My life in song

Do you ever listen to a song and think the lyrics fit your life situation? I do that with most any song any given day of the week. I did this long before I married a musician. I have probably slowed down now that I'm married to Kelly because my love of music seems so insignificant compared to his. Back in the day, I'm talking as early as elementary school; I could take a song and find a way to make the lyrics meaningful to me and my life in some way. I'm trying to think of one, but it escapes me now. All I'm picturing is the Saturday night gathering around the TV to watch Hee Haw with my dad. Those songs were goofy, but they reminded me of him. Gloom, Despair and Agony on me…

Middle school and high school brought a whole different kind of music. It brought a whole different me. I thought I was in college. My sister was and I fell in with her crowd. I listened to hair bands like Bon Jovi, Mötley Crüe, & Guns 'N Roses. I got my groove on to Salt 'n Pepa, The Fresh Prince, admittedly Vanilla Ice and The Beastie Boys. I was trying to fit in with someone. I was such an oddity. I was a straight A student, but not popular. I wore glasses. I felt completely awkward. Even then, I loved to read and write. I kept a journal. I escaped and I listened to music as much as possible away from a classroom.

Then, I got in way over my Baptist roots with Dr. Dre, my forever love Snoop Dogg and the whole crew of Yo! MTV Raps when college arrived. However, I was like a split personality in that I had a grunge side. I was all into Pearl Jam and The Indigo Girls. None of that meshes! One of my best college memories is a Def Leppard concert in Greenville with Amy. Wow! It was general admission. We stood outside in sleet for hours, but we were front row so close I could read their set list! So worth it!!!

Ah, the memories…for at least a thousand songs, I can go back and tell you times in my life and where the memories take me. Or, give me any given song on the Vh1 Top 20 Countdown© right now. I can somehow make those lyrics follow a thread of my life story right now. I don't know if other people can do it, or if it's just me.

I think part of that is relying on a melody and a song to give voice to the thoughts that haunt me when I can't put together the sentences or even two-word phrases to get them out of my head where they torture me. I think that is why the songwriter pens them. They tell a story from the beginning for someone. I'm simply borrowing them for a bit.

What are my current autobiographical tunes? If we're looking at popular music, then it's going to be We Found Love by Rihanna. She is so not one of my faves, but this song hits home. Plus, it was a great Glee scene. On my really down days, I'm all about Amy Winehouse and it's usually Love is a Losing Game. My ups and downs are about love. Isn't that what most songs are about no matter the genre? Rock, Rap, Country, Blues, on and on…. You can insert any topic into love. My husband, my angel daughter and hopes for children are the loves of my life.

What does music mean in your life? Do you have a soundtrack to your life? What are the songs that are your trademarks? Why do they scream out YOU?