Tuesday, February 12, 2008

The Magical Magnetic Memories of Music

Music has an uncanny ability to define the emotion of a moment. I imagine that everyone has a certain list of songs that, when heard, can replay a specific memory down to the last detail. Some songs are very difficult to hear because of their ability to bring back the feelings of a moment that is long since passed and not to be recaptured. Other songs bring back a flood of happy thoughts. While still others do absolutely nothing and are not tethered to any part of memory. Here are a few:


  1. Beatles, Lovely Rita- It is high school and we are feverishly trying to make the most of our car free moments. Our musical tastes are also expanding exponentially. The Beatles would provide the sound track to many memories during this era. On one such Saturday afternoon I am in Salt Lake with the Botts, Pete, and Norm. We are out and about in the Bott's old beat up 1984 Civic. I can still remember the distinct smell of syrup in that car; remnants from all of those late drives to school when breakfast was on the run. We are just returning from "Babe Hollow", a stones throw from the Patagonia outlet. Our latest attempt at meeting girls has failed. Undaunted we proceed up 13th East to the Spaghetti Factory, our Salt Lake meal of choice. With pungent melodies of "Lovely Rita" blaring through those little speakers we proceed to drive up and the steep streets of east Salt Lake looking for adventure.

  2. The Samples, Everytime- I was out on my mission, probably 3 or 4 months. I was still homesick and getting acclimated to my new life. We were visiting a family. During the visit one of the kids was watching MTV in the other room, just loud enough that we could hear. Then out of nowwhere come the familar strains of the Everytime. It has a somber tone and I immediately become sad and somewhat homesick. The Samples represented all of the memories and friends of my recent past.

  3. First Time, U2- The summer of 1993 and I was in the throes of my first certified crush, Nikki Francis. U2 had just released Zooropa and I couldn't get enough. Every night before I would go to bed I would turn off the lights and listen to that song 4-5 times all the while thinking of my hopeless crush.

  4. Stand, REM- I was in the 9th grade and eager to explore music. We were taking a family trip to California and I had just received my latest batch of music from BMG. I was very much looking forward to REM, Green. I had loved Out of Time so much that I was eager to get to the rest of the catalog. I remember being on the "bumpy road" between Barstow and Simi Valley and listening to that entire album, particularly Stand.

  5. Walking after you, Foo Fighters- I am living in Mexico, very much isolated from my normal world. I have recently purchased the Foo Fighters album based on the fact that I liked one of their songs on the X-Files soundtrack. Every Sunday afternoon after church I would take a Sunday stroll through the streets and activity of Los Mochis. I would always have a pen and paper in hand and I would always have my walkman in tow. I really discovered that song on my Sunday walks.


I could literally go on and on. I have so many songs that are indelibly tied to a moment or period in time of my life. What are some of yours?

Every Rockville trip was always full of Billy Joel and REM.


6 comments:

Emily said...

Jense, What's up? I hope all is well. Drop me a line. I went to lunch with Massey, Hall (Rob and Craig), Bean and Beatty today so I thought I'd check out Massey and Bell's blogs (to see what Bell did with his Romney blog)....that is the long explanation of how I got here, to your blog. You are spot on with this entry. I recently heard Round Here by Counting Crows and was immediately taken back to the time right after H.S. and before college...we were cruising in Kittrell's Volkswagen Shiraco one last time before he flew out to Northwestern. Specifically, we left Dennys at about 2am and headed home...as we listened to that song a somber mood came over us as we realized our lives would never be the same. That song takes me back to that moment every time. Best, J King

Ronifer269 said...

Josh,
Good to reconnect. Shoot me your email when you get a chance, I lost it.

Anonymous said...

RJ, cool blog. Let's ketchup soon.
Dan

Anonymous said...

Jense. I remember when you were going through your Nikki Frances phase and I remember you telling me about "First Time" and so I actually think about that when I hear that song. Norm

Ronifer269 said...

Norm, sadly you had to witness that sad spectacle. Remember that old saying, "Norm when he is, Jense when he isnt"?

Another good song memory? I remember listening to Automatic for the People, specifically "Sweetness Follows" on your waterbed in your basement. I remember, while everyone else was in the other room playing video games, going into that room and listening to that song in the dark.

Norm said...

Bro! Yes, I totatally remember when you fell in love with that song and I when that song comes on I think "Jense likes this song."

Other songs I associate with you because you like them:

"Free Falling" Tom Petty
"Sail Away" Sticks
"Nitrous Fall" Samples
"Acapulco" Neil Diamond

Dude