Music & Memory

After writing about the Editor's show the other night, and the dance party, and so on, I've been thinking about the nature of music and memory and how it enters our lives in unexpected ways. I bought a car that has only a tape player, so I dug out my moldy old tapes, and on a long drive started listening to various mixes. I found one made for me by a boyfriend in college that is pretty great considering it's from-oh-1992 or something. Lots of Peter Murphy and so on. Then I found a tape made by someone I was in love with who was far away at the time (circa 1995 or so)...these songs that I hadn't heard in years brought back sharp feelings and longing for those days. Then a mix tape made by my best friend for my 25th birthday. It's amazing how we all have the ability to sing along word for word with songs we haven't heard in maybe a decade and it's like not a day has passed. My musical taste and interest has obviously changed over the years and I wouldn't choose to listen to most of the music on the tapes now, but there is something so visceral about my reaction to the songs I once loved. Music can cement a certain memory and emotion in that time and place and to hear the songs again brings back that emotion in such an unexpected, strong way.