For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

Let’s be honest, it is human nature to stereotype people. We live our lives looking for other souls in this world who either by shared experience or desired experience become “persons” of interest to us. We often find ourselves explaining to others things about our friends in the terms that are the simplest. Thus we find ourselves saying things like, “you remember...she’s my kick-A roller derby friend” or “he’s the one that lives in Tibet and wears nothing but organic cloth friend”. I think to many people I am the “movie” friend. That is not to say that I am a film expert by any means, but rather someone that spends a large portion of their daily existence thinking, breathing, giggling about, and dreaming about all things motion picture. Having said all that, I think it is important to note, that before I was a “movie” person, I was a music person. (And before that I was a “book” person, but more on that later).

As I stated in an earlier post, some of my earliest childhood memories are of music. And since I have been in Nashville for some time already this year, I have been thinking a lot about music. After all Nashville is Music City, USA in case you didn’t know. Sorry, Branson, MO…you were this close.

I thought it might be fun (and self indulgent) to take a stroll down music memory lane.

* I remember as a child singing the Carpenters outside on the swing set for hours, because I fancied I had the most beautiful voice. The song – ‘They Long to be Close to You’.

* The first albums - and I am speaking in the literal here, meaning actual vinyl - which I owned were, ‘Shadow Dancing’ by Andy Gibb, and the ‘Best of Air Supply’.

* The album that I played over and over again and about drove my Mother nuts – and she may not remember this but she threatened to break it if I didn’t quit playing it - ‘Rumors’ by Fleetwood Mac.

* The album that I would beg my Mom to put on and then it would scare me – ‘Peter and the Wolf’ by Prokofiev. What? The wolf is SCARY.

* The album that I played over and over again and about drove my Step-Mother nuts – although she may not remember this – Olivia Newton John – ‘Have You Never Been Mellow’.

* The first album – and by that I mean cassette – that I bought with my own money, was the soundtrack to ‘Xanadu’ (Hooray for ELO). And I walked a couple of miles in the hot sun to the local Ben Franklin/Walgreens/Sprouse Reitz to buy it too.

* First concert I ever went to was Earth, Wind, and Fire.

* The first concert I paid for with my own money was Mr. Mister.

* First musical crush that I had was on Mr. Simon sexy-pants Lebon of Duran Duran.

* The first song I danced with someone to was the theme song from the motion picture ‘Tootsie’ – “It Might be You”.

* The first song I danced to with my High School crush – “True” by Spandau Ballet. Truth be told, this song still make me feel all gooey and tingly inside.

* First CD I owned, Rachmaninoff.

* First concert I went on a road trip for – Barenaked Ladies.

* Favorite Soundtrack to a motion picture – ‘Empire of the Sun’, no ‘The Mission’, no ‘Out of Africa’, no ‘Schindler’s List’, oh bother… I like them all – sue me.

* Favorite Song – “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2

* Favorite Composer – Rachmaninoff

* Favorite Musical – ‘Sweeney Todd’ or ‘Les Miserables’

* Song that makes me think of a special pre-mission boy – “Only You” by Yaz.

* Song that makes me think of special pre-mission boy # 2 – “Tom Sawyer” by Rush. (I know, not romantic at all, but he LIVED for Rush.)

* Song that makes me think of special post-mission boy – “One” by U2, and anything by Bob Marley.

* Song that makes me think of special post-mission boy # 2 – anything by Barbra Streisand. Hmmm, perhaps this should have triggered a warning bell.

Anyway, enough of the songs that make me think of boys, if I don’t stop here this post will be pages and pages long. Let’s just say that if you were, are, or will be at all an important person in my life, I will think of a song that reminds me of you.

Music is as much a part of my life as breathing or sleeping. I listen to classical music every night when I sleep. I can barely drive my car without the radio on. I listen to my iPod at work. I sing in the shower. I fancy I play instruments. I cry when I go to the Symphony. I feel energized and full of life when I go to a Rock concert. I am moved to action by a powerful song. I can find something to identify with in almost every musical genre. I LOVE music, it inspires me. It gives me outlet. It speaks to me.

And speaking of being moved by a powerful song and seeking outlet, let’s talk about U2 shall we? I have loved this band since I was 13 years old. Yes, that is approximately the era of Bono’s mullet. But I didn’t know any better, ok? As soon as Billy Ray Cyrus came on the scene with his ‘business up front, party in the back’ do, I was done with that look and thankfully so was Bono. U2 are good people, folks. They don’t just write Kick-A songs; they actually use their celebrity for good. They are trying to leave this world a better place. Something that I really, really believe in, but have a hard time executing on a personal level. Bono once wrote –

God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the silence of a Mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives. God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them. “ If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday and the Lord will continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places.” (Isaiah 58:9-11)

~ On the Move – Bono

I guess the point of bringing this post down to a real level is that I would like to publicly acknowledge and promise to find a way to contribute. To make a difference. To be, like Gandhi said, the change I wish to see in this world. I don’t know where or how, but I will find something. In the book 'On the Move', Bono quotes a ‘wise’ man who said, “Stop asking God to bless what you are doing. Get involved in what God is doing – because it’s already blessed.”

In the meantime, if you have any suggestions for things I can do, please let me know. Or if you just want to stop by and share a song that inspires you, please, please do. I would love to hear your thoughts. And it doesn’t have to be an inspirational comment, because if you know me at all, you know that I love a good old loud and dirty rock-and-roll song.

So, for those about to Rock – we salute you!!