Every now and then, someone nominates me for a blogging award.
Nominations go in my ideas board on Trello. I might get to it next week, or next month. There are 40+ ideas in that list. It might take me a while. I’ll get to it, though. Tiffany of Sounds Like Life to Me nominated me for Monday’s Music and Words Award recently.
Like, March recent. Of 2016.
I love the idea. If I’d written it then, it’d be different than it will today. It would have looked different last week. I’m crafting a post on my life soundtrack. I’ve not posted it. The list? It’s blue as hell. There are pensive Beatles pieces and a rock anthem, yes, but …
Lesser-known Beatles hits such as In My Life and Howard Jones’ No One is to Blame dot the landscape of that soundtrack.
It’s comprised of songs I hear naturally, in the wild. When I post, I’ll challenge you to listen out for your own life soundtrack. Not simply a collection of songs you find connection in, but 10-12 tunes you hear organically that delve right into your essence.
They’re red, blue, happy, sad, whatever. More on that soon.
Here’s how you play, if you accept this award:
- Link back to the person who nominated you
- Answer these questions with words AND music
- Pass the award on to 5 bloggers who inspire you with their posts about music.
- Tag your post with #MWA, for Music & Words Award so that we can all find you down the line.
- Quote these five steps and the award icon in your post. You can display the icon on your sidebar as well.
1. What does music mean to you?
Music both takes my pulse and music numbs my soul.
Music lived as meter and absolute freestyle, from marching band to jazz band. Music dumbfounded me and music found the words I needed but couldn’t gather on my own. Music comes through as serenity and music comes through as cacophony.
Music comprises songs I’ll never understand and it also represents articulated wisdom.
Beethoven’s ninth symphony, final movement, centered me before competition. AC/DC fired me up before games. Approaching Nirvana set my pace, and George Michael and Paul Simon fueled my tortured heart.
Celtic Woman and Norah Jones and Cher Lloyd breathed it back to life.
2. What is your first music related memory?
I remember picking up a package at the post office on a rainy day with my parents. Mom opened the box in dad’s truck. It was an album, with a mountain scene on it. I don’t know who it was. A collection of songs, probably.
It’d go in the stereo case in the living room with wall-to-wall shag carpet. It’d go with other albums and 8-tracks by that state-of-the-art stereo system my parents had. Right along with Three Dog Night, Sly and the Family Stone, and Santana.
3. What’s the first album you purchased yourself?
Rock ‘n Soul Part 1, by Daryl Hall and John Oates.
All the other kids in school loved Michael Jackson and Prince. Me? I went with Hall and Oates. My favorites on that album: Sara Smile (so soulful – I almost wished for a girlfriend named Sara because of it) and the live version of Wait for Me.
I think even at age 12, I had a wistful outlook on love.
4. What’s the latest music you’ve purchased? (No online streaming or free downloads, I’m talking about cash here!)
Well, debit, probably. Geez, it’s been a long time.
I’m not Millennial enough to download music onto a device. No iTunes account or anything. It would have to be college, either George Michael’s Listen Without Prejudice, Paul Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints or Harry Connick Jr.’s Red Light Blue Light.
After I discovered Hall and Oates in the 80s, I bought all their 1970s albums, most of them obscure. I like obscure. I loved the songs no one else new, on albums long forgotten.
5. What song did you listen to last?
I just punched up Wait For Me on the youtube. Before that, I’d been listening to a playlist called “This Will Destroy You” on 8-tracks, because some days just call for self-inflicted wounds. Actually, it’s not as bad as it sounds. It’s post-rock indie stuff, good to write to.
Here’s the last song. It’s called Golden Hill, by Tristeza. They’re from Oakland, which I try not to think about. I turned to playlists on 8-tracks because songs carry such emotional attachment to times and places and people. And when you’re in your Pandora …
You’ve tied those favorite songs to times and places and people that used to bring you joy, but no longer do. Only, the songs take you back there. On 8-tracks, I can find a playlist like “This Will Destroy You,” and have a soundtrack to my day, devoid of those pitfalls.
Here are the five bloggers I nominate to carry the torch. Or, at least to hold up a lighter at a Michael Bolton show. They’re not necessarily music bloggers, but I’d be curious to read what they have to say.
Britta, of It’s a Brittle Bottle
Jackie, of One Woman, Huge World
Jaye, of Jaye Street
Lindsay, of My Simple, Beautiful Life
Just a dad ... 
Cool… music is a very important thing to me as well. I always thought if I ever had to lose a sense, it would be eyesight because I can’t imagine life without hearing music
What would life be without music, Courtney? I feel bad when I go into a business and people are working a full work day and there’s NO MUSIC.
I can’t even.
I know, right?? I would be lost if I had to go more than a day or two without music. Hubby works from home and he will use his XM radio when he isn’t on the phone. I was looking at all of the questions and responses and I had an answer to each of them. The one I find interesting is my first memory… it’s Elvis Presley 🙂
You should do a post, Courtney – especially for the Elvis story. The world can never have enough Elvis stories.
Yeah… well that show’s my age, eh? BUT I did get to see him perform the year before he passed away. It was an amazing experience! 🙂
Very cool.
As you well know, I LOVE posts like these because I’m such a music junkie. Love the view your music gives me and the colors that are added to the pictures in my head.
I wandered across a graphic lately that said Music is Life, that’s why our hearts have beats and that resonated so strongly with me.
I need a playlist of Eliness!
I thought you’d like it, Nikki. What colors come through? Good quote. Music runs the gamut of emotions, too. I’ll get that playlist post up soon … I felt like it was melancholy, but there’s some upbeat in there, too, and it’s all a true reflection.
All rich vibrant hues, with shadows between.
Just because it’s melancholy, doesn’t mean it’s bad. I think we have to have basis for comparison to find the happy and upbeat and downtime…it’s necessary. Looking forward to that playlist!
That sounds right, Nikki. I wrote of my red and blue periods a while back, and there’s beauty in each.
There’s a lot of purple in between, too. I’ll get the playlist up soon.
congrats, eli. and oh – hall and oates )
thanks! i finally got to see them in concert, when i was in high school.
Huge congrats and I am big music person as I listen to music all day while I write and seeing here. Most recently I have been listening to country beach rock playlist on iTunes, but still always up for a great Beatles playlist still!! 🙂
Does the music affect your writing, Janine? It’s always a good day for a Beatles playlist!
I think it does to a degree and most certainly telexes me if nothing else. And always a good day for a Beatles playlist. So no arguments here in that!! 😉
A wonder what a little Katrina and the Waves will do for a post for work on the progression of streaming TV.
Hall and Oats plastered my bedroom walls alongside Michael Jackson and Ralph Macchio. I was a weird child. 😎
The Karate Kid, Tiff? Not weird at all. Kathy Ireland was in my room. Well, her poster was. Belinda Carlisle was my girl.
Yes! I love that movie! I was going to marry Ralph when I got older. 😉
That’s how I felt about Jennifer Connelly, from Rocketeer.