Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Songs

I have a lot of favorite songs :) and I blame my mother for that. She forced me to take piano lessons [I survived somehow], and allowed me to take voice lessons [I did better w/the piano, sadly], and encouraged a love of music that I still have today. So finding music that my kids like is important to me. And, because I do not like candy-sweet Barney style songs, I don't always have an easy time finding things my kids like that I can listen to more than once a year.

But who doesn't like a song that starts out, "A is for aisle, B is for bdellium, C is for czar, and if you see him would you mind telling him?"
Pretty much every word begins with the correct letter, but none of them start with a sound normally associated with that letter, and we all giggle every time we listen to it! Which is why it's on my playlist now. Anyway, for our recent trips, I burned a CD with all the Barenaked Ladies' songs from "Snacktime"- the CD that includes the crazy ABC song. I also put a few songs from Shrek, and Meet the Robinsons, and "Ordinary Miracle" from Charlotte's Web. You know, songs that are 'grown-up' but the kids can recognize from the movie. Every darn time I hear that song from Charlotte's Web, I get tears in my eyes. It reminds me of Myles, and how much I value every minute I have with my kids now, because I didn't get much time with their little brother. It's a song that Morgen likes to sing to, so I'm not allowed to skip it, either.

And I got to thinking about memory. I sang "Abide With Me" at my Grandma J's funeral, and every time I sing or hear it now, I get choked up. Morgen sang "I am a Child of God" at Myles' funeral, and now I can't even make it through the first verse without crying. I seem to remember things best when they're associated with a song.

4 comments:

Mary Perry said...

My mom always said that if they had put my school work to music, I would have been an honor student. I find it such a huge part of my life also. He ain't heavy, He's my Brother is mine. Just brings me to my knees. That and "Time in a Bottle", the tears will just come.

Love your music list. Will have to keep coming back to listen, often.

Gina said...

Isn't that so true. Many songs bring me back to times in my youth like, "pour some sugar on me" by Def Leppard brings me back to a junior high touch football game and "nothing else matters" by Metallica brings me back to long hours talking with Danny in his truck when we first became friends.

Kristina said...

Music and smell are the two things that bring back the most memories for me. Music is what brought Fred and I together and still plays an important part in our lives. Love your song list...glad to see you figured out how to do it!

Jeanette said...

I can't sing "How Great Thou Art" because it's my family's adopted "funeral song". It's associated with nearly everyone I love who has passed away. I can't even hear the tune *Sigh*

Not a Day Goes By (By some country group...Shennendoah maybe?) is the one that always makes me think of my niece. That and the "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" song with the Ukulele.

For my daughter, it's that hold her hand when she crosses the streets of heaven song. It totally kills me every time I hear it.

For me, I think of it as them saying "Hey, still here, thinkin about you" when I hear their song.