Music geeks are bred, not born, and I owe much of my incessant record-collection and trivia-gathering to my father, Bruce.
Mr. Warner is a store manager in Woodhaven, Michigan who—when he isn’t pulling drum and guitar equipment out of the trash—loves to listen to music. He is known to DJ at classic car cruises and can teach you the opening lick to Chris Isaak’s “Wicked Game”. I asked my dad to give me his Top 5 favorite songs, one for each decade he’s rocked and rolled. Here’s what he chose:
“Peggy Sue” by Buddy Holly and the Crickets (1957)
My dad was still brand new when this early rock and roll classic first hit record stores. He remembers his older brothers playing Buddy Holly, Dick Dale, The Ventures, and other exciting new acts—out of ear’s reach from my grandparents, of course. He’ll tell you how influential this sound would be on future bands, but you may want to free up a little time first.
“Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles (1967)
Fifth-grade Bruce added Magical Mystery Tour to his burgeoning record collection, a few months before the Summer of Love. Perhaps his favorite band, The Beatles have always had a special place in his heart and record collection. I have very distinct memories of purchasing our very first CD player and the first album that went with it—Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, on which this song was originally intended to appear.
“Born To Run” by Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band (1975)
A fresh high school graduate, my dad spent most of his time stocking groceries at the local IGA, where he first heard this rock classic in the summer of ’75. Never a huge Springsteen fan, he attests to the immense impact this song had on eighteen-year old boys everywhere that year.
“Pink Houses” by John Cougar Mellencamp (1983)
My dad and mom had been married three years and lived in a small, suburban house when this working class anthem first hit the airwaves. A very young yours truly was known to join in for a Mellencamp sing-along or two. “I fought a forty, a forty always wins.”
“Little Wing” by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble (1991)
Both of my parents play instruments, and towards the end of the 90s, my brother and I showed an interest in learning guitar, which inspired my dad to go electric guitar crazy. This song will always live in our basement, amongst the other blues and rock legends my father listened to incessantly. The bane of my mother’s existence, this song is what I most associate with my dad.
“Hurt” by Johnny Cash (2003)
This song—and the haunting video—is a new favorite of my dad’s. A history buff, likes to spend hours watching rock and roll concerts and documentaries, even into the wee hours of the morning. It’s from my dad that I gained an appreciation of all music, past and present, and how important it is to know what you’re listening to and where it comes from. I revel in those lessons, not to mention the fact that my dad—in some small sense—is now a Trent Reznor fan. Now, that’s a real bonding experience.
