The Power of Music

Isn't music an amazing thing!?!? It can evoke a memory from years ago and make it feel like yesterday. It can effect your mood and physical actions, like sexual desire or the way you drive. This afternoon I was driving through my neighborhood listening to the "best of the 80's & 90's" station (I remember when the station was only 80's - I must be getting old). The song "Jesse's Girl" was on the radio. I have always loved that song, for no particular reason, and found myself singing along having a grand time. Then I realize, that I was driving 10 mph over the speed limit - oops - I was having a little bit too much fun! Funny thing is that the next song was a slow G'n'R ballot that I was actually driving close to the speed limit, rather than my 10 or so mph over. Don't judge me - I live in Texas - people drive like their on the Audubon here!!!!

These songs got me thinking, about the power of music. When I am depressed - I choice upbeat fun songs in hopes of improving my mood; when I want to relax - I slow it down. Since I haven't been in the holiday spirit, I have been playing more Christmas music. I have several intense memories tied to songs, here are a few:

<> I vividly remember my parents getting ready to go to a Bee Gees Concert when I was around three. They were blaring Bee Gees music on the record player and we all danced around the house as they got ready. My parents divorced when I was five and I do not have a lot of good memories of them together. This memory is important for me and whenever I am feeling down, a good BG song helps to perk me up!

<> When I was twelve, my mom and us kids, without my stepdad, went to visit her best friend in Michigan (I was born and raised in Illinois) for the weekend. They went a wedding for a high school friend Saturday night. The babysitter and I were "cool", so I didn't go to sleep and pretended to be asleep in my sleeping bag on the living room when they got home. Well, my mom brought home a strange man that she met in a bar after the wedding to "hang out with". Her BF went to bed and left them alone in the dining room (open floor plan with the living room). My, what I though to be, happily married mom started flirting with this man. I remember hearing her say, "I don't normally go this fast", then they moved to the couch about five feet away from me and start making out. At some point in time they moved to the floor, I heard clothing coming off while Eddie Money's "Take Me Home Tonight" played on the radio. Finally, I couldn't take it any more and jumped up, telling them to stop. I ran into them, so I turned and ran to the sliding glass and wrapped myself in the curtain crying. My mom had the nerve to act like it was all his fault and made this big drama about kicking him out. Then she chased me to the bathroom and told me all about her marital problems and how they will be getting a divorce as soon as the holidays were over. I WAS TWELVE.....this devastated me, ruined my holidays, made me hate my mom, and created a negative block to sexual pleasure later in life (thankfully, I got over that), etc. ARGH! Thanks mom - I hate this memory!

<> Freshman year of high school, I was the new girl in town (I moved to Florida to live with my dad & stepmom - wonder why? See above!). At school, I met another girl that moved from out-of-state, we had a lot of things in common (even our name). We used to always sit around and listen to the B52's, one of our favorite songs was "Love Shack". Unfortunately, our friendship had a falling out Senior year, but my love for that song has never died!

<> Freshman year of college, two songs from the same night spark polar opposite feelings and have a lot of significance. I was in school for less than one month and this was the first party that I went to. At the beginning of the evening I was hanging out with a really close friend from high school and some of her friends. Everyone was so nice, we were having a great time, without drinking! After a while, we went over to the DU house and dance, dance, danced! The song, "I Wanna Be" came on and I was flirting across the floor with a friend, of a friend, singing it and dancing like a fool - very fun & happy. You know the song,

"When I wake up yeah I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who wakes up next to you
When I go out yeah I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who goes along with you
If I get drunk yes I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who gets drunk next to you
And if I haver yeah I know I'm gonna be
I'm gonna be the man who's havering to you
But I would walk 500 miles
And I would walk 500 more
Just to be the man who walked 1,000 miles
To fall down at your door..."

<> Then, I made a bad - "I'm a naive freshman" - decision. Another guy there was flirting with me and invited me back to his dormroom and then over to a friends to play cards. It sounded like fun and I was so excited to meet people and make friends, since I was fourteen hours from home and knew zero people. BAD DECISION - BAD, BAD, BAD! This guy took me to his room, gave me a drink (to this day, I don't know what was in it), and we started to dance to a Chicago CD. To be honest, I don't remember the specific songs, b/c my drink hit me fast & hard. We started kissing - I told him that I didn't want to do anything and wouldn't sleep with him, etc. - next thing I remember is flashes of us together and some strange upperclassman helping me to my dorm b/c I could barely walk. At the time, I didn't know this was date rape and once I realized it felt it was too late to do anything. Any time I hear a Chicago song - I turn it.

WHAT SONGS HAVE STRONG MEMORIES FOR YOU?