Play that Funky Music!

I think I was born with a magical music gene.  Seriously.

Do you ever feel as though your life is one giant soundtrack?  I honestly live and breathe through music.  I swear in my past life I was someone extremely important, like Janis Joplin or something.  Okay, maybe that won't work since she was alive in my lifetime.. wasn't she?  Oh who the hell knows.

I can honestly remember specific music throughout my ENTIRE life.  I remember virtually nothing of my childhood, which I'm totally convinced that Rosie O'Donnell is going to help me discover that I have repressed some god awful events that caused me to block it.  But what I do remember vividly is music.

My sister was blessed with this same gene as well.  She was born with severe cerebral palsy caused by medical malpractice (aka drunk ass physician that delivered her).  As an adult, we have been told that she has about a 4th grade mentality.  I'm not so sure about that.

Sure, she can't balance a checkbook.  But she can remember words and musicality with perfection.  As a child, she had a 45 record player (for you youngins, this was quite popular back in the day!)  My mom would pick up every single 45 record she could find at garage sales, which was constant.  We had over 500 records I'm sure!  And my sister, cerebral palsy and all, would scour through them "reading" the labels (I think identifying colors and logos) and put on the ones she liked.  They were also fast paced, dance type music.  Olivia Newton John.  Pat Benetar.  It was AMAZING what she could pick out.  If by chance she selected the wrong ones, such as a slow jam (think Lionel Richie), she would CRY.  Seriously CRY.  I always wondered how that music could touch her so deeply.  What could it possibly have reminded her of?

For me, my soundtrack is awesome.  It's multi-faceted, as I'm sure a lot of people could say about their own.  I can't always remember the names but if you play the tunes, I can sing all of the words.  All of them.  Yep, I'm convinced I was a superstar.

When I hear old school country, think Hee Haw banjo strummers... I think of my Dad.  When I hear Linda Ronstadt, I think of my momma.  Sassy music like Blondie or Joan Jett makes me think of my cousin Vickie.  Genesis reminds me of roller skating.  Queen reminds me of my friend Melody.  Madonna?  My friend Tracye.  Guns and Roses?  My friend Linda.  Any song by Live brings my brother Dennis to mind.  Anything from Black Sabbath to Men at Work is my brother Christopher.  Early 90's country music makes me remember when hubs and I first started dating.  When Kelis' Bossy comes on, KK is in the car singing to me.

And the list goes on and on and on.  My first concert?  Cheap Trick with my first real boyfriend (yes, this became the ex). 

I have tried to scrapbook.  I have tried to journal my childhood.  None of it works.  But if you asked me to script my life in music, I could do it in 10 minutes.

Music will forever shape my being.  I am so grateful for all of the artists before me :) that work hard to journal their thoughts into song.  Without them, I wouldn't remember anything I'm sure!  I hope some of you have the same feelings when it comes to music!  Little guy moves into 5th grade next year - the year of instruments and choir.  Oh yeah, he's singing and playing!  He might not like it, but it's not an option!

Happy Monday, friends!

Jen