Music Therapy

I originally posted this sometime last year, but it fits again. When life gets tough I zip back in time. Where's a dang Delorean when you need one?

I love listening to music from the 50s and 60s. When I was a kid I’d spend summers with my dad. There were no bedtimes, no rules, lots of car trips, and non-stop music. My dad had earphones in before dawn, music blasting while he worked around the house, and a radio on to lull himself to sleep. He never quite left the 60s so his musical tastes were the soundtrack to my childhood summers. Thanks to iTunes, Pandora and other such virtual juke boxes, I have been able to ride the musical highway back to those lazy summer afternoons by his pool. Sam Cook, The Surpremes, CCR, The Beatles, all remind me of my childhood, even though I was decades removed from their original fame.

These singers and songwriters (yes, they could all technically be call musicians back then, whereas today we just produce Idols) knew a thing or two about love.

Sam Cooke didn’t know what a slide ruler was for –who does?—but he knew that one and one are two and if this one could be with you what a wonderful world it would be. Fats Domino found his thrill on Blueberry Hill and Diana Ross’ mama warned that you can’t hurry love, you just have to wait. Tell that to ABC Family and their impregnated child stars.

“Love” songs today seem to deal more the act of love than being in love; the thrill of the fall rather than quieter joy of the romance, the initial passion and not the fight to keep it burning, and the various parts of the body rather than the heart and soul. Is it any wonder the divorce rate is astronomical anymore? Once your lady’s apple bottom begins to resemble a rump roast and your man loses his halo, it’s bye bye bye and off to find a lover that won’t drive you crazy.

Frankie Valley got it. He knew you had to just hang on to what you’ve got. There are going to be downsides to a love story. There are going to be struggles but what fun is a rollercoaster of love if you are constantly going up? The dips and spins are what make your tummy tingle, your breath quicken and your heart beat faster. That feeling is called adrenaline and you won’t feel it if your body senses no danger.

Why am I writing this? Music affects us. It can cheer us up when we feel like the world has got the upper hand and cheer us on when we are the champions. Music and those writing it can influence us (you know you’ve tried to moonwalk) and make us think about the world around us..Imagine all the people. I’m writing this because I was once a little girl who wanted to fall in love and thanks to my dad and his music I wanted a man who would stay on my doorstep all night and day just to keep me from walking away instead of a guy who just appreciated the various junk in my proverbial trunk (please note the just). Even though it didn’t work out for my parents I truly believe that you can stay in love forever and ever, amen, but it takes more than lust, more than stares across a dance floor whilst loaded with liquor.Love is a battlefield and if you want to last your going to have to fight for it and like mama said,you just might have to wait.

and if you didn't get all my wonderful musical references than I have no r-e-s-p-e-c-t for you.