“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of
life bringing peace, abolishing strife.” Kahlil Gibran
About a month ago I was thinking about the impact that music can have on your mind and mood. Today I got to thinking about the lasting effect of music and the memories that are associated with certain albums and songs.
Most of the memories that hit me first started with the time around my high school years.
Up until my freshman year I was pretty oblivious to most modern music. Since my dad worked at an oldies radio station I essentially grew up on the music of his youth. I was a fan of the Beatles, Stones, Association and the Beach Boys before I was a fan of ... well ... any artist from the 80's and 90's!
Memories of High School music involves a lot of Aerosmith, Bush, No Doubt, Gin Blossoms, Pearl Jam and more.
For the most part I really haven't kept listening to the music that I liked in the years before during and after High School. Sure Gin Blossoms "New Miserable Experience" is still a really good album. I still break out some Pearl Jam "Ten" from time to time. But, very few albums and artists have stayed in full rotation from those good ol' days. But the ones that did last have some happy memories attached to them. Most were given to me by old girl friends or just old friends. Some of my favorites are:
-- This was the first music related gift from a girl friend. It was also the first gift from a girl friend that I kept once that girlfriend turned into an ex-girlfriend. I remember people asking me "Are you going to keep it or throw it away?" ME: "Throw it away...why would I do that? It's a good album!" Them: "But, won't it remind you of her?" Me: "Maybe, but it's not like I hate her or anything!!" To this day I associate this album with high school yearbook and that girlfriend...thank Ellen!
-- This was the first time I ever got a CD/movie from two different people at the same time. As a kid this happened with toys. But, as I grew it didn't happen as much. For my birthday back in either 1998 or 1999 (can't remember) I got this album from my buddy Ryan who told me he had a great album that he knew I would love. He promised that if I started listening to this record I would then need to run out and find his other three albums. At the same time he was building me up for this album my friend Heather told me that she had the perfect birthday gift for me. She wouldn't give me any hints...but when she gave me the CD wrapped present she assured me it was actually a CD...and a really good one at that! I'd have to say both Heather and Ryan were right on this one! I still have both copies of the album and have purchased every new album he has released since.
-- Again an artist and CD that was brought to my attention thanks to an old girlfriend. Can't remember the occasion that led me to listen. But, I know that the first song by Tori I ever heard was "Sugar" off the "Hey Jupiter" EP. I had bought a used copy for my then girlfriend Sara and decided on the way home from the record store to give it a listen. I was hooked from track one. From that one listen I began a love for her music that would outlast my relationship with Sara. Since then I have bought every album, box set, DVD and have seen her live twice. I can't help but think in some way about high school and those times when I listen to Tori...especially Boys for Pele which was the first album I bought for myself.Those three are examples of the kind of broad stokes that music can paint. At the same time there are a handful of songs that trigger an immediate memory for me. They say that smell is the strongest memory trigger. But, for me I think music is just as strong.
-- China -- This song will always be associated with my Freshman year of college for some reason. I listened to a lot of music during those years. But, for me this brings up memories of passing out late at night. My roommate and I would always crash about the same time and would usually have a CD playing on the boom box on my desk. This song along with Leather from the same album always bring me back to those late nights in the dorm.
-- Nas Ne Dogoniat (They're Not Gonna Get Us; in Russian) -- For me this song will always remind me of Los Angeles in the rain. When I moved to LA back in 2001 I worked downtown at the corner of Wilshire and LaBrea for a casting agent. Everyday at lunch I would either walk down the block to Subway and come back to the office to eat or I would grab some fast food and sit in my car and eat. One day I took a long lunch and headed downtown to a Best Buy in search of some new music. I bought this album because it was $5.99 and I was interested in something new. So, now when I hear the song I am brought back to a rainy day in L.A. sitting in my car listening to this CD and eating Jack in the Box.
-- Niggaz4life -- Appetite for Destruction -- Granted this isn't a song that is just going to come on the radio. But, it does from time to time come up on random on my iPod and on my iTunes DJ mix. Don't judge me I love me some N.W.A , Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy..I have proper 90's white kid street cred when it comes to my musical tastes! Now this one brings two strange memories. The first of which is sitting in my room drinking a 20oz Mt. Dew mixed with a mini-bar size bottle of Citrus Vodka listening to a copy of the album on cassette tape that my friend Paul had made for me (strangely the B-side of the tape was Boys II Men!!?) After listening to the tape I then finished the drink and watched Hudson Hawk with Bruce Willis! Strange I know. The second memory attached to this song is me going on a church youth group trip to six flags. My friend Danny and I were crammed in the back of a station wagon listening to this on my Walkman when Pastor Pete asked if we wanted him to pop the cassette in the car stereo so we didn't have to listen to it sharing a set of headphones. Even at that age we realized that, while initially funny, would be a really bad idea!
Those are probably the strongest music related memories that I have. And Tori and David Gray are really the only artists to emerge from my High School/College years unaffected by time. I will always be thankful to Sara, Ryan and Heather for introducing me to those two artists. I also look forward to the next strong reaction to a song or artist that will get me thinking about this same subject. I already have a strong attachment to Rilo Kiley's "More Adventurous" album and Jenny Lewis & the Watson Twins "Rabbit Fur Coat" so I would think they may play a part down the road. But, you never know where the connection will be made.
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