SOMEWHERE IN NEVERLAND

“Bicycle Race”

I think we’ve determined by now that I grew up with music being in my life quite a lot (obviously). Honestly, I pretty much need it as the background soundtrack to everything I do in my life at this point and as determined by the playlist I published for doing my homework last week, I think it’s safe to say that soundtrack isn’t always conventional (yes, I listen to rap music while I study).

Growing up, the soundtrack to my childhood pretty much consisted of whatever 80s hair metal my parents were listening to or 60s and 70s music, but one song and band turned out to be one of my favorites (and still is) from that mix. I don’t remember when or why, but at one point in my young childhood between the ages of birth and 11, my mom played me “Bicycle Race” by Queen and from that moment on I was hooked.

Terrible song in the terms of Queen standards, I know. But nonetheless, it was my favorite and I played it so much it probably sounds like nails on a chalkboard to my parents now. Of course, other Queen classics like “Fat Bottomed Girls” and “Another One Bites The Dust” were played in the soundtrack to my childhood, but “Bicycle Race” persisted at number one.

I think it was at that point that I really started appreciating recorded music and oldies at that. But I also think that was the point that I started to dive into finding my own taste in music and creating my own soundtrack to my life, and there’s some weird shit in that soundtrack (Haley can testify, I’m sorry for all the times I dragged you to weird shows).

Weird shit aside, “Bicycle Race” was the beginning of having my own taste in music separate from what my parents played and ultimately became the beginning of what songs became personal to my own soundtrack for life. Whether it’s unfortunate or not, “Bicycle Race” is still at the top of that soundtrack.

Editor’s Pick: “Bicycle Race” by Queen