30 Sep 2013

Most people who are heavily into music would be aghast if you ever asked them what their favorite song is. They get all Shakespearean on you and say something ridiculous like ‘I could no sooner choose a favorite star in the heavens!‘ or  ‘you cannot possibly love the intricacies music if you have an absolute favorite song’. I’ve been asked if I had a number one song before, and people are always surprised when I answer yes. I have almost 50,000 songs in my collection, and within that anthology is the song that I would take with me if I could only take one to a deserted island : Crash into me by The Dave Matthews Band.

Dave Matthews is not my favorite band;  I don’t think I own enough pairs of Birkenstocks to even be considered a true follower of DMB. But no matter how many new bands and songs I fall in love with as the years go on, that’s the song that remains the most magical thing I’ve ever heard. I first heard it at a school dance when I was 14, I remember being frozen in place with a stupid cheshire cat grin on my face. I knew then that I would love it, but not the impact it would have on my life. I loved its simple drums, its whimsical chimes and its gorgeous lyrics about falling into someone.

It was used a couple years later in an pivotal scene in one of my best-loved tv shows, it was actually one of the songs the show paid big bucks for in licensing to keep in the DVD sets years later. It has played at the grocery store when I was having a bad day, while walking by a cafe on the way home from a breakup, and it was playing in the background at a party the first time I met one of my best friends. It has followed me through life, playing in all my pivotal scenes. Just like a good friend that always knows what to say, it always shows up somehow when I need it the most. I love it so much that the photo above is a pillow that friend a friend had made for me, it sits atop my couch and makes me smile all the time.

I fell in love with this song when I really believed in the magic of life. I still consider myself a very positive person, but its so much easier to be hopeful when you’re young. To this day, no matter what is going on in my life, I can put this song on and the first three notes will easily take a little weight off my chest. This past week I feel like I’ve been moving in molasses. I hate this interim period of the seasons, it’s too damn hot for a sweater and too cold for a tshirt, and all that means is that winter is coming and I have got some big decisions coming up that I need to make soon. As a result I’ve had one of those weeks where you’re going through the motions of life, but not really enjoying it. Like I’m in a play and all my character has to get up and make food and do dishes and pay bills. So today in an attempt to snap myself back into participation, I found myself listening to this song. It instantly made me feel better, almost cleansing, and that my friends, is something special. Something so special that it led to my decision to share my very favorite song with you today. I hope you love it, and I hope that you too have a special song that always makes you believe again.