Music, music, music

I've been rockin' out lately to a couple of songs I downloaded from iTunes a few days ago. For my birthday I got a gift card and I hadn'treally found anything I wanted to download. While I was watching TV the other night, a commercial came on for some countdown show (you know, the top 4 million songs of the last decade kind of thing), and Nirvana was on there. So I had to download "Smells Like Teen Spirit". Which led me to The Offspring, which led me to Godsmack.

As a side note: My husband and I were talking about the band name Godsmack. As a Christian, I love the name. Have you ever been Godsmacked? Sometimes when I'm dealing with an issue, I tend to be really hard headed and think I can handle it myself. Then I get Godsmacked, and realize I'm not leaning on who I need to lean on. Even as a non-Christian that would happen. I think that's how I got to be a Christian. Anyway, have you ever been Godsmacked? Think about it.

But I've been thinking about how much music has affected my life. I can remember my mother listening to what I call awful music. She loves old country & western. And I mean ooolld. I hated it. I still don't care much for it, but at least I try to appreciate it more. I felt like it got shoved down my throat and I don't much care for that either. I can remember when I got old enough to argue for a compromise. Mom would put on a station that played a little country and a little lite pop. That made me happier.

Some of my best memories of music are with my father. No matter where he was, he always found the other Hawaiians in the area. They would gather together at someone's house and play music all day. There were guitars, ukeleles, mandolins, whatever, and a lot of harmony and beautiful sounds filling the house. I discovered at an early age that I must be the only Hawaiian that can't sing. But what a fantastic experience that was. And to listen to the pigeon English was hilarious.

We would eat and listen and play and I can remember being fascinated that these people could do what they could. I would have loved to learn how to play. I would still love to learn how to play. I was all wide eyes and open mouth at the music that seemed to flow. And if you have never listened to Hawaiian music, grab a CD and start. It can be very relaxing, very grounding. The language itself is beatiful and melodic, but put it to music and there you go.

The first rock music I heard was Van Halen. The needle hit the record and there I was. In love with the sound of heavy guitars and deep, throbbing bass. I still love the music. The older I get I just know one day I might give it up, but not any time soon. I still prefer Sammy over Dave, but that's just me. You have your own opinion, this is mine. The eighties with all the hair bands was a beautiful time.

During my formative years, I was in band. I absolutely loved that. There was definitely a great feeling of accomplishment that came with playing a new piece of music and playing it well. There are some songs that you will always remember. I remember my 7th grade year, watching the marching band come into the stadium playing "Patton". They had a powerful brass section that just sold the song. I still get chills thinking about that. If you don't know what I'm talking about, rent the movie with George C. Scott and listen to the theme. I miss playing an instrument every now and then.

The Black Crows and "Shake Your Money Maker". That album helped me see through a very abusive relationship I was in at the time. Not physical abuse, but mental, which to me, can be worse. Candlebox got me from Texas to Las Vegas and kept me pumped up and awake. Casting Crowns "The Altar and the Door" has been helping me stay on a path. I got caught rocking out to Foo Fighters "All My Life" in traffic one day. It was on the radio, the volume was cranked, a little old couple next to me was watching my head bang.

I may not remember a lot of details about a situation, but I always remember what song was playing in the background. So go out, crank it up, and share your music with the world.

Have a great day!