30 things: Day 10

Day 10- songs you listen to when you are happy, sad, bored, hyped, mad..

Yes, yet another list that I've been avoiding. There are just TOO many songs to list here. If you know anything about me, you know that I LOVE music. By music, I mean all of it, African Tribal music to Opera and everything in between. I don't think that the majority of people out there realize how all music is related on some level and how, we, as people, are related to music.

I caught myself trying to keep track of my blink rate yesterday early in the slow AM at work and then somehow, Pandora appeared on my computer. Literally, I don't remember clicking on it and *whoosh*, music to the rescue. Now, I'm laying on my couch for the 11th hour in a row, flipping the music channels on the TV from one without looking to see if I can still name the artist just on sound.

You see music is more than just noise for me. It's an experience. I can get lost in a song almost as easily as I can get lost in a warm hug or a feeling. There are a few songs out there that I would consider even better than a warm hug. Songs that have lyrics that envelop you and either make you feel vulnerable in the world or completely exposed. That's the true test of a good song. That's what our hippie parents felt in the 60's and 70's. Well that, and drugs, and probably each other and the person next to them. But either way, that rebellious music, that shit on the radio that put the issues out on the table and into the public conciseness, that's what made the Bible-thumpers throw vinyls into piles and burn them. Music has the ability to expose those parts of life that people just can't or don't want to deal with. I.love.that.

As easily as music can compel you forward, it can take you back:

+++ I DISTINCTLY remember sitting down in front of the 13 inch color TV in our living room that sat on the cheap, rickety, particle board TV console, my eyes glued to Madonna's Like a Prayer video, but not for long before my mother came screeching out of the other room yelling something about "secular music" and "turn this naked stuff off"!!! All of 8 years old, in 1989 when MTV played actual music videos, I knew I wanted to listen to more of that "stuff". Fast foward to Glee Season 1, circa 2010, I'm in the same living room but this time I'm the home owner and ain't no one chasing me off of singing this thing and dancing in around in my pajamas and singing into the remote.
+++ Mixed tapes...yes, the ones that you had to rewind back together with a freaking pencil. C&C Music Factory from Cousin Mike. He snuck it to me, I wore it out. I was still in single digits. I was an addict.
+++ Kenny G. (shame) It was one of the few approved non-secular music choices available in our house. I took what I could get. I rocked some Kenny G, believe you me. Despite the fact that that long haired hippie was probably single handedly responsible for some kind of sax-induced baby boom in the 90s because men everywhere were seducing their ladies with light jazz, in my house, it was approved music.
+++ I remember one of my first "holy shit I love this stuff" music moments. I was 11 and there was a radio in my bedroom which was horribly sponge painted green and white. It was Kris Kross "Jump"...the Mac Dad will make ya, jump, jump, Daddy Mac will make you, jump, jump..." Sign me up. I wanted MORE!
+++ My first two CD purchases for my personal-CD player (circa early 1990something and that thing was the size of a small dinner plate that skipped like a stone across the lake): The Eagles Hell Freezes Over Tour Live and Boyz II Men PhillHighHarmony. Shortly after that, Hootie and the Blowfish and Shania Twain. Seriously, 12, 13, 14 years old, this is what I listened to. I wanted to hear ALL of it. There's a H&B track that never grew up to be a single, but it was one of my favorite songs. I used to daydream in the dark about slow dancing and being in love. Funny thing is, it's a break up song.
+++ High school, boy bands emergeed but, OG Hip Hop ruled. None of this rapping bout nonsense BS that is happening these days. Dr Dre, Snoop Dogg, Tupac, Notorious B.I.G. Real shit!
+++ Fast forward to 18 and a Police Cadet of a couple of years in my mom's white Chevy Z71, listening to none other than this lil' DMX diddy acting like a fool who damn lost her mind, that song was bumping out of the car, me in the driver's seat, I hit the SLOW lane of a Monday afternoon commute time traffic scene already going 75MPH. By the time the Sergeant caught up with me, I was going 95. when he asked me how fast I was going, I knew better than to lie to a cop and mark down your actual speed..."at least 90 officer." "I paced you at 110, license and registration." For whatever reason, he didn't write me for 110 or for reckless driving and Glory Be! didn't tow my mom's car. To this day, I blame DMX.
+++ 20-something, I put $1000 worth of tickets on my credit card to take my dad, his friend, and my friend to see Andrea Bocelli Live. His microphone lost power mid show. He stopped, waited a few minutes, and then un-amplified, unsupported, accapella, he just sang. It was heavenly.
+++ 20-whatever, I found myself sitting at a Songwriters concert at the Luther Burbank Center in the Wine Country watching four guys with their four guitars sit around and jam like there was NO audience. Lyle Lovett, John Hiatt, Joe Ely, Guy Clark...classic song writers. I was easily the youngest person in the entire theater. John Hiatt was old enough to be my father, but I was totally in love with his voice.
+++ Two separate trips to Mexico + booze + friends + karaoke contests = a couple of contest wins for this girl. What did you sing, Lauren? This and this. Ever seen a white girl dressed up like Aretha Franklin. She looks a lot like Marie Osmond.
+++ Right now, as I type, there's a list of songs that I keep on my iphone, gathering a new title every few months when I hear a new song that makes me smile on the inside and day dream, in the dark, in the light, in the in between hours. I think you'll be able to figure out what this list is for. This one compels me forward, not back. Let It Be Me, When I Come To You, Lean on Me, Why Don't We Just Dance, No One, Only a Fool, Simply The Best, Can't Stop This Thing We Started, Could Not Ask For More, How Sweet It Is, Fall, Keep on Lovin' You, Marry Me
+++ I could go on, but this blog must have some kind of end in sight.

Music = my drugs of choice.

+++++

Just for shits and giggles, I categorized my musical tastes. I don't know if it worked out so well, but I did it none the less.

For roadtrips and warm, Summer nights with the windows down: Country (even if Carlsberg and J-Dahl hate it). My heart beats Country, I love Southern accents, I want to live on a ranch, no one ever got me a pony when I was a little girl, so I want a horse soon, and cowboys and those rugged country boys are just sexy. Ok, yeah, I listen to all the other stations too, but you'll find me moving back to Country more often than not.

For artistic inspiration: uhh, Rap, R&B, Hip Hop, Rock and freaking roll! Gimme a beat Mr DJ. What else can you say really? Move your hips, move your brain...

For nursing a bad day or general melancholy: John Mayer,or the plain ol' fashioned blues...Eric Clapton, BB King, Jonny Lang, Etta James, Muddy Waters, Bonnie Raitt...

For the concert experience: Hinder, Papa Roach, BuckCherry, Motley Crue, 7 Day Binge, the more tattoos, leather pants, and unconditioned hair the better.

I just can't pick a favorite artist, a favorite song, I just can't. I just won't. It would be like asking a Mama which of her babies she loves more. I refuse. I love them all, for different reasons, but I love them all.

So, when it comes down to it, my list of songs might be totally generic and it's just going to fall short of what music does and has done for me for 20+ years. Music is one of those things that is the heartbeat of my life.