Entertainment

What Song Was On When You Lost Your Virginity?

May 13, 2015

When my high school boyfriend and I finally had sex for the first time, it was the end product of months spent meticulously planning every aspect of the experience — except for the music that was playing while we lost our virginity. That element we left to chance, as we turned on whatever was in his stereo to cover up the sounds of our inexperienced boning while his sister watched Guiding Light in the next room. Which is why, after months of false starts, thwarted plans, and missed opportunities, we finally figured out how to put the p in the v ... to the romantic ska-punk strains of Operation Ivy's "Sound System."

My boyfriend and I were typical — not only because our introduction to the world of adult sexuality was about as erotic as a health class taught by a gym teacher, but because we were thoughtless about the music playing while we did so. But 16 years later, I remember that mix tape (which also featured a Rancid album that cut off in the middle) better than I remember my first sexual encounter, or, to be honest, my first boyfriend. The song that played the first time I had sex represented my entry into the adult world, and the first of many dubious decisions I'd make in my time there.

The 16 people surveyed below have also graciously decided to share what was playing on their stereo the first time they touched someone else's GameStop, and what it makes them think today. Read on, recall your own first time, and remember: if nothing else, at least you now know how to pick slightly more appropriate mood music.

1. Super Mario Bros Theme

"You know, that totally annoying 'doo-doo-doo-DOOT-doot-doot-doot-doo-doo-doot' ditty? I was 15 and my boyfriend and I were in his parents' basement. His brother was playing Nintendo rather loudly upstairs (it was the early '90s)."

— Gwen, 38

2. "One of Us" by Joan Osbourne

"My boyfriend John was in college across state at the time, and I got my sister's boyfriend to drive me out there for his birthday. The weekend before his birthday, my boyfriend had had a bunch of his CDs stolen (it was the late '90s, so CDs, of course), one of which was by The Doors. I bought a replacement for him and that's what we were listening to when we started messing around.

But by the time we were mid-penis-in-vag action, the CD had ended and switched to some radio station that was playing 'One of Us.' Being a music snob (who doesn't like The Doors either), this was a horrifying turn of events ... on top of it taking him, like, an hour to come."

—Amanda

3. "Agaetis Byrjun" By Sigur Ros

"Weird atmospheric Icelandic post-rock is surprisingly sexy, guys."

— Julie, 31

4. Finding Nemo

— Riley

5. "BONE CRUSHING SILENCE"

— Tara, 23

6. "Probably Justin Timberlake?"

"Dear God, I hope it wasn't 'Sexyback.'"

— Brianna

7. "Over Our Heads" By Zero 7

"Even though I desperately wanted it to be 'Come Back To Bed' by John Mayer (ugh)."

— Rebecca, 30

8. "Barbarian" By Electric Wizard

"Even without knowing that band I'm sure you can imagine what THAT experience was like..."

— Theresa, 24

9. "Don't Cry" By Guns 'N' Roses

"It was playing on purpose. It was a cassette single so we had to keep flipping and rewinding. Classy."

— Liz, 39

10. "Something from Moon Safari By Air"

"I read somewhere that Air's Moon Safari was appropriate sex-ing music, so I downloaded it (probably from Napster)."

— Owen, 32

11. Dave Matthews Band

"This is my girl virginity. Nothing was playing when I lost my with-a-boy virginity (nothing beside the thought in my head that this was dumb). But the first girl I slept with said, 'I have a DMB problem' when she turned on her stereo. We were really stoned, so I decided to let it go."

— Courtney, 32