Soothes the Soul pt. 2

Violent Femmes first album is a must own.  If we did not have digital this and download that, it would be one of the albums that I would save if my house were on fire, after I got the dogs out.  You get my point.  I was introduced to Violent Femmes on a Church ski trip many many moons ago, by Becca Johnson.  She was two years older than me, and at the ripe ol' age of 13 that is a continental divide.  All the guys in the youth group worshiped at the alter that was Becca.  I was 13 and a little behind the "girls don't have cooties" power curve.  Anyway Becca and I were "buds" as she put it, because I could ski.  I could ski up to her ability and none of the other kids could.

So I'm sitting on the church bus headed to New Mexico in search of the pow pow, Walkman plugged into the ears and a suitcase full of tapes.  That's right, if you grew up in the '80s you know what I speak of.  Walkman=tapeplayer and a suitcase full of cassette tapes.  Your tape box was your pride and joy, sometimes alphabetized, arranged by genre, or just a mess.  I preferred alphabetized, but not completely, just the a's together b's together and so on.  Didn't want to look to anal.  Becca sits down next to me and checks out my catalog, pops open my player and slips a tape into it, and presses play.

I was introduced to the Violent Femmes with the track Add it up.  I would love to reprint the lyrics, but it is better served up by listening than by reading, experience it for the first time with your ears.  If you are familiar with this song then imagine what it did to a Texas farmboy at the golden age of 13.  I think at the time I was into the hair bands of the '80s, but after this I had a revelation and a coming of age in my musical taste.  If only at such a young age I would have know what it all meant.  Oh, well can't cry over milk that was never spilt.

This album became the soundtrack for my relationship life in middle and high school.  It may be a few decades old, but boys and girls and songs about their relationships will never lose its relevance.  I would have to say that it is timeless, yet has a nostalgic quality for me.  If I still had a Walkman and some tapes I would pop in the 'Femmes and listen to Gordon and crew.

*Warning* there are some explicit lyrics on this album -don't say I didn't warn you