“When all words fail she
Speaks
Her mix tapes a masterpiece”
-Kate by Ben Folds Five
When I was seventeen, my boyfriend rescued me from pop-song purgatory. Without him my musical tastes might be limited to the latest fodder from American Idol. When I told him that I didn’t like The Who, his response was something along the lines of, “I’ll fix that.” And he did. In 1987, we’d hang out in his room for hours, him playing samples of a particular artist’s or group’s library – usually on vinyl. Then, a few days later, he’d present me with a mix tape, full of the songs I had indicated an interested in. We cycled through The Who, Elvis Costello, Buddy Holly, and more. And as young girls are apt to do, I began to adopt the musical interests of my boyfriend. Every time I found myself in my green 1978 Mustang (not one of the cooler years for the car!), I popped in those tapes. I acquired a preference for Elvis Costello (what an agile wordsmith!), internalized Who lyrics (what 17-year-old couldn’t relate to the anger and angst?), and bopped around town to Buddy Holly (which my mother enjoyed). The tapes broadened from one-artist collections to wide-ranging compilations. To this day, when I listen to one of those songs, I still expect to hear the one that followed it – Rave On by Buddy Holly should come after The Sweetest Thing by U2.
As I got to know Brian’s tunes, I got to know him. Music seems to be more a part of him than other people – in it he finds energy, inspiration, refuge, happiness, peace. I guess you could say it’s like a friend to him. And I like being in on that friendship, that secret door to his soul.
So, this morning when I found a CD labeled April Mix waiting for me in my car, I squealed with delight. Because all at once it meant that he was thinking of me and sharing a part of him. I smiled the entire way to work, and couldn’t wait to get back into my car on the way home, eager to hear the next selection. And I imagine that after time, I’ll expect to hear Heavenly Day by Patty Griffin followed by Good Things by the BoDeans, followed by Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves…
