Musical Memories

Music has always been a big part of my life, I don't really remember much of my childhood but the things I remember tend to involve music.  When I was little my father liked the 'heavy metal' music and it really was stuff that I hated and still to this day I hate the stuff but sometimes my husband (who likes it) will play a song that my father used to listen to and I won't particularly have a flashback memory so much as just be reminded of my dad and his music.  Most of my 'musical memories' aren't really about certain events or places in time but of certain people...when I hear a song it reminds of someone who has a made a dint in my life, when I hear the song I think of them.

When I was about 9 or so my parents used to put on lps (yes I am that old) and listen to this one record of Golden oldies...my mother would sing right along to the songs on this album but she especially loved 'Sugar Shack by Jimmy Gilmer and the Fireballs' now every time I hear that song it takes me back to a time when life was simpler hearing my mother sing those songs over and over.  The song is really a silly song and the words have no meaning to me but every time I hear it takes me back to the 1979 and singing silly songs with my mother.

About 10 years later I would get another song to add to list of memories.  My sister-in-law used to listen to the song 'Push it by Salt n Pepa' all the time, I think I heard that song a million times after it came out.  Once again a silly song that just got stuck in someone's head that was played over and over again.  After the accident that claimed her life I had a really hard time listening to this song, I guess it was fortunate for me that it wasn't popular much after her death.  Now when I hear this song I think of her, it has been almost 20 years and I still miss her but when I hear that song I am taken back to that 19 year old girl who would sing that song with every thing she had.  

Just over two years later I would give birth to my first child, I was 20 years old living thousands of miles from home and did whatever a certain nurse told me to do to make the delivery process smoother.  She suggested I bring in soothing music.  So I brought in my cassette tape of  'Carpenters' and I don't know if it was coincidence, or maybe just my mind working in crazy ways while I was drugged up but the song I could hear in the background at the time my son was being born was 'Close To You'...for those of you who have no idea what song I am referring to...

Why do birds suddenly appear

Every time you are near?

Just like me, they long to be 

Close to you.

On the day that you were born

The angels got together

and decided to create a dream come true

So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold

And starlight in your eyes of blue.

That is why all the girls in town

Follow you all around.

Just lime me, they long to be

Close to you.

Every time I hear this song I think of my son and the day he was born, it amazes me how perfect this song was, as my son was blonde haired and blue eyed.  Funny too that the song that was playing was the #1 on billboard charts the year that I was born :)

The years passed and I had my second child and there was no time for music at her birth but she loved music, and when she was about three when the song 'Barbie Girl by Aqua' was released and she loved it.  Now just picture this a three year old singing...

I'm a barbie girl, in the barbie world

Life in plastic, it's fantastic!

you can brush my hair, undress me everywhere

Imagination, life is your creation

Come on Barbie, let's go party!

I know it sounds bad but since then I have heard worse, she had no idea what she was saying but she loved the song, she would dance around the house, play the song over and over again...  She is now 15 and still likes the song although thankfully we don't listen to it as often as we did when she was 3...hopefully she still doesn't think she is a barbie girl ;)
There are so many songs in my life that remind me of people as soon as I hear them I think of them.  For years after my father passed away I was unable to listen to any country golden oldies, anything by Johnny Cash, Hank Snow or George Jones made me cry...now I can listen to them but I instantly think of my dad.  Sometimes I think it would be better not to do this but for some reason I can't help it, I guess the soundtrack of my life is a lot more complicated than I thought :)