Music is really so powerful. I love it. I love words put to music. I love the feelings that different songs evoke. Sometimes it is the song itself, sometimes the memory associated with listening to the song. But no matter where the feelings come from, I think one would be hard-pressed to argue away the power of a song. I’m sure I’ve written about this before, because it is one of my most favorite subjects.

Music has changed who I am. A simple melody can take me into memories and the feelings are so powerful, I feel like I’m transported back to those experiences. During some of the most difficult times in my life, music has been my respite, my solace. When I have needed to just “let the feelings flow” in order to get through something hard, music has catalyzed the emotional outpouring. I wonder if everyone feels as I do.

I love that one song can bring me to tears, while another can kindle elation once felt while listening to it. The list of emotions I have felt while listening to different songs is incredible; happiness, gratitude, regret, angst, loneliness, joy, grief, anger, heartache, anguish, delight, bliss, elation, love, peace, sorrow, rapture, wonder…and the list goes on.

Tonight, I created a new musical memory. Sarah, Richard and I (heretofore known as “the roommates” or “roomies” for short) went to see Young Love in concert. I use the phrase “in concert” loosely. We did pay $10 and they were playing live at Kirby Court (this great small, I repeat, small venue in SLC). I don’t know that I had listened to their music ever (their first album was released two weeks ago Tuesday), but I am always up for good live music, especially when it’s a smaller crowd. Sarah burned me a cd (she’s the one who decided we should go to this concert), so we listened to it the whole way up. We got there just as the opening band was finishing.

It was fantastic. The music is a sort of blend between rock, punk, and electronica. The last song they played was “Find a New Way”, which is featured on J. Lo’s new show about dancing (I think it’s like American Idol, dance style). Anyway, Dan Keyes (front man) told us all that we were going to dance…and so we did (not that we hadn’t been before that, but we rocked it hard…yes, I am 29 and I just said that). It was so fun! It’s been a long time (too long) since I danced like that and just let loose. And then we blasted it in the car with the sunroof open (and the heater blasting) as we drove to Starbucks.

I had so much fun and now, that song (and the whole album really), will forever remind me of my fantastic night with the roomies.

And on the whole emotional side of lyrics, here are the lyrics to Schuyler Fisk’s “Lying to You”. What a great song. And which one of us hasn’t felt like this at some point in our lives, after having our heart broken?