L is for ...

... Landslide.

A couple nights ago I went to see Fleetwood Mac at the ACC.  We all know that I love concerts and I'm not so much a snob that I only see bands in small intimate venues.  Big, huge concerts in spacious arenas may not be ideal, but for big musicians with big music and big personas it's almost preferred.  While I'd love to see Springsteen or U2 now play Massey Hall (CAN YOU EVEN IMAGINE?!)  there's something about their anthemic music and the way they work a crowd that calls for a big huge venue.  It's an event and the challenge is in the connection:  can one be made between performer and audience in a way that doesn't feel phoned in?  If you're a pro and you care and you've got the tunes the answer is a resounding hell yes.

We all have 'a song'.  That song that no matter where you are or what you're doing, when you hear it you just stop and listen.  Your mind goes elsewhere - to that place the song reminds you of - and you're emotional and, well, of course, you cry.  It's that song.  This song can mean a million things to a million people - this meaning may not even be what the song is actually about - but for you, it speaks its particular story and you are lost within in.  I think that's the power of a great song; its ability to transcend meaning and morph into what you take it to mean for you.  I'm not an expert - and I certainly have no musical talent or even very good ears - but I can feel things and I can get emotional and Jesus Christ everytime I hear Landslide I just break down and cry.  Sometimes it's sobcrying.  Sometimes it's simple flow crying.  But always, always, there are tears.  It's my song.

I'm sometimes concerned with how people will react to my public displays of crybaby, but generally my people are pretty good.  Last year at Adele, C basically said that as long as I wasn't rolling on the floor in the fetal position she'd be fine.  When I told my darling M before the Fleetwood concert that there would likely be tears, she took both my hands and said "and this is why I love you".  I mean, how I keep winning the friend lottery is beyond me.  In any case, two nights ago in a crowd of thousands, there was that connection of which I spoke - the tears flowed amidst the smiles, which is exactly what poignant memories should do.  Memories evoked by song, whose meanings are whatever it is they are to you.

Here's Landslide.  Go ahead, give it a little cry.  I will always, always have tissues.  Always. 


  


L is for Landslide.