I remember often being asked the question, “So if you could grow up in any decade which would it be?” My answer is always unchanging and that is “Going to high school and college in the 1980s would be rad”. Things seemed to be so much more simplistic back then. I was a kid back them, way too young and too focused on Thundercats to truly appreciate the joy that was the 80s. There would be no cell phones, well unless I was a stud and had a huge piece of junk like Zack Morris. Imagine no MySpace or Facebook drama. Affordable trips to movies see The Goonies or Stand By Me. Going to shows to see The Smiths, New Order or Echo and the Bunnymen. I want to visualize myself this really cool dork such as Lloyd Dobler who would hold a boom box over his head all night long just to tell share his true feelings in a romantically exaggerated way. Band shirts, slim jeans, fresh kicks and all I would carry a “this charming man” demeanor and live every moment to the fullest. If only…
There is just one thing that I would do if I could go back in time and that would be to craft the perfect mixed tape to display an immense amount of affection for someone I truly deeply cared about. It saddens me just a little that the cassette tape is more or less extinct. In the 1980s mixed tapes were a huge part of the youth culture and are what I feel is one of the most romantic gestures one could possibly display to another.
“A mixtape, which usually reflects the musical tastes of its compiler, can range from a casually selected list of favorite songs, to a conceptual mix of songs linked by a theme or mood, to a highly personal statement tailored to the tape's intended recipient. Essayist Geoffrey O'Brien has called the personal mixtape "the most widely practiced American art form,"[1] and many mixtape enthusiasts believe that by carefully selecting and ordering the tracks in a mix, an artistic statement can be created that is greater than the sum of its individual songs, much as an album of pop music in the post-Beatles era can be considered as something more than a collection of singles” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixed_tape).
There is so much time, effort and concentration that goes into creating the work of art that is a mixed tape. The songs must reflect at least a small part of the creator’s personality as well as that of the recipient. It is necessary that each song reflect the message that the creator’s heart is trying to communicate to the intended recipient. Many hours and tears are often spent in developing this work or art. The art form is far more simplistic these days with new technology such as iTunes playlists and burning tracks to CD’s. Although, the cassette is virtually extinct, modern day “mixed tapes” can be equally as moving as long as the heart is in it. The mixed tape can often say far more than words can. If you can craft a mixed tape for someone and leave them breathless, make their eyes smile or make them blush then you have created the most beautiful symphony of sound they will ever remember.
The Mixed Tape by Jack’s Mannequin
This is morning
That's when I spend the most time
Thinking 'bout what I've given up
This is a warning
When you start the day just to close the curtains
You're thinking 'bout what I've given up
Where are you now?
As I'm swimming through the stereo
I'm writing you a symphony of sound
Where are you now?
As I rearrange the songs again
This mix could burn a hole in anyone
But it was you I was thinking of
I read your letter
The one you left when you broke into my house
Retracing every step you made
And you said you meant it
And there's a piece of me in every single
Second of every single day
But if it's true then tell me how it got this way
Where are you now?
As I'm swimming through the stereoI'm writing you a symphony of sound
Where are you now?
As I rearrange the songs again
This mix could burn a hole in anyone
But it was you I was thinking of
And I can't get to youI can't get to youI can't get to you (you, you)
Where are you now?
As I'm swimming through the stereoI conduct a symphony of sound
Where are you now?
As I'm cutting through you track by trackI swear to God this mix could sink the sun
But it was you I was thinking of
And where are you now?
And where are you now?
And this is my mixed tape for her
It's like I wrote every note
With my own fingers
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