
Listening to music while driving is one of my favorite things to do. I’m a regular accompanist for Adele, Frank Sinatra, Pure Prairie League, Norah Jones, Journey, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Marshall Tucker, Dylan LaBlanc, Neil Young, and The Indigo Girls. To me we sound pretty good together, but what do I know?
During one of these mobile mini-concerts, I realized that the songs on my playlist were time – travel conduits, instantly zooming me back to great memories of moments in time. Conjuring up a connection to a person, group of people, or peak experience turns a mundane errand like running to the grocery store – into time well spent.
Music does all that. It never fails to lift me up.
Here are some personally notable melodies, in loose chronological order:
You Are My Sunshine, Bicycle Built for Two, Sparrow in the Treetop, Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Erie Canal, and more…(My parents) – random and countless long car rides in the station wagon
Best of My Love (The Eagles) – silk-screening in junior high print shop
China Grove (The Doobie Brothers) – marching onto the field with the twirling squad for my first home football game
California Girls and Don’t Worry, Baby (The Beach Boys) – hometown summer carnivals
How Deep is Your Love? (The BeeGees) – making deliveries on my brothers’ paper route with my sister
Baker Street (Gerry Rafferty) – zipping down the parkway to the Jersey shore with high school girlfriends
Rosalita (Springsteen) – dancing on a rooftop in Morgantown, WV
Into the Night (Benny Mardones) – late night walks home from Sunnyside
Brown-eyed Girl (Van Morrison) – singing with friends in the back of a pick-up truck on a dirt road in rural Abaco, Bahamas
Already Gone (The Eagles) – Kawagama Lake camping trip with with friends, northern Ontario
You’re Just to Good to Be True (Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons) – dancing with my husband on our wedding day
Here Comes the Sun (George Harrison) – winter solstice celebrations with neighbors
Just One Look (Linda Ronstadt) – kitchen clean-up dance at Lake Placid with lifetime friends.
And the following songs remind me especially of my kids:
I Am Light (India Arie) – for my daughter, Joy
Bennie and the Jets (Elton John) – for my son, Ben
Fly Me to the Moon (Frank Sinatra) – for my son, Luke
There is so much more music both before and after these snapshot memories because to me, the music never ends.
I wonder –
what are the songs you live by?