Music of My Mind

I've been doing a lot of exploring on foot during the 3+ weeks that I've been in the city and not once have I worn my iPod. On a recent trek around the Upper West Side, I walked by a large mirror and upon seeing my non-iPod-wearing reflection, I realized that I was, give or take the normal margin of error, the third person I had seen without white wires sprouting from my head.

Walking through a neighborhood for the first time being able to both see AND hear what's going on around me has been important - I'm trying not to miss anything no matter how mundane or seemingly trivial. As the promo wizards at NBC who used to exhort people to watch reruns used to say, "If You Haven't Seen It, It's New to You!" Man...talk about a great, witty campaign.

I love my iPod and all the illegally downloaded music it's filled with, but at the moment I'd rather hear the non-stop honking above ground, metal on metal screeches underground, and the inane conversations of trustafarians mixed with the ramblings of the crazies occurring on all levels of the city. These sounds are "New to Me!" and I've listened to the newest Shins album enough already.

But without a defacto soundtrack being fed into my ears, my subconscious has taken over; certain sights or thoughts trigger my brain-jukebox to push play on songs that have been stored in the mind-basement for years, and while the results have been undeniably enjoyable, I've discovered that my resting mind has embarrassing and terrible taste in music.

I've walked on, have crossed, or have seen a sign for 6th Ave. multiple times a day since I've been here, and every time, without fail, I immediately start humming to myself, "And the same black line that was drawn on you / Was drawn on me / And now it's drawn me in!!!!"

Thanks for that brain. Nothing like a little Wallflowers stuck in my head for the better part of a week. Is it odd that I'm noticing more cars with only "One Headlight?" Is it just coincidence that I recently went to a bar called the "My Father Will Always be a More Revered Musician Than I Could Ever Dream of Being Tavern?"

I'm thinking of heading over to Dylan's Candy Bar followed by the Hustler Store just to get some Marcy Playground on the brain.

Luckily, I've decided on one song that will be in my head from here on out - something that in my opinion plays well regardless of the situation and spans any and all emotional ranges. It's a song that defies specific circumstances, whether watching your child's first steps or getting a root canal, either making a macaroni necklace for your best friend or listening to your grandfather say, "I love ya, champ" from his death bed.

Press play below and let sonic soundscapes wash over you.