Greetings, and welcome to Pacebook! I want to begin our blogging experience by continuing to get to know one another a little bit better. As you have likely noticed, I am drawing on Dr. Who quite a bit for its connection to literature (the ability of books to transport you through time and space, like a TARDIS, for you Whovians). However, the same is probably equally true for all art, especially music. As a musician, I am naturally drawn to the parallels between music and literature, which was actually the focal part of my Master's Thesis (reading the "jazz novel" as a model for more egalitarian communication in a post-national world). Music also seems to have special ties to memory, though, in a way that transcends language, and a simple few bars from a song can trigger very specific memories. So, I want you to think of a song that serves as a TARDIS for you and transports you to another time and place. One song (of many) that functions as a TARDIS for me is "One Tin Soldier" by The Original Castle (and more famously performed by Coven). More accurately, however, it was performed by my dad, and I didn't actually hear the original until years later. It is a protest song that talks about greed and how it corrupts people and is the root cause behind many (if not all) wars. More than that, though, the song tells a story which is delivered quite skillfully and with ample amounts of development and irony. Actually, the song has many parallels to "The Pardoner's Tale" from Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, which we will be looking at later in the year, but of course I didn't know that at the time; I simply enjoyed the melody, the moral, and the complexities of the song. It is the first "favorite song" I remember having, and the first song I recall attempting to write was a very close imitation of "One Tin Soldier." Hearing it now takes me back to sitting at my father's feet in our old house when I was four or five years old, although I don't think the studio version is as good (the flute part is a little cheesy, really). While it's not a song I listen to very often, it does evoke many memories when I do, and it has certainly had a profound influence on me, both as a person and as a lover of stories. If you've never heard it, here is the original by The Original Castle: Now, I want to hear from you. What is a song that takes you back to another time and place? Explain in detail, and include a link to YouTube, so we can all listen to it as well, please. I look forward to hearing your stories!
43 Comments
Kenna Luker
9/6/2018 12:09:56 pm
A song that takes me back is "Acid Rain" by Avenged Sevenfold. This song always remind me of last summer when I went to their concert with Sadie and Challis. It was the first concert I went too and made a lasting impression. Here's a link to the song https://youtu.be/yFSIJK6bdmM
Reply
Rachel
9/6/2018 09:17:09 pm
Concerts are the best! They are especially fun when you are with your friends!
Reply
Challis
9/9/2018 02:43:26 pm
I miss the concert so much! Let's go back!
Reply
Sadie
9/6/2018 01:01:45 pm
John Denver has been a huge part of my family since before I was born. Probably the most important to me is "Grandma's Feather Bed". It was one of my favorite songs and my family knows it by heart. We'd listen to it on every road trip. I grew up pretty country. I wish it could always be like that 😢
Reply
Rachel
9/6/2018 03:11:50 pm
I have never heard this song, but I enjoyed listening to it. It is so fun to have a song like that, where your whole family knows all the words.
Reply
Kenna
9/9/2018 01:08:17 pm
I may not like country music the best but the songs you listen too at work aren't bad. This song sure is neat though.
Reply
Challis
9/9/2018 02:56:09 pm
Having a family road trip song is the absolute best! Road trips are so much better when everyone in the car is singing along.
Reply
Katherine
9/9/2018 09:05:28 pm
I remember going to your house and 9/10 times this song would be playing. After hearing it so much there I’ve grown a pretty good appreciation to it as well.
Reply
Rachel
9/6/2018 03:08:52 pm
"Cloudy Days" by Alison Krauss and Union Station is a song that takes me back to my childhood. My dad would play it as loud as possible in the car whenever we were going on a fishing trip. I have been listening to this song since I was little and still whenever I hear it I get taken back to the family fishing trips in our red Durango.
Reply
Sadie
9/9/2018 01:04:25 pm
Allison Krauss is one of my favorites. She has probably the most amazing, pure, and angelic voice I've ever heard. I haven't heard this song. "Baby Mine", "Simple Love", and "Jacob's Dream" are just a few of her songs that bring me back to my childhood as well.
Reply
Kelsey
9/9/2018 01:27:22 pm
She is so amazing, I got to see her in concert a few years back. Family fishing trips always carry special memories, I'm so glad we live in an area where that is possible.
Reply
Brooke
9/9/2018 06:29:12 pm
Alison Krauss! I have some memories of her songs too, it's great how a similar song has so many different meanings tied to different people.
Reply
Jesse B.
