Music

A dear friend taught me that I’m not the only one who listens to all kinds of music and cares about it. I also learned that the lyrics are the poetry of the day and even more important than the melody sometimes. To this day, when I listen to a song, it puts me back in a specific place in time and a specific mood. For instance (thanks Nutsie for the links 🙂

* Fort Minor’s “Where’d You Go”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/where%27d+You+Go+feat.Holly+Brook+%26Jonan+Matranga/75635?artist_id=2906670&album_id=1107003. Melbourne for a run along the Yarra River feeling super sad, but enjoying the cold on my back, the Nike Free runners and the pounding music.
* Flo Rida’s “Low”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Low/7196059?artist_id=7130028&album_id=7196050. Flying down I-5 with the radio at max coming back from the airport and through the rain for a pickup.
* Cyndi Lauper’s “Time after Time”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Time+After+Time/4635709?artist_id=2920544&album_id=4635700. On the floor, in pain, wondering what the future would bring. Acoustic with Sarah McLachlan.
* Dixie Chick’s “Not Ready to Make Nice”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Not+Ready+To+Make+Nice/23351?artist_id=1001607&album_id=1102868. Doing 150kph in Wyoming just trying to get out of there. Radar detector chirping, Tetons to my right, Buffalo everywhere. Mazda’s 2.4 liter screaming in sixth gear.
* Cassie’s “Me & U”:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBiGFbd5icM. Seat 3A on United flight 858 coming back from Shanghai
* Nickelback’s “Far Away”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Far+Away/4631603?artist_id=1000361&album_id=4631592. Taking Calvin to school, seeing him sing the words, knowing he enjoys music as much as his dad 🙂
* Pussycat Doll’s “Stickwitu”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Stickwitu/4635457?artist_id=4635478&album_id=4635450. First video on my blackberry showing off to everyone how cool it is in China.
* Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Angel/82125?artist_id=1000385&album_id=1107535. Teaching the lullaby to every small one that I know 🙂

But the amazing thing is that there are songs that I haven’t listened to in years that bring back memories too:

* Bruce Springsteen’s “Born to Run”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Born+to+Run/4800906?artist_id=2906228&album_id=4800897. The poetry class for 7th graders featured this tune. Heck, it was New Jersey in the 70s 🙂
* Jerry Jeff Walker’s “London Homesick Blues”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/London+Homesick+Blues/2145179?artist_id=2903090&album_id=2815704. Huge reel to reel tape in Mark’s loft space. Banging out shotgun rounds, shredding trees in chippers
* Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Stairway+to+Heaven/4638958?artist_id=1000330&album_id=4638933. 16 years old, bought those EPI-100s in Holmdel. Blasting at 120 decibels. Hearing the crackle of the phonograph and the hiss of the tape.
* Blondie’s “Rapture”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Rapture/4762053?artist_id=1000695&album_id=4762040. First time I really hard rap. 4th floor Pyne Hall on a spring day
* REO Speedwagon’s “Can’t Fight This Feeling”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Can%27t+Fight+This+Feeling/7054100?artist_id=1000296&album_id=7054089. Trapped in a tiny rented basement room with moldy laundry in sophomore year trying to setup an Apple II in Chicago.
* Eagle’s “Hotel California”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Hotel+California/7034658?artist_id=4634583&album_id=7034657. 8-track tapes if you can believe it in a big huge red Oldsmobile 98 bouncing down a country lane.
* Jackson Browne’s “Here Come Those Tears Again”:http://www.nutsie.com/song/Here+Come+Those+Tears+Again/2013210?artist_id=2900149&album_id=2801419. A very, very, very sad summer in Los Altos Hills staring out the 3rd floor.

Isn’t music great the way it can anchor your life 🙂