This Song Is For You...

The radio is always on. Different stations, different songs. I get bored with just one. It all depends on my mood, really. I can croon to the tunes of my favorite country folk and jump to the sordid, disrespectfully tacky hip hop and rap songs of my youth. I might fist pump the air as I cruise in my mom van that is full of books instead of babies. If the day is ending and my energy has all but left me, I will jump to something embarassingly awesome like my "love songs on the coast" or my kbig 104.3 where I can find a classic Phil Colins song preceding the latest from Kelly Clarkson (I mean, who doesn't love some Kelly Clarkson and Phil Colins all mixed into one music streaming session?). If I am lucky I will catch a Cyndi Lauper classic in there and a tune from one of my favorite bands, Journey.

When I am in the mood to think about my parents or family, I might cruise on over to K-earth 101. My sister, Camille, loves that station. I think the other is Kola 99.9. I will smile as I listen to the songs that "totally" remind me of them. A classic Elvis tune, some Platters, Buddy Holly or the Big Bopper.

So many people in my life have a song. I am not sure if they know it. It isn't intentional on my part. It might be that song of the summer that was playing everywhere while we danced away at some night club in San Diego, Las Vegas, Europe or during a night out during the "Tour-de' I.E.". It might be a love song with lyrics that tell the tale of you and I, no matter how long ago we were.

There is that new song by Cobra Starship "Good Girls Go Bad". There is no reason, lyrically, why it reminds me of my girlfriends Sueann, Jeanette, Kristin, Shelby and Cristina. It just does. They don't know it. If they read this someday they will know it. There is no rhyme or reason other than it is a fun tune and it reminds me of them. I just need to clarify that it isn't because they are good girls that have somehow gone "bad". Thanks.

When the Red Hot Chili Peppers come alive on my radio I think of my husband. Even if it isn't a favorite song of mine, I will let it play the whole way through, and it makes me feel like he is near. There is that diddy from the show "Golden Girls", "Thank You for Being a Friend". and no matter how cheesy it sounds, I always picture my red-headed Rachel when I hear it, and it gives me the biggest grin. This is her song ever since she had my on the floor laughing at her confession that she owns the whole series on DVD. I wasn't judging since I, too, have seen every episode. I suppose it is because it is just so like her in all her confident ways to confess that.

I have songs that take me way back. My first love has a few songs in his honor. Rod Stewart's very fabulous "Have I told you lately..." is among them. It isn't a favorite song of mine, by any stretch, but if I am in the mood to be led back down memory lane, I just might turn it up and sing along.

My first European boyfriend (let's be clear, there were several), was from Germany and that one back in the day, one-hit-wonder song that goes... "I'm a big, big girl in a big big world..." well, in type font it looks demeaning, but it is a lovely little song that must have been popular when I met him at the tender age of 19. I don't hear it on the radio much, but if the occasion ever strikes me, I might youtube it and chuckle while I think about that dude that stole my heart one spring in Europe.

My third love garnered the esteemed priviledge of earning a song by Michelle Branch and another by Gwen Stefani as those songs that will forever remind me of him. He doesn't know it. I am not sure I knew it then, but if they should come on at any given point during my listening hours, I will have a moment where he flashes across my memory and I smile at the very fortunate fact that we are no longer together. That one wasn't much of a winner.

My girlfriends, in general, have a whole playlist I can assign to them. That one awful annoying, yet so catchy and fun tune by Ashlee Simpson "L.O.V.E." has me thinking of my comrades in crime. The classics "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" are on that list, as well. When they come on, the music gets louder. I might 2-step as I clean... or run at the park....or work... and sing along while envisioning they are all behind me as though we are invading Poland full force. (Why Poland?) I don't know... just go with it.

You know that old song "Calendar Girl"?? Years ago there was a commercial for Ross department stores on the t.v. that played that song. When I hear it, I think of my precious niece, Ariel. She was about 2 years old when that commercial was played (she's now 18). No matter where she was in the house, if it came on , she would run to the tv in her diaper and hold the t.v. while bouncing back and forth. Always the bounce, always the white diaper. She was adorable.

I wonder if there is a song out there that reminds someone of me? I once had a short-term boyfriend in my early years of high school who said a song by Nirvana made him think of me (Something in the Way). When I heard it, it was the deal-breaker. Incredibly weird and depressing song, but a nice melody. What can I say, I am not that deep. I just couldn't make sense of it. I was like, 15. I'm not sure I was supposed to "get it", but... that's what I do- over-analyze and try to make sense of lyrics, despite being written, likely, while the singer was high.

Maybe I have a song for you... and you just don't know it.