Music

Music! There’s not many things I love more than music. This would come as a shock to the music teachers that had me in their class. Detention was much preferable to singing. You couldn’t pry a note out of my mouth with a crowbar. As mentioned in past posts, I grew up in a Mennonite culture. They love to sing. It’s all A Capella, all the time. They connect with the God they love through it. They sing hymns, praise, and worship songs. Everywhere they go, constant singing. I hated it to be honest. However, late at night I’ll sometimes find them on YouTube and listen. I find it comforting now. If you want to experience this music, search To the River (I am going) on YouTube.

My Mum loved music. I miss her. I believe she’s in a very musical place. I remember listening to the famous Vangelis‘ song, Chariots of Fire, with her. I also recommend Conquest of Paradise. When she died, the song Go rest high on that Mountain by Vince Gill was just coming out.

When my Cousin came from Scotland, he introduced me to U2. I remember listening to the Joshua Tree album. It was the greatest thing I had ever heard. I listened to it on my yellow Sony Walkman.

Working on the framing crews in the late 90s and early 2000s CJAY92 was the Classic Rock station of choice. Only on Saturdays would would we listen to Country 105. I preferred the Country. I think it’s because I want music to calm me down, not fire me up. I remember being deeply offended by some of Nickelbacks‘ lyrics. However, I’m not cool enough to renounce them completely; I like many of their songs. What Father doesn’t connect with Never gonna be alone?

Somewhere along the line I fell in love with Classic Country:Vern Gosdin, Conway Twitty, George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Don Williams. There’s so many more. I’m always craving a simpler time and existence, and romantically I imagine life was simpler in the 70s. I once sent a message to Emmylou, thanking her for her music.

When I became a Christian there was music that I started to connect to. The same music that used to make me angry, now comforts me. With that being said, Kanye Wests’ Gospel album momentarily had me considering atheism. I jest.

Enjoying Nickelback and cringing at Kanye are not my only faux pas in music. I share a birthplace with, but dislike the Beatles. I’m not sure if it’s the arrogance, or the music that I dislike. Is it wrong that I would switch them places with the band on the Titanic if I was God? Then the band that thought they were bigger than God, could’ve gone down on the ship like minded people thought he couldn’t sink. They could have bopped their heads and played Yellow Submarine as they slid down the deck into the icy Atlantic.

Peoples’ musical taste and DNA are alike. There are no two playlists alike. I think this is because we connect to music based off of our life experiences. We share music, it’s a way to connect to each other. We can give people clues about who we are by telling them the songs that hold meaning to us.

There’s no point to this post. I write when I’m struggling, stressed, whatever. It’s my therapy. I’m laying in my bed, listening to music as I write. I do not recall my mum saying this to me, but I was told by my siblings that before she died, she mentioned a song. She wanted us to listen to this song and think of her when we did. The song was by Roxette. The track was Go to Sleep.

Ok Mum, I’ll try. I love you.

If you read this far, Thank you.

Tris.