Camiele: A Life in Music

Yeah, yeah. I know I’m just jumping on the list bandwagon — But, Ma! All the cool kids are doing it!!! However, having read pretty much everyone else’s lists here, I got incredibly excited and inspired and decided that my short and boring life may have been peppered with some pretty fantastic music. So here’s my attempt at letting you into a little bit of my world and exposing my age… le gasp!

I know it’s a bit odd in the grander scheme of things, but music has somehow always managed to be the most positive and transcendent part of my life — and between the ages of five and 15, the only things I really remember. Similar to Juan, I’ve got a penchant for any and everything pre-90s. I was raised listening to the likes of Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Led Zeppelin, Cream… anything you can think of from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, I most likely listened to. However, I can forgo my affinity for the brilliance of nostalgia and attempt to come up with a list of albums that I may (or may not) have had at my disposal. Spoiler alert! THERE SHALL BE SO MANY TIES… the 90s were just THAT epic!

1986:

Graceland (Paul Simon)
The earliest memories I have of music always revolve around my father. In this case, I can distinctly remember him always playing You Can Call Me Al. Graceland was, and remains, one of his favorite Paul Simon albums.

1987:

Sign o’ the Times (Prince)
I don’t even care that I wasn’t completely aware of this album when it came out. It’s just THAT incredible! I do remember U Got the Look very vividly. But upon later listening, it’s just one of the most incredible albums ever made. This is, again, one of my earliest musical memories.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x14hgh_prince-sheena-easton-u-got-the-look_creation

1988:

Tracy Chapman (Tracy Chapman)
Two words: Fast Car. Nuff said [1].

1989:

Back on the Block (Quincy Jones)
PHEW… I was really about to put something on this list completely embarrassing; however, once I thought hard enough I managed to remember how integral this album was to my childhood. It was the first time I ever entertained the thought of actually singing in front of people. I remember thinking how much fun the music was and I could very easily sing with the cute boy who sang in Swahili (a young Tevin Campbell, whom we’ll talk about later).

1990:

Born to Sing (En Vogue), I’m Your Baby Tonight (Whitney Houston)
Before Destiny’s Child, before TLC, before SWV, there was En Vogue. They were the epitome of class. Their sound was absolute perfection. Their rendition of the Jackson 5’s Who’s Loving You has become legendary.

 

And, of course, Whitney. It was the first time I lost my shit over a song. I’m Your Baby Tonight was one of the most badass tracks I’d ever heard [1]. And that video…? STOP! Plus her collabo with Stevie Wonder… dies

Cy

As unexpected as my path was to loving all things weird, more unexpected is my ability to get attention for writing about the stuff.

4 Responses

  1. amy says:

    LOL!

    I didn’t know that you liked the Spice Girls so much! AND~~~ I didn’t know you liked the BackStreet Boys either. LOL I dunno if you meant it, BUT Show Me the Meaning of Being Lonely was actually on the Millennium album not on Black & Blue. ;P

    Also… OMG! Tracy Chapman (hearts) – and ALSO, so many debut albums on your list xD I specially agree on Alicia Keys’ Songs in A Minor. It’s the best album she’s worked on, even though she’s got some good singles on her other albums…

    • Camiele says:

      @amy, Oh damn! HaHA. You know I was thinking about that and I was like.. you know I don’t know if that’s right, OH WELL! Guess I will be changing that one to a different song. I fail so hard sometimes. Been a while since I listened to them though… HaHa.

      Yeah… lots of debuts… but especially in the 90s some artists’ debuts were just hardcore. How they managed to follow them up is a mystery to me.

  2. Julyssa Diaz says:

    it broke my heart not to be able to have Alicia’s debut album in my own list. That album is pure perfection.

    I love how varied your list is, every album is really interesting. Once I have the time I shall listen to all of the songs.

    Also, had I not known you and seen your list, I would so have asked you out on a date ;P

    • Camiele says:

      @Julyssa Diaz, HaHaHa! Well, isn’t that just sweet. Maybe if you make your way to the States you can still make good on that offer :winkwink:

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.