I listened to a radio talk show today on CBC Radio. The host and guests were talking about how music from our childhood or past can have the same effect on you as comfort food -- they even called theses songs "Comfort Food Songs". In other words, there are songs or pieces of music that conger up a warm, fuzzy feeling that is nostalgic, sentimental, and brings a smile to your face.
Naturally, while listening to the show, I couldn't help but think about songs from my childhood that fit into this category. I realized that for me, it was the circumstances surrounding the songs as much as the songs themselves that make them "comfort food songs".
I realize a lot of you probably won't know these songs, but my mother and siblings will. And I'll bet they will be smiling, too! My Comfort Food songs include:
1. Tell Me Why -- only sung in the car on Sunday afternoons as we drove to Grandma's house. It's how I learned to sing harmony.
2. From the Halls of Montazuma (aka: The Marine's Hymn) -- it allowed for playful joking with Dad and we'll all remember when he put us out of the car at the edge of Aplington and told us to walk the rest of the way!! (Granted that was a whole 10 blocks, but we took our "punishment" and trudged the whole way!)
3. Mares Eat Oats -- this one is a silly song from the 40's (I think) but I was well into college before I realized the songs not a jumble of made-up words, but rather actual lyrics strung together quickly! Was my face red! This video gives you an idea of what I thought the words were!!
What are your "Comfort Food Songs?
"Lean on Me" - Back when we lived in Colorado and Mom was still taking me to the babysitter in Fort Collins this song would come on the radio every morning at the same time. We had the timing down that it would end just as we were pulling into the babysitter's driveway. Mom and I would sing together along with the radio every morning.
ReplyDelete"Here I Am Lord" - Easily my favorite non-Christmas hymn. I have always identified with this particular song because of the one-on-one nature of it. Most of my experiences with organized religion have been disappointing because the examples set have been hypocritical. This song reminds me that in the end it's about me and God and our relationship, not His relationship with everyone else.
There are a ton more, but those are my top two comfort songs.
"Oh I met ny little blue eyed dragon, down by the riverside..." Gotta go back to 1104 W 18th Street for that one...
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