The point of background music is partly to be unheard and unnoticed. That's probably why they call it background music. This is the music that is played in offices and waiting rooms (and, yes, elevators) all over the world. And normally I never give it a second thought.
If it's truly background music, it fulfills its purpose by being ignored. (That, I think, is a terrible waste of music - but that's a blog for another day).
This morning, I found myself in the waiting area at the eye doctor's office. I needed to have my glasses fixed. And since Gary had my glasses in the back room, I couldn't read.
With nothing else to do, I listened to music that I would normally ignore.
I couldn't help myself.
I'm in kind of a nostalgic zone these days anyway, but the music I heard this morning took me back decades.
First (and this seemed to be odd choice for early morning background music), there was Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. It was a jarring way to begin my day, but I suddenly found myself back in 1975 (the year I graduated from high school). I have no idea what the song even means, but I find it reassuring that people continue even now to argue about both its meaning and its importance. The point, though, wasn't the music, but how it made me feel as I was transported back to an earlier day.
Once that song ended, James Taylor's Fire and Rain took center stage. Originally released on the 1970 album entitled Sweet Baby James, this song once again took me back. James Taylor (along with Carole King and a few others) helped me survive high school, and this song in particular holds some rich memories. I had no idea at the time, but James Taylor later explained the three parts of the song. The first part of the song was about the death of a dear friend (news that was kept from him by well-meaning friends who feared that her death might distract him from his music). The second part of the song was about his own struggle to overcome drug addiction and depression. And the third part of the song was about Taylor's struggle to deal with fame and fortune. Each part of the song ends with this terribly touching phrase: "but I always thought that I'd see you again."
At that point in my morning, I'm not sure that I could have told you what year it really was. It might be 2014, but I felt more like I was back in the seventies.
The next song was Rod Stewart's Maggie May. I never really thought about what the song meant back in 1971, but (with or without any deeper interpretation), the song reminds me of my youth.
At that point, Gary came back with my glasses. He told me that I was ready to go.
I wasn't so sure.
I was more interested in hearing the song that would come next.
First (and this seemed to be odd choice for early morning background music), there was Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. It was a jarring way to begin my day, but I suddenly found myself back in 1975 (the year I graduated from high school). I have no idea what the song even means, but I find it reassuring that people continue even now to argue about both its meaning and its importance. The point, though, wasn't the music, but how it made me feel as I was transported back to an earlier day.
Once that song ended, James Taylor's Fire and Rain took center stage. Originally released on the 1970 album entitled Sweet Baby James, this song once again took me back. James Taylor (along with Carole King and a few others) helped me survive high school, and this song in particular holds some rich memories. I had no idea at the time, but James Taylor later explained the three parts of the song. The first part of the song was about the death of a dear friend (news that was kept from him by well-meaning friends who feared that her death might distract him from his music). The second part of the song was about his own struggle to overcome drug addiction and depression. And the third part of the song was about Taylor's struggle to deal with fame and fortune. Each part of the song ends with this terribly touching phrase: "but I always thought that I'd see you again."
At that point in my morning, I'm not sure that I could have told you what year it really was. It might be 2014, but I felt more like I was back in the seventies.
The next song was Rod Stewart's Maggie May. I never really thought about what the song meant back in 1971, but (with or without any deeper interpretation), the song reminds me of my youth.
At that point, Gary came back with my glasses. He told me that I was ready to go.
I wasn't so sure.
I was more interested in hearing the song that would come next.