Stuck in the Past
One thing I have realized since I arrived in Italy in January is that they seem to have not truly modernized since the 1980s to early 1990s. This can be said in terms of everything from fashion, to television, and most importantly, music. Maybe it is because I am such a fan of music from this time when artists such as Whitney Houston, my all time favorite singer, were popular. However, I do not see this necessarily as a bad thing.
Everything about Italy is simple. Their days are constructed in a way where they relax more than they worry, and play more than they work. Indulging is something they value to the fullest, and I think that because they are stuck in this simple lifestyle it is not as important for them to keep up with the developments in today’s world.
This is not to say that they don’t have current music like we do back in the states, but even that involves songs that were popular back home last summer. This seems to be because they focus on the primal aspects that led to music today. In most restaurants you can find them playing music videos on the televisions instead of sports or news. These videos however, are VH1 repeats from the 80s, playing artists such as Boy George, David Bowie, Pat Benetar and so many others that take you back to the days of flash dance and leg warmers.
Obviously, I was born after the days of the 1980 video hours on VH1, so it may be hard to believe that I actually appreciate the fact that coming here has brought me back to the past a little bit. I am a huge fan of music during this time however, and it is almost like I am getting the chance to live during a decade I have always been interested in musically.
Currently, Italy’s Top 100 songs include, “Someone Like You” by Adele, “Titanium” by David Guetta and “Diamonds” by Rhianna. These are all songs that were popular almost a full year ago in the U.S.; they are slowly falling off the charts back home and creeping up the charts here. A little farther down on the charts, and further back in time, we have songs such as, “Walking on Sunshine” and “Don’t Stop Believin” still on the list of their top 100 songs in the country. It is amazing to me how classics like these are still being preserved here.
It is not to say that Italy has not evolved in its own way musically. Their modern-day artists have adapted a lot of the pop sounds and tendencies of artists back home; however, when it comes to admiring American music, they tend to stick to the music that actually made an impact somehow, music that had meaning and brought people together, unlike a lot of the songs out there today.
I have to say when I leave Italy I definitely won’t miss “not fitting in” because I’m not wearing large scrunchies in my hair or platform sketchers. I won’t miss the Russell Simmons look-a-likes who try to sell umbrellas on the corner, or the overabundant amount of people who still have mullets. I will, however, miss walking into a store and hearing the Grease soundtrack, or getting onto a bus and having “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston be playing. You could say that Italy is a little stuck in the past, or I guess you could say that they just are stuck in a simpler time. Either way, I can say that this experience has allowed me to open my mind, my eyes and my ears for the better.
