Music is Memories

Music has always played a role in my life. Growing up we always had the radio or stereo on. I would fall asleep to the radio every night as a young girl. I would sit in my grandfather's lap as a toddler and be bounced along with the beat of the polkas he had on. A lot of my memories are tied to one song or another. I was going through my cd's and noticed quite a few of them weren't in my iTunes catalog. Today I started the daunting task of putting them all on my laptop. Once as they're all on here, all of them will be transferred to my iPod. I have one of the classics that can hold 160GB. I'm interested to see what the final count will be.

As I've been going through them, each one brings back some memory and I'd like to share some of them with you.

Soundtrack to WILD ORCHID- It's an erotic tale and the movie has always been a favorite of mine. I remember watching the movie for the first time in college with a group of 6 or 7 girls in my suitemate's room. We were gathered round her small TV and I was mesmerized by the film. I remember one or two of the girls were not comfortable with the movie and got up to leave. Not me. I have never been one to shy away from the topic of sex and intimacy, so for me the movie opened up more dialogue. When I found the soundtrack about five years ago I bought it for $3. I can't say as I've ever listened to it all the way through. Maybe it's time to.

System of a Down "Mezmerize"- most people can't picture me listening or even liking this band or cd. But I do. It's my favorite cleaning album. I like to crank it up and sing along to every shocking lyric. "Cigaro" has to be my fave! I was turned on to this group by an ex-boyfriend who happened to despise country. I could only listen to my country when he wasn't home or in the car with me. He came home one day and found me packing my stuff up to this album. Maybe that's why I like to clean to it….

20 Fingers featuring Gillette "Short Short Man"- I can't even type that without laughing. Back in college this one was very popular and it always had me and a friend in stitches. We'd be out on the dance floor and it would come on and we'd be in stiches in seconds flat because we both knew a "short, short man". It makes me think fondly of her and wonder how she is and what she's up to. I hope she's doing well!

Veggie Tunes- I have a few albums of their songs. I love them. They're catchy and silly and remind me of three children I was a nanny too. Cowgirl is their mom. I can see them singing along and bopping to the beat. Cowgirl's favorite is "Where is my Hairbrush?" while I my fave is "Love my Lips". I will always picture "my kiddos" when I hear any Veggie tune.

Tracy Lawrence "Alibis"- my first album by Tracy. I've had to replace it twice. I was in a very abusive relationship when this album came out and the title song helped me through some rough times.

Songs of the Polka King, Frank Yankovich and friends- "Beer Barrel Polka", "Too fat for me" and "In Heaven there is no Beer" are bring back sitting in Grandpa's lap and giggling. He would bounce me up and down and sing (sometimes he changed the words!) to me. Then the "Blue Skirt Waltz" would come on and he'd rock me to sleep. I have that song in my "sweet dreams" playlist. I miss you Grandpa!

The Essential Johnny Horton "Honky Tonk Man"- I know all the words to his songs thanks to my dad. "The Battle of New Orleans", "Johnny Reb" and "Sink the Bismark" were songs that interested me in history. Plus the "Battle of New Orleans" has the best verse ever (IMO): "We fired our cannons 'til the barrel melted down, so we grabbed an alligator and we fought another round. We filled his head with cannon balls, and powered his behind. And when we touched the powder off, the gator lost his mind!" What a visual! LOL I will always think of my daddy when I listen to anything by Johnny Horton.

Montgomery Gentry "My Town"- I have two copies of this cd. One was Tony's and is one of my greatest treasures. Tony was one of their biggest fans and I can still hear his voice singing along with "My Town". I was lucky enough to score Tony an autograph from Troy Gentry back in November of 2003. I ran in to Troy at the local Target and he signed a photo envelope for Tony. I smile fondly every time I listen to anything by MG and have seen them in concert numerous times. The last time was just before I moved out here to Denver. I took my cousin Scar (from the blog: I survived cancer and all I got was this stupid Scar) to see them at the fair and we had a blast. It was a great night full of lasting memories!

The Jungle Book soundtrack- I can't help but grin when I hear this album or watch the movie. Forever this movie will be linked to the love of my life, W. We were 19 when we dated the first time and one day we sat in his apartment and watched it. I sat on the floor in front of the TV and was mesmerized. I did this little shimmy bounce dance right in front of him without once worrying he'd make fun of me. I looked at him once during the movie and he was watching me. He gives me that same loving look now when I get lost in a movie and dance or sing along. This will always be one of our movies.

Garth Brooks "Fresh Horses"- So this one was in the stack but I already had it on my laptop, but it has the most beautiful memories attached to it. W and I used to listen to this cd a lot when we were dating back in the day. "She's Every Woman" was the song he said was all about me. We listened to the entire album while driving home last weekend and I cried when he told me he hadn't listened to it much since we'd broken up. All his other Garth CD's have tons of scratches from all the play time they got. W is a HUGE Garth fan so for him to leave this album out told me just how much he loved me back then and that his love for me is never ending. I love W deeply and unconditionally. I will forever see the boy of 19 singing to me and falling in love with him. Tonight I will ask him to sing it to me again…

Mom enjoys music as much as I do. She used to blast the stereo at our house in Texas so loud she wouldn't hear me walk in. I'd hear the bass as soon as I got out of my truck. Now I use it to fill the day and to calm her. I play a lot of Garth and Reba and classic country for her. She smiles and she sings along. Sometimes a song will bring back a memory of her youth and she'll tell me one of the stories I grew up listening to. As time goes by I know that music will reach her when our words don't.

Music is memories in my world….