ToT: Music To My Ears,

Topic:  How has music influenced your life?  What is your favorite song or artist?  Is there a certain song that inspires or motivates you, or just makes you feel happy, sad, etc.?

Well geez, Louise.  And I thought LAST week's topic was difficult.

Let me start by saying that I had a very lengthy and long-winded post all written yesterday and I couldn't bring myself to hit the PUBLISH button.  I just...couldn't do it.  I wrote it all and linked about 50 bands in it and then I realized that I hadn't answered the questions.  That is actually NOT unusual for me, but then I reread it.  And I realized that I didn't really SAY anything.  I just...blabbed. 

I don't like to blab.  I like to be deliberate in my words even if they are deliberate tangents and deliberate anecdotes.  I don't like to just talk to hear myself talk or write to fill the white space.  After all, I have MUCH to actually say...so why not just SAY it?

I am going to leave a small portion of my post from yesterday.  It is here in red:

Music.  I don't even know where to start.  I'm married to a guy whose life IS music (you know, after his 9 to 5).  He plays guitar and plays all sorts of songs by other artists that range from Frank Sinatra to Tool to Van Morrison to the Beer Run song by Todd Snider.  He also writes and plays his own original songs and some of them are very close to my heart.  And no, they aren't all love songs.  Some of my most favorite songs are the ones he wrote when his biggest influence was RATM.  Political, hatred-filled, angsty songs from the late '90s and early 2000s. 

Those?  Those right there were the days.  Right?

I was very attached to Chris' band when we were in college.  I went to EVERY show they played and was often the only person cheering them on.  I sat through broken strings and soundboard malfunctions and band members storming off stage because CleverTruth didn't get to play their allotted time frame.  I've been there.  I've done it.  And I'd go back in POINTZEROTWOSECONDS.  I loved every part of Chris being in a band.  It made him happy.  And what makes him happy makes me happy. 

Of course things are different now.  We have a child and bills and we're, you know, adults.  I'm not by any means saying that adults can't be in bands.  We have some friends who are in very successful bands.  But what I AM saying is that it is slightly more difficult to dedicate time, energy and money to something like a band when you have a full-time job and also have to pay for things like electricity and life insurance and tumbling class for a 3-year-old.  It's just...life.

That's all I'm leaving from yesterday's blabbing.  Because that is the part that is, to me, important.  Music helped bring Chris and I together.  It helped us learn to work as a team to accomplish tasks.  It helped me learn to support someone in everything they do.  It helped him learn to trust me when I would say sort of mean things like, "That sounds like junk.  You need to take that riff out and you need to take out some of the lyrics because it just sounds jumbled." 

And no, I don't a vast education or experience in the song writing/playing/performing area.  I basically just use my common sense and my love of all types of music.  And I'm honest.  That's the tough part.  Being honest about something...also being constructive.  I don't tell Chris something is terrible just to say it's terrible.  I tell him it's terrible and then tell him why and we work through it to fix it.  And by "we" I basically mean "him."  I just sit there and look pretty. :)

Moving on...

How has music influenced my life?  That's tough.  I was in an orchestra for 6 or 7 years.  I learned to work as a group to make a piece sound amazing.  I learned discipline and that it takes practice to be good at something.  I will also NEVER forget the sound of a tuning A (right, Michelle?).  I learned a bit about performance.  I made some life long friends.  And from all of that I take away some experiences I would've never had without our orchestra.

Also, music gives me something to relate to.  I am a lyrics person, so I first and foremost listen to lyrics.  Let's face it...I can't dance.  I do like a good rhythm, but lyrics are key to me.  I do have a sense of humor, though, so I do appreciate a good pop song that means nothing.  I just recently bought the LMFAO CD and I love it. 

Song lyrics are so important to me that I often speak in them.  I quote them.  In my mind, there is a song for every situation under the sun.  My blog is even named after a song.  I had a blog before this one and even before my Forty Weex blog that was also named after a song.  I don't have a great ability to write outstanding song lyrics, so I really appreciate those artists who can. 

What is your favorite song or artist?  That's even tougher.  I don't have a favorite song.  I don't even have a favorite artist.  I like different songs and artists for different reasons. 

For the sake of this entry, I'm not going to name many songs and/or artists.  To me, music is so much more than lyrics and instruments.  It's passion.  It's story telling.  It's expression of a vast array of emotions.  And if an artist can roll all of that into one, I'll probably like it. 

Is there a certain song that inspires or motivates you, or just makes you feel happy, sad, etc.?

A few songs stand out to me:

Alanis Morrisette - All I Really Want (a really good live version) - My anthem as a girl who just wants to be happy. :)
Dave Matthews Band - Crash  (official video) - A song that reminds me of the beginning of the life that Chris and I have made together.
Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World (a very moving video in regards to the Vietnam War) - The first dance at our wedding reception...and a reminder that no matter how bad things get, you should still try and see the beauty in the world.
Peaches And Cream - John Butler Trio (a live version that brings the tears) - The song that will forever be Jayna's song.  She's my little peach.  This song helped me through a miscarriage and a pregnancy...and it is the perfect representation of how I feel about having a child.
The Best Of You - Foo Fighters (official video) - A dedication to all the people who've brought me down over the years.  I don't have time or energy for your bullshit, thankyouverymuch. :)
Pressed Against The Sky - The Toadies (just...the song.  there is no video or good live performance of this song because it's pretty obscure unless you're a Toadies fan) - A love song by a wonderfully talented band...and it reminds me of Chris.
**All of those are pretty safe for work and kids.**

All of those have longer stories, but we could be here forever. 

That's one of the things that I LOVE about music.  It's an amazing process that our brains go through when you hear a song and you can instantly be transported back to a VERY specific place 10, 20, 30 years ago.  An example:  When Chris and I first started dating, I was at IU with him.  We were hanging out in the dorm room of another person we went to high school with.  DMB's Crash was playing.  I remember that exact moment.  I remember exactly where I was, why I was there, what I was doing, the smells, the feelings, everything.  And everytime I hear that song, I'm instantly take back to that rainy November night from almost 15 years ago.

I like every single song the Toadies have ever written/performed/recorded.  There is something about Todd Lewis' voice that makes their music so very appealing to me.  He could sing the phone book and I'd listen.  He can sing very well, but can also bust out the rock and roll scream.  And he's so very passionate about his music.  And the guitar playing?  Wow.  He can make a guitar sing...not just make music.  He can make a guitar sing.  If I wouldn't have found Chris, I'd still be chasing Todd (or Dave Grohl). :)


I've answered all the questions, but the truth is that I could probably write a book about music and it's influence on me.  In fact, in November, I'm thinking of doing 31 days of posts...all on the topic of music.  It could be interesting. :)

So...what do y'all like to listen to? 

Remember:  Use the list to the right to go read our other ToT posts!!  And we have another newbie this week.  Welcome Erica!!