What would my life be without music? Empty. Dull. Flat. Shallow. Void.
Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. As a little kid, Saturday mornings were for working around the house and listening to music. My parents brought me up on a wide variety of music — Stevie Wonder, Janis Joplin, The Beatles, Sly and the Family Stone, Three Dog Night, The Bee Gees. And a healthy dose of classical music as well. When I was a kid, I lived in Omaha and the art museum used to have an event on the weekends called Bagels and Bach. My dad would take me to have bagels and listen to a string quartet. I have an incredibly varied taste in music, and I attribute that to my parents and our Saturday morning music.
Like many people, I associate songs with people or events in my life. When I hear Alan Jackson, I think of my grandmother. When I hear Duran Duran, I think of high school. When I hear Journey, I think of my best friend from high school. When I hear songs from late 1985 and early 1986, I go immediately back to the time period after my engagement broke up. When I hear Brittney Spears or Backstreet Boys or NSync, I think about when my daughter was little. Sometimes, these associations bring pleasant memories, sometimes not, but regardless, the music evokes powerful emotion.
Music also helps feed my mini obsession with song lyrics. I love analyzing the lyrics to songs that seem to tell stories. “The Freshmen” by The Verve Pipe. “Fortress Around Your Heart” by Sting. “Lightning Crashes” by Live. “Burn” from Hamilton. “All Too Well” by Taylor Swift. Just a smattering of song lyrics that I have spent hours reading, analyzing, and researching.
I can’t imagine my life without music. It’s just a running backdrop in my life, always with me, always adding depth to what I’m experiencing.
The View from the Cheap Seats 