Where Would I Be Without You

Music has always been something that I enjoyed listening to. I can turn on a song and drift into a place where all of my troubles melt away or I can relax if I am angry because I just received a bad grade on an exam or a paper. Music seems to be my psychiatric care. I listen to all types of music, although, I prefer some more than others. Anyone who knows me, knows that I enjoy old school music. It has always surprised some people that a 21-yr old African American male can even stand to listen to the Beach Boys or a Stevie Wonder song. I am not the norm - when it comes to music. If you were to open my cd case or turn on my iPod, you would find anything from Switchfoot to Donovan to Michael Jackson to Billy Joel, you might even find some Mozart or Bessie Smith. Music has always been apart of my life since I was two or three years old. My mother and father always tell me that I used to drag records around on the carpet and play them on my Sesame Street record player. Good thing I don't remember A-tracks, I'm not that old to. There are some songs that pierce the heart and ones that you remember from childhood. I first started from what I can remember listening to alternative/rock music. There was something about the guitar that tingled my ears. My first cd that I purchased was Green Day's "Dookie," which is the staple CD of their career, although they've had other songs that are etched in my memory like "Time of Your Life," which I played over & over when I first got that cd and "Brain Stew," and even the new hits like "Holiday" and "Wake Me Up When..." But there are some songs that just stay with you like Paula Cole's "I Don't Wanna Wait," or No Doubt's "Just A Girl," even Arrested Development's "Mr. Wendal." Those are my oldie but goodies. Just think 20 years from now we'll be hearing those hits on stations that now play The Rolling Stones and Steppenwolf, The Supremes and Gladys Knight. It is almost unimaginable how much will change over the next 20 years since it has already evolved into something since the emergence of staple songs in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. Then there are songs that remind me of good times like: "Candy Rain" by Soul 4 Real, "Funky Y 2 C," by The Puppies, "Scarred" by Luke and "Rodeo," by 95 South. All of these songs remind me of my summer camp days. Then there are those one hit wonders like "Mambo #5," "Are You Jimmy Ray?" and "Mr.Personality" that creep up on you. Or how about Gina G's "A Little Bit More" or Duice's "Dazzy Dukes," these songs are forever remembered by anyone who grew up during that time. And then there are songs that you listen to when you are feeling down or at least I do like: Nina Simone's "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris," even though that is a love song, Jeff Buckley's "Hallelujah," and anything mellow from Diana Krall or John Mayer. I think music has shaped each and everyone of our lives for the better. Whether it is hip-hop like Missy, Fabolous, or Ludacris; R&B like Alicia Keys, Kindred and Mariah Carey or country like Travis Tritt, The Dixie Chicks and Toby Keith or bubblegum pop like The Backstreet Boys or Britney Spears, where would we be without music?, more importantly, where would I be?