Essential albums.

Music is a major foundation of my being and has given me — something — for as long as I can remember. Nearly every song I know is attached to a specific memory of a specific moment in my history. Random shit too – like the birthday parties of 7-year-old friends back in ’86 kind of random. Roxette‘s “It Must Have Been Love” playing in the car as I pouted in the backseat while my mom pulled away from the cute hockey camper I’d spent the afternoon crushing on at BSU one summer day back in 1990.

Music guides me through random slide shows in my mind every time I turn the power on the music source. Some memories are hilarious. Others, truly painful. After my husband died I had to be extraordinarily cautious of playlists and certain artists knowing the heartache I’d feel being thrust back into the memory of a road trip or quick trip to the grocery store, jammin’ out to the few songs he and I agreed upon.

Agreed upon? Snicker snicker. Who am I kidding? I NEVER let Morrissey or the Smiths play if I was in the car with him. Blech. Life is sad enough! I don’t need those chords and that voice pissing on my days or nights. I ruled the dial and my love endured hours of painful Ani & Tori singalong. And he loved it as much as I did. He made fun of my Dylan because it sounded eerily similar to the voice I used when impersonating him.

Music is the best time traveling machine in the world! Accessible by anyone with a pulse and blessed with the sense of hearing and a heart.

A particular note from Metallica’s Black album can transport me into the backseat of the ’91 Honda Civic hatchback driving across country with my heart all a flutter about a boy I kissed on family vacation. Dark blue extra chewing gum and Eternity cologne will also trigger that memory but it is certainly not as fun. 1334

The Scorpions assist in my sneaking into my cool, older sister’s closet when she wasn’t home and trying on her clothes, flipping through her Sassy magazines and listening to her tapes. Pretending to be the badass 16-year-old she was. Discovering a dusty bottle of Colt 45 in her closet – only to learn a dozen year later how nasty that shit really is.

Dire Straits’ “Sultans of Swing” brings me to the house of a buddy from undergrad and a conversation I witnessed; a friendly debate centered around the likelihood of getting a ticket if a cop pulled you over and heard Dire Straits playing. Jury is out – no one has confirmed testing of the theory. Although there was one time… when the 3 of us DID indeed get pulled over but that’s another story for another blog. Let’s just say we didn’t think to turn up Knopfler and the boys to see if the theory stood.

The happiest days of my childhood include the days of Columbia or BMG record deliveries. I remember a killer delivery which included Thriller, True Blue, Synchronicity, Songs from the Big Chair and 4. There was this incredible feeling that washed over me when my Dad would let me rip the plastic off the pretty & perfect, colorful cardboard squares that held vinyl circles of happiness. The discovery! What would we find in the magic circles this time?

I can see my mom in one of her fabulous 80’s getups featuring a sleeveless top of sorts that expose her freckled d’ecolletage. Her big, brown curls feathered away from her face but still appear to hug the behemoth round frames for her, as she says, “blind as a bat” glasses that take over her face. She and I are dancing around the house with the record player turning, speakers on full blast rocking out to the Hot Platter of Chrysalis Hits! Specifically, “Hot Child In the City “by Nick Glider and “Mickey” by Toni Basil.

I could go on and on… oh how music has shaped me. I have been crazy reflective about music in the last week or so as my local radio station (89.3 The Current) recently wrapped up a top 893 essential album countdown. I didn’t leave my house for nearly a week… it was awesome. Many, many hours of private dance parties and sing along songs that made me crumble to the floor in sadness and weep until the next song picked me up to cut a new rug.

20160503_893-essential-ablums_33

Pausing to be grateful for the many, many talented artists that have provided such luxuries in this life. Being humbled by the far greater music knowledge of my fellow music lovers. Finding my top 10 sprinkled but not as essential for others. Unfortunately, I’m lazy and didn’t bother to submit my essential list to be included. I would like to share though…

Funny Girl’s Top Essential Albums:

Robyn BodyTalk 2010

Pearl Jam Ten 1991

Radiohead Pablo Honey 1993

Fugees The Score 1996

Ani Difranco Living In Clip 1997

Prince Purple Rain 1984

Live Mental Jewelry 1991

AC/DC Who Made Who 1986

Ryan Adams Heartbreaker 2000

Ani Difranco Dilate 1996

___________________________________________________