The Soundtrack of My Life
So, as I sat in the car today on my way from my cleaning at the dentist office I, as I always do..had the radio on. I am currently consumed and obsessed with satellite radio. The 90's station is on full blast ALL the time! If not my favorite 90's jams then it's Big Hair Nation...(Don't judge! I am a 90's big hair girl!). It occurred to me that all the major events in my life have been surrounded by music. Not only are photos a top priority for me, but so are the songs that dictate my memories. One song can bring back sweet memories of my babies, a loved one no longer with us or a night that I will never forget. Isn't it that way for everyone? I still remember my prom song or songs played during those very awkward middle school dances. Songs my kids sang along to in the car when they were little and songs that bring back a flood of memories of my wedding day. The good, the bad, the embarrassing, the sad, the happy, the sweet and the funny times. Here are a few of the songs that would make the "Soundtrack of my Life"...if I had one.
The number one song the day I was born....."Tonight's the Night" by Rod Stewart. (yep..I am THAT old!)
The song that always reminds me of my mom is Jackson Browne's "Running on Empty". She loved this song and to this day still plays it when she is cleaning the house. She has a small radio that she sits on her counter and blasts while she is getting stuff done. She is so cute! When I was little we would dance around the house singing it. She always had music playing when we were little. The television wasn't on all that much, but the radio was a constant.
My middle school years were completely consumed (as were all the teenage girls at the time!) by New Kids on the Block. This was always my favorite song by them.
As a little girl I spent quite a bit of time with my Grandmother. She would NEVER listen to the radio in her house or the car. It drove me crazy! I distinctly remember one time when I was about 9 or 10 though that I was with her baking Christmas Cookies and she pulled a small cassette player out of her bedroom and started playing "Johnny B. Goode". She sang so loud and started dancing. I could not stop laughing...I had never seen her dance like that! She then taught me how to jitterbug. To this day, I couldn't tell you how the heck to do it, but I know every word to the song and every once in awhile find myself singing it when I am missing her.
My NKOTB days soon turned into jean jackets, mini skirt, big earrings and lots upon LOTS of RAVE hair spray. The higher the hair, the cooler you were! My music turned from cute teeny bopper stuff to big hair bands, guys in tight pants and dreams of which concert I would attend first to just have the lead singer see me down in the crowd and offer to marry me....ahh....those were the days..and the day dreams. I still have this song on my playlist. My youngest is mortified when I play it because the volume is turned up to the max and I sing like a madwoman! Big hair music..don't care! This was by far the cutest of the "Big Hair" Band lead singers..in my opinion.
This song reminds of my my sweet friend Terri who is no longer with us. I met her when she was just in kindergarten and I was in third grade. She had just moved to my neighborhood and her mom asked me at the bus stop to keep an eye on her. We were friends for the next 14 years until she passed. We watched this stinkin' movie, oh about 10,000 times! It is still one of my favorites to this day! Not only for the great story,(Patrick Swayze looks pretty good in it too!), but the sweet memories of sitting in her living room watching this so many times and rewinding the VHS tape so many times that we ruined it and her mom had to go buy another one!
This song reminds me of the good times on the bus in high school...let's just leave it at that! (my kids may read this..yikes)
My final song on the first side of my soundtrack reminds me of my dad. I couldn't find a song to dance with him to at my wedding. I searched for months.I couldn't find anything that wasn't too "sappy". I finally sat and made a list of songs that reminded me of him. This was the first song I wrote down. My dad listened to all the old country guys...Merle, Hank, David Allen Coe, and Willie. He helped me to appreciate that genre. The legends. Still one of my favorite songs.
My trip down memory lane was much needed today. Someday soon I will do my "Side 2" of the soundtrack. Those songs will be the ones that remind me of my hubby, kids and BFF's. I am sure that will bring on many tears instead of just the few I shed today.
Moral of the story, take photos to remember visually and pay attention to the song on the radio to remember audibly. Both will tug at your heartstrings at the strangest times. A flooding of memories with every listen or look.
Did any of my songs make your soundtrack? I'd love to know if they did.
Make some memories this week!
Hugs, Joyce
