Bit of a strange request this, but I am about to start my research for a book I want to write about the year 1997. I won't go into too much detail about the narrative (don't want to bore you all lol) but I would really like to hear any RYL member's thoughts and experiences about the year. I have my own memories etc but would like to hear from a broader range of people.
I need answers to the following questions really:
What music were you listening to in 1997?
What films were you watching etc?
Which news stories do you remember (there were a couple of biggies in 97, namely Diana's death and the Labour landslide, but what about any others, or news from elsewhere in the world)?
How did you feel about society at the time?
And also, any personal experiences if you wish to share them.
I am trying to recapture what it felt like at the time as obviously 13 years have passed and I am nearing 30 now as opposed to 16/17 I was back then. Please if you could help i'd be very grateful, you could share here or send me a PM if what you want to say is a bit personal (obviously anyone who PMs will have my utmost confidence, and don't worry I'm not going to steal your anecdote for the book lol, at least not without permission :P )
Thanks everyone!
I am currently writing for a project about the year 1997... please PM me if you'd like to share any anecdotes about that year, or tell me what films/music/TV etc you were into at the time.
I started out the year with 3 months intensive yoga self development course in a retreat centre in the middle of nowhere in Canada, then came home and failed to get out of teaching.
I remember nothing about society or news or anything like that then, really. I was too fixated on finding myself!
The only thing I remember from 1997 (I was about 10 then) is being really into the Spice Girls. They'd released their album "SPICE" and were all the big thing.
Yes! I was into Spice Girls then too :)
Well, I was probably into stuff like Noddy as well but I remember S Club 7, Britney Spears and Spice Girls from my younger years.
What music were you listening to in 1997?
Spice Girls, S Club 7, Aqua (don't laugh - I was six years old! 1997 was when they released their song 'Barbie Girl') and The Corrs.
What films were you watching etc?
The Lion King! Even though it had come out a few years prior, I watched it religiously when I was a kid.
And I don't really remember Diana's death. I do remember cyclone warnings being on tv during the wet season but that's not really unique to 1997.
“The good things don’t always soften the bad, but vice-versa, the bad things don’t necessarily spoil the good things and make them unimportant.”
“Nobody important? Blimey, that’s amazing. Do you know, in nine hundred years of time and space I’ve never met anyone who wasn’t important before.”
“If it’s time to go, remember what you’re leaving. Remember the best. My friends have always been the best of me.”
I was 16/17 that year, left school and started college.
Stellata, I don't remember myself, but was yoga suddenly the big thing that year?
I am currently writing for a project about the year 1997... please PM me if you'd like to share any anecdotes about that year, or tell me what films/music/TV etc you were into at the time.
music, spice girls mainly,
news - for some reason my mum was up early that morning like as the diana story hit the news. i went down early myself, 6am-ish, to find her in tears and went up to break the news to the rest of the family. i was 10.
Mand, South Wales, Full-time working, single mother to 2 scarily independent girls.
I AM A PROUD PLUMERIA SISTER
Thanks Stellata, I wasn't sure if that was the case or not. Btw I love your new avatar :)
The Diana thing really did feel at the time like our 'jfk' moment, although I think we've really now had two (9/11 being the other one). Whether you thought the media/public reaction was warranted or not, it was still a watershed moment.
I have been youtubing some music from around the time and looking through my own diaries, I hope to start writing next week :)
Keep the anecdotes etc coming though, it's all helpful.
I am currently writing for a project about the year 1997... please PM me if you'd like to share any anecdotes about that year, or tell me what films/music/TV etc you were into at the time.
pogs!! Walkers crisps did a special loony tunes set if I recall that year, with a special collectors book for them. I had the whole set but couldnt afford the book so my brother made one using sellotape and an old binder hehe.
oh oh oh Ally McBeal came on that year, and titanic was relased.
Everyone went mad over the 3 hour film and Celin Dion hit the charts with the song from it.
If i rememebr right, wasnt that they year tellytubbies came onto tv? And a big fuss was kicked up over not teaching proper language. (I que'ed for like 3 hours that year to get a stupid Po doll at toys r us)
If it was the year spice girls was out, I was into hair crimping and platform trainers. I also owned a spice girls tshirt, I am just that cool. I spent my weekends canoeing and sailing (I remember as I used to wear my tshirt under the wet suit) hmm actully might have been around that time that those horrible chippy trainers were in style and jelly shoes.
Dolly the sheep was cloned that year too.
And if it was the year diana died, then so did mother Theresa as I was shocked at the amount of work she had done in her life, yet, her death was out shadowed by dianas funeral an such.
I was 7 and all i remember was being bummed cos in the aftermath of diana's death there was none of my usual kids tv programmes on and i didn't care (or really understand) who this diana lady was....lol
"Has anyone seen my contact lens? It may be stuckto a tree or a rock or something. Oh boy, I am so grounded" Family Guy
if everyone cared and nobody cried, if everyone loved and nobody lied, if everyone shared and swallowed their pride, we'd see the day that nobody died
I think OJ Simpson's trial was that year, and maybe Lorena Bobbit, but I can't remember. Seems like it might have been before that. I was 11 for most of the year.
As said before, Aqua, The Corrs, Savage Garden, Spice Girls... UK garage was on the way up. Some great tracks coming out such as Masters At Work - To Be In Love, Run DMC vs Jason Nevins - It's Like That, stardust - Music Sounds Better With You. Those were probably the Summer tracks that defined 1997 for me :) The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony was a 1997 song too, iirc.
Oh, and Hanson. Mmmbop! I wanted to marry Taylor <3 Listened to their album Middle of Nowhere loooads too!
titanic was probably the big film I remember from then too. And the remainder of the romeo and Juliet hype leaving me totally loving Leo ;)
