The Pursuit of Sadness

My favorite music source, NPR's All Songs Considered, recently opened their channel to a collection of people. The request: "what song makes you cry?". I loved the idea of the invited discussion. As we grow older our intuition to cry tends to fade away. We become more aware of our ability to control our emotions and we compartmentalize accordingly. I found it surprising, however, that people who shared stories with Bob Boilen and the crew talked mostly of love lost.

I have loved and lost but it helped me find my wife....so I don't have to cry about that any more. The tears always revisit me through great music....mostly because I am so happy to be alive in this god forsaken place. When the aforementioned love of my life and I sat at my birthday dinner a few years back, I told her that I was saddened that the ride may be half way over. Sadness hits me when I realize that this life is fleeting - and then I Go Live It!

For the record, a few from my "songs that make you cry" list would be:
A Letter to Elise by The Cure
Never Went to Church by The Streets
Keep Me in Your Heart By Warren Zevon
Troubled Times by Fountains of Wayne
...these among thousands

As a dude in his late 30's with a wife and kids, the tears these days are those of joy. I cried about a lot of stupid shit in my 20's.

Lady Gaga turned the world's most apathetic haters into fans with her in-studio performance on The Howard Stern show. One could not help but love the assumed over-hyped diva because she showed up, played the piano well and shared unadulterated emotion through her art.

It is a shame we have become so sanitized in our human delivery that a little genuine humanity makes us cry. But, that's life. We get so caught up in day to day detail that we forget to LIVE. We worry about the insignificant and forget the people who genuinely matter as they frown in the background of our tortured lives.

When it comes to Love, sometimes you lose that battle. I have news for you my little 25 year old heart broken hearted angel: It Doesn't Matter! I promise, you will find the one you are looking for and those tears will show up again for the right reasons. A reminder that life is fragile and it cannot be wasted in fussing over trifles. Celebrate your every moment for at some point they will be tears on anothers pillow: irreplaceable, delicate, the premise of survival.

Don't Forget to Remember!

Dave

2009 - The Year in Music

Friends -

We often hearken back to old favorites when we want to hear great music. But, did you know that there is a slew of awesomeness being created across the musical landscape as we speak. Yes, 2009 was a great year for the creation of music.

My friend Laurie hates lists. But like the crew at All Songs Considered, I cannot help but display my favorite records of 2009:

(Drum roll....)

1. Vs. Children by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
2. Aim and Ignite by fun.
3. Sainthood by Tegan and Sara
4. I & Love & You by The Avett Brothers
5. Summer of Fear by Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson
6. Hospice by The Antlers
7. The First Days of Spring by Noah and the Whale
8. Keep in Mind Frankenstein by Grand Archives
9. Ben Folds presents University A Cappella
10. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix by Phoenix
11. To Willie by Phosphorescent
12. Ocean Eyes by Owl City
13. Eskimo Snow by Why?
14. Yours Truly, The Commuter by Jason Lytle
15. Dear John by Loney, Dear
16. The Life of the World to Come by The Mountain Goats
17. Far by Regina Spektor
18. One Fast Move or I’m Gone Benjamin Gibbard & Jay Farrar
19. Grrr… by Bishop Allen
20. Middle Cyclone by Neko Case

Thank you for Listening!

Dave

References:

www.npr.org/allsongs