Every week my older brother emails me his 80's song of the week. I always look forward to his song choice because it inevitably triggers memories of our childhood. Every week it gets me thinking how a song is like a time machine that can immediately connect you to moments in your life. For example, whenever I hear Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know", I think of my first trip without my parents and how I bought Whitney's album with my own money. It was a very independent moment for me. Might sound like a weird connection but it meant something to me. When I hear Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer", I think of my friends Dave and Vicki and our time cruising around Vegas and blasting that song. It was a feeling of pure joy and total freedom. When I hear The Who's "Baba O'Riley", I think of Fenway Park. Fenway you ask? Yup, because "Baba O'Riley" would always be played at approximately 6:50pm over the PA system at Fenway before first pitch. So whenever I hear it on the radio my mind travels to Fenway. When I hear the Beatles version of "Twist and Shout", do I think of the Beatles, one of the greatest bands in music? No, I think of Ferris Bueller lip syncing the song on a parade float in Chicago. I could go on and on. Thankfully, I have an iPod and can create as many playlists as possible. Some playlists are directly connected to memories, some are strictly Springsteen and some playlists are just songs I enjoy at the moment. My question to you: what's on your playlist?
