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March 16, 2012 · 6:00 am

Nostalgic Notes- Which Songs Take You Back?

I’m feeling a little nostalgic this week. Anyone else?

Encyclopedia Britannica is closing the presses. Wow. My kids will never know the joy of flipping through a brand new encyclopedia for a school project. Yes, I said joy. I was/am/always will be a nerd at heart.

My hubby and oldest son are coming up on birthdays, with our youngest son not far behind. Didn’t we just celebrate Christmas like, a few days ago? Sheesh, 2012.

Our family, both immediate and extended, is dealing with some changes– changes that were unexpected, undesired, and for the most part, difficult on everyone.

My grandmother is moving ever closer to meeting Jesus face-to-face. Oh, the joy that will come in that moment–when she’s healed and whole and reunited with my grandfather! This is not a sad thing for me, but more of a moment of treasured rejoicing. I’ll certainly miss her, but she’s been suffering from Alzheimer’s for a very long time, and my grandfather went to heaven a little over a year ago. She’s going to be in the arms of Jesus soon. That gives me goosebumps.

My baby brought home his graduation pictures— cap and gown photos that signify his completion of Kindergarten. I had a flash forward to the future–he’s going to be graduating high school all too soon.

So I’ve been feeling nostalgic. I did what I usually do when I’m in that sort of a mood–I turned to some tunes to rock out.

Thanks to the incredible invention that is Pandora (where have you been all my life?), I created a station for myself that would take me back to some of the days of yesteryear.

I created a station called N’SYNC Radio.

Do not judge me.

N’SYNC, The Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, Shakira, Mark Anthony, Ricky Martin, Enrique Eglesias– I was just in the mood for some up-beat music. It takes me back to the end of high school, beginning of college years. (And yes, I think there’s even a little Britney Spears sprinkled in this mix. Eek!)

I like songs that transport me to happy memories. Who doesn’t?

Anything by Dave Matthews Band or any song off of Alanis Morisette’s Jagged Little Pill put me right back in the room or car of my best friend from high school, circa 1997.

Garth Brooks or Diamond Rio– takes me back to living with my family in California when I was in middle school– I was in a big country music phase then.

Pearl Jam– Any song reminds me of the early “just dating” days with my hubby. He’s still a huge Pearl Jam fan, but I used to kid him about it– I don’t think Eddie Vedder can sing at all. In fact, he’s awful and sounds kind of like a dying cat.

Sandi Patty- my parent’s living room when I was a kid. I’m pretty sure I caught a glimpse of heaven the first time I heard her do “I’ve Just Seen Jesus” with Larnell Harris.

The Gaither Vocal Band, the Cathedrals, JD Sumner and the Stamps, any of the old gospel quartets– remind me of sitting in my grandparents’ living room, watching the Gaither VHS tapes with them.

Disney Soundtracks, specifically Pocahontas– remind me of my sister. Hanging out in her room when we were both younger, belting it out to see who’d make the better Disney princess. “What I like most about rivers is, you can’t step in the same river twice…”

I Could Not Ask For More by Edwin McCain- that’s “our” song. 🙂 C’mon. Let me hear a collective “awwwww……”

I love music. And I love the memories music evokes in me.

Perhaps I’m just trying to justify the fact that I was in the mood to listen to boy bands & the leaders of the Latin explosion of the early 2000s. Whatever. Don’t judge.

I’m really, really glad that no one could see me “break it down” to Bye Bye Bye (N’SYNC) in the middle of my living room.

Share with me: What’s your favorite “take me back”/nostalgia song?

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Tagged as music, nostalgia

August 31, 2011 · 5:00 am

Mood Music

Music is a daily part of my life. I kinda can’t live without it.

I’m one of these weirdos that likes all kinds of music. Turn my iPod on shuffle, and you’re likely to hear Coldplay, Adele, Taylor Swift, Sting, Avril Lavigne, Sarah McLachlan The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Journey, soundtracks from Wicked, Glee, and The Sound of Music, or maybe a little Justin Beiber, Kris Allen, Lifehouse, OneRepublic, Parachute, Kari Jobe, Florence + the Machine, Celine Dion, and The Wiggles. Yes, I can rock out to The Wiggles if need be.

I have quite the large and eclectic collection. I like all types of music except heavy metal and hard-core rap.

As a rule, I don’t usually buy an album unless I’ve heard at least two or three songs off of it that I like.

And because of iTunes and other means of music purchasing, we connoisseurs of music no longer have to purchase an entire album– just the songs we like.

I’m one of these writers that cannot write without music. Cannot.

Music puts me into the “mood” of my story.

For example, I’ve been editing a manuscript that’s rather deep and dark, so my tunes have been Plumb, Evanesence, Within Temptation, and We Are the Fallen. Deep, heavy, “emo” music.

And when I was working on a historical recently, I listened to the Pride & Prejudice soundtrack quite a bit.

When I need happy, I pull out Abba. When I need romantic heartbreak or “moody blues,” I’m into SnowPatrol, Verdera, Sarah McLachlan and Coldplay.

Music inspires me. It helps me to “feel” happy, sad, depressed, scared, angry or romantic; whatever the need may be. It creates a mood, especially when I happen to be feeling something else entirely on a particular day.

I often hear a song and get a story idea, or sometimes I hear one and think, “that will go perfectly with this scene I’m writing.” I did that recently with a song from JJ Heller. A great, happy, upbeat romantic song perfect for a budding relationship.

So, from all of that, each of my manuscripts has its own soundtrack.

Sometimes I think my life has a soundtrack. Hopefully it doesn’t have as much “emo” music as does the soundtrack for the manuscript I’ve been editing. Ha.

This is an example of a great song that helped inspire the plot in a novel I’m currently working on. The song is called Until You Came Along by JJ Heller.

Share with Me: Do you listen to music daily? Does music affect your mood? Writers–do you write to music? Do you prefer music with or without lyrics? Is there a particular song that has inspired you?