The Soundtrack of Your Childhood....
Many of my childhood memories begin in the same place...the basement of the house I grew up in. It was cool in the summer, and a haven in the winter from the rest of the family. My parents let it be whatever we wanted it to be with no major need to clean up at any time.
The entire basement was a golden color wood. There was a built in desk (like a real restaurant booth!), a piano, a big, black leather couch, and floors you could roller skate on. The best item down there: a large record player with stacks and stacks of my parent's albums. Joni Mitchell, Peter, Paul and Mary, John Denver - it was a folk singer's dream collection.
I would listen to them over and over again...dancing, singing, more dancing. Sometimes I would just sit and stare at the album covers thinking the people looked really fancy and magical for some reason. Maybe it was all the drugs they were taking...but what did I know. :)
To this day, my iPod has some of these songs on my playlist and during my "zen runs" alone, I enjoy chumming along to "California Dreamin'" or something like that. It takes me right back to my basement.
The kids really enjoy "Kid music CD's" so I oblige and let them listen to them most of the time when we drive around in the car. Most recently, however, I have been asking them to listen to James Taylor with me. They love it. I notice while he is playing, the kids will both become very relaxed, checking out their world going by as we cruise to our next exciting destination.
"I love James Taylor, Mom," Lucy said to me the other day. I am gushing with pride that she is a fan as well. She also loves "Blackbird" by the Beatles and has learned to tolerate some Coldplay every now and then. I hope these songs become the soundtrack of their childhood. It is fun to watch them react to it, become peaceful while listening to it. That is what it did for me all those years ago.
Maybe someday, a 30-something Lucy will be running along with her iPod, listening to "The Frozen Man" with a smile on her face. I hope so.
posted by Sarah @ 2:42 PM
4 Comments:
Lovely post. I recently told John that the Carly Simon "No Secrets" was the soundtrack of my childhood for this very reason!
Indeed...a good one I almost forgot about!
I LOVE this post AND the comments! The basement was definitely a 'magical childhood place' with so many wonderful memories for the grown-ups who got to watch the room length roller skating marathons, gazillions of dance jam outs, bottle cap tap dancing when we laughed til we cried, singing and singing in show after show...and on and on....all with the background of my favorite folk songs (and Cabbage Patch Kids musical numbers)!
Love this! James Taylor is a perfect choice for car rides with kids, in my estimation.
The boys love Simon and Garfunkel. I've been playing it for them since...well, since B was in my belly. Benjamin insists that we go to "Scarborough Fair" one day "realll soon".
Post a Comment
<< Home