because it’s new year’s eve (for us red sea pedestrians), i thought i’d make a somewhat appropriate entry into the book of my musical guilty pleasures:

it’s hard for me to believe that simply red was one of the bands that resulted from a famous sex pistols stint in manchester in 1976 (a set of shows that ultimately inspired the creation of the buzzcocks,  the smiths, joy division/new order, not to mention factory records. this bit of history, by the way, is chronicled in the movie 24 hour party people, a painful but interesting work. i defy you to not hate the happy mondays once you’ve seen it.) i mean, here’s the seminal british punk act inspiring other complete musical departures… and simply red?

simply red? holding back the years, the major hit for the band in the states, is a lulling, wistful ode to growing up, moving on, yet holding on to your dreams. this is no anarchy in the uk, kids — mick is wishing for the arms of mater.  (mater? pater? who the hell calls their parents in latin?) apparently, the song originally was not so subdued.

and yet, that’s exactly what i love about it. it’s meditative elevator music, an earworm of a song that never leaves you. when i was 20 and starting my life over (the first time) in a variety of ways (moved away from our childhood home, starting out at a new university, etc.), i completely glommed onto a song that captured the way i felt.  and whenever i hear it, it brings me back straightaway to a spring and summer i cried through after an excruciating, but expected, breakup.

good. times.

but the good thing about hearing the song now is that i did keep holding on — to myself. and i’m still here. still annoying people. still listening to bad music.

and still trying to make each year better than the last.

to those of you who celebrate rosh hashana, l’shanah tova!