Your Anthem, Music Therapy!

This week I’m going to take you on a musical journey that started when I was 16 in the year 1900 and 98. Let me set the stage. CD’s were still the preferred way to listen to music.  I drove around in a Buick Century with a tape deck, and I had a large collection of homemade mixed tapes. I was in love with who I thought was going to be my forever boyfriend, which I was certainly wrong about. Within a year he broke my heart, but in an effort to make me feel better he let me borrow his sister’s CD Rock Spectacle by the Barenaked Ladies. I ended up falling in love again, but this time with a CD.  Prior to every cross-country meet I would listen to that CD in its entirety.  There was something about the album as a whole that relaxed yet motivated me for each race. At the time my favorite song on that album was “Break Your Heart.”

About a year after the breakup and my new-found love of the Barenaked Ladies, my brave father took 6 high school seniors to a Barenaked Ladies concert in Milwaukee on a Tuesday night in December.  Prior to the concert I thought I was a Barenaked Ladies fan, but afterwards I became a super fan.  We had floor seats at the Bradley Center with just enough space to dance and sing as high school girls should (I might still do the same at concerts today.  I am still a high school girl at any and all concerts).  My dad has been playing Santa for decades now and it was December and he was in full white beard. During “The Million Dollar” song they put my dad on the jumbo-tron, which made the experience even more memorable.

Throughout my college years, “Call and Answer” became my new favorite song.  I went to college at Purdue and I moved away from home and my friends.  I needed to know there were always people to Call on who would Answer, and there always were.  One college summer Katie Bleier and I made it to another Barenaked Ladies concert at Summer Fest. At this point they were the opening for, I believe, Alanis Morissette. Katie correct me if I’m wrong.  We didn’t even stay for all of her concert, we just wanted to hear our Barenaked Ladies and leave.

The years passed. I graduated from college.  I lost my Rock Spectacle CD in one of the many moved between college and the Navy, but in 2009 I decided I needed it again. Yes, I bought a CD when everyone was downloading music. Trust me my daily listening was streamed through iHeartRadio, but there was something special about owning that CD again.  As you read this, that very CD is in the Honda Pilot at home TJ is driving with three lovely babies in the backseat.  There is just something about that album that has always calmed me and gotten me through. I listened to that album driving to the hospital hoping my cousin was still alive and I still use it before all my big races.

On May 16^th, my last day of work at Life Fitness before I left, Brittney Kieres, an amazing co-worker who I consider a good friend, agreed to go to a Barenaked Ladies concert with me.  As I stated, I still like to act like a high school girl at concerts only now I can partake in adult beverages while I’m there. This time they were not opening for anyone, but they were performing at a small venue.  Like back in high school my dad came along and I wanted to share the joy of the Barenaked Ladies so I brought Timyra to her first concert. TJ refused to go, he thinks I can get embarrassing.  Ask him about when we went to the Bryan “Darchelle” Adams concert.

To prep for the concert I bought the most recent Barenaked Ladies CD’s. Yes, again in the age of music streaming I bought CD’s. Timyra and I would listen to them in the car to and from school.  I wanted to make sure we were ready to dance and sing all night.  One of the songs stuck with me, “Odds Are.” This song is my new Barenaked Ladies Anthem. I’m listening as I write this.

So my 16-year-old self would say: “What’d you think that I was gonna do, Curl up and die just because of you? I’m not that weak, you know What’d you think that I was gonna do, Try to make you love me as much as I love you? How could you be so low? You arrogant man, What do you think that I am? My heart will be fine just stop wasting my time”

And my early 20 something self would say:  “I think it’s getting to the point Where I can be myself again I think it’s getting to the point where we have almost made amends.  I think it’s the getting to the point that is the hardest part.  And if you call, I will answer And if you fall, I’ll pick you up and if you court this disaster I’ll point you home I’ll point you home”

And my 30 something self would say:  “Hit by the A-train, crashed in an airplane.  Wouldn’t recommend either one.  Killed by a Great White, or a meteorite I guess there ain’t no way to go that’s fun.  But somewhere in the world someone is gonna fall in love by the end of this Song.  So get up, get up.  No it’s never gonna let up so you might as well sing along.  Odds are that we will probably be alright.  Odds are we’re gonna be alright, odds are we’re gonna be alright tonight.  Odds are that we will probably be alright.  Odds are we’re gonna be alright, odds are we’re gonna be alright for Another night”

Music is a powerful thing.  I believe we all have our anthems.  No matter what the day or how I feel there is always a song to get me back up, motivate me, and just keep me going. The entire time I wrote this I listened to all these songs and albums and it just made me happy. This week was hard and every day was a struggle to not count the many, many days I have left here, but these songs made the difference. What is your anthem? How do you tell your story through music?  Remember no matter your mood, there is a song out there to help. Call it music therapy.