Across the wall in my kitchen there is a quote from William Shakespeare that reads "If music be the food of love, play on." I like it because music indeed touches the soul and can generate an emotional surge in many a direction. I believe we all have songs that bring us places even if its a place we don't necessarily want to go yet somehow need to visit. The spiritual essence of music sometimes transcends the writers intention. But all in all songs are little time capsules that bring us to a specific time, place or event in our lives that in some cases we nearly forgot about and when the music starts that image bristles with life in our mind and spirit. For instance every time I hear "Sherry" by the Four Seasons I remember Ronnie my neighbor singing it at the top of his lungs. He was 18. I was five! yet the memory is crystal clear when ever I come across that song.

Some songs have more specific meaning like Loverboy's "The Kid Is Hot Tonight" because it was the first song I played on WBAB or Sammy Hagar's "Heavy Metal" from the movie of the same name not because of the movie so much as it was the first song I played on Fingers Metal Shop. Most recently I brought my children to The Led Zep Rock Symphony where Symphonic Queen opened the night. During that set they performed Queens "Somebody To Love"  I can not tell you how many times I have heard that song and its just a great song. Well later at home my 6 year old is walking around singing "Somebody Somebody Somebody Somebody Can anybodyyyy"  and now when ever I hear it, that's where it brings me.

What songs bring you places? Some bring up good memories, while others can stir up bad ones. Either way music feeds the soul and for that reason we should be open to all forms of musical expression. Like Will said "If music be the food of love play on" so love yourself and put on your favorite song or station (hint hint lol) and bask in the glory of you.

Let's try something. The song below sparks a ton of memories because of the nature of the lyrics. If you don't remember it you can find if on youtube. See what it sparks in you. And if you are up for the challenge see if you can change the words to a 2009 version. Pretend this is a song you wrote. Only in todays world based on your musical heroes.

"Life is a rock but the radio rolled me"  By Reunion 1974

B.B. Bumble and the Stingers, Mott the Hoople, Ray Charles Singers

Lonnie Mack and twangin' Eddy, here's my ring we're goin' steady

Take it easy, take me higher, liar liar, house on fire

Locomotion, Poco, Passion, Deeper Purple, Satisfaction

Baby baby gotta gotta gimme gimme gettin' hotter

Sammy's cookin', Lesley Gore and Ritchie Valens, end of story

Mahavishnu, fujiyama, Kama-sutra, rama-lama

Richard Perry, Spector, Barry, Archies, Righteous, Nilsson, Harry

Shimmy shimmy ko-ko bop and Fats is back and Finger Poppin'

Life is a rock but the radio rolled me

Gotta turn it up louder, so my DJ told me (whoa whoa whoa whoa)

Life is a rock but the radio rolled me

At the end of my rainbow lies a golden oldie

FM, AM, hits are clickin' while the clock is tock-a-tickin'

Friends and Romans, salutations, Brenda and the Tabulations

Carly Simon, I behold her, Rolling Stones and centerfoldin'

Johnny Cash and Johnny Rivers, can't stop now, I got the shivers

Mungo Jerry, Peter Peter Paul and Paul and Mary Mary

Dr. John the nightly tripper, Doris Day and Jack the Ripper

Gotta go Sir, gotta swelter, Leon Russell, Gimme Shelter

Miracles in smokey places, slide guitars and Fender basses

Mushroom omelet, Bonnie Bramlett, Wilson Pickett, stop and kick it

Chorus

Arthur Janov's primal screamin', Hawkins, Jay and

Dale and Ronnie, Kukla, Fran and Norma Okla

Denver, John and Osmond, Donny

JJ Cale and ZZ Top and LL Bean and De De Dinah

David Bowie, Steely Dan and sing me prouder, CC Rider

Edgar Winter, Joanie Sommers, Osmond Brothers, Johnny Thunders

Eric Clapton, pedal wah-wah, Stephen Foster, do-dah do-dah

Good Vibrations, Help Me Rhonda, Surfer Girl and Little Honda

Tighter, tighter, honey, honey, sugar, sugar, yummy, yummy

CBS and Warner Brothers, RCA and all the others

Chorus

spoken:

Listen--remember, they're playing our song!

Rock it, sock it, Alan Freed me, Murray Kaufman, try to leave me

Fish, and Swim, and Boston Monkey,

Make it bad and play it funky.

(Wanna take you higher!)

If you find yourself being creative and coming up with new lyrics send them to me at fingers@wbab.com and I will share the best ones in my next column. Until then I just want to say thanks for reading my column and for listing to me on 102.3 WBAB (2p-7p) I am living my dream thanks to you. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!