08-07-03 @ 10:47 am EDT

I've changed my routine lately so I'm not online as much. I don't go on in the afternoon at all, and I try to get off the thing around eleven or noon to go to my room, work on a puzzle, exercise a bit (not that it's doing any good), and read a bit of my book before turning in. It has to be a little better than being online right up until going to bed.

While working on my puzzle the other day I stuck in my Everything You Want album and sang as loudly as I dared every Vertical Horizon song I liked, then the next day listened to the radio instead. (Even with as good as Vertical Horizon is, one can only take so much.) It turns out that at noon every day WKPK ("The Peak"--I used to listen to WKHQ until they turned into the practically all rap/hip-hop/Avril Lavigne station) has an '80's retrospective program in which listeners send in their own listings of 15-20 of their favorite "oldies" songs (man, the songs that I grew up with are now considered OLDIES!) and the DJ plays them on request. The person who recognizes their requests then calls in and gets a free coupon or something. I dunno. I never participate in radio contests. But hearing all those Eighties songs has sent me into severe flashbacks. I can't believe how many of the things I remember, and even more frightening I can't believe how many of the things I FORGOT!

They played a song the day before yesterday that has been jammed in my head ever since. I can't believe I totally forgot about this song; it just completely slipped my mind. But when he played it I remembered every note, if not the words (because I would not pay as much attention to words back then). It was from the early Nineties, it turns out, and the DJ claimed it was very popular during the Gulf War. To hear it again, down to the last little lilting notes at the end...wow. I wish I had it on tape. I can't believe I forgot the thing. I had to go find the lyrics and post them here for you.

The song was "Show Me The Way" by Styx, from the 1990 album Edge Of The Century. It became the Gulf War anthem.

SHOW ME THE WAY
Styx

Every night I say a prayer
In the hope that there's a heaven
And every day I'm more confused
As the saints turn into sinners
All the heroes and legends I knew as a child
Have fallen to idols of clay
And I feel this empty place inside
So afraid that I've lost my faith

Show me the way
Show me the way
Take me tonight to the river
And wash my illusions away
Show me the way

And as I slowly drift to sleep
For a moment, dreams are sacred
I close my eyes and know there's peace
In a world so filled with hatred
That I wake up each morning and turn on the news
To find we've so far to go
And I keep on hoping for a sign
So afraid that I just won't know

Show me the way
Show me the way
Take me tonight to the mountain
And wash my confusion away

And if I feel light, should I believe?
Tell me, how will I know?

Show me the way
Show me the way
Take me tonight to the river
And wash my illusions away
Show me the way
Show me the way
Give me the strength and the courage
To believe that I'll get there someday
Show me the way

Every night I say a prayer
In the hope that there's a heaven...

Eh, call me as sappy and the song as corny as you want. I do remember SOME song being played to death back then, with President Bush yapping over the instrumental parts, but I didn't recall it being this one and frankly, I wish I had this song on tape right now! Sans Bush! So nyehh! >:P