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Saturday, September 3, 2011

The Power of Music

I have always been a music lover.  I have been surrounded by it my whole life.  My grandfather used to play the saw (like an actual saw you would use to cut a branch off a tree) and sing.  My mother used to play the piano.  My father used to sing in school and therefore was always singing to songs on the radio.  He would always create a harmony that wasn’t there in the original song, and I always, ALWAYS marveled at it.    

As a child I played the clarinet.  In high school I sang in a choir and a select choir, and continued to do so in college.

So it’s safe to say, music is in me.  It’s a part of who I am.  Much like it is in everyone.

I’m always amazed at the power that music has.  If you are hearing something for the first time it can give you chills, make you teary eyed, or laugh until you are quite certain you will pee your pants. 

Music has the amazing ability to recall a memory to the point of not only remembering it, but feeling, and smelling the memory. 

To this day if I hear any song by Def Leopard I’m transported back to the Skating Rink trying to “Shoot The Duck” or waiting on the wall in complete embarrassment for “Gentlemen’s Choice”. 

If the song “Push It” by Salt n’ Pepa or “Mony Mony” by Billy Idol comes over the radio waves (YES, I still listen to the radio sometimes. Not ALL my songs are from iTunes) my mind immediately goes to the dances at High School.  Good LORD there was a lot of butt shaking going on!

Whenever I hear a song by Collin Raye, or George Strait my mind goes immediately to the homemade collaboration tapes (yes TAPES…they were how we listened to music and were created before CD’s for all of you youngsters out there) that my husband (then only friend) made for me and I remember the day he handed them to me standing next to his black car that had the cheesy ass dice hanging in the mirror.  I remember the touch of his hand and the smell of his cologne as he gave them to me.  But more importantly, I remember how I felt when I heard the songs.  How he had handpicked them just for me so that had to mean something, but what? Oh it couldn’t be anything…we’re just FRIENDS!   

Now that I’m an adult, what?  By age I AM an adult thank-you-very-much!  And I have my own home, with my own family.  There is music going on in the house all the time.  We use Tupperware for drums, hairbrushes and wooden spoons as microphones, spatulas as guitars and we SING!  Oh my, do we sing.  We sing about getting dressed, cleaning up the playroom, or going on an errand.  We sing about how much we love each other and then we sing just to be silly.  In my house of boys, there is always a song from one of the littles that involves poop, and THAT is when I turn on the iPod. 

Once the real music starts there is more singing…but this time not about poop.  And there is dancing.  There is so much booty shaking that we could create our own mini earthquake.  We dance as a group, I will slow dance with each of my boys because I’ll be damned if they are the ones that just step from side to side at school dances during slow songs.  I will dance with my husband while the boys watch.

Music fills our home and I LOVE IT!

My only hope is that when our boys are listening to music in their space age all-you-have-to-do-is-push-a-button-on-your-arm music players and the “oldies but goodies” come on…that their memories will transport them back to where we sang into wooden spoons, played the heck out of our spatula guitars, and they danced with their mother on the hardwood floors shaking their booties and learning how to properly dip a girl while the smell of dinner cooking on the stove filled the air. 

What role does music play in your home?  What song has given you your fondest memory?

  Let's BEE Friends

24 comments:

Unknown said...

We love making up funny versions of songs. JDaniel sang "Do you know the mustache man? this week.

Liz said...

There are specific songs that take me back to certain periods of time, both good and bad. And this includes certain cartoon songs, too.

Anonymous said...

I love listening to music. Depending of the type of music it speaks to me differently. Some songs cause me to sit back and meditate on how I relate to it. Other songs make me wanna get up and dance!!

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

JDaniel4's Mom,

The made up songs are my favorite! It's amazing what they can come up with!

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Liz,

Oh yes! Cartoon songs!! I still remember the ones from say He-Man, and She-Ra and GEM! Not to mention Care Bears and My Little Pony. SO fun!

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Optimistic Mom,

It's amazing how music has the power to make you feel different things just with a beat!!

Bees With Honey said...

I love music too and so do my girls. Teen B has been dancing competitively since she was young and now Little B is beginning the dance classes.

Songs always transport me back in time. I hear ya, girlfriend! We have music on in the house ALL the time. Love it!

Missy | Literal Mom said...

I could never pick just one! But music has a huge role in our house - it permeates nearly everything! Piano, guitar, singing, lots and lots of music playing at all times. Good stuff, music.

Poppy said...

I lip sync happy birthday, but have mad love for the mixed tape. I am totally going to download "Push It" now!

Bits of Bee said...

I'm the same, I'm a huge music lover (although I don't have ancesters who played the saw, that's awesome). I have such a long list of songs that take me back to special memories from my past, and I try to give my kids a solid list of classics to carry them through too!

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Bees,

How cool that your girls have been dancing competitively. I bet they are amazing to watch!!

I have music on in the house more than I do the TV and I wouldn't have it any other way!

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Missy,

I don't think anyone could pick just one. I think introducing our kids to music and instruments is one of the best things we can do for them.

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Poppy,

I think that mixed tapes are like a time machine. They totally take me back.

Oh and I've been singing "Push It" ever since I wrote this post!

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Bits of Bees,

Thank you so very much for stopping by my itty bitty blog. It really means a lot to me.

I will never forget watching my grandfather play the saw, it was absolutely amazing!!

I hope you come and visit again soon! I like company!

Christine Siracusa said...

I am right there with you. I am always amazed at how powerfully music transports me. What you said about the roller rink just about killed me because I was just thinking about that. I heard Air Supply on the radio and was instantly back in time, enviously watching Jeannie Nappi circle the rink with her beau. Holding hands!! Drat that Jeannie. She had it all. Plus her dad OWNED the rink!!

The Sisters' Hood said...

I have one child who loves to listen to music, but will. not.nor.has.she.ever.danced .... the other one .... chains cannot keep her still :)

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Christine,

The roller rink days were life changing weren't they. I learned a hell of a lot about how people interacted there! LOL

Air Supply, oh man...that takes me back! Thanks for recalling more memories for me! *mwah*

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

By Word Of Mout Musings,

It's so amazing how music can affect people differently. For some it makes them feel like they have to move, for others it makes their hearts soar! I LOVE IT!

Grumpy Grateful Mom said...

I love music too, though I was FORCED to play the clarinet in school and didn't love it. I wanted to play the drums! Our favorite thing is family dance parties. My kids could have one every night.

Jessica said...

This is awesome. Music is so important. We dance in the kitchen all the time. Usually we stick to country music since it is kid friendly.

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Grumpy Grateful Mom,

OH I don't like being forced into anything, but playing something I don't want to play is the worst, especially as a child.

Family dance parties are so much fun and such a great way to connect, and stay connected as a family.

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Jessica,

And you can sing that country music as well!! Because you rock like that! :o)

I love how everyone seems to dance in their kitchens! So fun!

Bridget said...

I love music too. I also love this post and your memories of music and where it can take you. Def Leppard? Oh yeah sister!! Thanks for bringing back great memories:)

Hopes@Staying Afloat! said...

Bridget,

Thanks! Yes I had a special kind of love for Def Leppard! The memories are thick!!