When I was little bitty baby my mama would … push my bassinet up against our console stereo speakers. My favorite lullaby was Hound Dog by Elvis Presley. I fell asleep to Elvis each night, and I became accustomed to music of my parents' generation at a very early age. It was no surprise when my sister was born 3 1/2 years after me, and I decided that we needed to call her "Bo" for Bo Diddley.
As I grew older I started discovering music that I liked, not just what my parents liked. At age five I liked my 45's – A Spoonful of Sugar and other Disney classics. By the age of seven, I moved to 8 tracks - Joy to the World by Three Dog Night. By nine I had a mix of vinyl and 8 tracks - I was a huge Partridge Family fan.
While listening to The Partridge Family Notebook, I realized that some singers did not write their own music – in fact, only David Cassidy and Shirley Jones actually sang on the album. I started looking for singer-songwriters. I wanted to know who wrote the great songs. I discovered Mac Davis and Dolly Parton. I dreamed of one day learning to play acoustic guitar and writing songs like they did.
My anthem became Mac Davis' song, "I Believe in Music".
I went to college in the early 80's, so of course I listened to Culture Club, Rick Springfield, and Duran Duran - on cassettes instead of vinyl or 8 tracks. I carried my huge cases of cassettes from dorm room to apartment. Many nights I had to use a pencil eraser to rewind the tape onto the cassette.
My anthem became Mac Davis' song, "I Believe in Music".
Music is love, and love is music, if you know what I mean.
People who believe in music are the happiest people I’ve ever seen.
…
Music is the universal language, and love is the key.
To peace, hope and understanding, and living in harmony.
…
I, I believe in music.
Oh, I believe in love.
Fast forward many years, my cassettes being thrown in boxes under the bed as I moved to CDs. I discovered an entire group of female singer songwriters who wrote folk/punk/rock blends - Indigo Girls, Ani DeFranco, Dar Williams, Catie Curtis, Michelle Malone, to name a few.
Many people download music digitally, but I continue to seek out independent music stores to buy CDs. I love the liner art and physically holding the CD.
I love to attend concerts when the fibro allows me to, although I typically suffer for days later. Music helps me cope with my fibromyalgia. It calms me, reduces stress, and sometimes makes pain seem less painful. In the months to come I plan to tell you all about the CDs I am listening to, concerts I attend, and songs that make me ponder fibro. Do you believe in music?