We are back with Episode 5. We’ve successfully eclipsed the month mark of consistent newsletters. This has already been a ton of fun for me. Thanks again for reading.

I mentioned this briefly in the last edition, but listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival feels like a time machine straight to the late-60s / early-70s USA Americana. The lyrics, the production, the Fogerty twang - all feels like I’ve transported myself back into the Vietnam War era and into the mind of the common man. I never lived in this era, but man it sure feels like I did when I put on their greatest hits.

It got me thinking. What are some other examples of “time machines”? Music and TV/film are the obvious vehicles here, and I wanted to think through some of them that did such an amazing job of feeling like I was transported back to that era just by watching, listening, and feeling.

This one is probably the most popular recent example out there. I think this show was so culture-defining for Gen Z that it singlehandedly drove the most recent 80s pop culture renaissance. The attention to detail the director and producers had to preserve 80s culture with the soundtrack, attire, dialogue, and sets were fantastic. I felt like I was watching what it was like to grow up in the 80s as a latchkey kid: Michael Jackson, The Cure, shopping malls, and dudes playing basketball in shorts that are way too short.

This trailer is my favorite snapshot.

If you’re a guy, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Bringing up clips of the 1998 home run race between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire or Barry Bonds hitting 73 in 2003 just invokes thoughts of the era - frosted tips, puka shell necklaces, and eating McDonalds (maybe that’s just ‘Big Mac’ McGwire on my mind). I’m right there back in my mom’s Suburban crushing Donkey Kong Country on my big sister’s Gameboy Color headed to a family reunion.

The closest rush I can get to this now is burying myself in baseball-reference.com for hours (monthly occurrence) and sending stats to my buddies who are begging me to stop.

Seriously though, how were we shocked these dudes were juicing? And how the h*ll have we not created an asterisk wing in the Hall of Fame to commemorate these legends? The game was simply better. Let them in, BBWAA.

Honorable mention for that era: Eurotrip

These were so bad:

Exhibit A - my personal favorite was this horrendous video

Exhibit B through like Z - great Reddit post, embedded below:

It’s like I’m right back in a government-forced lockdown every time.

Very interested to hear others. I may have to continue this topic if I think of more later.

Not exactly the soundtrack to my week - I just want you to share in the misery of these catchy tunes getting locked into your brain for the foreseeable future.

Sincerely,

Zander Barth