9/8/2018 07:01:04 pm
A person could ask almost anyone, even years after their glory days, if they have heard of the Beatles and get an overwhelming “Yes!.” Since I was a wee child, I was hooked on their music from “Hey Jude” to “Twist and Shout.” One song in particular from their 1965 album Rubber Soul holds a special place in my heart. That track is “Drive My Car.” Ironically, I always think of me and my mom jamming out in our Volkswagen Jetta on our way home from school. The lyrics tell a story of an aspiring actress who is falling for a man who’s got a ride, but underneath all of the upbeat tunes lies sexual innuendos like how she “can show [him] a better time” and that he can “drive [her] car.” In addition to that, the words “Beep, beep. Beep, beep, yeah!” are a reference to the popular song (at the time) “Beep Beep” by The Playmates.
Reply
Kenna
9/9/2018 01:04:53 pm
That's a great memory to have of a song. I like the Beatles too, especially "Hey Jude".
Reply
Kelsey
9/9/2018 01:05:03 pm
I knew you would do a Beatles song, good choice. It is interesting how some of their songs make sense and the symbols are clever (like drive my car), but then there are others that have got to be written when under the influence of drugs (and sometimes don't make a whole lot of sense). Your song is a great one for road trips!
Reply
McKinlee
9/9/2018 03:55:12 pm
Honestly you are so right about The Beatles being an iconic band. I’ve not really listened to their music except for their really big hits but I did enjoy ‘Drive My Car’!!
Reply
Sariah
9/9/2018 08:59:14 pm
As Kelsey stated I just knew you would mention the Beatles. It is cool to think how not just songs can impact people and memories but also artist. I can say quite confidently that certain lyrics from artist stick with us throughout the ages not just the songs specifically because of what we were doing while singing them.
Reply
Conrad Dougherty
9/10/2018 08:43:49 am
Like mother like son, its amazing the messages they can hide in a song. What appears to be perfectly innocent can have the deepest connotations, Like Foster said, authors have to find a way to say things in very different ways.
Reply
Kelsey
9/9/2018 12:55:33 pm
A special Christmas tradition in my family is each of us get a CD in our stockings. One CD I received when I was a little girl is called the Best of Country Women (from the old old days). A song from that CD was my absolute favorite as a kid, I remember dancing around the kitchen to it with my mom and brother. These were the times she tried to teach us how to two step. It is called "Rose Garden" by Lynn Anderson. She did not write the song, nor was she the first to sing it. But, she covered it and made it a #1 hit in 1971. It is a song about Lynn telling her significant other that she "Never promised him a rose garden," meaning she didn't say their relationship was going to be easy, "There's got to be a little rain sometimes," but there are also good parts, "Along with the sunshine." She continues on talking about compromise, "when you take you gotta give" along with other relationship advice, "you gotta look before you leap where water runs deep." It is quite catchy and is a classic everybody should know. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-eclUz-RYI
Reply
McKinlee
9/9/2018 03:50:20 pm
That is such a cool tradition! I love the song and the message that goes song with it.
Reply
Brooke
9/9/2018 04:38:18 pm
I can totally see your family doing this. The song is a good classic, it's neat that you have fond memories to go along with it!
Reply
Jesse B.
9/9/2018 04:49:04 pm
I cannot say that I had ever heard of Lynn Anderson before, but the song "Rose Garden" is pretty good. The message that she preaches is certainly one to remember. Long-lasting relationships are never easy, but it is not all bad. Your Christmas CD tradition seems like a great one. My family has a similar tradition, but instead of CD's we have lottery tickets (No, we have not won..... yet). Was it a #1 hit just in the US or all over the world?
Reply
Challis
9/9/2018 02:41:04 pm
The song Pain by Three Days Grace takes me back to eighth grade. It was really not a great year in my life (hence listening to cringey emo songs about pain) but it does remind me of the one good thing that came out of that year: someone moved to Salmon Idaho and she was just as cringey, awkward, and slightly emo as I was and most importantly, we had the same favorite band, Three Days Grace. So every time I hear this song I don't think about how terrible eight grade was but I think of how terrible high school would be if my now best friend and I hadn't become friends over having the same favorite band back then. https://youtu.be/fksp8J73GUw 'Love you, McKinlee.
Reply
McKinlee
9/9/2018 03:51:36 pm
Aww I love you so much. That song never fails to take me back 😂.
Reply
Sadie
9/9/2018 08:14:57 pm
I remember when I told you my favorite band was Three Days Grace and you looked super surprised. That was freshman year and I think that's when we decided that we were gonna be good friends. 👍
Reply
Bailey
9/10/2018 09:24:27 am
Three Days Grace is an awesome band, and that is definitely one of my favorite of their’s. Funny how people can become friends through music.
Reply
McKinlee
9/9/2018 03:45:18 pm
So a song that always reminds of my childhood is ‘Burn One Down’ by Ben Harper. My dad downloaded the song on my iPod Nano and it never fails to bring me back to when I was kid. The song is about smoking a joint (not that I knew that when I was younger) and how if you don’t like what someone is doing then just leave; as long as the person isn’t hurting anyone then why does it matter? I, personally, don’t smoke but I don’t hate on those that do. I think the song is pretty relatable to modern issues.
