Meaningful Music

We listened to the British version of the Beatles' Help CD on the trip home from golf last night and it reminded me of many different albums that hold a special meaning to me - sometimes for quite bizarre reasons. I'm sure you have certain songs or movies or places that remind you of special events or people in your lives. I got to thinking more about this and these are a few of mine.

Now, no laughing, okay?

• Beatles/Rubber Soul: this is my favorite typing album. I know, I know. You're going - HUH??? When I was in high school and in college, I wrote a lot of papers. My majors were always related to communications, English, humanities, composition, journalism, etc. So there were quite a few papers along the way. And one of my strange behaviors even with electric typewriters and word processors in the picture, was to do everything longhand first. Yep, I handwrote EVERYTHING. I laugh about it now because I hate taking notes without a keyboard in front of me. But after I'd handwrite it all, I could just type away without thinking a bit. And it always helped to have some lively tunes for background music to get a good rhythm going and this album - Rubber Soul - is not only one of my favorite albums of all time, it's an awesome record to, yep, type to! Goofy as it sounds!
  
• Amadeus Soundtrack: I know this may sound a bit bizarre but I bought this music before I saw the movie and I was so unbelievably touched and swept up by the music, that I couldn't wait to see the movie. Up until that point, the idea of classical music befuddled me. I had no interest whatsoever, but I soon gained a real appreciation for it and actually went through a phase of listening to it non-stop for several months. I may not seek it out now but when I've listened to certain cuts by Tchaikovsky or Mozart or even Vivaldi, I still love the feeling that it gives me and I'm wanting to hear the Amadeus soundtrack right now, as I write about it. Hmmm... where is that LP?
  
• Elton John / Greatest Hits: This is the first "adult" album I ever bought at the record store with my own money. To this day, I think it's his greatest stuff since it's his earliest hit recordings but my vinyl copy isn't in the best of shape. Thankfully, we own much of his early stuff on CD now anyway. Still, I have a soft spot for this album for this reason.
  
• Motown's Greatest 64 Hits: My dad introduced me to Motown. He loved it, and soon I did, too. This was a four album collection of just about everybody including the Temptations, Four Tops, Jackson Five, Marving Gaye, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Rare Earth, among others. I loved it, absolutely loved it. When my dad told me that his records got destroyed in a storage shed flood (I couldn't believe he kept them there!) this was the first of his albums I set out to find and sure enough I did on Ebay. I now own it myself - and on vinyl. Woo-hoo! When I listen to this great collection, I think of my dad and that's a good thing.
  
• It's a Small World: Yep, Disney really put out a kids' record of international songs performed by the boys choir that sang the famous kiddie ride theme song. They do a variety of songs from countries like France and Mexico that you absolutely would know (like Frere Jacques and Comin' to the Rye). I loved it! But being the greedy little booger I was at 12 when we had a garage sale, I sold it. Yep, what a fool. And my mom let me. So I found that on Ebay too - and now I own it again - also on vinyl! Another woo-hoo!
  

There's so many albums that have impacted my life. I'll probably write more about this again soon, but these are only a handful of some that have influenced me.

What music played a big part in your memories or perspective?