The soundtrack of my life...

A while back, a friend of mine posted on FB something that really got my mind to churnin'.  I don't remember the exact scenario, but it was something to the effect of my friend having a difficult phone conversation, when her daughter came in the room. Her daughter needed the room because she had a few songs on the Wii that she was going to dance to.  When the daughter saw my friend was distressed she said to her "come on Mom, let's dance it out!"  
When I read the post, my brain immediately began singing "Some days you gotta dance" by the Dixie Chicks, some of the lyrics: "When the world is feelin' just a little too tense, loosen up those reins and dance..." I sang this (unfortunately for my colleagues at work) out loud and to myself for the rest of the day.  Then I started thinking about how I have a myriad of songs I sing at various times or incidents.  Come on, I grew up in the 70's & 80's, my remaining, functioning brain cells are 98% song lyrics.  Seriously, if 1/8th of my brain cells were actually used for educational memory banks, I would probably be a nuclear physicist, or at least a forensics pathologist, by now.  Nevertheless, it seems as though I have a "theme song" for pretty much every episode, event, highlight, lowlight I experience.  
Maybe my dad instilled a strong love of music in me, he was radio DJ after all.  I'll never forget hearing "Funky Town" by L.I.P.P.S. Inc for the first time when he bought the record.  I still sing "Gotta make a move to a town that's right for me. Town to keep me movin' keep me groovin' with some energy. Won't you take me to Funky town" like I did when I was 8 years old, singing and dancing with my daddy in the living room.  At that time, my dad had just moved to Austin to be closer to my sister & me.  I'll never forget and will always treasure that time with him.  Also during that time, when my daddy would put us to bed, as he was leaving the bedroom, he would get to the light switch, turn back and look at us and sing "Turn out the lights, the party's over..." by Willie Nelson as he said goodnight and turned out the light. I still sing this to myself on occasion when I'm turning out the lights.  I was with my dad when he passed away and I sang it to myself, over & over as I was sitting with him. Maybe it was my coping mechanism. It was my turn to sing it to him.  I miss you Daddy!
Of course, there were the "Duran Duran" years of Jr. High, as my aunt will attest to.  Thanks Michelle, for taking me to the very best concert I've ever been to. Yes, even after all these years and many hundreds of concerts later, that one is still my all time favorite.  A couple of years ago I had the good fortune to take my youngest daughter to the concert of her very favorite band.  Hopefully she will carry that memory with her always because, now every time I hear "Jasey Ray" or "Poppin' Champagne" or "Remembering Sunday" I sing out loud because of sharing that special time with my daughter!
Speaking of my kids, both of my girls names came from music.  When Eden was born, the one song that "sang volumes" to me was "Garden of Eden" by Guns & Roses: lyrics: "This fire is burin' and it's outta control.  It's not a problem.  You can stop and rock & roll."  This was and still is comforting to me because it  reassures me that, no matter what's going on or happening in life, it's ok to stop and listen to the music. Then there's my sweet blond one, Sierra Rey.  She was almost named Stevie Rey in honor of my all time favorite female singer, Stevie Nicks and her dad's favorite, Stevie Ray Vaughn.  She was born two days before the anniversary of Mr. Vaughn's death (God rest his soul) so we thought it best not to name her completely after him and changed it up a little.
Even during a dark time in my life (also known as divorce) there was Hank Williams, Jr. and me singing "Whiskey bent and Hell Bound"...Let's just say I'm glad I lived through that period.  Pat Green's "In the middle of the night" helps verbalize it with lyrics: "And I could fly away from feelin' All this pain that still ain't gone Oh but flying's kind of risky When your wings are made of whiskey And I know that I'll come crashing down Just after the dawn" And crash I did.  But, again, I lived through it and am now able to have healthy, strong relationships with those I love.
One of these days I will share my all time favorite love story ever, that of Marcus & me and how we eventually came to be married.  Until then, I'll tell about when we were 15 years old, cruising around west Texas in his brown '78 Z28, blasting Led Zepplin on his 8-track player.  "Stairway to Heaven" still brings a tear to my eye every time I hear it.  I remember parked in the Burger King parking lot, under a giant tree, counting out "Burger King bucks" (this was YEARS before gift cards were invented) that he'd gotten as a Christmas gift on his paper route, to pay for our food.  He can even tell you the family that gave him the gift and exactly where they lived, just a couple of houses down from my grandmother.  It was at that exact moment I realized Marcus was going to be a significant part of my life.  And yes, Marcus still likes to scare the bejeezus out of me with his crazy driving, just as he did on those back country roads of west Texas, taking curves at 80 mph...drives me crazy is what it does!
Now, of course my soundtrack must include...Jack Ingram, duh!!  "Keep on, Keepin' on" is my ultimate theme song, lyrics: 


Sometimes you get beat up good
Drive yourself crazy being misunderstood
Sometimes you want to throw the towel in
But you come swinging like you just might win


Keep on, keep on keepin' on
Push it on down the line
Keep on, keep on keepin' on
Keep from gettin' further behind

Music is in my soul and blood.  Y'all better be glad I can't read music or sing a tune...I'd be just dangerous enough to take over the world if I could! 
There's no way my soundtrack is complete.  I still have to take that road trip to Memphis, to check out some authentic blues clubs and great BBQ, Suzanne and I always talked about taking.  That trip will certainly be in loving memory of her, and I will fulfill my promise to her to sing "Walking in Memphis" on Beale street. 
There's so many other milestones I am eagerly anticipating tagging songs to - like the girls graduating and getting married and having babies of their own (many, many, many years from now, please ladies!)  Marcus & I have travel plans for anniversaries that will of course add to our "greatest hits" collection.  
And in order to continuously develop my wonderful compilations, no matter what life throws at me, I'm just gonna "Keep on, Keepin' ON"!!!