“Xanadu-u-u!
Xanadu your neon lights will shine!”
A-Z through April has me pretty desperate here at the XYZ of things FOR THE FOURTH YEAR.
Eventually I’ll be writin about xanthan gum. Mercy!
So, love it or hate it, Xanadu was influential in my childhood. Not necessarily the movie, cause even when I was young, I rolled my eyes at cheesy romance stuff, but the music, oh the music!
I was seven when my mother took me to see Xanadu.
I didn’t fall in love with the skater dude. No, me being me, I preferred Gene Kelly. To be fair, I’d already seen him in a lot of old time movies at Grandma’s house. When I was a kid, I believed people in the olden days simply didn’t have coloring, or if they did, it was subtle like old pictures, and due to my great grandmother’s portrait in an opera costume, I also believed they wore rags. I was very happy to live in color time, with blue jeans and white roller skates with pink stoppers, and —
I want to make it clear to you as it was made clear to me, I want you all to know —
My father didn’t have a Rubik’s cube when he was a kid, and it was not because they didn’t have color.
I really was a peculiar kid. I know.
I read The Giver without questioning the apple and Fiona’s hair, though.
Speaking of hair, the ribbons in Olivia Newton John’s hair!
Yes, I had to have the ribbons — braided into my hair or around barrettes and combs — long flowing ribbons that would stream from my head and connect me to the muses while I skated. Yes, I have always had a magical imagination, and it’s the perfect size, thank you very much.
Meanwhile, back at Xanadu. The blend of styles…
SO much ELO!
That album’s one of the ones I remember obsessing over.
So good. So, so good.
Except the ballads. I hate ballads.
Happy Friday Everyone!
Ballads are great, especially when done by a heavy metal band.
LikeLiked by 3 people
*moan*
*groan*
NOOOOOOO
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sorry, I agree with BaldJake to some extent. Ballads+80’s hair bands=awesomeness.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ICK. Power ballads are the worst! 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
But, Joey…I want to know what love is :-p
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ask Foreigner. I’d rather hear Jukebox Hero 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
Saying no doesn’t change the truth.
LikeLike
Loved Olivia Newton John!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
I remember the music *instantly* but I don’t think I ever saw the movie. Or even knew there was one. As for ribbons in my hair, I was all about that.
Congrats on doing your 4th A to Z Challenge. You rock the alphabet.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, Ally Bean!
The movie is REALLY cheesy but the music is phenomenal 🙂
LikeLike
Will look for the movie, ‘cuz cheesy can be fun sometimes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gene Kelly, at least. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy Friday and what a fun Friday post!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks 😀
LikeLike
I was a big ELO fan. Mostly I just liked looking at her. It was a pretty bad movie, but the music was good.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Mmmhm, all that. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Olivia was/is so pretty. 🙂 I wondered where you’d go with X and you went a long way. Happy Friday.
janet
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, I loved that movie. I feel I can finally admit that now. So thank you. 😄
LikeLiked by 2 people
My pleasure Carrie! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
OF COURSE you preferred Gene Kelly! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right? I mean, he’s Gene feckin Kelly! ❤
LikeLike
I’m typing and singing along here…Xanadooo-ooo-ooo… I loved that song and I also loved ELO, so thanks for giving me one more thing to smile about today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The pleasure is all mine, thanks for readin and singin! 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
And here I thought this post was going to be about an alien planet or something 😀
I also thought they didn’t have colors besides black and white as a kid. The Wizard Of Oz was confusing for me because of this.
LikeLiked by 2 people
ME TOO! OMG, I had no idea there were others like me! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do enjoy ELO. Nice job with the cgsllfmg.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Seriously iPhone? “Challenge”
It corrected a slightly misspelled challenge to that word.
LikeLiked by 3 people
*snort* It’s a very special phone, Dan. Thanks 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
So. Great treatment for the letter X – but I have to confess – never did see the movie – Not sure why… perhaps an overdose of Grease?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Grease is 1000 times better than Xanadu. I wouldn’t recommend the movie, but the soundtrack is divine 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Really had it bad for ONJ…worked at a radio station where one of her posters was plastered on a wall in the studio, so we were forever exchanging meaningful glances. Still waiting for her to call me…
LikeLiked by 1 person
*sigh* Old dreams die hard, man. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I always thought the reason people didn’t smile in the olden days was because everything was sepia or black and white!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Right? I’d be sad lookin too! I’m thrilled I wasn’t alone! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a great take on a tough letter…all I could think of was Xavier Cougat ????
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hah! Maybe next year, definitely before Xanthan gum! 😛 Thanks!
LikeLiked by 1 person
OMG, haven’t thought about RIBBON STREAMER BARRETTES since I was, like, 12.
When I wouldn’t dream of doing my hair without them…
LikeLiked by 1 person
We’da been friends, then, Alice. Skatin and singin, yeah? 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, not at the same time — I wasn’t nearly coordinated enough! But in tandem? You betcha!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Xanthan gum! Yes, I want to hear you talk about xanthan gum, please? haha … Good choice for letter X. Seems I saw the movie, but not sure. The song is really good, though. … I still have one of those ribbon streamer barrettes. It was my daughter’s, or one she made for me… it’s burgundy and yellow! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are a veritable smorgasbord of novelty bits and bobs 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hee-hee! True 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gosh, this takes me back! I saw it in the movies too and I’m with you, I loved Gene Kelly! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh good 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
I saw it in the theatre as well when I was a kid.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Yessss! *clap clap clap, crosses arms over head* Xa-na-du!
Watched this with my momma as a kid and it’s been a favorite ever since. I regularly play the songs from it on my Spotify, lol. I was also a bigger fan of Gene Kelly over Michael Beck.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yay! Well look at you, you even know the skater guy’s name! lol
Xanaduuu-uu-uuuu!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I don’t recall seeing this movie. I am sure my wife at the time did. I was 30 when it came out and I was pretty ambivalent about ELO and Newton John. Of course I can see the fascination for a young girl. Big hair, streamers and roller skating. Wow. Those 80’s. Thanks for brightening up an otherwise dreary day. Of course you realize I am gonna haf to play some Foreigner.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, yes, go get you some Foreigner! I saw them in concert when I was small, when MSA was still MSA… But you can’t make me like ballads 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve never seen Xanadu … not even sure I knew it was a movie … but ELO + Gene Kelly = big Saturday smile 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh good! 🙂 Well you can always catch the music on YouTube 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh I love a bit of ELO Joey. They did some brilliant songs and are far too under-rated! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
For me, the word Xanadu reminds me of the poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Absolutely 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Writing Links 5/1/17 – Where Genres Collide
Thank you!
LikeLike
I haven’t seen the movie, but I had barrettes with long flowing ribbons!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I liked ELO, Jethro Tull and also Pink Floyd. I was also one who liked black and white movies. I loved Roman Holiday and Gregory Peck was to me the “one” but liked Gene Kelly! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gregory Peck was a DREAM, Robin. Excellent choice.
LikeLike