Road Music

It seems like I've always been on the road, so to speak. Unfortunately, not quite like the classic, "On The Road," by Jack Kerouac. Mostly, its been mundane trips to and from work, customers, or meetings. Although, there have been some memorable drives across this wonderful country. Throughout it all, there was the radio. No talk programs for this driver. No sir. Start the car and turn up the music: AM, FM, cassettes, CD, and satellite radio. Made the trip somewhat less tedious or in some cases, when the music matched the journey and countryside: cathartic.

I don't recall all of the stations or DJ's in the various places that I've been, but I do remember the songs. Music connects me to my life. Not a continuum, but a series of points or instances connected together. Listening to a tune allows me to reinforce those engrams in my brain. Certain albums and songs get played way too often. Lately I've been listening to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, "Saving Grace," on the Highway Companion album far too often. Right now I'm listening to the Eagles "On The Border" album. (I still have that vinyl album in the basement.)

So, every once in a while, I look through my notes that I've scribbled on scraps of paper or in notebooks and collect songs that I want to listen to, buy, or think might work well in an iTunes playlist. Hence the title of this blog entry: Road Music. You try an pick the one or two Eagles songs that should go in this list, its not easy. For the record I choose two: Already Gone and Take It Easy. I was going to pick Ol' 55, but I prefer the Tom Waits version. Yep, that version will work well while driving I-25. Who else should be there that's currently not: The Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson, Ray Charles, or Webb Wilder? Ah, all the wonderful choices to make.

Music listened to while writing this post: Eagles 'On The Border,' The Rolling Stones, "Can't You Hear Me Knocking," Tom Waits, "Ol' 55," and, of course, the live version of Tom Petty's "Saving Grace."