Songs That Trigger Memories

It’s strange how songs can take you to a certain place and time in your memory. I believe they are what Tony Robbins would call “Anchors”. When I hear “7 Bridges Road” by the Eagles I remember learning to drive with my late mother. She had an amazing voice and had studied voice in University. Aside from singing it with me, she would break down the harmonies into what range each person had. We would drive for 4 or 5 hours at a time and always stop for a treat along the way. Whenever I hear that song I think of those times. Being a youngest child I never felt particularly special to my father. We had a cottage on Lake Erie when I was growing up and one time I was allowed to travel alone with him in his T-top mustang down to the lake. The sun was shining, the engine roared, the scenery was majestic and for once I felt like the special one. Just a boy still, I rode in the front seat with my hand out the window. He played a Roger Whittaker tape for me and we sang the song “Mamie Blue” over and over again. That song and that memory are still special to us both. When my youngest daughter was born I was told by my work that I could have no time off and in fact had to be at work at 8 AM or forfeit my job. Being the considerate daughter she was, she was born during the night and I stayed up with my wife until it was time to leave her at the hospital and go to work. When I turned on the car the Phil Collins song, “You’ll be in my Heart” from the movie Tarzan was playing. I sat and listened to it with my little girl in mind and the words fit perfectly. After that it became her song. When she cried in the car we would all sing it and she would be quiet. Even now, when she’s down I will sing it to her. When I would clean house I always blared music. It seemed to make the time pass more quickly. When my son Kevin was little he always wanted my attention when I was vacuuming. Then the R.E.M. song “What’s the Frequency Kenneth” came on. I stopped cleaning and picked him up. He placed his arms around my neck as I danced around and sang “What’s the Frequency Kevin”. Kevin would add the “uh-huh” part to the song. We laughed and danced. I wonder if he still remembers that almost twenty years later? In college I worked night security in the dorms. One night a girl came down to the study hall from her room and sat down at the piano. She proceeded to play the piano piece for the Journey song “Faithfully”. She repeated it over and over in perfect synchronization with the song in my head and began to cry more and more. With no one near the desk, I walked into the study hall and asked if she was alright. Through her weeping she answered that she was fine and that the song helped her work through difficult moments in her life. She played for half an hour and then returned to bed. To this day I hear that piece and wonder what had her so sad. Finally, when my world would come crashing down as a boy I would curl up in a corner of my room and cry. My Mother would enter and hug me. Then she would sing the Carpenters, “Close To You” as she stroked my hair. She never had to say anything else, but I instantly felt special again. I miss her so. Songs can be very powerful and moving. Tell me of a song that holds a special place for you.