I Don't Give a Hoot About What People Have to Say

Yes, I know. Tell us something we already didn't know.

I spent the better part of Monday and Tuesday in the Central Valley for work. My meeting was in Fresno, but it cost nearly a thousand dollars to fly into Fresno (via LA), so being a good corporate citizen I saved my employer some money flew into Oakland and drove down. The rental didn't have satellite radio (my Emerald Club membership has spoiled me) and I had forgotten to bring any music, so I had a choice: buy some CDs, listen to whatever dreadful radio stations broadcast in the valley, or drive in silence. For three hours. Three long hours.

I opted to buy.

The Starbucks in Oakland only had an Ella Fitzgerald CD. She is one of my favorites, so I bought it. Of course, it was excellent, but not so good that I wanted to hear it for the next three hours. I stopped at the Target in Tracy to pick up some snacks when I decided to foray into the electronics department. As I was looking for a car charger for my new MOTORAZR (which I love), I heard a familiar beat. And then some familiar lyrics.

"...and then we'll ride, so zoomy inside..."

Discouraged at the selection of car chargers, I started looking at DVDs

"...The sky's the limit..."

At that moment, a kid started screaming. Thankfully, he disappeared soon.

"...I don't give a hoot about what people have to say..."

I started doing a little happy dance.

"...Nothing matters but the weekend
From a Tuesday point of view
Like a kettle in the kitchen
I feel the steam begin to brew..."

Is it? Could it be? No way!

The segue that I hadn't heard on the radio in ten years? That I had been looking for on CD for fifteen years and couldn't find? That I had forgotten all about??

WAY! "This Beat Goes On/Switching to Glide" from the Kings!!

But the question remained...where were these elusive songs coming from? I had to find them! Then, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimse of a monitor. The next video clip was already playing, but I saw a display of CD anthologies of "retro" music.

I HAD TO FIND THEM!!

Once I (quickly) got over yet another reminder that the music of my youth (and not-so-youth) was now considered "retro" the hunt began. Was I being seduced into thinking that I would find he sought-after song only to find I had been sucker-punched by clever marketing? Would I be forced to do the unthinkable and renounce Target as the absolute king of retail? The drama! The suspense! The intrigue! And all right there at West Valley Mall.

I started tearing through the display to find the magic disc that had those songs. After not very much tearing, I across one of a few copies of "You Can Still Rock in America: 1980's Radio." As I scanned the track list, my brow furrowed and my eyes slightly squinted, I realized that I was victorious. I had found the songs.

I HAD FOUND THEM!!

Along the way, I also picked up "Maniac: 80s Workout" and "Party Starter: 80s Mix." At $8.95 a pop, how could I pass them up?

So, thanks to the afore-mentioned Kings tune as well as "Real Wild Child," "I'm So Excited," "Its Raining Men," (precipitation I will galdly get caught in any ol' day of the week) "Walking on Sunshine,""Walk Like an Egyptian," and others, my sojurn up and down the San Jouquin Valley was just a tad bit more pleasant.

Like the green Central Valley landscape, this beat goes on and on and on and on and on...


If anybody's interested, here's a link to the King's web site

http://www.thekingsarehere.com/

and to the video of "This Beat Goes On/Switchin' to Glide"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHRfyG48yn4