Bonding with Kids Daily Prompt: Musical

This was written for the Daily Prompt: Musical

What role does music play in your life?

There are so many different aspects of my life where music has played a prominent role.  From listening to music with friends during my teen years, dancing during the disco era (yes I am admitting it!) to going to concerts of my favorite bands.  Music is something in my teen years that I shared with friends and it was important to all of us.  It strengthened our bond.  

Now that I am way past my teen years, I use music to bring me to different places mentally.  It can help me out of depression, ease my mind from life’s challenges or brings back great memories of my younger years.  Music has placed stamps on my course through life.  

As I have gotten older, I began to listen to the lyrics.  And reading the lyrics.  This aspect of music has brought new light to what musicians offer.  As a young man, I would just sing the song and never understand truly what was behind the song.  Now, I am constantly amazed how they poured their heart out to the public.  They weren’t afraid to share their struggles of their life even when it was obviously painful.   I think of “Time for Me to Fly” by REO Speedwagon.  Great song from a musical sense.  But listen to the lyrics.  There is a young man understanding a relationship has been one-sided and he must move on.  So beautiful.  The music on Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumors” album is filled with the pain of two couples breaking up during the recording process.  How did Ronnie Van Zant write such a beautiful song as “Freebird” while he drank  and partied to excess?  Like it or not that song will be around for eternity.  I heard John Mellencamp once say in an interview that he wrote “Jack and Dianne” for himself but over the years he understand it is not his song any more, it is the audiences.  And he was fine with that.  How cool.  

Isn’t Stevie Beautiful

Currently I have to say that music has been another way to connect with my kids.  Unlike my father when I was a kid, I am enjoying current music while my kids will like songs I listen when I was their age.  My daughter came up to me recently with a Fleetwood Mac song and asked if I remember the song “Never going Back Again’?  I was floored.  It’s not one of their more popular songs but it is beautiful.  How did she find it, I can’t recall.  But the connection is wonderful.  Same with my oldest son.  We constantly trade songs on iTunes.  And listen to music on You Tube.

I remember a line in the movie City Slicker’s where Daniel Stern’s character says something to the effect of  When he was 18 and him and his dad couldn’t relate to anything, they always had baseball”.  Now I don’t ever feel that distant from my kids, but I feel we always have music.

Right now I am so in love with the video and song by Annie Lennox called “No More I Love You'”.  HERE is the video.  It’s so very soothing and so beautiful both musically and visually.  

Oh I could go on and on.  I’d leave with how music puts me in a place of calmness, even when life is throwing everything it has at me.  Escape.  Even if it’s only for three or four minutes!

Till we meet again.  Good Day!

Mind of Shoo!

Daily Prompt: Musical.