Memories from a college bar long, long ago!
Everybody knows the ability music has to transport you to places and times long forgotten. It can also evoke moods and feelings, often without mercy, who hasn’t shed a tear or two over a piece of music from the past?
It recently struck me that in September 2018 it will be 40 years since starting college. Whenever I hear one of the records that were on the jukebox in the college bar I’m instantly transported back and the sights, sounds and even smells come unbidden. Memories of drunken nights, hugs, arguments, friendships, disputes, relationships, opportunities (missed and taken) form with such detail and clarity they are almost like snippets of video.
More central to life the pool table and maybe even than the bar itself was the jukebox. If the bar was open (licencing hours were very different then) then the jukebox would be on. There was always a randomness to the order in which the music appeared and therefore an element of jeopardy around putting your money in. You never knew who else had put money in so there was always a chance that your selection might not be played before closing time.
A visit from the engineer responsible for maintaining the machine was a double edged affair – yes, there would be some new music to listen to but at the expense of what? How many of your favourites would go to make room for the young pretenders? (coincidentally The Pretenders –Brass in pocket particularly, were a permanent feature).
I have been trying to pull a list of tracks from the jukebox together, some of which are listed below but the memory sometimes plays tricks so maybe they weren’t all there but whatever! Enjoy! If you were at Dorset Institute of Higher Education (Wallisdown campus) between 1978 and 1981 feel free to add more.
Otis Redding – (Sitting on) The dock of the bay
Pretenders – Brass in pocket
Rose Royce – Love don’t live here anymore and Carwash
Thin Lizzie – Whiskey in the jar
Lynyrd Skynrd – Freebird
Elton John – Benny & the Jets
The Tourists – I only want to be with you
Santana – Samba pa ti
10cc – I’m not in love
Pink Floyd – Another brick in the wall
The Jags – Back of my hand
The Freshies – I’m in love with the girl on the Manchester Virgin Megastore Checkout Desk
The Police – Walking on the moon & Roxanne
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