Friday, July 29, 2005

Memories to Music

Isn’t it great how songs can transport you to another place and another time? I’m sat at work right now, listening to my MP3 player, and Dave Matthews and his band have just come on singing The Space Between. For the duration of the song, I was no longer sat in my office threatening to stick my head through my computer screen, but back in Virginia, where I worked on a Summer Camp for 12 weeks back in 2001. The song and album had just been released, and it was EVERYWHERE. As soon as that introduction starts, I can visualise the green trees, the blue sky, the tents, and all my friends. I can feel the unbearable heat and humidity, (which makes a change from the once again rainy England!) I can hear the kids laughing, enjoying being kids! Then when that trip down the lane of memories is over, I am transported to a club in Derby and it’s heading towards the end of my last year of University as Incubus’ Pardon Me (acoustic version) plays through my head. We go the Open Mic nights, and in a previous post I wrote about the old days. There was an elite, and some of them played this song. I can see them on stage, with the lights shining down on the stage surrounding the players with a bright white light, the crowd captured by the rhythm of the guitar, and harmonies, my friends are all around, some chatting, some watching intently. There is a pitcher of beer on the table, half-drunk – but still half-left! Then crowd applauds as the song draws to an end. At last I’m back in the office, but only for a swift moment as once again I’m travelling down and away from this florescent lit, silent room and I’m 8 years old sat in the back of my parents car in San Diego. A song comes on the radio by a male singer who I do not know, and he’s singing about some kind of a vessel, and a river. I later find out that this song is called The River by Garth Brooks. I fall in love with it, the words, the ideals, and the melodies. This song will be a great turning point in my life as I become one of the biggest Garth fans in the world (frowned upon by my friends up here, apparently he’s cheesy!!!!). From hearing The River we buy Ropin’ The Wind the album from which is it taken, and our collection grows from there. You know how they say that people have a theme tune; well I think that one is mine. It was the first song I learned all the way through off by heart, and if ever I’m bored or lonely with no music, it’s the first song I sing in my head. It has got me through so many times, good and bad.

Memories are one of the most important things in my life, as I have had so many experiences that I’ve loved beyond belief. And now the only thing left of them are the memories. Also, because I have such an active imagination, the memories replay themselves in my head like a movie. I can lose myself completely in them, and get away from the totally monotonous routine that is my working life. I love the fact that I have music to help me along too, I think without it, I WOULD have gone completely and utterly stark raving mad by now!

3 comments:

purple_kangaroo said...

I love music too. My husband has been doing a series on his blog about songs that have been instrumental and/or symbolic in his life, and that's been really neat to read too.

Smithee said...

I know exactly what you mean, Rach. I just got an old, out of print cd off of ebay that takes me back to my teen years, when the only musician in the world for me was Rick Springfield. This is an album he did either before leaving Australia, or right after he came to the states, I can't remember which. But I can remember listening to the vinyl album (God, how old am I?) and thinking what an amazing voice he had. I still think that, even after all these years. It's really interesting to listen to this early album and then listen to his recent work to see how much he's grown and changed over the years. And how much it hasn't changed that his music still speaks to me in a way no one else's does.

Nice post.

Smithee said...

Hi, Rach! Thanks for the comment. I didn't mean to stay away from posting for so long - it just sort of happened. I felt like I didn't have anything to say. Not that I do now, but I figured a little something was better than nothing. Maybe now that school is starting, I'll have more ideas. I just hope they won't all be complaints about the kids, school, and bureaucracy (sp?) of education.

I don't mind car racing as much; I think it would be fun to go to a race. But I can't watch it on TV for very long. I get the feeling that it's just not the same as being there. But I've been to bicycle races, and trust me. They are not much fun if you really don't get into cycling.

Gotta run - Hope to read more from you soon! Take care!