Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
“Me? Mix a metaphor? no way!”
So this week’s FTSF is (a) Listicle theme post, ‘Ten Songs/pieces of music that changed me’ (featuring) guest bloggerinae, Jen Kehl; (btw Jen’s ‘hop, ‘Twisted Music Tape Tuesday’ was, like, the second bloghop I joined (right after FTSF.)
This is edit session number <del>two</del> five; I’ve calmed down enough to realize the wisdom and value of a cut ‘n paste intro:
Hi all! We’re on with the FTSF Listicle of “10 songs/pieces of music that changed me.” Share music, sing a video, or make a quick list of music that changed you in some way. The linkup will go live tomorrow night (March 8) at 10pm and remain open through late Sunday night. We hope to see you there!
Kenya’s and my co-host this week is Jen Schneider Kehl, the former goddess of Twisted Mix Tape Tuesdays! Link up with her at http://jenkehl.com/ and find her at the Stereo Sisters on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/StereoSisters/As always, you can also link up with Kenya G. Johnson or me:
https://www.kenyagjohnson.com
http://www.findingninee.comLet’s talk about the music that changed us!
As my co-Sentence Finishers (lol) have, in their respective contributions, surely described in terms both insightful and sublime, music has a remarkable capacity to mark the times of our life; within all of us this potential for multi-sensory memories is surely but one step short of a time machine.
As I made my first pass through my life and time and such, I looked to the individual year(s) and grabbed the first song that came to mind. Like an attic full of cardboard boxes, this approach presents a risk of being pulled down into the past, decade, a year, a day that has never faded. That’s kinda how I’m thinking of this week’s prompt. We all recognize the mnemonic power of music. That (some) music acquires the power to stop us in our daily-routine-tracks also makes sense. Or, at least, is understandable.
What makes me want to start a new paragraph however, is the thought, ‘Fine with all that. Keeping the metaphor of the ‘attic full of cardboard boxes’ in mind, what does all of this say about you personally and your life so far?’
Interesting question.
Next question. lol
Here are my first selections of ‘songs as musical strata of a life’. Sorta. Didn’t get ten. These are all benchmarks, signposts, and battle ribbons of events (some normal, growing-up type experiences, others… well, maybe not so normal). So maybe these songs/pieces of music did not change me, but they are totally a sound track to the my getting here today.
Time: Chambers Brothers
Jimi Hendrix My Friend (click)
Toccata and Fugue: Bach
‘Monday Morning Blues’ Mississippi John Hurt
It’s My Own Fault: Johnny Winter
Fooled Around and Fell in Love: Elvin Bishop
She’s Gone: Hall and Oates
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpR8r0D2EyY
Into the Arena: Michael Schenker
Hallelujah (I love Her So): Humble Pie
Break! Cut! Time Out!
(“ok… what?!?! it can’t be eight am I’ve only been at this since… 1973 very funny… too many songs, not enough words to make sense of it all. find some poignant but snarky way out and get to work“)
Funny thing, though… I’m finding less and less of the emotionally-charged music the later in my life I look. I wonder if thats something to be concerned about? Probably shouldn’t be surprised. Like the Eagles sang,
” You’re losin’ all your highs and lows;
Ain’t it funny how the feeling goes away?”
hey! nice finish, lets wrap it up with this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-bwXhts8Zg
About clarkscottroger
Excellent post.
I smile as a couple of songs you list appear in my own attic. Your very last, Desperado is also there, right on top of the box closest to the door.
still a few more I could plug in, maybe on the weekend
I can’t really think of any songs right off from this decade that emotionally charges me. So that might be common, the classics go way back perhaps. I enjoyed all of your songs. The Bach piece reminds of two things. #1 I used to work in a grocery store called The Fresh Market. They are still around, don’t know if they still play classical music but that’s where I learned to love it. From that point a bought a double CD of classical and I remember recording it to cassette because I was getting ready to travel on the train and was going to take my walkman. A twelve hour ride where I’d need to sleep. That particular song is the one one that would wake me up every single time.
so do you think it’s the lessening (or cooling) of passion…which is not a simple a regretful observation as it might seem… when I was that age, my life may have been possessed of a greater supply of passion but it was also very much simpler.
hard to feel that life is over because of a single love after a near lifetime of love (and disappointment, learning and experience)… sad in a way, but non-avoidable. When you have a lifetime of experience you weigh too much to fly easily.
We both listed Jimi Hendrix as a “click here” kinda thing. And “one step short of a time machine” is so right, right? Like completely right. Weird, how music (and scents) do that. Years ago, I wrote a post that said “smells” do that and you said “did you mean scents?” and I did, so I changed it back then and have never forgotten. Anyway. I’d never heard MSG – Into the Arena and think I might kinda like it. Reminds me of Metallica in an off-hand way. Oh and Desperado. Awesome ending. Oh! And to music today… every once in a while, I hear a song that I adore from this day’s music, and I “Shazam” it (an iPhone app). One of those songs is by Twenty One Pilots called “Heathens.” There’s something hypnotic about it for me. Also Bastille’s “Bad Blood.” Played those on repeat for forever. OH! And “Live and Die” by um um… um… Avett Brothers. See what you think. So glad you took me back here. And reminded me of the power of Desperado. Gah. Such a good song.
