The Band Played On......

In the face of a tragedy like the one playing out on the Gulf Coast, I get stopped cold.  Call it survivor's guilt.  Sometimes it doesn't seem right that life goes on.  Yet, it must. So, this is written with a toast to the human spirit and survival.

In his post Tramps Like Us, celebrating the 30th anniversary of Springsteen's Born to Run album, Mitch does a great job describing the revelation one feels hearing a perfect moment of music.  On a parallel track, it reminded me of moments in my life that intersect with one song. For example....

"We Will, We Will, Rock You" In unison on the school bus on the way to Trollhaugen. (The stamping and clapping cleverly disguised the clink of glasses that held the screwdrivers we were drinking in the back seats.)

A friend and I spontaneously turned to each other on the dance floor and screamed upon hearing the first chord of "Hard Day's Night", added to the set list of a favorite band.  How incredibly embarrassing to discover buried deep within ourselves a throwback gene from those hysterical 60's girls who drowned out Beatle's concerts.  Simultaneously! In public! (Yeah.  I'm pretty sure the guys we were dancing with turned tail and ran after that song.)  The band, on the other hand, loved it.  I still blush at the thought.

A friend and I racing our cars on 494, while both blaring "Bad to the Bone" on the radio.

Singing "Favorite Things" and Simon and Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge Song", (Feeling Groovy), to my kids after tucking them into bed.

Tears running down my face as the music washed over me while watching the Live 8 highlights, "Sweet Dreams are made of these. Who am I to disagree?"

Our song, "Kill the Rabbit", by Elmer Fudd.  How romantic!

Playing "Maybe I'm Amazed" a thousand times on the jukebox at Pizza Hut while skipping school.

I'm sure I could come up with a hundred more.  Music transports and transforms us. God was at the top of His game when he came up with the concept.  Care to share any of your melodious memories?