Originally published June 2009
I’m going through a phase right now where I want to hear music from my younger years. Maybe it has something to do with my upcoming trip home to visit lots of high school friends. Whatever it is I am forgoing my usual audio books for iTunes favorites I’ve downloaded and oldies-but-goodies radio stations. I even convinced (it didn’t take much) my friend Linda to go dancing with me last week. Although I’ve never been one of those that lived and breathed music, I do love certain songs, especially those that have motivated certain actions or reactions in me over the course of my lifetime.
Many decisions were made by me based on the feeling a song inspires in me. I’ve stayed with or broken up with boyfriends if a particular song happened to say just the right words with just the right musical sound. I’m loyal to the songs of my youth; Elton John, Cat Stevens, Supertramp – I know, vanilla music, but I love something about the songs and can listen to them over and over. When my girls were young we would listen to Jim Croce’s Bad Bad Leroy Brown over and over. My six-year-old grandson now knows the words by heart. Nothing is cuter than looking in the rearview mirror to watch him sing and move to the music!
I enjoy some of the new music, too. There’s something about that Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty that makes me want to stalk him. He’s not even really cute, too Kevin Bacon skinny for me, but that voice of his, oh and the way he moves. Speaking of Kevin Bacon, he and his brother have a great band and some really good songs. They should have picked a better name for their band though, The Bacon Brothers just makes me want to laugh.
My workouts at the gym are even picking up thanks to my iPod and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Traveling Band is a great song to run on the treadmill to, that is, if I remember not to dance to the beat as I’m on a moving belt.
The 1970s had some great music. A recently cancelled show, Life on Mars used the music of that era as a backdrop to their show. For weeks I couldn’t get the song, Little Willy by The Sweet out of my head.
I’m certainly enjoying my trip back in time through music. I just hope I keep my head, but you never know; that music from the old days may just cast a spell over me. Or, it will just make the drive home a little easier.