When we were young music would find us. It seemed like it was everywhere. You could hear it as cars drove by, you could hear it coming from house windows as you were outside playing. I remember sitting in my parents car waiting for them to come out of the grocery store. I was listening to the radio and James Taylor came on. It was the early 1970’s and I love listening to James Taylor ever since.
In middle school I saw a kid with a button on his jacket that said, The Ramones. I had no idea who they were. But that afternoon I walked down to Main Street Records and asked if I could listen to The Ramones. Still to this day, my favorite band. (Thanks Bob Cat!). I remember being at my friend Jeff’s house and his brother let us play a Rush Album. Just Amazing, everything from the lyrics and vocals to UNBELIEVABLE drumming. At Chris’ house he introduced me to BOTH AC/DC and Pink Floyd. Although I had heard some of each of those bands on the radio, it was the first time I think I may have listened to an entire album. I thank these friends for starting my lifelong love of music.
It seems now that the older you get you have to find the music. Maybe it is the speed of life. Maybe it is because of air-conditioning fewer windows are open! Sometimes music still surprises me. I was walking through town and a song was being played in a store. As the door opened, I was struck by 2 lines of lyrics:
In every movie I watch from the 50s,
There’s only one thought that swirls around my head now,
That’s that everyone there on screen they’re all dead now.
I recognized the voice of Ben Gabbard from Death Cab for Cutie. Couldn’t wait to get to my car to put that song on. I think I would discover more music if I just lived the the present a little more.
Sometimes It may be a song you’ve known for years, but actually listen to it with your ears for the first time. In High school I remember being completely exhausted physically and mentally. I cannot remember what was going on in my life at the time, but I do remember the feeling of hopelessness. I had gone into my room and closed the door. Put on the radio and laid down to take a nap.
At some point I slowly came back to consciousness to The Beatles song, “The Long and Winding Road”. I had heard the song countless times. It was already 15+ years old when I was in high school. But this was the first time that I really heard it with my ears and my heart. McCartney says “It’s a sad song because it’s all about the unattainable; the door you never quite reach,” he revealed. “This is the road that you never get to the end of.”
Hearing that song at that moment let me know that although this was a tough time, I was going to be OK. The road is long so concentrate in the journey, not just the destination.
To this day, when I hear this song I am transported back in time to my bedroom in 1983.
Is there a song that has changed your perspective? A song you recently heard that you can’t wait to share?
