#SOL16 Day 6 The Story Behind the Songs


Back in the day when I was a single teacher, I drove a Saturn SC2. It had 3 doors (a quirky feature I loved), was sporty, low to the ground, and small. Nowadays, as a married mom with two little kids, I drive an Acadia. It is big, with three rows, and it's high off the ground. I never thought I would like driving such a large car, but now it would be hard to downsize after getting used to it! There are also some features that make driving the Acadia lovely. Onstar is awesome for people like me with zero sense of direction ("Yes, please update directions since I turned at the wrong time!") and we also have SiriusXM. I've been delighted to discover that Billy Joel now has his own SiriusXM station! 

 This morning, I listened as Billy Joel described the story behind some of his songs. He spoke about trying to emulate other styles of singers. In particular, he mentioned "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" and "Addicted to Love." I thought it was so interesting how his own songs where inspired by the sound of other songs and songwriters. It made me think of how writers are inspired by all that they've read. How those words live in us and stay with us, long after we've turned the last page. That all of us are creatively influenced by each other and there is beauty in something new that came from things before. 

 Last weekend, my mom, sister and I saw the play "Beautiful" which was the story of Carole King's early years of songwriting. The music was incredible and the story was fascinating. I loved knowing how "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" came to be and it was so interesting to learn more about Carole King's life. Her talent was amazing.  

 I was reminded of a scene from the movie "Music and Lyrics", with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. At one point, Hugh Grant's character speaks about the talent of songwriters, and how the first lines of "My Girl" can bring a smile to someone's face faster than many award-winning novels. 

 Just think about it: "I've got sunshine on a cloudy day. When it's cold outside, I've got the month of May..." You are singing and smiling, right? The power of songs and stories. 

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