Thursday, January 20, 2011

Musical Power

There are days when I leave work that I have to shift mindset immediately.......music does the trick. I get in Ingrid (my 1996 volvo) and crank up the music, I have my favorites.......Paul Thorn, Johnny Lang, Eliza Gilkyson, Zachary Richard, The Swell Season, James House, Christine Olhman to name just a few. Hearing Johnny Lang sing Lie to Me or Eliza sing Aphrodite's Face or Paul wailing on Mission Temple Fireworks Stand and I find my reality.

Music has been a part of my life since I was a small child. Listening to it as well as performing, I can't remember not having music all around me. Music takes me to a better place, but sometimes I need to go dark and music allows that with no consequences. I was in a church basement when I had my first kiss, the choir was upstairs singing I'll Fly Away, pretty profound, huh? The next kiss,my best friend and I were walking home from school, listening to our transistor radio, Runaway was playing and this boy that had a crush on me, walked up ( on a dare) and kissed me right there on the street. .......and yes, he immediately ran away.

Music has let me express anger, sorrow, hate, love, joy and every emotion in between. To this day, I can hear The Beach Boy's Wouldn't It Be Nice and I think of my friend Debbi in high school, she would sing and giggle about the boy who would be her first husband before we graduated. I was in a lounge band once, ( I know, the things I have done to sing) and Take The Ribbon From My Hair was my most requested song........ the first time I met my present boss,
he walked in his office singing that song........strange, almost ran away.

My favorite musical fantasy......... me, on stage, wearing my black leather jeans, playing guitar and singing Who Stole My Monkey with Zachary Richard. (and that is all you need to know about that one) well, there is the one about me taking the mike from Paul Thorn's bass player and wailing on stage with Paul, oh wait, that happened! see dreams do come true!

Music has been a common thread for Rick and I, creating something so personal with your spouse can be really good or the end of the world(almost) . Our bond of music has introduced to us incredible people, taken us to wonderful places and created memories that will last forever.

To me, one of the most magical things about music, people link memories to songs.......they remember a time, a place, a kiss, a tear, music engraves, it tattoos forever, that link of song and memory.......wow, in the words of Paul Thorn, "it don't get any better than this".
Listen to your favorite song tonight.


4 comments:

  1. It is wonderful how you have spent your life doing what you love. Music is a comfort, a healer and a friend.

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  2. Music is powerful. I have to be careful with those 'dark-place songs', I can get stuck there.
    There is music that makes my skin tingle every time I hear it...the wonderful thing is there is no classification here...can be anything from the fabulous Etta James to the bagpipes. It's like the cells of my body know this music.

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  3. Oh boy, could I tell some song stories. Music has always been so important to me throughout my lifetime. Thanks for sharing this post.

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  4. Just listened to one of my favourite songs, and it helps :)

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