You remind me...

“You remind me of a girl that I once knew…” -Usher

One of the things that always amazes me about music, as well as one of the things I love about it, is that it is intrinsically tied to our memories.  If you think about it, large life moments are tied to song in one way or another.  At birthdays we sing the birthday song, when something good happens we burst into, “For he’s a jolly good fellow” (if you were born before the year 1970) and at weddings when they begin the music for the Chicken Dance, you know you are in the presence of true and everlasting love. 

More recently, when the DJ cues up “Single Ladies,” by Beyoncé, you know it is time for the bouquet toss and therefore time for me to head for the nearest bathroom and wait it out in stealth silence.  There is nothing like an elbow to the cheek bone to ruin a perfectly good open bar and I, for one, refuse to stand for something so heinous!

Musical memories can trigger all sorts of things.  For instance, the amazing time you had at the BSB concert with your High School friends, or belting out any and every Queen song in the mirror, or running down the street, pleasantly surprised to hear “You’ve Got it (The Right Stuff)” by New Kids on the Block blasting from your iPod.  A word of caution; although it is natural to get lost in the beat, do not fail to notice the busted tree root covering the sidewalk.  There is nothing like a little trip and a stubbed toe to enhance your musical journey!

As you get older, you find that embarrassing small children through song is quite an amusing pastime.  When “this is the part of me that you’re never gonna ever take away from me, no,” comes on the radio you can’t help but start a little arm dance action.  Soon, a little voice from behind you goes, “Can you stop? This is embarrassing.”  Naturally, you bask in the joy when you you turn up the volume, add some flair to your dance moves and shame emanates from the back seat.  “Throw your sticks and stones, throw your bombs and blows, but you’re not gonna break my soul!!”  I am going to be such a good mom someday!

Then there are the nostalgic romance songs like that of your first slow dance.  It was so memorable that I’ve racked my brain for the past five minutes trying to recall something about that song and/or event but there is nada.  In the land of make believe, “I Swear” by All 4 One, was a fantastic first dance song. 

Today, I experienced how a new singer (recording artist) can bring back fond memories of times gone by.  Let’s be real for a second shall we?  The new Biebs song, “Boyfriend,” is a rip off of Justin Timberlake and the video is so blatantly Timberlake it borders on plagiarism (that’s not to say I don’t like the Biebs song but he ripped it off, it’s a fact).  It was the whiff of Timberlake, however that brought me back to those good ole college days when my friends and I pondered the age old question, “Did sexy leave?”  Although we never came to a clear conclusion on this incredibly philosophical question, we decided that we'd help Justin bring sexy back anyway! 

Also, I would like to mention, for the record, that the new One Direction “What Makes You Beautiful” video looks eerily like the NKOTB “Summertime” video minus the 40 year old men hitting on 18 year old girls…I’m looking at you Donnie Wahlberg!

Unfortunately, music is also tied to sad occasions.  If music only brought back fond memories then we wouldn’t have country music, soul music or the songs of teenage love gone wrong music brought to you ever so irritatingly and amazingly by Miss Taylor Swift.  Whether you are a fan or not there isn’t one person who heard the verse,

“He’s the reason for the tear drops on my guitar, the only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star.  He’s the song in the car I keep singing don’t know why I do,”

who didn’t immediately go swooshing back to their slightly awkward, angst filled, pining/puppy love High School hallways. 

Music is there to remind us that our life is and was worth living, the good times, the bad times and the incredibly awkward or unsettling.  Music is what gets you through, and I for one will celebrate that every chance I get. 

Till next time

~E

“Last Dance.  Last Chance for Love.  Last Chance, for romance… tonight.  I need you by me, beside me, to guide.  To hold me, to scold me and when I’m bad, I’m so, so bad. So let’s dance the last dance, let’s dance the last dance.  Let’s dance the last dance…tonight!!” ~Donna Summer