MIXTAPE: 8-Track Days

Theme: A Tribute to my Dad

The month of June finds me in a sentimental mood. Kids out of school and hot sunny afternoons spent at the pool have brought to mind that time-honored American summer tradition: the family vacation road-trip.

For me, like many other middle-class American kids of the 1970’s, a visit to Grandma’s meant hours spent in the backseat of a station wagon, haggling over space with my little brother. (Of course there were no seat belts utilized in those days to keep us in our place.) Our family was the proud owner of a sky blue Chevy Grand Safari.

We spent the passing hours playing “car games” like looking for VW Bugs or “woody” station wagons, the “alphabet game”, or “I’m going on a camping trip and I’m going to bring a …”. My family were even good enough sports to let me slip in a Mad Lib every once in a while.

But what I remember most about family road trips is the soundtrack. My dad is a music lover—I get that from him. When we drove around town, he usually listened to R&B and “golden oldies” stations. But on family trips his tastes ran more toward singer-songwriters and country artists.

The 70’s were the heydays of the 8-track tape, and our station wagon had a built-in player. Sometimes my dad bought pre-made 8-tracks; other times he recorded his favorite LPs onto tapes with an 8-track recorder that he jacked into our old console stereo. In honor of Father’s Day, I’ve put together this mix of some of my favorite songs from those days.

My family will be heading on our own road trips this summer. We have substituted a minivan for the station wagon, and an iPod for the 8-track player. But my kids are now the same age I was when I first learned to love these songs—and I think this collection still makes the perfect soundtrack.

8-Track Days: A Tribute To My Dad

1. I’m A Ramblin’ Man – Waylon Jennings
2. Forever In Blue Jeans – Neil Diamond
3. Ring Of Fire – Johnny Cash
4. It Don’t Matter To Me – Bread
5. Wichita Lineman – Glen Campbell
6. Cecelia – Simon & Garfunkel
7. Let Me Be There – Olivia Newton-John
8. Ain’t No Way To Treat A Lady – Helen Reddy
9. Sunshine On My Shoulders – John Denver
10. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain – Willie Nelson
11. The Best Of My Love – The Eagles
12. Rainy Days And Mondays – Carpenters
13. Okee From Muskogee – Merle Haggard

Selected Commentary:
Forever In Blue Jeans – My parents both came from humble backgrounds. Although they would eventually become very wealthy, this song seemed to express the commitment they had to each other early in their marriage—that they would stay together even in they remained poor.
Ring Of Fire – One day my husband and I went to pick up our oldest son from Sunday School. He was about 3 years old. His teacher reported, “We had each of the kids stand up front to recite our Bible memory verse from the week. But when it was your son’s turn, he recited the chorus to ‘Ring of Fire’ instead.” Was I wrong to be proud?
It Don’t Matter To Me – David Gates went to high school with my parents, so Bread was required listening for our family. Other famous classmates of my parents: Leon Russell and Anita Bryant.
Ain’t No Way To Treat A Lady – Yeah, “I Am Woman” was what I lip-synched to in the mirror. But this is the song that has stuck with me over the years.
Sunshine On My Shoulders – My oldest son has a melancholy streak a mile wide, just like me. He recently came into my office while I was playing this song and fell in love with it. (I mean, how can you resist the ache in Denver’s voice? And man, could he write songs.) I’ve decided it’s the perfect song to express the ache in my own heart for my son.
Okee From Muskogee – My Dad loved this song. (He was from Tulsa, after all.) And my Mom would always smile and roll her eyes in exasperation when he played or sang it. Now I understand that that was part of the appeal.

PS: This mix is a little shorter than others…old-school 8-track tapes could only hold about 46 minutes of music!

To check out my other mixtapes, click here.