Twenty One Pilots…I love those guys! (yeah, what a surprise). Wasn’t so much that I don’t get off on current music, just that there wasn’t any ‘Time in Tune’ (to borrow from Cat Stevens). No, ‘time machine songs’ after… well, lets …no, we can’t say turn of the century, cause one of the songs on this post was from when Ola was sick… hey! here’s a cheery thought! this creation of songs to totally elicit the past? maybe it’s that our passion changes from the discovery of worlds (and girls*) to the loss of worlds and those in it… those that can be captured by music… ’cause maybe it’s the power of emotion (at certain insanely-high levels) thats necessary for the magic, to be turned into whatever these things are, these time warps sitting innocently inside our car radios and piles of CDs and such. Will go check your other music likes. because.
*ha ha
PS came by here earlier, read the first 1/2 and then had to leave for dinner with a friend and kept the window open. Was wondering about the songs you’d chosen all through dinner!
now you’ve got me thinking… I could create a playlist by phases (of life) high school, graduate school, real world…but as I seem to be maintaining, its about emotion on the level of passion thats necessary, imo, to be transformed. And since we all know that there’s one aspect of life geared to engendering (ha ha) passion, then The Adolescentville Express is the only way to go! (And, of course, I’m using adolescence in only positive sense. The haters are the ones who encouraged the transmutation of the the word from descriptive to pejorative… (given that my adolescence ended a little…later than a Bell Curve might try to insist.
…anyway:
‘A song for You’ Leon Russell, Keep on Tryin Poco (you seein the theme? lol)
Then, the far side of Blueberry Hill… aforementioned Hall & Oates and brethren.
I liked participating in this this week, but that is why I like to include a song or two in my weekly TToT because it records what song meant something to me, in any particular week, even as I read back through the last almost four years I’ve been taking part. It’s a time machine, for sure.
yeah… funny how sometimes a song will establish the mood that, in turns, shapes the writing of a post or, having written a post, a song captures the essence of what we feel about what we’ve written.
Someone asked me the other day if I would want to go back and live during the 60’s and 70’s again. I told her no. Each decade has its own challenges. Hopefully we learn from the past and read about it or see the videos that show what happened. I enjoyed several of the pieces you shared and especially like the one by (Eagles) Desparado. Such a mellow voice.
Always a productive question, the ‘would you go back’…. I have the plot-twist of a time travel story that I will write when my skills are up to it. (Don’t tell anyone, but… so, whenever we are asked the question about going back, it’s almost always ‘yes’, when combined with ‘while retaining the experience we’ve gained’, right? So, we’d do it only if it would be our current selfs in our young bodies. Sure. Great idea! Wake up in 1959, 1969, 1972 with all the energy and physical gifts of youth and the wisdom of experience. Whats not to like?)
…Your best friends, thats who.
I had friends and some are still friends…but then, they’ve matured as have I. Now think about you (the now you) spending your life with them (the then them)…. lol yeah, I know! aiyee!
OK so you cannot ever go wrong when Hall and Oats and The Eagles find their way onto the same musically charged list. That said, you picked two of my favorites by them and now I may need to stream some music by those two greats this week. So thanks for the reminder that both are definitely worthy of music listening ;)
yeah, funny in how I was late to come to enjoy Hall & Oates, not sure why but they are at the top of my playlist, very much car driving tuneage. Eagles are also timeless for me… liked them from the first song.
Hey there, it’s nice to be back here, feels like visiting my old neighborhood.. completely agree with your last thought. As I created my list I realized all of my strong musical memories ended in my late 20s. Could that be? Oh wait. I think it’s because that’s when music started sucking so I just has to play everything up until then on repeat.
lol
no, there is music I enjoy, but it doesn’t have the… staying power for me that the early-life music did. Maybe I’m just mellowing out…. nah!
Yes, Music as a soundtrack to life – this prompt has been such a lovely peek into everyone’s history. I share music kind-of frequently on my blog. Sets the mood and connects, I feel.
I agree, while almost all writing prompts yield autobiography (to a certain extent) the view through song lists is very interesting. our choices in music I suspect are less conscious (or, at least, less deliberative).
Nice finish indeed.
Love Hall and Oates, a lot.
with you on that
I understand what you mean about less emotionally charged songs later in your life, although for me it’s just a different emotion. The teen years were so hormonal; it’s no wonder I have such strong memories of songs during that time!
Agree… in the sense that not only were we (as young) more ‘highly charged’, at the same time we had less of the world (and life’s experience) weighing us down.
I only knew two.. which is probably pathetic. Hall & Oats never fails to make me smile, though.
funny about them, I only became a fan in the last twenty years or so (o.m.g. I need to wash my brain out with soap for writing that!!!)