Soundtrack of Your Life

An occasional feature in which we mark the songs of our relative youth as played over public muzak systems and beyond. 

Date: 17 July 2016, 1:17 p.m.
Place: Lake Nighthorse, just outside Durango, Colo.
Song:  "Hey, Ladies"
Artist: Beastie Boys
Irony Matrix: 6.1 out of 10
Comment: On a road trip with my 20-year-old nephew. He insisted that we take a quick side-trip to see this lake a few miles outside of Durango. The problem was, the lake -- created just a few years ago -- is not open to the public. We tried bushwhacking a bit, but it wasn't looking good. We went back to the main road where there was a fairly straightforward -- though still forbidden -- trail. We decided I would hang back in the car while he explored. I passed the time reading Roberto Bolano's "The Skating Rink" for about 20 minutes, alone in the parking lot. At some point, a guy pulled up in some open-air jeep with a dog in the back. He sat for a minute, perhaps also contemplating the idea of breaking the law and trespassing down to the lake. Instead, he cranked his stereo, and I heard the opening strains of "Hey, Ladies," the 1989 romp from the Beastie Boys. The faux-funk blared as he drove off. A few minutes later, my nephew came trotting back up the trail. He showed me a few snaps of the hidden body of water, and we headed toward the main road back to New Mexico.