I canno longer recall exactly when and where I picked up Heyday, but it was a cassette, had the view and as you will on it, and was one of those tapes that had that brand new cassette smell absorbed into the tape sleeve.

the tape, of course, was played over and over. It was my secular church life, born again, so to speak. I had known Unguarded Moment and some of the brigher and darker moments of the USA "the Church", but years had separated me from that album. I mean, after all, I was only 11-12 years old when that came out. Now I was 15. Think about it -- 6th grade and now 9th grade (i think it was summer before 10th).

Heyday was like nothing out there. the other tape i bought at that time was "Psychocandy," which also was pretty unique but pretty superficial and not very, uh, elucidating.

I was in detroit for the weekend, my best friend with me, and my older brother (who owned "the Church" LP) around as we wandered through a large shopping mall in late october or early november. Inclined to the record store in the mall, i did a quick search as I do at any record store and there right in front of me is Heyday in its full length LP beauty. Of course, the lyrics were not in the cassette; discerning lyrics was a favorite pasttime at that age. Can't open the stupid thing in the record store, you idiot, what are you doing? gotta look though. I don't know what the temptation was, surely no one told me about it, but i cracked the seal with my fingernail and found the lyrics. well, back pocket, of course i don't have money, what am I thinking, and suddenly I am squeezing the record sleeve out of its hard jacket, folding it, folding it, and walking out.

Out of the store, around the corner, i flash it to my friend. What the hell is that he wonders? Man, don't you get it? its the lyrics to heyday, the lyrics to heyday, man. gotta repeat these things, but walk further away, quicker away.

Man, what a steal!
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one of my favorite church albums, thanks for the music guys, i hope you didn't get penalized for my knack of thievery. (its rare -- get it Noel?). start to finish, great piece of work, and most of the songs probably all made the run as personal highlight at some time or another. Some great songs for running cross country, too, but walkmans were heavy then.

peacestevek