Day 25 – What is a Song or Poem that Speaks to You and Why?

note: this is part of #bloganuary where each day in the month of January, there is a prompt that we can write on.

Oh man, a good one for sure. Even though I enjoyed the “poem prompt” from earlier in the month. I am not a poem guy. So for this it will be a song or songs, that speak to me.

Earlier in the month, I was back and forth with my friend, Janet, on this subject, as well. Growing up, I had a transistor radio next to my bed. At some point, I also had a tape recorder. Before the ease of downloading, you had to make your own tapes. I would sit for hours next to the recorder and listen for my favorite song, hit record, and listen intently so that I shut it off as soon as the song was over. You were always mad when the DJ talked over the beginning or end of the song. HAHA.

I have always listened to country and folksy music. When I was very young, I listened to a lot of John Denver and I owned several albums too. Recently, I downloaded some of his songs and I was amazed that I still knew all the words. When I was old enough to work in the barn across the street, I would help with manure clean up. It was usually a Sunday and I would volunteer to skip church to help out. Sorry, Mom. See, I was not really permitted to listen to rock stations. My dad hated anything that was not big band or Lawrence Welk and Mom did her best to shield me from the “evil” rock and roll music. Even though she loved the man that changed rock and roll for ever, Elvis Presley, and his scandalous hip thrusts. HAHA

Back to the farmer. He always played our local rock and roll station while we were cleaning up manure. It was awesome and I discovered my love of this genre of music. Pink Floyd, Foreigner, Van Halen, Judas Priest. Hair bands, heavy metal, it was all amazing to me. At the same time, I still loved Country music. Not the twangy, (queue the accent), “I came home from work and found that I am out of beer, my wife took my dog and ran off with the preacher” kind. I loved the era of Garth Brooks.

I knew who the Jackson Five were for most of my life, but really loved listening to Michael Jackson. His music and his dance moves will forever be a part of music culture. This, in turn, led me to listening to more pop music, but I draw the line at boy bands. They will make my ears bleed. Yucky.

In high school, I was encouraged by my mom to join choir and then they all encouraged me to join theater. Musicals mostly, probably because I had the lowest voice in school. If you have ever listened to the Oak Ridge Boys, I used to be able to sing along with the low stuff. Now, I loved being a part of theater and choir, but I just cannot listen to show tunes outside of the actual show. I do not listen to opera, but I was part of a barber shop quartet; they needed a bass. I love me a day of listening to Pentatonix, I like some hip hop; I really enjoy the artist collaborations of the different genres that is popular now. I love DJ mix and club-house music too.

I truly love listening to music and my taste is so eclectic. I search out new artists and styles and try to embrace the evolution of music. Currently, my playlist will go from Darius Rucker, to Cypress Hill, to Prince; Hardy and Lainey Wilson, to Sofi Tucker. Throw in some Pretty Reckless, Halestorm, Five Finger Death Punch, and Cleveland’s own MGK for good measure. I also grew up in the 80s, the era of one hit wonders like Donnie Iris, Tommy Tutone, and Thomas Dolby, all currently on my playlist, along with a song from a group that calls themselves Dinosaur Pile up.

I told you, I am all over the place.

Music brings me to tears and brings a smile to my face. I can feel the music. If I hear a song that directly relates to how I feel about my wife and kids, tears stream down my face. In fact, as I was practicing my father of the bride speech for our oldest, I was on my way to meet the guys, play golf, and pregame a bit. As I am practicing my speech in my vehicle, there is music in the background and I begin to cry. Not just tears rolling down my face. Oh no, this was was full blown, shaky lip crying. What the hell! No way nearly 300 hundred guests want to watch me blubbering while giving my speech. I decided to get the crying out of the way then and there, making way for an excellent speech. Whew!

So, what song is it already?!

One song in particular stirs up strong emotions. My first car was a little Honda that the previous owner added some performance pieces to. I loved that car. One evening on my way home from work, it was wet and I was approaching an intersection that I had passed through hundreds of times. Now, I was not yet 18. As I approached the intersection, the light turns yellow and I am doing the speed limit. But, yellow does not mean caution, it means reach for the shifter, grab a lower gear, and punch it. That is exactly what I did, however it was not the outcome I had hoped for. At about 60 miles an hour, I broadsided another car in cross traffic. I had underestimated the time it would take for me to clear the intersection safely. I can remember the feeling of my car spinning out of control as I pressed every pedal and kept downshifting. My car came to rest on the other side of the intersection and neither of us required medical care, which is incredible considering it was the 80s.

Great story bro, how does this relate to the question of the day?

Fair enough. At the very time I was driving, at the very moment of impact, I was blasting one of my tapes and the song I was rocking out to……… wait for it,

I can’t drive 55 by Sammy Hagar.

How is that for coincidence? In fact, one of the only things still working after the crash, as I gained back perspective of what had happened, was the radio and it was still playing that damned song. Each time I pass that intersection, I hear the song. Each time I hear the song, I am right back to that intersection. It takes me back to the pain in my entire body. The burns and bruises from the seat belts. That song will forever hold a special place in my memory banks.

Looking forward to reading all of yours.

Be happy, healthy, and safe.

t.t.