# 30 Day Song Challenge, number 29: A song from your childhood **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 13, 2016, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656 "2016-08-13T07:37:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![journeyman\_southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5e9695/32.png) [@journeyman\_southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/journeyman_southpaw)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/1 "2016-08-13T07:37:17Z")
Many potential songs I could have gone with but I’ll pick [Michael Jackson - Beat It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdxUFDoQe0) because I remember playing musical chairs to it at my sixth birthday party! I can still picture my mum getting ready to press the stop button on that big silver ghetto blaster. This makes it one of my earliest childhood memories to involve “grown-up” pop culture, as opposed to toys and Saturday morning cartoons. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/2 "2016-08-13T07:55:09Z")
Finally, an easy one _Big Girls Don’t Cry_ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8yvnqHmFds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8yvnqHmFds) Had a big effect on me as a little girl, because I’d never let them see me cry - I was a BIG GIRL! ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/3 "2016-08-13T10:59:27Z")
**I Want To Hold Your Hand** by The Beatles. One of my earliest memories. Older sister used play it so much I’m convinced it was my first earworm. mmm ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/4 "2016-08-13T11:17:34Z")
Easy: **Lean on Me, Bill Withers** - [Bill Withers - Lean On Me [with lyrics] - YouTube](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MYI0AoXlOwE) As a little suburban Wonder Years white boy walking to school, I scrunched up my eyes and sang the heck outta that song. I feel for my neighbors, but it was part of the start of a lifelong love affair with the music. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/5 "2016-08-13T13:17:10Z")
My parents always watched Mitch Miller, so this was a favorite. Be Kind to your Web-footed Friends. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uedyba2UWv0/hqdefault.jpg "Be Kind to Your Web footed Friends Mitch Miller") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uedyba2UWv0) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/6 "2016-08-13T13:48:32Z")
Not merely a song, but an entire album. In 1956, when I was 10, my father bought the Original Cast recording of “My Fair Lady.” It was his first stereo recording, and he played it to death. I knew every word of every song on that album. And I still do. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/7 "2016-08-13T14:47:41Z")
My mother loved “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers. Mom had a lovely voice and would sing it even when it wasn’t playing on the radio. ---
**Author:** ![TheInimitableMaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@TheInimitableMaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheInimitableMaven)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/8 "2016-08-13T15:40:58Z")
**[“Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” by The Police](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Owq58T8p3Q)** I LOVED singing the "Bee-ohhhh!"s in this when I was four-six years old, and even called it ‘The Bee-Oh Song’. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/9 "2016-08-13T15:57:18Z")
Something from the, “Old People’s” radio station. I never did learn what station that was, or if/when they changed their programming. My grandmother always had it playing on a radio sitting on her kitchen/dining room table. After she died, my dad did the same thing. [Bert Kaempfert & His Orchestra - Swingin’ Safari](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66TLrby1R1g) But it could just have easily been one of fifty others. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/10 "2016-08-13T17:54:40Z")
_Spanish Flea_ - **Herb Alpert & Tijuana Brass** One more to go! ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/11 "2016-08-13T19:26:54Z")
I had the [Goofy Greats](https://www.discogs.com/Various-Goofy-Greats/release/1607696) compilation when I was a child. I listened to it until my parents hid it, and I’m pretty sure it made me the man I am today. So, from that, here comes The Hollywood Argyles - [Alley Oop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz6IpmmYSXA). ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/12 "2016-08-13T20:02:28Z")
The biggest song of my childhood that I adored more than life itself was: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qe1ScoePqVA/hqdefault.jpg "Wild Cherry - Play That Funky Music") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qe1ScoePqVA) I still love it beyond belief. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/13 "2016-08-13T21:53:37Z")
For my 5th birthday I got the _Let it Be_ single. First prezzie I remember. My only other memory of that is poo-pooing the A side and bouncing off the walls over the b-side: _You Know My Name (Look Up My Number)_. ---
**Author:** ![Helena330](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/helena330/32/531_2.png) [@Helena330](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Helena330)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/14 "2016-08-14T03:04:45Z")
_Georgy Girl,_ by the Seekers. My mom had the 45 and loved the song. We’d always dance and sing to it. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/15 "2016-08-14T07:20:35Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > The biggest song of my childhood that I adored more than life itself was: > > [https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qe1ScoePqVA&vidve=5727&autoplay=1](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qe1ScoePqVA&vidve=5727&autoplay=1) > > I still love it beyond belief. I’m from the band’s area, so I’m familiar with that one. Part of my childhood as well. Interestingly, it took the lead singer about 5 minutes to write it between sets one night, or so he claims. [Here they are performing it on The Midnight Special. Great live performance.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnH2tUIncNU) ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/16 "2016-08-14T14:03:39Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > I’m from the band’s area, so I’m familiar with that one. Part of my childhood as well. Interestingly, it took the lead singer about 5 minutes to write it between sets one night, or so he claims. > > [Here they are performing it on The Midnight Special. Great live performance.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnH2tUIncNU) I don’t know that story, but it has that “fun guitar riff to jam on” feel to it, like Joe Walsh with Life in the Fastlane. He was using the riff to warm up because it’s a fun riff to play, and Henley and Frey said “what’cha got there, Joe?” Fun to play in a band. Easy to see why it is such a durable song. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2016, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/17 "2016-08-14T14:44:28Z")
I never knew the name of it, but when I was 8 years old I thought [this song from The Pink Panther](https://youtu.be/paWt-vWYbyU) was the coolest thing, ever. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2016, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/30-day-song-challenge-number-29-a-song-from-your-childhood/762656/18 "2016-08-16T14:09:43Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I don’t know that story, but it has that “fun guitar riff to jam on” feel to it, like Joe Walsh with Life in the Fastlane. He was using the riff to warm up because it’s a fun riff to play, and Henley and Frey said “what’cha got there, Joe?” > > Fun to play in a band. Easy to see why it is such a durable song. Yeah, they’re both great riffs. Joe’s a real savant. Horrible (recovering) alcoholic, and he doesn’t come off as a terribly bright, but he has _tremendous_ musical talent. Here’s “Funky Music’s” story, [according to Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Cherry_(band)#Later_lineups_.281975.E2.80.931979.29): > [@](#): > > At the 1971 Club in Pittsburgh, a table full of black fans kept coming to the stage and teasing: “Are you white boys gonna play some funky music?” One night during a break between sets, drummer Ron Beitle, in a group meeting in the dressing room, uttered the phrase: “Play That Funky Music, White Boy.” On the way back to the stage to play the next set, Rob Parissi was immediately inspired to write a song around the phrase, on a drink order pad with a pen borrowed from the bartender. The song took a total of 5 minutes to write.