Music

Once upon a time, music was a huge part of my life.  I did not go anywhere in the car without the stereo blaring.  I relished set up the CD-changer in the house, making the soundtrack of my day.  I studied new releases, kept up with new artists, stockpiled classics and collection must-haves, rushed to buy new released of favorite artists.  Mine and Jeremy's CD collection numbers in the hundreds.

But the advent of motherhood brought with it a dearth of melody in my life.  I rarely listen to music in the house.  I watched the Grammies last night and had no idea who two-thirds of the performers were.  A lot of the bands I used to keep up with don't exist anymore or have lost a crucial member to drug addiction, suicide, overdose, ego and, therefore, just aren't what they used to be.  And - perhaps most telling of all - I listen to talk radio (NPR, to be exact) in the car pretty much all the time now.  Something I thought I'd never do because that's what old, boring, stuffy people do.

Every once in awhile, though, I remember to go pull up iTunes, where Jeremy has carefully catalogued and stored all of our CDs digitally.  I even enjoy using features such as the Genius, which picks a playlist based on one song and what others have entered into as belonging in their collection along with that song.  

So I'm feeling compelled to share stories of music.  Soon I'll share about the time Jeremy and I flew to London to see one of my favorite bands - James.  It was a night we will never forget.  

Until then, though, I'll share some lyrics to me.  Lyrics that still make me laugh, or cry, or just tingle all over with giddiness, excitement, power, passion, spirit, or anger.

First up, "Afro Lover" from the above-mentioned James.  The absurd truth of the second and fourth paragraphs makes me laugh every time; I find myself involuntarily nodding my head whenever I listen to it.

Everybody wants to be happy
Everybody wants more money
Everybody wants more loving
Everybody wants the same thing

I came across the border through the east and the west divide
The land between the trenches was patrolled by the deaf and the blind
The blind were shouting 'Listen!'
While the deaf said 'Can't you see?'
Somewhere deep in no man's land some man has lost a key

I open up into this mystery
I have seen
I have seen
I have seen

There's centuries of fighting so I brought myself a gun
The salesman called it 'freedom' so my enemy bought a bigger one
I'm saving up for a missile that will shoot him up with love
Now his finger's on my button and my hand is in his glove

I opened up into this mystery
Every key can lock you up or set you free
I believe that there is magic in this mystery
I have seen
I have seen
I have seen

Everybody wants to be happy
Everybody wants more money
Everybody wants the same thing
I have seen
I have seen
I have seen

I have seen
I have seen
I have seen

I have seen
I have seen
I have seen

I have seen
I have seen
I have seen