Music is Magic

I’ve never lived during an apocalyptic pandemic before. I feel so unprepared. I mean, if I didn’t have Amazon Fresh, I might starve. But in addition to Amazon (and wine), my biggest savior has been music. Spotify and I have become best buds. I’m a single mom with two little ones in my house…. Sometimes headphones and good lyrics is the single thread that gets me through a day.

I’m an introvert, so I’m well versed in staying at home and in my head. However, I do like to get out… sometimes. While I’m pretty sure I’ve got more skilz in my toolbox than those unfortunate extraverts out there, I’m still feeling this stuckness. This aloneness.

Music has always been my go-to. Maybe it’s an introverted thing? It all started when I received a Walkman for my 12th birthday. I’d never experienced music like that… where it was just me and the music. Though I’m sure that I played my music loud enough for others to hear it spilling out of my headphones, it felt so private. It felt like me and music were the only two things to exist on the earth. This was 1982 before you could easily Google lyrics. Which meant that I had to concentrate and sometimes guess what message I was being privy to.

Soon after my 12th birthday, my life exploded. My life was already explosive, given my dad was bi-polar and my parents kept separating and getting back together. But after my 12th birthday, life accelerated. It started when my parents were on the verge of another separation, but that came to a screeching halt when my dad was in a car accident that broke his neck. After that, it’s a bit of a blur. But what isn’t a blur is my memory of me with my headphones on, experiencing another dimension. After the car accident, my parents re-discovered religion. Because of that, they were not keen on my buying any music, which meant that most (probably all) my music was a result of my stalking the local radio station: cassette ready to record at the first chord of any decent song.

Now all of a sudden, I return to that lifeline that held me through so many tough years…. Music. Except, now I’m almost 50 and have years and years of musical favorites to draw upon. I’d hate to be defined or limited to only one genre. I’d prefer to think of myself as being eclectic in taste. Though, I do draw the line at country or gangsta rap. I mean, I do have my limits. During this pandemic, I’ve had my life flash before my eyes, except it’s been in the form of music. Songs that have held meaning for me throughout these years. I’ve found myself paralyzed in other forms of creation, like writing, but music…. It is here for me, again. And I’ve decided to take a deep dive into it, by creating playlists.

It started with a memory of how dorky I was as a teen. Being a homeschooled Jehovah’s Witness living in a small town, it was inevitable. I loved 50 and 60’s music and had an extreme fondness for Basia, Rick Astley, and Enya. It was that memory that started my first pandemic playlist. I titled it “Happy Swanky Cocktail”. It highlights that younger me had the soul that belonged to a different era. I cannot tell you how many times in my life I passionately sang “Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps” by Doris Day. Though truth be told, I discovered that one during my 20’s, from off the Strictly Ballroom soundtrack.

Another thing I rediscovered during this pandemic is my love of cover songs. YES, sometimes there is nothing like the original….. However, covers hold a certain charm for certain circumstances or playlists. For example, yes…. “How Soon Is Now” is best sung by The Smiths, duh. HOWever, if you’re going for a more organic sound (not electric) , The Section Quartet has a version that uses strings in a way that is a joy to the ears for listening.

I’m not sure when I first started collecting covers, but I do know that I’ve owned several cover CD’s, like “If I Were a Carpenter” and “Even Better than the Real Thing”. Even Better has a version of Beyonce’s Naughty Girl… but it’s by Roesy and I love it.

I don’t know how I would have made it through my life without music.

“Music is part of God’s universe.” – Cat Stevens

So a big shout out to those who write the words, who sing the songs, who master the instruments…. Thank you. ❤