Just Wunderin'...Does Your Life Have a Soundtrack??

Do you have music that makes up the soundtrack of your life? I've been thinking about this recently. It seems for many of the major "era's" of my life (or events) there is at least one song attached. You have to know what I mean...those songs that come on and you are immediately transported to a different time and place.

Some of the ones that immediately pop into my mind are (in no particular order): 'Manhattan Bridge' by Blues Traveler, 'Looking for Space' by John Denver, 'Unwell' by Matchbox Twenty, 'Digee Dime' by Burlap to Cashmere, 'From a Jack to a King' by Ricky Van Shelton, 'Pour Some Sugar on Me' by Def Leppard (well...the whole Hysteria album, really), 'Welcome to the Jungle' by Guns-n-Roses, 'I'm Gonna Hire a Wino to Decorate Our Home' by David Frizzle, 'The Mountains Win Again' & 'Just Wait' by Blues Traveler, 'Orange Blossom Special' played by the Bar D Wranglers, the Main Street Christmas Loop, 'Love Song for a Savior' by Jars of Clay, 'Undo Me' by Jennfer Knapp, 'Solsbury Hill' by Peter Gabriel, the entire Counting Crows album August and Everything After, 'Have you Fallen on the Cornerstone' by Don Chaffer, 'Where Did I go Right' by Hilary Duff, the compilation CD Songs from the Loft, 'Love Song' by Third Day, 'Tell Her About It' & 'It's Still Rock-n-Roll to Me' by Billy Joel, 'Heart of Rock-n-Roll' by Heuy Lewis and The News, the Air Supply album Lost in Love, The Little Mermaid Soundtrack, various Toad the Wet Sprocket & Happy Mondays songs, Chris and Johnny & Jeff Buckley 'All You Got' by Tait, 'The Gambler' by Kenny Rogers, 'A Boy Named Sue' (or most any other song) by Johnny Cash...

(so many songs...so not wanting to bore you!)

Some are not songs I would choose, but they absolutely define a piece of time in my life, like Steven Curtis Chapman's 'Great Adventure' & 'Dive'. Ah...the memories.

There isn't much recent music in there. This isn't to say that nothing significant has happened, rather, I think it just takes some distance to realise which music brings a memory to life. It's funny to me some of the memories brought back so vividly...ones that remind me of a girls locker room before a basketball game where I would likely score for the wrong team, driving well beyond what is considered reasonable and prudent down some country road, going through a McDonald's Drive Thru to get free food with Monopoly tickets, sitting by the shore of Lake Yellowstone or night skiing with my pop.

I really have stumbled upon some pretty good tunes recently. I had sort of stopped listening to music unless I had UAB on in my office (all Disney park music) for background sounds. After I received some good recommendations and loaded up a new playlist I started listening a lot more. That 'new playlist' is currently in the sidebar to your left.

This playlist has a fair amount of Blue October and Placebo and other stuff that was referred to as 'alternative music' when I lived in AZ. Since I haven't had a radio in my auto nor one at home for at least three years, there could be some new fancy term for the stuff that I'm oblivious to. This is a genre I enjoy a lot. I'm not sure why the angst and having death as a focal point enthralls me, but it does.

I've also been listening to more classical music, including: Ravel, Shostakovich, Debussy, Faure, Janacek & Bartok.

I'm a sucker for anything with fiddles, harmonicas, banjos and/or accordions. I like a lot of Bluegrass and old to old-old stuff - - songs from the late forties back to the civil war era & beyond.

One song has been popping out at me recently. It's the single 'Be My Escape' by Reliant K. It is in my current playlist and each time it shuffles in, my attention is caught. If you want to hear it click the video below.

What initially pulled me into the song was this line:

"But the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair"

After a few spins I had to pull up the all of the lyrics. This is the stanza that includes the previous quote:

"I’m giving up on doing this alone now
Cause I’ve failed and I’m ready to be shown how
He’s told me the way and I’m trying to get there
And this life sentence that I’m serving
I admit that I’m every bit deserving
But the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair"

I tend to think to much in general, which may be one reason why I can make just about anything in this world turn into a reflection of or descriptor for my faith. I over think things. I know better than to assume any artist's meaning...but as for my personal thoughts-no harm, no foul-right?

Isn't it fascinating how our minds hold onto some things and then lets others simply slip away?

What songs bring back the most vivid memories for you?

Are there other things that call up memories for you? ...a taste or smell?

I hope everyone has some good music to listen to today : )