Day 3 - Always Be My Baby
Mariah Carey
1996
Disclaimer: All perspectives, opinions, and memories in this entry are mine and mine alone. Some content is rugged, raw, and - sometimes - NSFW, but it's all authentic and included with purpose.
Why It’s On The List:
Why It’s On The List:
"Always Be My Baby" will forever take me back to our church youth group days. The trip to Creation in the old bus, lock-in nights at YMCA, cruising around town in Joel’s Ford Probe with Kevin and Tim…
(Quick "Now That I’m a Parent" Perspective: I don’t know if our parents (a) had waaaaayyyy more trust in us than they should have or (b) knew what was going on but didn’t care. But there is no way I’m letting teenage Jack and/or Kate ride for 8 hours in the back of a bus that has replaced the seats with bean bags chairs or letting them spend the night at the Y with a bunch of their horny friends and exhausted adults. Both were amazing when I was a teenager. Both sound like just the worst possible ideas to me now. Tangent over).
Also. For the record - I don’t know if Liz and Marni ever knew or ever cared, but I truly adored them both during this stretch of time. I was a terrible, awful boy, but I was over the moon crazy about them both. Great girls. Glad they wound up with the incredible men they deserved.
The peak Youth Group story for me coincidentally occurred the summer this song came out - we all went on a trip to Atlanta for the Olympics in 1996. I was 16 at the time and had a tendency for being somewhat... I guess you could say... "flirtatious." I don't remember all of the specifics but I think I was in the midst of being a terrible, awful boy when my overt friendliness was starting to get on Liz's nerves. To the point where she ultimately bet me that I could not go one full day without flirting with any girls in the entire city. Again, don't remember the stakes or parameters, but I agreed.
I was doing fine until we went to some Hard Rock/Planet Hollywood-type place for dinner that night. I was behaving myself quite nicely when all of a sudden, the lights and music changed in the entire restaurant.
Out of seemingly nowhere, all 50 girls from the Miss Teen USA tour came dancing through the restaurant in one long, pheromone-pulsating conga line. All of my guy friends left the table immediately to join the girls (because, of course) and I instinctively started to get up as well when I happened to catch Liz's eye.
You've got to be kidding me.
Of all the theme restaurants in all the towns in all the world they had to dance into mine.
I slinked back down in my chair and started nibbling on some bread as the party swarmed around me. After a few moments of enjoying my torture, Liz finally relented.
"Oh, go on," she generously acquiesced.
I think my chair hit the floor before the "go" had left her mouth.
On a serious note - a very special shout out to our friend Heather, who had a bigger and better macro perspective than any of us did at the time. She documented, recorded, and photographed everything at the time and I'm so grateful to have all of those memories now.
Listen to "Always Be My Baby" Here:
Favorite Line:
(Quick "Now That I’m a Parent" Perspective: I don’t know if our parents (a) had waaaaayyyy more trust in us than they should have or (b) knew what was going on but didn’t care. But there is no way I’m letting teenage Jack and/or Kate ride for 8 hours in the back of a bus that has replaced the seats with bean bags chairs or letting them spend the night at the Y with a bunch of their horny friends and exhausted adults. Both were amazing when I was a teenager. Both sound like just the worst possible ideas to me now. Tangent over).
Also. For the record - I don’t know if Liz and Marni ever knew or ever cared, but I truly adored them both during this stretch of time. I was a terrible, awful boy, but I was over the moon crazy about them both. Great girls. Glad they wound up with the incredible men they deserved.
The peak Youth Group story for me coincidentally occurred the summer this song came out - we all went on a trip to Atlanta for the Olympics in 1996. I was 16 at the time and had a tendency for being somewhat... I guess you could say... "flirtatious." I don't remember all of the specifics but I think I was in the midst of being a terrible, awful boy when my overt friendliness was starting to get on Liz's nerves. To the point where she ultimately bet me that I could not go one full day without flirting with any girls in the entire city. Again, don't remember the stakes or parameters, but I agreed.
I was doing fine until we went to some Hard Rock/Planet Hollywood-type place for dinner that night. I was behaving myself quite nicely when all of a sudden, the lights and music changed in the entire restaurant.
Out of seemingly nowhere, all 50 girls from the Miss Teen USA tour came dancing through the restaurant in one long, pheromone-pulsating conga line. All of my guy friends left the table immediately to join the girls (because, of course) and I instinctively started to get up as well when I happened to catch Liz's eye.
You've got to be kidding me.
I slinked back down in my chair and started nibbling on some bread as the party swarmed around me. After a few moments of enjoying my torture, Liz finally relented.
"Oh, go on," she generously acquiesced.
I think my chair hit the floor before the "go" had left her mouth.
On a serious note - a very special shout out to our friend Heather, who had a bigger and better macro perspective than any of us did at the time. She documented, recorded, and photographed everything at the time and I'm so grateful to have all of those memories now.
Listen to "Always Be My Baby" Here:
Favorite Line:
Mariah’s run of “You and I’s” at the end of the track.
If You Like This Song...
Here are some of my other favorites from the 90's:
- Wonderwall
- Brain Stew
- When I Come Around
- How's It Gonna Be
- Walkin' On The Sun
Here are some of my other favorites from the 90's:
- Wonderwall
- Brain Stew
- When I Come Around
- How's It Gonna Be
- Walkin' On The Sun
😂😂😂 sounds like something out of a movie. Liz is the best!!
ReplyDeleteShe so is!
DeleteToo good of a story to pass up because of the movie/sitcom twist, for sure! She really is.
ReplyDeleteThis is the jam that still reminds me of my first boyfriend, Pat. Was so nervous on New Years Eve that he leaned in to kiss me and I hugged him. hahahaha. Still love him to pieces. Oh, good old Norfolk Christian days. #loveMariah
ReplyDeleteAmazing story!!! Poor Pat. Thanks for sharing!!
DeleteWonderwall was so very my obsession song. Buddy Holly, ugh classic and still rocks my socks off. 1979 written about 16 year olds when I was 16. That song will always be special to me. I mean it WAS written about me!
ReplyDeleteHow's it Gonna Be! I didnt see that one. Yea, thats a special one too. Thanks for putting this together love taking the trip with you.
DeleteOh man, thanks so much for saying that. My hope was fun interactions and memories - and not just for me. Feels like we are off to a good start.
Delete