Musical Memories

Posted by kara

Music reminds me of different time periods in my life. When I hear a song, I can be transported back in time and it feels like how I felt at the time (complete with outfits I would wear at that time). I hear “She’s just sixteen years old, leave her alone, they say,” and think of singing it in the minivan with Gretchen, not thinking of how weird the lyrics were. I hear “Love Shack” and remember Gret’s mom singing it and hurting her arm from waving it around like crazy. I hear PM Dawn and feel like I’m an awkward teen at a jr. high dance wearing a silk blouse. I hear “Blister in the Sun” and think of Lacy’s dance, my brother singing it, coffeehouses. I hear Lisa Loeb and think of driving in the tennis team’s van. “Iris” by Goo Goo Dolls = senior year, and this really preppy vest I used to wear (man, I am really nerdy!). Prodigy = early college parties, Nick, Stine, v-neck t-shirts and cardigans. Jewel’s Spirit album = the dorm, waking up early to eat breakfast at Sanders with Megan. Kid A = walking to the subway station in Brooklyn. Norah Jones = Boston winter in the basement with Ariana (“Turn me up!”), mary jane shoes in the winter. Ben Kweller = Indy fall, getting ready to get married.

And now? I heard Toshi playing with her farmer magnet toy (“Hi! I’m farmer Tad!”) and I instantly thought of our apartment, her being 1 year old in the winter, playing with it in the kitchen on the hardwood tile file. And when we brought up her old baby swing, I heard the babbling brooke/lullaby music on it and I felt like we were back in the warm over-heated apartment, in a sleepy stupor, trying to get our newborn baby not to cry. So now, toy music transports me…. I guess that makes sense.

I love my memories. And it’s nice they have soundtracks… even if it is toy music. 🙂