Music. This is one thing that can take you back to a place and time in an instant. Plato said “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”
I am taking a small departure from the story to tell you about my love for music. So much that happens in my life I associate with a song or an album or an artist or a group. A song can take me back to a place or a person within 10 seconds a lot of the time and I want to be able to mention what song reminds me of the time I am blogging about. It just doesn’t make sense if I don’t first dive into my love for music – it really is a big part of who I am.
I remember listing to music with my dad – a lot. I remember him yelling at me when I started to drive “seriously, Lindsay! Adjust mirrors and check surroundings BEFORE adjusting the radio!” Some things just don’t change, daddy! He and my mom had an amazing record collection that I loved to listen to. Yes, vinyl records! Two that stand out always are The Association Windy (side A)/Sometime (side B) and Iron Butterfly’s In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (yes, we would listen to all 17 minutes of it!). I wonder what it was with his love for ridiculously long songs? His all time favorite song was actually Alice’s Restaurant – all 16 or so minutes of it. We took a lot of ski trips too and this one season we did a lot of snow driving to and from Snowshoe listening to the Wall Flowers. I know he talks to me from beyond the grave with One Headlight actually. The day I signed the lease to open my own office, I walked out to my car, had a penny laying on the ground right outside the door and got in, turned on the car – then radio, dad – and playing was One Headlight by the Wall Flowers. I just smiled and looked up because I knew he approved of my spreading my wings and was proud of me. This actually happens quite frequently and instead of being totally freaked out by it, I am totally comforted by knowing he is with me always.
My first record was actually 1984 by Van Halen – my second, Michael Jackson’s Thriller Album – YES, the double cover where he was laying across the centerfold in a white suit and black button down. My first cassette tape was Bon Jovi’s New Jersey. I have seen them in concert multiple times, but actually seeing them preform in New Jersey is a total bucket list item! My first CD was probably stollen from my dad – how strange is it that I can’t remember the first CD? I am sure it was probably Hanging Tough by New Kids on The Block (how many Donnie fans do I have reading this???) or Electric Youth by Debbie Gibson! Tommy Page anyone? LOL
My taste is so very eclectic and I can appreciate almost any type of music – almost, because country is not my favorite, but I can jam out to mid to late 90s country like nobody’s business so maybe I do like country too. Some of my all time favorites that just make me smile are Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison (although my dad always changed it to blue for me), Regulate by Warren G, We Belong by Pat Benatar, The Gourds version of Gin and Juice (Snoops too, but who doesn’t love that song – if you haven’t heard with with banjo, Google that shit now!), When We Were Young by Adele, Biggies Hypnotize, Pink Floyd’s Comfortably Numb, Beyonce’s Sorry, Paperboy’s Ditty, Sir-Mix-A-Lot’s Buttermilk Biscuits (I just recently met someone who claims to know every word to this song just as I do…that is a first and I think it is amazing!), Pearl Jam’s Sirens, Salt-N-Peppa’s Shoop, Under the Bridge by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Sunday’s version of Wild Horses, Bon Jovi’s Always, Tiestos Wasted, L.L. Cool J’s Lounging’, Candlebox Far Behind, Unanswered Prayers by Garth Brooks, Sarah McLachlan’s Angel, Modest Mouse Trailer Trash and Lounge (Closing Time) – who doesn’t love Modest Mouse? I mean, their Baron Von Bullshit Rides Again Album cover had a UNICORN on it! What a crazy list that is…so many more too. Wow…totally just went down a spiral and have to cut this off somewhere! I don’t think I could pick my favorite song if held by gunpoint.
Bottom line, I love music – live music – by artist, covered, on tv – music in the car – nothing is worse than a long car ride with silence – satellite radio, Pandora and Spotify – how amazing is it to have such a change in something I love so very much from vinyl to subscription?!?!? So many people are surprised by my taste, but I think it is a big part of what makes me me. I can feel it – I am pretty sure “A Happy Place” is potentially bullshit, but I can certainly put a smile on my face just by choosing a song to play or happening into one tied to an amazing memory. I love the emotion it conjures up in me and the memories that stream through in a second. I love to sing horribly in the shower and in the car with a concert of one (or in many cases 3!) as my girls love to jam too! Plato was right at least for me – music gives me life. And my dad was right too – imagine how book smart I could have been if only everything was to good music?!?!?
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