Do You Remember Your First Time?

Do you remember where and when you first heard the sound of music?

(No, I don't mean the famous Austrian nun and her singing children) ;)

What about the artist or song? When you hear them/it today, are you instantly taken back to that moment? Do nostalgic feelings ensue and you feel three years old again?

For me, it was a combination-circa 1988 I remember hearing Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up" (YEARS before the arrival of the 'RickRoll'), The Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives Me Crazy," and Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon" and "Gold Dust Woman."

Although Rick and the FYC evoke nothing particularly vivid in my mind, I can still remember being at the 13th Street Racquet Club and the supermarket when I first heard both, respectively; having been nearly 4 years old and under pleasant, carefree circumstances, each one brings a smile and a warm feeling when I hear them today, no matter how much people might lampoon or even hate on Mr. Astley.

I vaguely recall being in the car and listening to Fleetwood Mac; although I was exposed to a healthy dose of "Wee Sing," Raffi, Sharon, Lois, and Bram-I even saw the latter group in concert w/Heather-my folks loved the Stones, the Doors, the Eagles, and more-so naturally "Rumors" was on the frequently played list. As I heard voices in synergy and harmonizing in 'Rhiannon,' I remember not knowing if it was boys, or girls, or both. The folksy and somewhat twangy voice of Stevie Nicks combined with Lindsay Buckingham and the others confused me; I didn't know if they were young singers like me or older, like my parents. There was something beautiful about the way they sang though, and I wanted to hear their music over and over.

When I first heard "Gold Dust Woman," I visualized the song's intro in my head based on what I was hearing - a stick banging against an aluminum can - I tried to imagine what could be making such eerie and soothing sounds. Then came the lyrics, "Back on gold dust woman..." I knew for sure this was a woman singing. The slight rhythmic "tick...tick...tick...tick" continued. I really liked this song!

Whether it was Rick Astley, Mick Fleetwood, or those weird lookin Cannibal dudes, I developed an ealry love and appreciation for the soothing and euphoric sound of music!

Flash forward to the early 1990s. My first cassette tape (ha!) was Ace of Base's "The Sign," followed shortly thereafter by Alanis Morisette's "Jagged Little Pill." I felt awkward playing the latter CD in the car since the word "fuck" was on the "You Oughta Know" track - thanks a lot, Dave Coulier.

It's funny how the individual changes, grows, matures, and progresses, but the lyrics and music of one's "first song" have been, and always will be, set in stone. The songs themselves were recorded in a place and time; not only the music and lyrics, but also that moment, are recorded. This is an ephemeral moment which leaves a definitive mark and subsequently creates an eternal presence in the history of the world.

It's the feelings or emotions which this eternal sound, this music, evokes as you grow older; these are the factors which, unlike the songs themselves, do not stay constant. One song may hold the special place of earliest music memory, and you can hear it time and again, but as the years go by, the song delivers itself in a slightly different tune as you'll take your life experiences, baggage, et. al and apply it to the same song as you now hear it. The music is still rhythmically and structurally the same, but the tune is different; this tune caters to your emotions and relates to your own personal journey, just as it did when you were 3.