5 on Friday -- Set 294

Spinning Friday tunes since 2010...

For anyone who wants to join in, simply choose five pieces of music and post them for other bloggers to enjoy. Then check out the set posted by the other 5 on Friday blogger -- you can sign in over at Golch Central's Rambling Stuff.

As we head for my 300th set, coming up in six weeks, let's look back on some of the sets that have led to this milestone.

This is a typical set from 5 on Friday's heyday, with six active participants all posting their own sets, and lots of discussion about music in the comments section.

My sets over the years have had a vast array of inspiration. Sometimes they were part of a larger project (like this year's Spotlight On individual instruments,) sometimes they were part of my creative process while working on writing projects, and sometimes they reflected on the time of year or what was going on for me personally.

This set is a mix of late 70s/80s/early 90s tunes, a look at my typical tastes during that period.

  

For my look back as we approach the next milestone set, here is:

5 on Friday -- Set 110  

Summer Stock Sunday - 40

Robin's Summer Stock Sunday meme invites all to post summery photos, and to visit other bloggers who share their feelings and memories about this magical season.













In the 1980s, I'd moved from the east coast of Canada to Toronto, where I worked as a nanny for several years before going to film school.

The family I worked for spent summers at their cottage on Georgian Bay in the Espanola area of Northern Ontario.

Since I was a live-in nanny, and since I became an extra part of the family, they took me along with them to the cottage, both summers I worked for them. It was AWESOME.

In the shot above - taken by Rob - it's me in the water in front, Donna sitting in the inner tube, and her daughter Claire on her lap.












That's me with Claire on the deck overlooking the lake and waiting for Rob to barbeque something delicious for supper. Shot taken by Donna.

My bed was along the wall of picture windows overlooking this same view. When everyone had gone to bed, I would lay in the dark listening to my Sony Walkman, watching the moon come up a little farther along the lake each night, and enjoying the star show uncluttered by city light spill.

These two Georgian Bay vacations are among my best memories of the 13 years I lived in Toronto.

5 on Friday - Set 57

Travis at Trav's Thoughts invites everyone to lay down a short set of music that takes their fancies for his 5 on Friday meme.













Welcome to the 1980s!

This is not the first 5 on Friday where I featured 80s tunes - my 9th set was devoted to the music of my youth:

CLICK HERE for my 5 on Friday - Set 9

As Coco mentioned last week:

"How do you narrow down the songs? That would, to me, seem an insurmountable task!"

It is - believe me. How do I choose five songs to represent an entire decade of pop music? Do I go for the quintessential stars of that decade? Do I try to cover the prevailing sound of that era? Basically, I focus on my own favorites and chip away from there.

The 80s were my twenties decade, and that's generally the music that lives closest to a person's heart - the time when we struck out on our own, discovered who we were, what we believed in and what was worth pursuing in life.

So naturally I've snuck in five extra tunes this week...!

1 - De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da - The Police - 1980

Don't think me unkind
Words are hard to find

There are only cheques I've left unsigned
From the banks of chaos in my mind

And when their eloquence escapes me
Their logic ties me up and wrecks me

- Sting



2 - Welcome to the Pleasuredome - Frankie Goes to Hollywood - 1984

Shooting stars never stop
Even when they reach the top

There goes a supernova
What a pushover, yeah

We're a long way from home
Welcome to the Pleaduredome
On our way home
Going home where lovers roam
Long way from home

Welcome to the Pleasuredome

- Gill / Johnson / Nash / O'Toole



3 - I Didn't Mean to Turn You On - Robert Palmer - 1985

You
Read me wrong
I wasn't trying to lead you on
Not like you think

I didn't mean to turn you on

I
Know you
Expected a one-night stand
When I refused

I knew you wouldn't understand

I'm sorry, baby
I didn't mean to turn you on

- Harris / Lewis



4 - Cemetery Gates - The Smiths - 1986

A dreaded sunny day
So let's go where we're happy
And I'll meet you at the cemetery gates

Keats and Yates are on your side

A dreaded sunny day
So let's go where we're wanted
And I'll meet you at the cemetery gates

Keats and Yates are on your side
But you lose

Because Wilde is on mine

- Marr / Morrissey



5 - Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode - 1989

Feeling unknown and you're all alone
Flesh and bone by the telephone
Lift up the receiver
I'll make you a believer

I will deliver
You know I'm a forgiver

Reach out, touch faith
Your own Personal Jesus
Reach out, touch faith

- Martin Gore

CLICK HERE to watch the video













For my 5 on Friday crowd - if you scroll down to yesterday's post, my sister just published her debut Tween book, Princess Callie and the Totally Amazing Talking Tiara! Pretty excited over here!