Collective Soul - The World I Know. I remember that song vividly for one reason: it was the first song I slow-danced to in front of my classmates [not to be confused with the first song I ever slow-danced to]. See, I was never one for public displays of affection. But even that's being conservative. I never let my sexual energy roam free in my high school. Any and all of my lovers were outside of school. I couldn't stand the scrutiny [probably the same reason why being out with him was always so uncomfortable, awkward]. So, when I let myself go for that dance, it seemed a big deal to everyone... except maybe me.
It was with a very old friend. And by that, I mean a boy who used to live three doors down from me. From when I was three until I was seven, he was a staple in my life. So much so, that when I was seven and he was eight, he asked me to marry him. If I remember correctly, I deflected, but still took the secret decoder ring [hello boywonder!] that accompanied the proposal.
To this day, I cannot hear that song without being rocketed back to that time and space. It was the first and the last time I slow-danced in that gym [probably because I stopped going to school dances shortly thereafter]. That song is forever associated with eyes wide and staring, and me laughing on the inside when everyone asked if we were 'going out'.
In much the same fashion, how Cake's 'Let Me Go' will forever remind me of sitting in the Rideau food court, singing and stomping with the usual suspects. And Cake's 'Guitar' is a Toronto trip over March break, stuck in Sandy's house with nothing to do but blast music all day.
Music-association. Rock-n-roll.
'Let me go, she said...' - Cake
