The music of the night

Jennifer called me the other day to tell me about a sign along the road to her parent's house. I'd seen it myself when going there for Memrie's birthday-----Convert Your Vinyls to CD's--now isn't that a wonderful service to offer the world? Must be the latest in the "work from home" gambit. As I discussed with Jen, my albums, though I'd love to hear them again, are in such wretched condition that not even the finest machinery would be able to capture the sound faithfully. I got so accustomed to hearing the music with skips and scratches, it's possible I wouldn't even like the "new" version!

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That conversation is what got me thinking about the music from the "old days", the songs I listened to when getting dressed for school, carried with me in my back pack (trend setter in the early 70's!!), and sang me to sleep at night. Who knows? If there had been iPods when I was a girl, I'd be more brain dead than I am now. But, in those days, people had to actually speak to each other, using words rather than symbols.

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If you've read the Profile about me, you'll see where my musical tastes presently lie. My desire these days is to keep my soul in a happy place, to feel joy in my heart. Oh, I don't care how it sounds to you...so, I'm a drip! With modern technology (or would it be electronics?) my car boasts six slots for playing cd's, and moves between discs without my coaxing. My steering wheel holds buttons and switches that allow me to skip the songs I don't wish to hear and crank up the ones that rattle the windows. That Sarah Brightman sure loves her bass!!!

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Without much climbing around, Joni's Blue was located in the family room cabinet and now stored in my computer's iTunes library. It's playing as I write and am surprised that I'm not typing the lyrics instead of these words. How come I remember them as clearly as ever, yet still stumble around on "The Phantom" sound track? It's heck to get old. I need to add some more gigs or "erase" some things from my brain's memory banks, to make room for the music of the night. "Turn this crazy bird around, shouldn't have gone on this flight tonight"........

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What's funny, to me at least, is that the first five slots in CD player are dedicated to Sarah and Andrea, soul soothing, inspirational tunes. But Number Six is special--"Cheap Thrills" circa 1968 gets played when the mood is right. Janis is unleashed and bounces about the walls of my car as I drive down memory lane. What were other kids my age listening to in 1968? Perhaps you guys remember the music back in the day.....

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Lori and I liked folk music, which is how I grew to love Joni, Judy, Joan, Bob Dylan, and Buffy St. Marie. Her college friend, Bonnie, played the guitar and we all sang "House of the Rising Sun" around the campfire. It seems like it was every weekend during the summer, but again, that memory of mine might be playing games with me. Lori and I used to sing a song by Judy Collins about whale boats and Greenland--"no more, no more Greenland for you, brave boys."

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Our combined collection included Simon and Garfunkel, The Allman Brothers, Steppenwolf, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Black Sabboth (yes, I used to listen to Black Sabbath!), Pink Floyd (Umma Gumma)---we were all over the place in our tastes. Lynn was more the collector of the pop music, and she did love her Elvis! If I'm not mistaken, I believe she listens to "Oldies" music to this day. Must hold some wonderful memories for her as well.

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David, my brother-in-law, told me that it's wiser to purchase re-mixed, or whatever they are called, CD's rather than attempt to record the old vinyls. This is good advice and have done that on several occasions. Justin told me about the newest release from Sarah, came out yesterday, and we went back and forth about the best way to "purchase" it. Who knew there'd be so many avenues for obtaining this music? Oh, you did? Silly me!

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Time to get ready to go pick up Jen as we are heading to the opera this evening. Tonight, it's Tosca, at the Times-Union Center. We have to leave plenty of driving time and hope to get a spot in the handicapped area if we get there early enough. We have seating in the handicap area which should be comfortable for both of us. Can't think about the opera without remembering "Pretty Woman" when she goes to the opera for the first time, and tells the old lady next to her that she loved it so much, she nearly wet her pants! I pray that doesn't happen to either of us tonight!

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Have a pleasant evening everyone!