Don't Stop Cyber-Bullyin'Hold on to the Feelin' Streetlight People

Twice yesterday I heard Journey's Don't Stop Believing - once while sitting in the car at the Korean grocery store and the other time at a new friend's housewarming party. Every time I hear it come on the radio, I immediately start laughing maniacally and then try to sing along. Big, silly grin on my face. I don't what it is about this song that provokes such a reaction in me. Perhaps all those 80's spoof movies have conditioned to make fun of it even though I really take such not-so-secret delight in it. I Googled the lyrics to try to see if I could find the answer within them, but they didn't reveal the mystery of my crazed laughing fits. However, I found from several reviews written about the song that it holds deep meaning for many people, most of whom haven't hit puberty yet.

Here is a sample (with snide little editorial remarks from me in blue):

i think this is a great song and teaches us a leason that you shold never stop believing. Brilliant, kid.
and when the white sox pick this song i figued hey, im 11 im a sox fan and have NO clue what this song is but ive been a sox fan all my life which is not much because like i said im 11 but now its one of my favorite songs and the sox never stoped believing,i think it is really great .so listen to it and think about it.and to all you cubs and astro fans out there i have to say...LOSERS!the cubs havent won a sereis in 98 years!!!!!!! Little asshole! Learn how to spell. Sereiously.

There are other, more heartfelt reviews out there, but this mullet-headed, grammatically-retarded little glue sniffer may have clued me in to the answer to my mystery. The sheer cheesiness of the lyrics can only hold appeal for the prepubescent. Couple them with wailing guitar licks, and it's no wonder little runts start rolling in the aisles. I remember being similarly struck with paroxysms of delight by Bette Midler's From a Distance. IT'S SO DEEP! Now when I hear songs that touched me there during my formative years, I usually get embarrassed and silently curse that emotional little moron I used to be. It's why I can't listen to the Cranberries anymore. We (or maybe just I) don't like to be reminded of all the hormonally-driven feelings we used to have. Thank God I never heard Journey until after college! And that's the reason for the laughter: it's a dodged bullet. Every time I hear the song, some hidden part of me understands how close I came to having yet another crippling memory association, and like many near-death experiencers, I go into shock. When I listen to it, I can't help but cherish life a little bit more.

Someday, that little Sox fan might mature into a Wrigley lover, and he'll understand what it is I'm talking about. When that day comes, I hope he mines this page from the depths of the internet. Because if he does, I want him to know that


WHITE SOX SUCK! CUBS RUUUULLLE #1!!!!!!!!!!!!!