So, picture this: Friday afternoon at the trailer - the grass freshly cut, wood stacked by the firepit, weeding all done, supper on the grill (jerk chicken, lots of roasted veggies & sweet potatoes mmmmmmmmmm), cold beer. What could be better?
Well, add to that good conversation, great tunes on the iPod/dock, a blazing fire and a spicy-sweet single malt....it was heavenly! When a Bob Marley song came on the conversation turned to music and how meaningful this particular song was in Michael's life. That led to us talking about how certain songs are like "signposts" in our life - marking the way to changes, turning points, high points, low points, relationships beginning (or ending), momentous occasions like births, deaths, weddings.
There are so many songs that when I hear them on the radio or on my iPod I am immediately transported back in time - I can remember where I was, what I was wearing, what I was doing and who I was with.
There is a certain Neil Diamond song that takes me right back to my friend Jill's basement - I'm 13, it's dark, my steady is sitting beside me holding my nervous, sweaty hand. Andy Kim's "Rock me Gently" finds me rollerskating at our local arena (you don't want to know what I'm wearing lol), "Last Kiss" (sniff) has me slow dancing in my highschool gym.
When I hear the opening chords of "House of the Rising Sun" I think of my brother Gord, trying to learn to play the guitar and repeating those chords about 10,000 times a day! "Hurt", the Johnny Cash version, always has me in tears - Johnny sounds so much like my dad when he sings that song it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.
It's like we each have a soundtrack to our own lives. There was a song we hit repeat on about 10 times Friday night while sitting by the fire - from now on when I hear Beyonce's "Halo" I am going to remember May 13th, 2011 as a very special night.
Here's a song to remember me by. Next time you hear this song, think of me!
What songs are on the soundtrack of your life?
hmm I can only think of one off-hand though I notice some songs or types of music have me thinking of other times - country music is all my dad would listen to in the car so every time I pay the country station I think of him.. one song that stands out I don't even like LOL and dont' know who sings it - some girl group - but I was in my last year at A&M and was stressed to the MAX and got in a dither and threw stuff in my car and was headed home with the intention of quitting right before spring break and looking for a job! yes i was that bad off but about an hour down the road this song came on with the words' I know that there is pain but you hold on for one more day and break free'..still don't like that song but it's like at the time it really spoke to me and by the time I arrived at my parents' I was ready to just say I'd come up to unload but of course my blabbermouth roomie had called my mom and told her I was freaked out and my mom was freaked and my dad was mad and telling me 'you know what you have to do so do it do you hear me'...hmm thinking 'bout those words of wisdom maybe next time he's down here whining about his back hurting etc etc etc I should tell him the same thing! ;-)
ReplyDeleteThis is a cruisin' song for me. One of my go-to songs when I need a lift. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about our histories in song - definitely true!
I'd rather imagine you while listening to Rock Me Gently. It's a much better song. Plus I get to imagine you in a basement doing God knows what with your Steady.
ReplyDeleteYour Friend, m.
p.s. My song is I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash. m.
I don't have any specific songs that recall certain moments but there are genres that remind me of times in my life. Country music takes me back to childhood in northern BC, 80's hair bands reminds me of junior high, sixties music(and Bob Marley!) reminds me of my late teens living on a coastal island. Any John Denver song will take me to another island where I lived. I like flipping through songs and savouring those memories.
ReplyDeleteMusic is the escape from reality for me. I love music because it takes me outside myself and I can be a me that can never be in the real world of mundane. My music taste is wide ranging from new age to rock from big band to R&B. All of it touches something inside that yearns to be free, to fly, to be awake. For me there is no memories stored in the music just emotions :)
ReplyDeleteHugs
Great post! Songs are huge signposts in my life (I like that term-I just might steal... er...borrow it!) I always flash back to driving around in my parents' van in high school in the night with my friends when we had nothing else to do, whenever I hear anything of off Alanis Morrisette's Jagged Little Pill (it was on constant repeat for about a year I think...) Wheat Kings snaps me back to a party at my friend's at age 17 when one of the cutest guys in school played it on his guitar and I sang with him (sigh...) Certain Queen songs make me think of my late uncle instantly. How's It Gonna Be by Third Eye Blind makes me think of the drive home from meeting my inlaws for the first time. I was so relieved that they seemed to like me (this was my first 'real' relationship, meeting the parents etc. I was absolutely beside myself the whole drive from Waterloo to Sudbury. The drive home was much calmer, thank goodness!) There are so many songs like this. It's fun to think about them. Thanks for the cue!
ReplyDeleteJane,
ReplyDeleteYou are so right songs can bring back such memories.
My Dad was also a part time DJ so He was always into the latest and greatest.
Tom Jones "It's not unusual"
Elton John "Crocodile Rock"
Alice Cooper,Kiss,Cowboy Junkies and the list could go on for ever.
Plus you always have special songs between your partner.
My favorite song right now is Life is a Highway.Can't seem to get that out of my head.
I totally get what you are saying! For me, I put all these songs together on what I call, "My Death Mix". I'd like it played at my wake. I picture each person who knows how important the various songs were to us to be there reminiscing about the time we shared together. I like how you said it though... the soundtrack of my life!
ReplyDeleteOH I definitely have some of these songs too! Mostly from many years ago...
ReplyDeletefirst date/kiss: Try, Blue Rodeo
teenage years: songs by Tiffany, Debbie Gibson
I need to load some songs on my iPhone!
"Wonderwall" by Oasis was on heavy rotation when I was in high school and rebuilding my life after a break up from a totally unhealthy relationship.
ReplyDeletePretty much anything by Modest Mouse reminds me of the years just after college when I was trying to find my way in a totally new life.
It seems to be the times when life is transitioning and growing, that songs bring back those powerful memories.