Pop Shots – 5 Artists Whose Music Always Makes Me Think of My Mom

Welcome to your weekly dose of pop world musings. Covering all things pop culture, this week I’m bringing you a special edition of Pop Shots, because today is my mom’s birthday! In honor of her turning the big [age redacted, because I know better than that], I’m going to talk about five artists whose music always makes me think of her (and my youth).

As a bit of a change, while Pop Shots is normally seasoned with a little bit of attitude, this week it will be seasoned with memories, and celebration.

 

John Mellencamp

 

One memory that’s stuck with me since I was very young is that on weekends, once we had an addition built onto our house, my parents would spend nights listening to records after I’d been put to bed.

Most of the time the volume was just loud enough for me to know what was playing, and one of my mom’s favorites at the time was John Cougar Mellencamp’s Scarecrow album. It wasn’t long before I knew the entire album front to back, and would even request my parents put it on during the night-long listening sessions, which always began during dinner, and included a side of music education.

When I went off to college I purchased my own copy of Scarecrow, which still, to this day, gives me some home-vibes.

 

The Rascals

 

My parents have Time Peace: The Rascals’ Greatest Hits on vinyl, but I recall the album also being in my mom’s cassette tape collection in her car.

The cover art was so distinctive, and to my young mind, very cool due to the cartoon-like elements. I may have actually thought the Rascals were cartoons.

 

Of course, they were real people, and the music was simply amazing. I thought it was some of the coolest stuff I’d ever heard, and Time Peace was another album I was always happy to see brought out.

A few years ago I saw a copy of Time Peace in a bin of used vinyl, but, sadly, it was too scratched up to warrant purchasing.

 

Fleetwood Mac

 

Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits was another album I remember being in heavy rotation in my mom’s car. The green cover was immediately recognizable, although Stevie Nicks’ lyrics weren’t necessarily quite as obvious. In fact, a local radio station aired a parody commercial advertising an album – Stevie Nicks What the Hell is She Saying? 

Realizing I didn’t fully understand the joke, my mom picked me up one day with Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits cued up to an especially unintelligible lyric – I think the song may have been “Gypsy,” but this was over 30 years ago, so I’m a bit hazy on the details. I got in the car, she pressed play, and we both laughed pretty hard.

Today, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors has a prominent place in my album collection.

 

Jim Croce

From Jim Croce, to Gordon Lightfoot, my mom has always enjoyed a good singer-songwriter. Croce sticks out in my mind because, once again, a Greatest Hits collection – Photographs & Memories – introduced me to his music.

As a kid, “Bad Bad Leroy Brown,” and “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” were personal favorites. As an adult I now also appreciate Croce’s slower, more personal fare.

Probably around ten years ago I picked up Photographs & Memories: His Greatest Hits on CD, but more recently, when I saw it in a bin of used vinyl, and in pretty good condition, I picked it up in that format, too. I have a thing for listening to albums, and watching movies, on the dominant format of their time, and Croce is an artist that sounds perfect on vinyl.

 

Billy Joel

 

My mom has probably been reading this column thinking, “He better not forget about Billy Joel. If he doesn’t mention Billy Joel he’s not allowed to come over for dinner!” Don’t worry mom, I didn’t forget!

Whether at home, or in the car, Billy Joel has always been in heavy rotation. Vinyl, cassette tape, CD box set – I’ve heard the music of Billy Joel just about every which way possible, and I definitely have a few favorites from his extensive catalogue.

Of all his songs, I’ve always had an affinity for “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant.” I know it wasn’t one of his big hits, but the storytelling aspect of it had me hooked from the first line, and now that I think about it, the musical changes probably blew my young mind (my adult mind really enjoys them, too!).

The fact that Billy Joel is a Mets fan is a nice bonus.

What can I say mom, you have good taste! Happy Birthday!

 

That’s all for this edition of Pop Shots, but come back next Monday for more shots on all things pop.