Tuesday 8 March 2011

Music what ever happened to it in my life?


I was thinking about music the other day and how at the moment I hardly ever listen to it. I find it quite intrusive, especially if on a radio. But that could be as much to do with having to listen to the DJ droning on. I find that I prefer listening to the wonderful Radio 4 with it's talking, whether about the news or an afternoon play. And if that's not on, hearing the birdsong outside makes me feel alive.

And yet music has always been really important to me and my life is punctuated with melodies that when heard now transport me back to a far off memory. From my early childhood of Perry Como singing Magic Moments, a song I still sing when I'm driving and need to keep awake. My Mum's favourite song when I was a child was called, 'When I marry Mr Snow', I think it was either in Carousal or South Pacific and she would always be singing it when she worked around the house.

To the teenage delights of Albatross by Fleetwood Mac, one of the records that I used to set my Dansette record player on repeat and sit on my bedroom window sill with the curtains shut listening to it over and over again, hiding from any family that bothered to come in my room.

In fact 1968 was THE year for music for me.The songs from that year that are imprinted on my brain as the best songs ever. I wonder if we all have a year like that when we are on the cusp of adulthood and all the music seems to speak to us of a glowing future.

The list is long from around then, obviously the Beatles,and others like Simon and Garfunkel, the Beach Boys, Procal Harem, Amen Corner, Scott MacKenzie, Booker T and the MGs,Marvin Gaye. My tastes were always eclectic, so a mixture of popular music, along with hippy West Coast, and a huge amount of Northern Soul and Tamla.

Then music seemed to disappear for a while, the 70s were a bit lost on me musically, as actually so were the 80s come to think of it in terms of pop music. The exception was of soul and jazz the stuff of Tom Scott,Spyro Gyro,The Average White Band, Pat Metheney interspersed with Frank Sinatra and even, dare I say it a Barry Manilow album! and many many more. I have hundreds of CDs none of which I ever listen to anymore.

In fact when I get a new CD, cause I mainly listen to any music in the car, then it is played to death, never to be listened to again once I've heard it a million times. The only exception to this is Pat Metheney - 'off ramp' which is probably the best album in the world and can be heard always.

So Duffy's latest is the current CD in the car given to me at Christmas and I'm sick of it and never have the time to change the wretched CD when I get to go anywhere. So I don't listen to anything musical at all.

Perhaps I should make the effort to find something new to listen to.... any suggestions?

14 comments:

jeanette from everton terrace said...

ha, I do the same thing, listening to a CD to death but I don't seem to tire of them (though my family does). I don't like to listen to anything in the car but at home I listen all day long, sometimes turning it down when I hear a bird out my window :) I even get up and dance around sometimes. I don't really listen to current music much but I do like Duffy and Adele. I'm also a big audiobook listener, books are always on my ipod.

Helen said...

First! The image on your header is so realistic, I can almost feel the drops of liquid.

Now, I can go through each decade of my life and give you the music to go with it! How's that for music in my life?

Zan said...

I'd get sick of Duffy too, yet I very rarely get sick of music even if I listen to a cd over and over.. in particular Pink but I think her music is probably not something you'd enjoy!
Currently I have Guns'n'Roses hits in my cd player.. and could listen to Sweet Child of Mine, or November Rain over and over as loud as possible.. !

=) xx

Kolley Kibber said...

I'm a Radio 4 girl most of the time too, but do like to dip into BBC 6 Music of an evening (after Front Row) and especially on Sunday afternoons, when it's at it's finest. Try Jarvis Cocker's peerless Sunday show between 3pm and 6pm. Much of what he plays is far from new, but all of it is interesting.

And I speak as one of those tragic 40-somethings who has never stopped going to gigs...

Sage said...

I drive along listening to audio books which capture the bit of my brain not involved in driving.. but I have an eclectic choice in music, my latest is Adele I love her voice.

GaynorB said...

Give me a bit of the Eagles, Jackson Browne, James Taylor, Leonard Cohen, Janice Ian and Eva Cassidy .......... anytime!

My car has a six change CD so I rotate. Trouble is this is behind the seat so I rarely change but when I do it will be Paul Simon, Fleetwood Mac etc.
Am I stuck in the past?

I also love Radio 4 and 5 and I am addicted to The Archers1

Dragonfly Dreams said...

Oh my, I never thought I would find another closet "old" Barry Manilow fan out there - hurrah! I remember I enjoyed listening to him because, as an alto, I could actually sing quite well with him! (I even saw him in concert at Red Rocks Park - see my past post on this concert arena if you are curious.)

May I suggest one of my favorites?

Jesse Cook is a classical-flamenco-rumba-gypsy music guitarist who will knock your socks off. If you are curious about him go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Cook.

trousers said...

I have many suggestions for other music...but I don't think you would like many of them ;)

Mel said...

Oh boy. I'm just as guilty. I don't listen to much new--until I get pointed in that direction by someone I've crossed paths with 'here'....in this medium.

I rather enjoy Snow Patrol--I was rather impressed when they got shared with me. I think I still am by a few of their tunes.

But truly, I spend more time listening to himself's classics (which he plays a LOT)....and some good ol' Frank, Nat King Cole and ......sheeeeeeeshhhh...I'm REALLY gonna publish this post and bust myself out?

Shhhhhhhhhh!!

Lyn said...

I remedied this for myself when hubby gave me his old MP3 player. I spent a Saturday "ripping" my favourite CDs to my computer, making playlists and then transferring them to the MP3 player. I just plug my player in to the speakers (computer speakers work fine)and put it on shuffle. As I clean, read, or move about the house random favourite songs pop up and I feel as though I am listening to my favourite radio station. Then I bought a device that lets me plug my player into my car speakers. I am not a fan of walking around with earplugs in blocking out the sounds of everyday life, however the player is fantastic as a portable library of all music I love.

LindyLouMac said...

Interesting thoughts Mandy as I am the complete opposite. I listen to music a lot of the time especially when I am at my computer. Often the radio as it helps with my Italian to listen to songs!

Cait O'Connor said...

I make compilations for the car, a mix of old and new.

Anonymous said...

There is nothing to lift the spirits like the music of 1968! The energy and optimism in that music - just love it.
I remember when I was small, my Dad going around the house singing "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" all the time. After that I never heard him sing again!
Others in the family draw a blank, though my grandmother always sang, "You are My Sunshine,my only Sunshine..."
Lately, going to and from work in heavy traffic I listen to the radio frequency with both foreign language and music - don't ask me why! I have no idea, but I find it relaxing in the traffic.
Barry Manilow? Oh Mandy!!

Midwest to Midlands said...

Hello, I am with you, I used to listen to music all the time, then went off it a bit. I think because I got tired of the same things. Now there are so many new artists to discover, as one commenter mentioned, Adelle. So here's to discovering music again!