music & lyrics

Jim & I came together listening to music.  Analyzing words, balancing rhythm & meaning....late nights & long talks, all a thinly composed guise for our own feelings.  Of course, the feelings emerged full-fledged.  Eventually.  And life billowed forward, leaving little time for the luxury of sitting & listening together. 

My new music partners are 4..and 2...and started their listening careers with desires to hear "Yellow" on repeat forever.  I'm a ColdPlay fan, so that wasn't really a problem.  For a while. 

But now our toes are jointly tapping to Regina Spektor.  Jim rolls his eyes as the boys belt the tunes...likely grateful that we seldom ride together.  But these are the lyrics I wish you could hear as they scream sing in the car, my love.  They play on repeat in my head of late, dedicated to the life we've made together:

...this is how it works
You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like
And try to love the things you took
And then you take that love you made
And stick it into some
Someone else's heart
Pumping someone else's blood
And walking arm in arm
You hope it don't get harmed
But even if it does
You'll just do it all again

Yes, that's precisely how it works.  Somehow.  And somehow it's a fair trade that instead of the raw passion of lyrics we now analyze the more mundane realities of finances, time, and tiny people.  Exciting, not always.  But, walking arm & arm such commonplace somehow holds the divine. 

After all, you're still my sunburn...phone call...new car.  More than enough.

Comments

[Annalisa]

Oh Brett doesn't appreciate Alexis singing along to music and is grateful we don't drive together than often for an entirely different musical objection :). But it's true that nothing is as fun as belting out songs on repeat in the car with your littles.

[lelly]

it's show tunes for us - becuase isn't life just one big musical comedy?!?

[Megan]

I'm embarrased to admit what I've allowed Collin to belt out in the car with me. Please don't judge me on this, we all have our vices, but he loves a song from AC/DC, and I will only admit which one it is to you in a private conversation.

[Nina]

I will say as they get older it is sure much harder to NOT want to jump in and sing with them.. I must admit I really like a song by T-PAIN I think that is how you spell it that Shaun likes - I won't say the lyrics because they are really NOT all that good.... OH well I do like the beat does that count anymore.....I struggle with this area as I love beat I really do NOT listen to the words??????

[April]

This was funny for me, because I have only ever known you as a country music girl.

Lovely breakfast with you this morning...I always leave you wishing we had hours and hours. Regardless, I was grateful for the ones we shared this morning, even if they were interrupted by "potty breaks" and silverware theft. Love you!

[Marie]

I don't usually listen to my music in the van. I often have on a children's music CD, but it is rare that we listen to "Mommy music" as my kids call it.

[Katie]

Last time my husband's boys came to stay with us, we were informed that their favorite song is "Honky-Tonk Badonka-Donk" Yeah, not so much our cup of tea. Sadly, they were deprived of their favorite for the months they were with us.

[Tiffany]

So true--the joys of being able to be the real you with your own family!

[Kelly]

I put a mix of PQ's favorite songs in the car (well, her favorite grownup songs), and Keith has tired of it. Grace Kelly by Mika is her all time favorite song (but not his!), and he's a little tired of it. He said, "Can you please make her another CD?" But those are her favorites, and it's too cute to hear her belting out, "I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky....."

[Mandi]

Megan - your child is NOT singing "You Shook Me All Night Long" is he? or "Highway to Hell"?

Anyway, yes, Amy, a couple months ago my children were constantly singing "Yellow" both in and out of the car thanks to your kiddos. Even now, as I'm typing, they're coloring on the floor singing the littles' new favorite, "You Can't Always Get What You Want."

[Barb]

Ken is the music guy in our house, which is funny since I'm the musician. You and Kelly both have excellent taste in music, and I'll take your Regina Spektor recommendation and run with it!

[Jordan]

Okay, I just love that song. i just can't tire of it. She really does hit it on the nose. I love that you and Jim came together listening to music.

[mandy]

I love Regina Spektor and I am all about belting it out in the car. Poor Josh. Ryley doesn't sing too much yet. She mostly does the "ei-ei-o"... from Old MacDonald and "up above the world so high" from Twinkle Twinkle.

Those lyrics are beautiful.