above a tavern in Chicago Ill. I was 5 maybe. Dad just brought home a ’45’ of the Beetles with “I saw her standing there” and “I want to hold your hand” on it to play on the HiFi. We danced and laughed all night long!

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Rocco Capra, Hmmmm. Your Dad obviously felt different about those “long hairs” than mine did.

      I’m glad for you and for this priceless memory!

      Reply
  27. kendall Avatar
    kendall

    Having come from a very musical family, or music lovers family, I have vague memories of the White album playing while we drove to the beach, or Neil Diamond on the home turntable or Jerry Jeff Walker and Willie Nelson on the back porch while my parents BBQ’ed. And i can’t hear “It’s Still Rockin Roll to me” without seeing the local pool and feeling the summer heat and humidity and the taste of a marathon bar with drips of chlorine water on it.
    So it’s not really a singular song as much as a moment with a soundtrack.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @kendall, Nice! Kendall. Music is SO tied to memories!!

      Reply
  28. Jay Caruso Avatar
    Jay Caruso

    This is a great topic and when I saw you tweet it last night I was looking forward to posting my reply.

    When I was young I was raised on the music my parents grew up with. So for me it was The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, etc. The list also included Elton John.

    I remember (at the ripe age of 6) being fascinated my the artwork from ‘Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.’ If you Google it, you’ll mostly find the front cover, but the artwork extended to the inside (remember, these were full ALBUMS back then) and the back cover.

    ‘Someone Saved My Life Tonight’ is a song I would listen to over and over on this cheap turntable we had. The best part for me is when Niger Olsson would come in pounding on those drums at like 2:20 into the song. The rest of the time he would have these huge, slow pounding fills.

    It would be about 29 years before I would start playing the drums myself (yes, I am was late starter) and even now, 35 years after first listening to that song, I still love those big loud slow fills.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Jay Caruso, Jay, that is awesome!! What memories. Rick Wakeman’s album had all that cool artwork inside and out.

      Just the tactile nature of the cardboard, the small, the art…ah yes…a different time.

      I love it that you know he comes in at 2:20. Ha!!

      Reply
  29. Joel Shoemake Avatar
    Joel Shoemake

    I guess the first song I remember was “Lamb From The Flock Of David,” a song I sang in a children’s musical at church. Or maybe going to hear my dad sing Cathedrals songs (southern gospel) around town in his group. My mom always played Christian radio, so around that same time I was “rockin’ out” to Sandi Patty/Larnelle Harris Duets and Gaither Vocal Band songs. From there I daringly (ha!) moved into the music of Steven Curtis and Michael W. Then at the age of 17 my whole world exploded with the release of Counting Crow’s “August And Everything After.”

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Joel Shoemake, Nice!! My daring foray into christian rock was Dallas Holm. Ha!!!

      Love me some Counting Crows!!

      Reply
  30. Chuck Harris Avatar
    Chuck Harris

    I remember riding in the car with my parents singing, “Hey, did you happen to see the most bootiful girl in the world” my mother even has a tape of me singing that Charlie Rich classic. I also covered “Mary Ann” by Donnie Osmond.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Chuck Harris, Nice. I sang that Charlie Rich song at our talent show in high school…

      Reply
  31. Chris E Avatar
    Chris E

    Yes, I remember, “Just An Old-Fashioned Love Song…” and “Muskrat Love” and, and..we could really get too sappy for your blog readers if we keep on remembering.

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Chris E, Ah, yes. Those high school days (oops, for you—middle school days) were “groovy.”

      Reply
  32. Chris E Avatar
    Chris E

    Three Dog Night and Elton John songs always take me back to 7th grade and Saturday morning skates at the Ft. Olgethorpe Roller Rink. (I was just a 7th grader when you got your driver’s license…)

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @Chris E, Yikes!! A 7th grader??? I truly am a cradle robber!! :)

      Ah yes, remember…”Just An Old-Fashioned Love Song….”

      Reply
  33. GinaK Avatar
    GinaK

    I think the first song I remember was American Pie by Don McLean. Don’t think I understood all the messages entwined but I loved singing it. Soon after I joined the record of the month club and my first album was Carole King’s Tapestry. I sat in my bedroom and listened to it for hours! My absolute favorite song of hers and I still know every word by heart is Natural Woman. Thanks for letting us reminisce!

    Reply
    1. Randy Elrod Avatar
      Randy Elrod

      @GinaK, Thanks, Gina.

      Yes, Tapestry is definitely one of the greatest albums of all-time!! “So Far Away” from that album is one of the most haunting songs i have ever heard.

