Music

If any of you know me well, or at the very least, have spent time around me when I am biking somewhere, studying or browsing the internet, you know the significant role that music plays in my everyday life. I am typically playing something on my computer or iPod nearly every waking moment (and some of the sleeping ones). I have an encyclopedic knowledge of lyrics for my favorite bands, and for some terrible rap songs. All of this comes as quite strange for someone who is admittedly tone deaf, can't play an instrument, and can't sing or dance to save his life. Nevertheless, music provides the soundtrack to nearly everything I do.

I have been thinking a lot lately about the evocative power of certain smells, tastes and sounds. I have found, at least personally, that I associate specific songs with a strong memory of a person, place or time, and that no matter how much I may want to forget that association, I can't. Two songs in particular come to mind each time I consider this (at least recently), and though they would be quite polarizing in terms of the type of people that would typically listen to them, I find them associated with overwhelmingly positive memories from great times in my life.

The first is 'Under the Bridge' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This song, from the very opening notes, calls to mind Saturday practices for the Willamette XC team. The song would come on after our morning workouts during my freshman year (my only year with the team), and while we iced, stretched or waited to leave for breakfast, the whole team would sing along. It was the time that I felt most a part of that team, like I belonged with those runners in that place on that day.

The second is from a much more recent time in my life. Given the type of music that I typically listen to, I find myself almost ashamed to like this song as much as I do. I find that I like it not for the instrumentation, lyrics, or anything else, but solely for the memories it produces. That song, of course, is Tik Tok by Ke$ha. The memories for that one are twofold. First, strong memories of the previous semester back at WU, playing beer pong at 16th and Mill with Remy, Addam and Rowan. The song was ubiquitous for us that semester, being played on car rides, during pong, and at the parties we hosted and attended. The second, and I would say most powerful memory, is of the road trip to Killarney that I took a month ago with Johnny, Josh and Chuck. We made this song our official traveling song, playing it over and over, including four times in a row when we were traveling through Limerick. We all sang along and danced in the car. Even Johnny's dog, Maggie seemed to enjoy it. The trip was such a perfect 3 days with 3 of my favorite people that I have met on this trip, that I am happy to associate Tik Tok with that. The only bittersweet part of this memory is that we also played Tik Tok when we were taking Chuck to the airport to go home to America, and the group was broken up.

p.s. Who am I kidding? Tik Tok is my jam!