Music Memories: From Morrison And Bonnie Tyler to Lauryn Hill and India Arie

Ingrid Michaelson – The Way I Am

Music takes you through the bad as well as the good times — whether you’re at home or traveling. Like doing the things you love, music makes life worth living. I know for sure that my love for discovering new music will never end. I have Move to Bremerton, a Popagandhi post on music, to thank for my latest find – The Way I Am by Ingrid Michaelson. Beautiful song.

I have lots of music memories. Especially remember one evening spent with friends and family at the beach in Frösakull, Sweden. A barbecue, sand beneath my feet, the sound of the sea, a light breeze, the sunset, and Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl from someome’s portable CD player. I think I was ten.

Around midnight in Frösakull another summer, the heavy rain caused everyone at the party to move into someone’s veranda. Kids my age and grown-ups sit down around a large wooden table while one guy got his guitar and suggested karaoke. First up, Queen’s We Will Rock You. Before the first verse, “Buddy you’re a boy make a big noise…”, we banged our hands on the table. No one missed a beat. I’ve loved that song ever since.

The same goes for Bonnie Tyler. My parents, my sister and I used to listen to her during the 9-hour drive to Åre, a small ski resort in northern Sweden, where we often spent our winter holidays. Have You Ever Seen The Rain was my favorite and eventually I knew all her songs by heart.

I also loved the songs by Elvis Costello, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder and Bryan Adams on my dad’s vinyl records. Sometimes I wished he would give them to me. I never bought my own LP discs, instead I put my money on CDs. When I was 14 and found Lauryn Hill’s The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in a record store in Stockholm, I made up my mind at once. After seeing a cover on her Can’t Take My Eyes Off You at a Swedish TV show earlier the same year I knew I had to buy her album. I like all of Lauryn’s songs, especially those at her live album MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 — mostly because of the brilliant lyrics.

India Arie – Ready For Love

When I discovered India Arie and her Strenght, Courage & Wisdom, it resulted in three Chinese signs on my left ankle.

Daniel Lemma – Keeps Getting Better

I will not forget the first time I heard the Swedish artist Daniel Lemma’s soulful voice, or when I heard Greek music — first at a taverna in Parga, then during a long bus drive to Meteora, and on a boat from Lefkada to Kefalonia.

I deliberately look for songs that touch my heart. Often when meeting new people – whether face-to-face or online — I ask about their music taste. Except for the chance to discover a new talent, it’s quite fun to check out people’s MP3- or iPod playlists.

Like my sister, I love rock. But while I’m also into soul by Otis Redding, Al Green, Sam Cooke and Aretha Franklin, she prefers metal and emo rock. Thanks to her, I started listening to My Chemical Romance, Foo Fighters, Babyshambles and Ozzy Osbourne.

The Cranberries’ songs also top my list of favorites. I first heard this Irish band during my summer job as a personal assistant in Haverdal, Sweden, in 2003. My 24-year-old, water pipe-loving co-worker, who recently got home from traveling in Israel, often played her Cranberries albums at work. It was love at first hearing.

When I went to France as an au-pair the following year, I was introduced to various French artists. Five-year-old Emelie showed me her CD by Jenifer Bartoli, the first winner of Star Academy — the French equivalence to American Idol. On weekdays at 7pm even Emelie’s 1-year-old sister Eléonore sat sticked to the TV watching that year’s season, apperantly a big hit in France.

While working in Zurich in 2005 I had a Portuguese penpal who sent me a CD of Keane, and another one with so called skank. And in London two years ago, when my Swedish flatmate let me copy all music from her laptop, I found 3 Doors Down. The same year I discovered Eva Cassidy at a café in Greenwich.

After a few months in London I spent a couple of weeks at my parents house in Sweden before setting my sights on Malmö, a multicultural city in the southernmost part of the country. There, thanks to a guy living in the same student hall, I first heard the reggae singer Alpha Blondy. At the same time I started to like Ben Harper and Jack Johnson more. And Matisyahu.

Last year I came across the singer Atif Aslam. I have no idea what he says, but I love his voice.

Atif Aslam – Adaat

Listen to Adaat, Woh Lamhe and Doorie.

Music sources are everywhere. Record stores. Magasines. Websites. Ads. People. TV. Film. Movies.

The Lion King – Hakuna Matata

If I had to pick a cartoon, I would go for the Disney hit The Lion King.

Coldplay – The Scientist

Coldplay’s The Scientist and Stereophonic’s Maybe Tomorrow from Wicker Park are also impossible not to love.

Whenever I hear All Saint’s Pure Shores I think of that hot scene with Richard (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Françoise (Virginie Ledoyen) in The Beach.

I also like to watch What Women Want and listen to Frank Sinatra’s Too Marvelous For Words, I Won’t Dance, and I’ve Got You Under My Skin. I love the part when Mel Gibson dances around in his Manhattan loft. The music combined with the view and Gibson’s improvised dance make a terrific scene.

And the next time you see Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, pay attention to Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word by Mary J Blige.

And, not to forget, my absolute favorites.  Musicals.

RENT – Out Tonight and Another Day

A great performance by Rosario Dawson.

Annie – You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile

Many years ago I first saw the musical Annie at Oskarsteatern in Stockholm. I have lost count on how many times I have seen the film.

Dirty Dancing – Hungry Eyes

Irene Cara – Fame

I first saw Fame at the theater Göta Lejon in Stockholm in 2004.

Aida – How I Know You

Beautiful melody.

As for music in movies, I love the soundtrack to Miami Vice including Nonpoint’s cover on In the Air Tonight and Sinnerman (felix da housecat’s heavenly house mix) to Auto Rock by Mogwai, Moby’s One of These Mornings, and Arranca from the sensual dance scene between Crocket (Colin Farrell) and Isabella (Li Gong).

And don’t forget Carlos Varela’s Una Palabra from the end scene in Man on Fire, In the Deep by Bird York from the soundtrack to Crash, or the mix of Chaiyya Chayyia by Sukhwinder Singh & Sapna Awasthi from Inside Man.

Learn Languages Through Music

I love hearing music in other languages and often listen to non-english songs to learn new words and expressions. Lately Hindi because I’ve wanted to learn the language ever since middle school when I decided I would travel to India someday.

Per Gessle – Sommartider

If you are interested in learning some Swedish, listen to Per Gessle.

Lars Winnerbäck – Dunkla Rum

And Lars Winnerbäck.

Lisa Nilsson – Himlen runt hörnet

And Lisa Nilsson.