Reply
Mckinlee
9/9/2018 03:46:41 pm
I forgot to add the link! https://youtu.be/7nXH_6o-X7U
Reply
Jesse B.
9/9/2018 07:45:59 pm
This song gives off some nice and mellow vibes along with a good message (besides the whole "smoking a joint" thing). I still got my old iPod with all my favorite childhood songs on it. Those were the days. What are some specific modern issues that you can think of that relate to this tune?
Reply
Mckinlee
9/9/2018 09:05:51 pm
So not including the obvious being marijuana, one of the more prominent issues that I think this song relates to is LGBTQ. Gay marriage etc. isn’t causing harm to others so the people against should just leave it alone and like walk away you know? Then there’s breast feeding in public. A lot of the things people argue about today are just things that need to be left alone as long as no one is being harmed.
Katherine
9/9/2018 09:08:54 pm
I think the message behind this song is pretty relatable and I like it. I don’t smoke, but it doesn’t just have to connect to that.
Reply
Conrad Dougherty
9/10/2018 08:48:47 am
I like it, don't stick your head into business that isn't yours. I wish many people could take this message, respecting others and not trying to influence their lives.
Reply
Brooke
9/9/2018 04:33:51 pm
When hunting season comes around, so does a specific album. 'Communiqué' by Dire Straits never fails to make an appearance during the September and October months of my childhood, continuing to tie into the present. Each song tells a story, usually about a wandering soul, accompanied with a rockin' guitar lead and great instruments. My father and I have a tradition in which we go into the shop, crank up that old Album, and carve up the beast. It is an entire day of music and harvest, where the two will always be intertwined in my memory. Here's one song in the album: https://youtu.be/o8UfT2OWuis
Reply
Sariah
9/9/2018 08:52:33 pm
I love how the whole album is a tradition not just one song. Also it is hilarious that you listen to those songs when you are cutting up the meat specifically. Do you know every word of all the songs in the album yet? And what is your favorite one?
Reply
Sariah
9/9/2018 08:45:16 pm
https://youtu.be/rc2jsjnt-HY
Reply
Katarina
9/10/2018 12:15:23 pm
This is super sweet. I love how the song transpired through your family and it has now become a tradition.
Reply
Katherine
9/9/2018 09:03:42 pm
A song that brings back one of my favorite memories is “Before the Devil Knows We’re Dead” by Turnpike Troubadours. My brother and I were so far back in the mountains driving around. I remember looking out the window and just honking that that’s was the coolest hung ever, and this song happened to be the one we were listening to. Every year we go see this band at Braun Brothers Reunion, so not only do I have the memory of the mountains, I have the years of attending this concert with friends and family. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ucgdvA-lZIU
Reply
Jazz-Lynn
9/9/2018 11:22:35 pm
The song that takes me back without fail is Whitesnake's "Here I Go Again. From ages seven to twelve my mom and I drove out halfway to Challis almost every Thursday night where I'd stay with my babysitter until Saturday morning. This song was the last one on a CD that my mom had put together for the drive over. When I hear this song it makes me think of all the time my mom and I spent together on the road having a great time. I would tell her long stories that made absolutely no sense until our song came on at the end and then we'd sing it together while we pulled into the driveway. I made a pandora playlist with all of the songs that were on the CD because all of the songs take me back to that half hour drive with my mom. https://youtu.be/WyF8RHM1OCg
Reply
Bailey
9/10/2018 09:22:42 am
I love how songs can remind you of family trips, and of things that used to be. Songs are capable of giving you that sense of deja vu, that ‘I’ve been here before’ feeling, and I love that.
Reply
Conrad Dougherty
9/10/2018 08:35:53 am
If any song brings me back to my childhood it would be "Hot Rod Lincoln" by Commander Cody. I used to play around in my shop while my dad worked did maintenance and other mechanic work on our vehicles. My dad's favorite song was "Hot Rod Lincoln" and we would have it playing all the time. Whenever I hear it now I'm reminded of watching my dad and spending time with him while he taught me to fix anything I needed to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R7l7nDuj1o
Reply
Bailey
9/10/2018 09:20:27 am
A song that takes me back is “Chicken Fried” by Zac Brown Band. It reminds me of when my family was together and we went on road trips all the time. We’d turn the radio up and listen to old country songs like that on repeat, and every time I hear that song, I miss those days.
Reply
Katarina
9/10/2018 12:17:35 pm
I feel like a lot of us have these memories where we can remember our whole family coming together for one song. It takes us back to the old days
Reply
Katarina
9/10/2018 12:13:52 pm
A song that brings back memories to me is “Ol’ Red”. This song is important to me because it’s one of the ones I remember always listening to with my dad. It just brings back my childhood memories of me and my dad. Here’s the link https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=asxrMSVrJ08.
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
May 2019
Categories |