Do you ever wake up with a song running through your brain? There was an article published a few years ago where the author explained how he didn’t feel like he would ever need an iPod, because he had one in his head. I could relate. I find myself humming silently, keeping beat with my car’s turn signal, and mostly attempting to find different songs than the ones I hear on repeat from my daughter’s little kid TV programs.
Like most of us, music has the power to influence us. I woke up this morning with the Imperial March from Star Wars, which wasn’t encouraging. But that’s another post. In high school and college, I thrived on angsty and emotional lyrics because, well, it was an angsty and emotional time period. Let’s just say there was an alarming amount of Dashboard Confessional in my life.
After that, I upped the beat and expanded my horizons. Now, I don’t want to shock you, but I’ve never been a huge rap or hard metal person. (You’ve probably guessed this from my previous music posts). In the last 10 years, I began to appreciate more classical, more instrumental (iHeartRadio has a great Chamber Music channel — I highly recommend it on slightly rainy days with a cup of tea), along with the more upbeat big band and swing music my dad raised me on.
Fast forward to now, my iPod is a mix of all sorts. I love it. But looking back, I am constantly surprised at how many songs I listened to outlined inappropriate behavior with inappropriate people. Then I’m taken aback at how much like my mother I sound. But having a little one who repeats whatever I say has totally challenged and changed what I listen to when she’s in hearing distance. Maybe I’m getting old. Maybe I’m too conservative. What I’m hoping by limiting her exposure to “I totally hate my life” lyrics is that I’m allowing her to be little and innocent for as long as I can. Because that time in her life will come soon enough, and there will be her generation’s version of Dashboard Confessional, but hopefully she will remember the songs that raised her.
One of which is this, poor thing. Enjoy!:
| writing & rhythm | 