Live On
Souls live on in music. Every day Kurt, Janis, Jim, Jimi, Ray, Duke, Billie, Shannon etc. live on. Their voices are heard and their melodies drift into the air, into our thoughts, into our hearts. 30 years, 40 years, 50 years after they have passed, they are very much alive in the present, with their music making new memories momentarily.
But what about the memories we attach to songs, intended or not? A song can bring us to tears simply because of what or who it reminds us. Songs we have as couples, dance with friends to, hear on the drive at a particular moment in life; songs played to us in the womb or songs played at a funeral. Three minutes of riffs, chords, strokes and voices have thousands of memories attached. Sometimes millions.
It's all in our head too; the tomb of memory and what we associate and attribute to eras of our life, circumstance, events and people. Some songs/artists bring me comfort, others make me cringe and most have me trailing back to the times and thoughts of ago.
The Flaming Lips have always made me think of some dear friends of mine, but after last week, when one of those friends left this world all to early, it sealed the mental deal. Michael J. DiDomenico was a loved husband and new father. He and his wife LOVED the Lips and they followed their tours around the country, driving from one coast to another. When I was sick and house ridden back in 2006 they made me a lovely care package that included CDs of the Flaming Lips' live shows, along with Of Montreal. I would always think of them when the iPod chose it. Now, after life has had its way, the memory of Mike and his passion for art and music fill me up every time the Lips atmospheric comes over the sound waves. I hear Wayne:
"Driving home, the sky accelerates
and the clouds all form a geometric shape
and it goes fast
You think of the past
suddenly everything has changed"
If it weren't for the power of music and the etches of the soul carved into it, I would be very sad to imagine how dull and meaningless life would suddenly become. Here's to the beauty of memories that live on in music <cheers>.
But what about the memories we attach to songs, intended or not? A song can bring us to tears simply because of what or who it reminds us. Songs we have as couples, dance with friends to, hear on the drive at a particular moment in life; songs played to us in the womb or songs played at a funeral. Three minutes of riffs, chords, strokes and voices have thousands of memories attached. Sometimes millions.
It's all in our head too; the tomb of memory and what we associate and attribute to eras of our life, circumstance, events and people. Some songs/artists bring me comfort, others make me cringe and most have me trailing back to the times and thoughts of ago.
The Flaming Lips have always made me think of some dear friends of mine, but after last week, when one of those friends left this world all to early, it sealed the mental deal. Michael J. DiDomenico was a loved husband and new father. He and his wife LOVED the Lips and they followed their tours around the country, driving from one coast to another. When I was sick and house ridden back in 2006 they made me a lovely care package that included CDs of the Flaming Lips' live shows, along with Of Montreal. I would always think of them when the iPod chose it. Now, after life has had its way, the memory of Mike and his passion for art and music fill me up every time the Lips atmospheric comes over the sound waves. I hear Wayne:
"Driving home, the sky accelerates
and the clouds all form a geometric shape
and it goes fast
You think of the past
suddenly everything has changed"
If it weren't for the power of music and the etches of the soul carved into it, I would be very sad to imagine how dull and meaningless life would suddenly become. Here's to the beauty of memories that live on in music <cheers>.
Lorrie
Thank you
posted Aug 14th 2008, 10:44