Mom and Music

One of the things Mom loved most was music. And not just one kind of music, but really all genres. She loved oldies music and had certain songs that she thought were funny like "Workin' in a Coal Mine" and "Chain Gang". She got Whitney and I into Elvis music, and that is why Whit used to watch Elvis movies like "Girl Happy" and "Blue Hawaii" every single day. We always had music playing in the car wherever we were going, whether it was the radio, tapes or later a CD's. She likes some music you may expect, such as Steve Winwood and Lionel Richie. We listened to "Higher Love" and "Dancing on the Ceiling" countless times, and we would always sing along. Then were the more unexpected bands she liked including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam and Bon Jovi. Mom thought Anthony Kiedis from the Chili Peppers was so good looking with his long hair, and she always said he looked like a Native American in the video for "Under the Bridge". I remember when she first saw the video for "Give it Away". She thought is was the strangest

Images from "Give it Away"

thing ever, but she loved the song! She told me he was wearing a "giant diaper"! But she continued to love them, and their "Californication" album became the soundtrack to our summer while we sat around the pool in Lexington. Mom also thought Jon Bon Jovi was one of the sexiest men that ever lived, and I am inclined to agree! We listened to "Wanted Dead or Alive" all the time and would sing at the top of our lungs! The last song I remember her liking was "Drops of Jupiter" by Train. She described it to me even though she didn't know the name of it, and said the guy had the greatest voice. So now everytime I hear that song, I think of her (even though I didn't like it that much originally). Music seems to have been the last thing to go with her. She stopped talking, but she could still sing all the words and hum melodies from almost any song on the radio. It was actually remarkable, and it makes me realize that music is perhaps more important that any of us even know.