      Here’s to “whisky and rye…”

      Reply
  34. Keith Jennings Avatar
    Keith Jennings

    The earliest song I vividly recall listening to on the radio is a toss-up between “Muskrat Love” by Captain & Tennille and “Rhinestone Cowboy” by Glen Campbell.

    That said, my dad ALWAYS sang, “Jeremiah was a bullfrog…” when we were doing stuff together. So that old Three Dog Night classic stirs some sort of Pavlovian bliss for me, because it is forever tied to special one-on-one time with my dad. Steely Dan’s “Reeling in the Years” has the same power over me.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Keith Jennings, Ah, yes. A bit of trivia…Did you know the group America first recorded “Muskrat Love.”

      And I love “Reeling In The Years!”

      Reply
  35. Rick Avatar
    Rick

    I think I was around 7 and I loved listening to AM Radio in my Dad’s stationwagon…It was “Oh Sweetpea Come on and Dance With Me” and Steve Miller’s..my Dad was not much of a fan of “pop music” but my Mom was…She was a member of the record of month club so I remember The Monkees, The Beatles, The Beach Boys etc…by the time I was in high school it was Kansas, Boston, The Eagles, Chicago…It was around 1980 that I discovered Petra and Phil Keaggy…strictly word of mouth through friends, because I never heard of these guys on the radio let alone “Christian” radio.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Rick, Oh my goodness. I had completely forgotten about the record of the month club. wow! Does that bring back memories…

      Reply
  36. Bill Todd Avatar
    Bill Todd

    Kindergarten. I’m five or six. Talked my mom into buying me a 45 of Rare Earth “I Know I’m Losing You.” Didn’t know the band or the song, I just wanted a record.

    That expanded to a life long obsession with music (although I have no talent to perform or create it.) Thousands of titles over a lifetime, managed record stores for years, etc.

    These days it’s Miles Davis and Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Jeff Lang and Richard Thompson, Guided by Voices and Gungor.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Bill Todd, Rare Earth “I Know I’m Losing You” Awesome!!!! Love me some Rare Earth!

      Reply
  37. Beth McKamy Avatar
    Beth McKamy

    I grew up on a farm and would get my guitar (which I couldn’t play then or now), climb up on the picnic table and sing “If I Had a Hammer”, or “Blowing In The Wind”. Loved Peter, Paul & Mary, Simon & Garfunkle, Mamas & Papas (“It’s Getting Better” or “California Dreaming”), Paul Revere & the Raiders, The Eagles, The Carpenters, Anything Motown (especially The Supremes). Gosh I could go on and on. My first concert was to see Chicago, and my all-time favorite group growing up was The Beach Boys.

    Funny thing Randy is that I wasn’t a Southern Gospel fan growing up in the church, but yet now all I listen to is Mark Lowry, The GVB or The Perrys. Funny how that works!!

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Beth McKamy, Yes, I loved the Carpenters and The Supremes. One of my fav songs of all-time is Superstar by the Carpenters.

      That is funny about the Southern Gospel thing. My friend Scott Fowler of Legacy Five makes fun of me all the time!!

      Reply
  38. Christy Avatar
    Christy

    Growing up we listened to “oldies” or country (Always my Dad’s choice…he ruled the home)…given the choice I was an oldies fan…. When I think back I remember CCR’s Bad Moon Rising….because my Dad use to tell my brother and me that they were saying there’s a bathroom on the right and for the longest time I would listen to the song and try to figure out why in the world they would sing a song about that…and why it was so popular?!

    I do remember turning 16 and being able to listen to my own radio in my car and exploring pop music and rock music…ahhh the early 90’s and freedom! The song from that time I loved (and still do actually) and remember the most is Shine by Collective Soul.

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Christy, Oh my goodness. That does make me feel older. Shine by Collective soul and you were 16. Wow!!

      Reply
    2. Audra Krell Avatar
      Audra Krell

      @Christy, I always used to sing “There’s a bathroom on the right” when I was 4. I thought I made that up, obviously we all heard that line!

      Reply
  39. Jan Owen Avatar
    Jan Owen

    I have vivid memories of that song as well, along with “Billy Don’t Be A Hero” and “The Night Chicago Died” – but I was only about 4. I know all the lyrics however and I think it’s because I spent alot of time with my babysitter’s children who were teenagers. I kind of lived at their house when my mom and dad – who were teachers and coaches – had to go to ballgames, or during the day when they were at school. I’ve always tied music to memories and so I remember them singing and dancing and us little kids joining in and mimicking them as well. And so apparently I learned the songs while we were all playing!

    I think it’s interesting that I learned all the words and learned them so well and yet was so young…

    Reply
    1. Randy Avatar
      Randy

      @Jan Owen, Ah, yes. Music is such a link to memories! Thanks, Jan.

      Reply

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