“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think of music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”
― Albert Einstein

I have never read a quote that describes my connection to music and this one from Albert Einstein.  For as long as I can remember, there has always been music in my life that had comforted me when I was down, encouraged me in life, and motivated me to achieve things that I have and am accomplishing.

There is something about a song that moves past your meaningless thoughts and into your soul.  It is personal for each of us, and I am sure that not everyone sees music as I do, but I understand and encourage more for those who do.

Music Videos of life

Much like Einstein, many of my daydreams are played along to the music in my life, like personalized music videos in my head. When MTV started to show videos, I thought that it was about time that others saw the music as I do.  (My videos were always better.) That connection is unstoppable, and I have an almost unstoppable urge to hear it again.

So many songs have come into my life that it is difficult to pick a certain style of music that I like more than another.  My generation grew up with what I think is a great variety of music, so I have enjoyed everything from the Beach Boys to Led Zeppelin.

Love My Lyrics

In my young days, I would spend hours listening and thinking about that situation, that girl, that moment, that memory, and enjoy that song.

I had a desire to know the lyrics to every song that I liked. I used to write them down in a notebook so that I could memorize them.  (If only I worked so diligently on my school work)  I compiled hundreds of songs, and in the days before the internet, this was not so easy.

Generally, I would record a song off the radio and then play a line, pause it, write it down and then play, pause and write again until I had the entire lyrics to the song.  Now I laugh at the ease with which I can see the lyrics from any song.  It is much easier than deciphering the mumbling words and phrases of songs from the ’70s and ’80s.

To this day, I would guess I could remember the words to every song that I wrote the lyrics to over 30 years ago.  Is that a talent or a sickness?

Mixed Tapes and Musical OCD

Then as I got a little older, I started making mixed tapes that were not only songs I liked but became the soundtrack to that moment in my life.  I would also give each one a title that explained what was happening at that time in my life.

There were so many of these, which went with relationships, experiences, and people in my past.  The connection was fleeting in one way because those people, relationships, and times are gone, but they are also timeless.

If I hear a song today from that soundtrack, I am immediately transported back to that feeling or emotion I felt so long ago, like a time machine.  Songs that remind me of people are the best because I have been fortunate to have had experiences with so many great people.

Does Anyone See Music Like Me?

As I moved through life, I continued to listen but found that few people saw the music the way that I did, or at least they forgot how to.  I thought that the problem was with me, so I kept my mouth shut and continued listening and singing along.  I didn’t make my own soundtracks then because I thought it was childish.  What stupid things we think sometimes. Music was still there, waiting every time I looked for it.

Now we have the wonders of technology to make music more available than it has ever.

If you told me that I would have an iPod back in 1980, I would have laughed in your face.  I was pretty excited when I got my first walkman.

Surprisingly there are more soundtracks today that define my life than there have ever been before.  I make a new one about every week, and the titles define what is happening.  Or they mention an event that happened around that time.

Much like Einstein, I often think of music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music, and there is nothing wrong with that.  In fact, I wonder how drab life would be without it.