Howdie all! This is your good friend and friendly music director Jen Kehl. Bringing you this weeks fabulous series; music that moves. Yes you heard it. This week our favorite listener calling from over there at As Long As I’m Singing has a special request. Troy has asked to hear the 5 seminal songs who made you the person you are today. The shutter-openers, the wakers, the “I can see clearly now the rain is goners.” The tunes that forced you to look in the mirror and say, “Hey good-looking, you seem familiar, yet new.”

OK Troy, we’ll put that out there and see what our great listeners and mix-makers have to say about that. Folks come on and join on in. The fun has just begun. And although I thought this one would be tough, it turned out that when I got started it wasn’t as hard as I expected. I mean the fact is, that if you love music, you are going to have those songs. Those songs that scream this is me, this is that moment, this is what I need right now.

 

The Window 1974-present

 

Rikki Don’t Lose That Number by Steely Dan – If you read my blog often then I’m going to sound like a broken record. But this was my FIRST favorite song. For some reason this song spoke to my soul when I was only 4 years old. The same story it told in my head then, still plays today. I wrote a whole novel post about it, you can read it here. Put your headphones on for this one.

 

Baker Street – This is another song I remember as a kid. I was 7 when this song came out. I remember that bridge with that mournful saxophone. I use to still sing along with every note of that solo. I remember laying in the back seat of the car, staring at the trees speeding buy over my head and singing:
And when you wake up it’s a new morning
The sun is shining, it’s a new morning
And you’re going, you’re going home

 

Teach Your Children by Crosby Stills Nash and Young – I always loved this song, but in 1988 my father died. My father was the primary parent in our family, he was the one I went to with everything, he was the rock. So as you can imagine, losing him at 18 left me more than a little lost.  This song took on completely new meaning to me then. I thought this song is what my father would tell me if he were here. I still can’t sing that song without getting teary.

 

Scarlet Begonias by The Grateful Dead – In 1990 I needed a break from life. I was still very much reeling by my father’s death and had not dealt with it one iota. My mom shut down after my dad died, I left for college and was pretty much on my own. So in 1990 I dropped it all, packed up my car and headed to California. I had followed the dead summers and local shows for about 3 years up to this point. But man, by 1990 I had had enough, and I jumped in with both feet. The next 12 months were one show after another. It was the complete separation from reality I needed. I wish I could say it fixed things. That would be a lie. But I can tell you it was one of the best times of my life. I will forever be sad that I won’t be able to share this with the boy.
So the thing is, when you are seeing 3-12 concerts a week (which were never the same mind you) you got to learn every note of every song. If you listen very closely to this version, you will realize that just a teaser of a “let’s make sure we’re all in the same key” and the cheering gets louder. It’s almost like a game. Not only do you know the song in one note, but can you tell by how they’re playing it if they are going to play Scarlet Begonias or Scarlet/Fire (that was short for Scarlet Begonias that went into Fire on the Mountain) All I know, is when I heard that first note of Scarlet Begonias, that was it, I was right where I belonged:

There ain’t nothing wrong with the way she moves, scarlet begonias are a touch of the blues.
I was a touch of the blues. And now I had a new family, no cares, never wondered how I would get food, where I would sleep. It really was just like all of the stories you have heard. We were one big family and we took care of each other. Strangers stoppin strangers just to shake their hand

Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right.

I wanted to pick a show I was actually at, but I can admit that Jerry just wasn’t sounding his best then. (not that we cared) And yes, there were always balloons being tossed about.

 

Little Wing by Jimi Hendrix – This is it. This is the song. From the first time I ever heard this song I believed this song was about me.
All she ever think’s about, riding with the wind.
It’s All right she say’s, it’s alright, take anything you want from me

I wish I could actually explain to you what this song is to me. I know this sounds ridiculous, and if you have done me the honor of reading this far I will give you a glimpse into my soul.  It’s one thing to be young and live in a world of imagination, but it’s another thing to have a completely unexplained connection to a piece of the world. When I heard the words, All she ever thinks about, riding with the wind. It spoke to me, Jimi spoke to me. Probably the strangest habit I have is standing outside in the wind. I can’t control the urge to do it, thankfully with dogs now, I have a convenient excuse – go walk the dogs.

Jimi Hendrix died 4 months after I was born. But I can’t help feeling so strongly connected to him. Whatever song I hear, my brain just says yes. My brain says yes, and you are unmatchable, unattainable, unquestionably born to play music. There was nothing else he could have been, no other way his life could have went. Look at his face when he is playing, that’s how I feel.

 

This is it my friends. Thank you for listening, now share your mixtape with all of us. The best part of this party is we get to hear so much music that may be new, may be forgotten or just may be just what you wanted to hear right now.

These are the rules. Five songs (give or take). Stick to the theme (as best you can). Check out the other players (everyone wants to share their tunes with you). Create a mix, not a “hey look at all the cool songs I know” we’re not snobs, if you were our best bud and you were gonna make us a tape, what would it be? And share this party so more people will play next week!

My good friend Kristi from Finding Ninee is my fabulous co-hort. She was my first blogging friend ever and gave me the courage to make this thing happened, so there should be a song in there for her too. But I don’t know a Billy Idol or Metallica song that fits, so she’ll just have to except my undying admiration and your visits.

NOW PLAY!

http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=209682

If you feel the need to own these songs, don’t let me stop you. Click on the links below to go straight to iTunes:

Rikki Don’t Lose That Number – Pretzel Logic (Reissue)
Baker Street – City to City
Teach Your Children – Deja Vu
Scarlet Begonias (Live in Springfield, MA) – Dick’s Picks Vol. 25: 5/10/78 (Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT) & 5/11/78 (Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA)
Little Wing – Axis: Bold As Love

 

And now, The List of all Lists

October 8 – I wouldn’t love these songs so much if they weren’t part of a Soundtrack. Your favorite songs from soundtracks, could be anywhere from pop music you love to original scores, you decide. Try and use the point of view that it was the Soundtrack that made you love the song.
October 15 – Make a mix of songs that are totally from a genre or style of music that you don’t usually listen to. You know… 5 songs that you love anyway… kinda like Clark pulling the Classical Music card for Best of
October 22 – Songs that are spiritual. In anyway. To you, about something spiritual, you decide.
October 29 – Songs that are scary. FOR ANY REASON. Halloween is a few days away. Are they scary because of the words, what the band looks like, because it’s just so darn bad??
November 5- Free for all!
November 12 – Song’s that tell a story. These can be epics or not. Just a story. You know, just not la la la I love you or I hate you or whatever…..