Monday, July 9, 2007

Music--inspiration or. . .um. . .what was I saying?

Is music a distraction for. . .
two out of three ain’t bad. . .
What was I saying? Oh, right. Music. Is it a. . .
If you see my reflection on a snow covered hill . . .
Yes, yes, right. So, music.
Here you come again. . .

Hmm. Maybe I should turn off iTunes.

The truth is, I love music–can’t produce a note, can’t even carry a tune. My older sister once said I sounded like a giraffe with a sore throat when I sang. She’s apologized many times for saying it, but has never said it wasn’t true!

Anyway, that’s beside the point. I love --when I’m alone and no one can hear me--to sing to music. Especially country music. I like to clean to it. (Well, as much as I like to clean. . .) I like to dance around to it (when no one’s around to witness that, either). I like to fall asleep to it, I like to wake up to it.

But write to it?

Ha! Words in my head are words on the paper, and if there are lyrics in the room, they are, as you saw at the beginning of this blog, on the paper.

The only time I write to music is in airports and on planes, where I can’t shut out the conversations around me and they begin to appear on my laptop screen (as in: “Well, it started as just a burning, but then the itch started and I don’t know how to tell him, but the doctor says. . .” and “He thinks I’m on my way to a conference in Dallas, but. . .”) Okay, not really. The conversations are always boring, but they invade my brain space and make writing impossible. And so I plug into my iPod. But I only allow myself the classical, non-lyric stuff that is really too highbrow for my tastes (remember I like country music. Gretchen Wilson, Dixie Chicks, etc.) but which block out the conversations around me.

After writing the above, I thought I should take a look at what my fellow Nexties had to say on the subject. Wow. We’re all, it seems, in the same Row, Row, row your boat. . .

Earworms? Thanks loads, Hank. The actual experience of having a song floating in your head isn’t bad enough? It has to have a gross name attached to it?

Anyway, right now I’ve got the music blasting because I’ve finished another Teddi Bayer book–this one is called WHO CREAMED PEACHES, ANYWAY? and now I’m allowed to blast the music and dance. And maybe even have a glass of wine. . .

So excuse me while I crank up the music and dance~ cause we all know you gotta dance like no body’s watching you, sing like nobody’s listening. . .
Stevi Mittman

5 comments:

aromagik said...

A toast to those of us who love music but can't carry a tune. I may not have put in the time required to become proficient at playing the piano (despite 8 years of lessons), but I certainly have a well-developed appreciation for music.

Yeah, not sure where I was going with this, but...

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day


*grin*

~Lindy

Susan said...

No one in my family can sing and we know it, so we just sing away. lol

I'd love to read a book written while you were listening to music - we could play Name That Song as we read!

felinewyvern said...

And I thought I was the only person afflicted with a love of country music and a tone deaf voice. LOL

I have to wait until I am alone in the house before I am able to sing along with all my country favourites - but boy do I enjoy myself when I do :)

Michele L. said...

I am going to join the group of people who can't sing well. I can carry a tune sometimes. Most of the time I hum. I do love music though. I have it on every chance I get.

Let's all have a toast to us special people. "Tip" May we all live long and prosper.

Unknown said...

All of my cousins can sing, but you don't want to be within hearing distance of me when the Golden Oldies are playing, because I "can't carry a tune in a bucket".
And have you heard that dancing is now considered to be excellent exercise.....