Memory Monday: Music

I just returned from the first “spin class” I’ve done at my gym in more than 3 years. If you’re not familiar with the term “spin class,” just think of about 20 people on stationary bikes VOLUNTARILY turning a knob that makes it more and more difficult to turn the pedals, VOLUNTARILY going up an imaginary hill, all in the name of fitness. I think “spin class” is one of those things our medieval ancestors would look at and question our sanity because of it (and, after this morning’s workout, I would not blame them).

An important element of this hour-long session — along with a short memory and a calloused rump — is the music the instructor chooses. Some of her choices this morning I would have applauded, had my hands not been desperately clenching the handlebars for most of the time. Others did little to inspire me to push myself harder, and instead seemed to whisper in my ear, “Seriously — you’re too old and plump for this.” It was a great reminder of the power of music… how it can affect our mood, motivate us, or help us to vividly recall a time and a place much better than even images or video. In music we often find a way to easily recall not just the details of an event, but the emotion behind it.

This chapter of your personal history may end up being one of the easiest to write — I know it was for me. I could think of countless examples of songs or melodies that helped to make my life what it is today — for better or for worse. That same power that music has, to transport someone to another time and place, is why it will be fun for your children and grandchildren to look back and see what music you enjoyed most. Most likely they’ll be playing it via some surround-sound chip implanted in their head, but the emotion will still be there (assuming we still have emotions in the 22nd Century).

So here are some questions to inspire your thoughts on music for your personal history:

1. What music do you remember your parents enjoying? What, if any, music did your family listen to at home or in the car?
2. How did the musical tastes of your parents or siblings affect what you liked when you were young… and perhaps what you still like in music?
3. What  was the first song or album you purchased? What made you finally buy a piece of music instead of listening to it on the radio or by other means?
4. What was the first concert you went to? Who did you go with, and what do you remember most vividly?
5. What have been some of your favorite concerts you’ve attended through the years? What made them your favorites?
6. How have your musical tastes changed? What “phases,” if any, did you go through as you explored different styles of music?
7. What artists do you consider to be the most groundbreaking in your lifetime and within the types of music you like the most?
8. If you could only listen to one song, artist or album for the rest of your life, what do you think you would choose?
9. How have you changed how you listen to music? Do you now use a MP3 player when you used to listen to cassette tapes on a Walkman, or do you listen to Internet radio stations instead of ones over the “air?”
10. What songs or artists do  you have the most vivid memories about? Were there certain vacations, road trips, or other events in your life that are closely related to certain songs?