Songs in the Key of Life
A few months ago I was told how someone couldn’t imagine that I would like a particular, unnamed store of a somewhat questionable content. I found that a little bit funny and left it at that. Then, while doing some shopping at the mall a few weeks later, Jackie and I happened upon and entered this unnamed store. I tried to explain that I am like an ogre and therefore also like an onion. I have many layers and that having had a previous fondness for things of possible questionable content is just one of my many layers. Coincidentally a couple of weeks after that I heard a song that took me back in time. I wanted to share a photo to a friend and I knew right where to find it.
Several years ago I put together a life story scrapbook of sorts. Along with the pictures from my past I wrote about each life progression. The book is titled Songs in the Key of Life (Stevie Wonder) Each written section has a song title to represent that particular ‘layer’ of my life. They range from Puff the Magic Dragon (Burl Ives) to Bungle in the Jungle (Jethro Tull) and pretty much every other direction you can go with music styles. All these music references connect my life in stories.
I have been exposed to music my whole life. One of my book paragraphs is called Turn the Radio On (Statler Brothers) because living in a small home I would wake up to this song every morning playing on the alarm clock at 7 am. My dad wasn’t really musically gifted but he made up for it in many other ways. Mom was raised with music culture, appreciation and she always loved singing. She even aspired to learn the piano after I didn’t…which will forever go down as a regret unless I learn now.
High school band class opened up some interesting opportunities for me. I went into high school already knowing how play the clarinet. This is apparently a family requirement as nearly everyone on my mom’s side of the family has played it. But when the band teacher asked if anyone would be interested in switching to the tuba, how could I resist?! I had always loved everything about bass in music. Stepping up and taking on that big boy made way for me to eventually get a bass guitar and amplifier. This never really went anywhere as if it did I wouldn’t be writing this…I would have been the world’s next Suzi Quatro instead.
By far my brother has to be credited for my literal music appreciation. It was always my pleasure to perform a late night rendition of Woodstock songs for his entertainment until I got caught and told to go to sleep. And it seemed then as though nothing could have been more sacred than his calling on me to care for his vinyl collection when he went into the military. Even now when he makes a music recommendation I am amused and enlightened.
Without me even realizing it and, for no reason that I can look back and identify, my music seemed to have died. This wasn’t a conscious thing that happened. Over a course of time I guess I had no desire to hear music. Even the radio in my car remained silent. One of the exceptions would have been a rare listen to When I Was a Child (Todd Snider) I can’t even say for how long this went on but it doesn't seem like it was a short time. And it wasn’t until recently when I recognized that I wanted music playing that I realized that I hadn’t wanted it before. It’s weird.
Thankfully I can attribute much of my newfound music resurrection to Jackie…and YouTube.
A big wake up for me happened pretty recently. I began to want to watch and hear a particular Disney song. I’m not a Disney hater by any means but I have never been into the singy songs with the exception of Robin Hood or Jungle Book. Even that’s a stretch. But a princess movie song…nope! Until now. It’s very peculiar.
As we watched a documentary about the making of a stage show and the musical number that was performed at the end, there was a part that made me think of my theory and harmony classes from way back when. Obviously I never became a songwriter or today I would be giving Bob Dylan a run for his money. But I did enjoy learning how to write music and now watching these two guys make their musical idea happen successfully reminded me of that.
I don’t know when or why my desire for music died but I’m really glad it’s back. And just like my Songs in the Key of Life scrapbook, my playlist won’t be confined to one genre of music. This layer will include all my newest musical loves…from apparently I See the Light (Tangled) to my newest love,Twenty One Pilots (all of them because I can’t find anything I don’t like)
**there are a handful of musically talented people we watch regularly on YouTube who are so passionate about what they do. I enjoy watching their creativity and passion so I’m going to link a few fun ones so you can go check them out!
