Sing your life. *
“What can I compare you to, a favorite pair of shoes? Maybe my bright red boots if they had wings.” – The Weepies “Take It From Me”
My love for people is proportional to their music collection. Ok, fine, I know and love many people who own less that a dozen albums they could put their hands on. But if pressed to choose individuals to be trapped on a desert island with me, that list would rely heavily on what music collection they could bring with them.
“What band would you take with you a deserted island? And no fair picking the Doobie Brothers just because there are like 12 of them and you could eat them if you had to.” – Rich
I had a bit of a rough day today. By the time I got to lunch, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to find food or just park the car somewhere and listen to music at volume 11 for an hour to restore myself. As I shook the windows of the Mini Cooper with the Weepies, I realized how much I associate music with periods of my life or people I’ve known.
Someone once said that the music you listened to when you first started getting laid will always appeal to you no matter how your music tastes change or you age. While I’m not sure if that’s true, I enjoy that there are so many songs that bring me fond memories and I instantly associate with friends. It’s like everyone I know has a theme song. Really, I should invent a gadget you could wear that would subconsciously transmit your theme music to those around you.
Every time I hear Don Henley or Van Halen, I think of Steve, his perennial running shoes and painted on jeans (and that goofy way he sways his head back and forth when listening to peppy music).
Little Feat will forever be associated with Jeremy, in overalls and covered in blacksmithing soot. I heard the muzak version of “Willin’” in the airport and took silly joy in realizing no one else around me knew the lyrics included “weed, whites and wine.”
Morrissey will always remind me of Fereshteh and our five hour road trip with those albums on repeat. Dead Milkmen was the tape Ian gave me as a gift when I should have agreed to be his girlfriend in 8th grade. Talking Heads is my oldest brother Doug’s soundtrack (on actual vinyl) and Perry always sparks memories of his rant about Blues Traveler’s “I like coffee and I like tea? I can’t understand shit like that!”.
I can’t pick a single artist for Kim since her music collection may be one of the few that’s larger than my own and we cover so many years of so very many artists and phases. And most show tunes remind me of Becca and her Very Pink Bedroom.
Last but not least, my sweetness Rich will always have theme music of Mighty Mighty Bosstones and always at volume 11. He has so much style he requires hearing protection to be around him.
If you had to pick your own theme song, what would it be? Is there a song that makes you think of me?
* The title of this post is a Morrissey song that includes the lyrics, “Sing your life. Others sang your life and now is your chance to shine.” That line was one of my senior quotes in high school.
My theme song? My song is "Into the Mystic" by Van Morrison. It has been my song forever. I don't really know why. Maybe it was because back in high school I longed for a guy to "rock my gypsy soul." (Maybe I just wanted someone to think I had a gypsy soul?) Oddly enough for me, the lyrics aren't even the most important part of this song (and as a poet, lyrics are always important.) There is just something about the tune, something about the lyric and something about Van Morrison's voice that all come together and reach down in my gypsy soul and sing its contents out. I haven't outgrown this song in over 20 years. It never fails to lift me up, although sometimes I cry to it until the second chorus. And I am incapable of listening to it on anything but 11 while singing it out full volume and then some. Have to go cue it up. Maybe you'll be able to hear me singing from Norfolk. . . .
What a great post! I don't have just one song for myself, but I do pick out theme songs for my friends. Until now, I've never met anyone else who did that. (Everyone thinks I'm weird for doing that, but that's ok) Also, when I hear certain songs, it takes me back to where I was when I first heard it.
“What band would you take with you a deserted island?”
Charlie Daniels – because of their versatility, because I think they’d let me sing along with ‘em, because they’d probably get along in a primitive environment better than many, and because they’d probably bring along enough booze to make the situation a little more bearable. They may even be able to set up a still.
As for a theme song . . . For a long time I would have called CS&N’s Southern Cross to be my theme music because I identified so strongly with that “lonesome sailor” personality. But that’s not really me. Not anymore.
Of the songs that come easily to my mind, I would have to choose the Eagles’ Peaceful Easy Feeling. That’s not always the way it is, but Cathy can do that to me.
Another that shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows me in the SCA is Born on the Listfield. Despite people’s complaints that like so many ballads, it ends with death; I find it an upbeat song. The knight lived as I would want to live, and died as I want to die.
Next time I need to make a post every day, this could give me enough fodder for a whole month!
I don't know what the REM song Orange Crush means, but when I hear it, I can SEE in my mind's eye a cassette tape with your handwriting. When I hear that song I think of you. There are others obviously but that's the first one that comes to mind!
Also I still can't listen to Melissa Etheridge based on our junior year roommate experience.