I love music. Music is the one thing that can trigger memories and/or pop me out of a bad mood. Listening to AC/DC or Boston in my bedroom with the door closed got me through my Junior High years. Yesterday, I was crabby and driving in my car. Did I commit road rage? No, I just cruised the dial for a good song. Melissa Etheridge "Come to My Window" came on. What a relief! I cranked it up and sang it at the top of my lungs cruising down the highway. So I had 4 other people in my car.... no just kidding... I only sing at the top of my lungs when I am alone or just to annoy K and B. Then the next song was vintage Billy Joel. What a pick me up.
Yesterday, while I was at my parent's house, packing some boxes (by myself, they said they were picking out tile for their new house, but I think they were at a bar). I tuned into the station my mom had on the radio. Hello memory burst! There were songs from Manfred Mann, Tommy James and the Shondells, Carol King, The Carpenters, Donna Summer, Stevie Wonder.... just to name a few. Each song brought me to a specific scene from my youth. We spent every summer in Ogunquit, Maine. Some songs I could picture us at our house, some songs at the beach. We were also big skiers and every Thursday afternoon our elementary school got out early and we had ski lessons. I specifically remember eating peanut butter and Saltines sitting on a bench outside the lodge listening to some of these atists on the PA system that broadcast around the mountain. (OK, looking at it now, it was a hill, but I was little then!)
Today, B and her chorus from the elem. school sang at a nursing home in town. The elderly people rolled, shuffled, were pushed and walked into the packed room. The 20 or so kids serenaded songs from the 20's and 30's to them. It was so great to look out at the audience and see the older folks singing along with the kids. Moon River was one of my favorites and obviously one of theirs.
I cannot play an instrument or even read music, however, the melodies, words and memories make me an expert in the field.
3 comments:
Completely agree with first few lines!
I love Moon River, too.
And vintage Billy Joel!
The SAME thing happens to me when I listen to music at Mom & Dad's house! I am put right back to Ogunquit, Nashoba, or Carriage Drive! :) Sometimes I put the radio on "Mom's" station when I am cleaning the house, just to escape back! :)
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