A week ago I was invited with an old school buddy DJ at a roof deck bar that my other DJ friend manages. The place is pretty posh for my blood. In a hotel, in the nicer part of town and on top of the world under the stars, with a majestic view of the city lights.
A few retro tracks into my friend's set and we get a request by one of the patrons. My friend's bro in law had a soiree and in his gang there was someone that wanted to propose to his girlfriend and was asking if he could do it to a song by I forget if it was John Mayer, that Shiraz guy or some other band too young for my blood. It turns out we did not have the material at the box so I recommended the most overplayed, cheesy ballad that came on top of my head -True by Spandau Ballet. The guy agreed to it
This single is downright 80's cheese, still overplayed after topping the charts more than 30 years ago and after using my Google - Fu, it turns out that this song has different interpretation ranging from an acid trip to a previous Holocaust prison where the band's name came from.
This song reminds me of my puberty having been released in my freshman high school year. This one played at high school parties, on the radio, when I sulked after a faux pas' with women or whenever I was in places with my "seaside arms".... It's like the "Wonder Years" series but set in the preppy, big gelled hair, topsider filled '80's. This song played well into college and beyond, as in last week beyond.
In the '90's PM Dawn sampled the track and added even more memories to that ever so familiar tune.
Despite the interpretations I mentioned, to me It is a love song. Period. Marvin Gaye references and all. This song played when I was with someone I cared for in the past and she loved it. Again, another time when I recall the song it reminds me of times in my life, like sands of time on a dome. How good it was. How good it would have not been if the truth was not let known.
Back to the guy that made the proposal. He gulped a lot of drinks. And I do mean a lot. I did a short intro on the mic about interrupting regular programming and dissolving some nerves, got down on his knee, whipped the ring out and popped the big one. Flabbergasted in front of their friends, she accepted.
I then congratulated the couple and gave them the usual Mafiosi wish of "may that first child be a masculine child" and the couple danced a slow one to the song. Everyone in the place applauded. There was a resounding "awww" from the other patrons in the bar. "Hu, hu, hu hu-ha....."
For a guy that never married, a closet romantic and a retired bad boy, the site of such a happy couple struck a chord. Looking at them dance made me genuinely happy for them. They were in love. I saw it. I also know that the road ahead will be a combo of uphill, dirt, rocky, smooth and bending for them as a couple and hopefully as a family. Somehow, I share the optimism that emanated from everyone in the area that evening.
As the couple ended their dance I was reminded of how touching and relevant this song was, cloyingly mushy and all. I suddenly recalled Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler flicks.
As for me, life goes on. Nothing is too cheesy for my blood at this point in my life....this is the sound of my soul and yes,
I STILL do want the truth to be known.......
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