I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t live without music in my life. Maybe it stems back to Saturday nights when I was a kid and my parents used to tape the Saturday night ‘oldies’ show off the radio onto cassette tapes. Or maybe it was when I found my mothers case of 45’s in our basement and found songs like “going to the Chapel” or “it’s my party” just to name a few.

Or maybe it was being at Northland and remembering when my counsellors had to get special permission to leave for an overnight day off to go to Toronto to see Bruce Springsteen, or listening to You’ve got a friend, or Fire and Rain by James Taylor for the first time. Or sitting and listening to In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins in my back yard with my friends when we were 15. Or learning camp songs and cabin cheers.

Or maybe it was having music class in school. Deciding to pick the clarinet as my instrument and loving it. Going to live theatre and listening intently to them warming up and hearing the clarinet. Even now, I just went a month ago to see my friend perform at the York Symphony and I listened for the clarinet. I always said if I could have a do over, I would love to play the clarinet in live theatre on Broadway.

Or maybe it was being old enough while sitting in Synagouge the first time I realized how powerful the prayer Hineni was. Watching my cantor start at the back of the congregation in his high holiday head dress and walking towards the front chanting his prayer, and then getting to the front and bowing in front of the Torahs. That cantor has long since retired, but earlier this year I attended a funeral where he was asked to be the cantor and just to hear his voice again brought tears to my eyes.

I remember being a bus moniter when I worked at Fundale (now Centre camp). I used to bring a ‘boom box’ on the bus. Believe it or not, I taught those kids the words to American Pie by Don McLean. They had NO idea what they were singing about, but they knew the words as we pulled up to the camp and they were screaming out the windows, “bye bye miss American Pie, drove my Chevy to the levy but the levy was dry.” I remember when I was in New Orleans with Brad and we drove past the levy in the 9th ward that broke during Katrina, that song was going through my head.

Maybe it was all the times being in the car and hearing a great song on the radio. I have been known (and seen) to belt out my inner Carly Simon (you’re so vain), Diana Ross (upside down your turning me), Don Mclean (American Pie ALL THE WORDS), and more recently Maroon 5 (moves like Jagger). Lots of other car songs have meaning as well. I remember being on a road trip and listening to Thunder Road by Bruce Springsteen. I think it was that road trip that I started to learn about songs and their hidden meanings between the lines.

Now, it is listening to my nieces when we compare what camp songs they have learned and how the same song that I sang at 7 years old is ‘sort of’ the same song now. And when they sing the Bruchas on Shabbat, and their songs from Hebrew School. And my little nephew whose anthem seems to be LMAFO Party Rockers in the house tonight. To see him “shuffling” to that song just makes me smile.

Don’t be afraid to turn up the radio and sing in your car. Don’t just dance like no one is watching, sing your heart out whenever you want! I know that I won’t stop!

Today’s video clip is from Ally McBeal…..if you watched that show you know that she had music playing in her head through different times in her life (remember the dancing ugga chaka baby)….I hope you will smile and watch this clip!