You know how music can take you back? According to the Harvard Medical magazine, music lights up nearly all of our brain, evoking memories and emotions, and engaging our motor system. That explains why we tap our hands on the steering wheel keeping time with the latest beat blasting through the radio, or tear up when a song brings back memories of where we were and how we were with.
I grew up in the seventies to the sound of the Beatles, Crosby Stills Nash and Young, Carole King and James Taylor. As a young teen, I saved babysitting money and purchased a guitar. I took a few lessons and dreamed of being a folk singer. When it came time for college, I brought my guitar, a few plants, some pop-art posters, and my 8-track player. To this day, when I hear a certain songs, I anticipate the “click” right in the middle of the chorus. My roommate and I joined a “Friends of Folk” group on campus, strumming and harmonizing to songs like Blowin’ in the Wind .
I never achieved folk singer status, but I kept my guitar with me throughout my teaching career. I used to laugh and say I could play any children’s song with three basic chords (G,D, and A, the only ones I’d remembered from my lessons. ) The guitar retired when I did.
The other evening, when my husband and I were scrolling through our television viewing options, the movie Song Sung Blue popped up. Neil Diamond music was never in my repertoire, though I was familiar his songs. “Worth a try.” I said, and we started the film.
(Spoiler Alert:) A few minutes in, we realized the movie wasn’t about Neil Diamond , it was based on a true story about Mike and Claire Sardina, a couple from Milwaukee who performed for decades and a Neil Diamond tribute act. I found the movie to be rich in content and full of all the classic Diamond songs belted out in true-to-life fashion by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson.
All week, Neil’s music filled my mind and escaped out of my mouth as I went about my everyday life. I found that Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show is the perfect accompaniment for cleaning the kitchen. At my computer it was: you are the words, I am the tune..play me. And in the car I had to reenact the famous scene from Big Bang, where Amy and Howard belt out Sweet Caroline….bum, bum, bum…
I dug my guitar out of storage. I need to add a few more chords to my repertoire, but maybe, maybe its not too late.
Threads of Thought
Ok…your turn! Tell us about the playlist to your life:
What music influenced you? What memories do those songs hold? What music do you enjoy today?
