Gut Music

If you've glanced at my profile, you know that one of my interests/loves is "classic rock". Note: I use this terminology, which I find rather limiting and condescending, only because it seems to be the least ambiguous way these days to refer to what used to just be called "rock" - as opposed to the noise that my kids listen to. [Gee, I'm sure my parents said the same thing about my music 30 years ago!] For similar reasons, I accept (tolerate) the classification of "Orthodox" Jew, though I find that term even more deceptive and derogatory. But I digress...

I'm thinking about this today, as Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit" plays in the background, because we've just entered the "three weeks", during which many follow the practice/custom of not listening to music. My own practice has always been to avoid live music during this time, as well as during sefira, but not to extend this stricture to radio/recorded music. This has always seemed eminently logical to me. Clearly, recorded music did not exist when the custom of not listening to music - which really started out as not attending weddings or other occasions of simcha - was first instituted. And just as clearly, having a live band playing before one is a quantum leap ahead, simcha-wise, of simply flipping a switch.

But while this argument is certainly rational, I admit that it is also, to some degree, a rationalization. The truth is, the release that rock music give me, on physical, emotional, and even spiritual levels, would be very difficult to give up for these extended periods each year. I can't even imagine what it would have been like, to have gone through my recent year of mourning for my father without it. To say nothing of my current situation.

Bottom line, my "Orthodox" Jewish beliefs/practices notwithstanding, rock music is an important part of who I am. I wouldn't exactly say it's in my soul, it's more like in my gut. And there are certain songs in particular that, for me, are gut-wrenching. These songs seem to have just the right mix of tune, beat, instrumentation, lyric, and vocal to evoke an utterly visceral reaction. Each one gets me right there - and each time I hear it just as much as the first time. Sometimes I refer to them as "songs that give me goosebumps". I'll end this post with my "top ten+1" list of these songs (in no definite order):

• "Jungleland", Bruce Springsteen
• "Roll Me Away", Bob Seger
• "My Little Town", Paul Simon
• "I've Got A Name", Jim Croce
  
• "Miracles Out Of Nowhere", Kansas
  
• "Brown Eyes", Fleetwood Mac
• "The Letter (live version)", Joe Cocker
• "Blue Collar Man", Styx
• "Crazy On You", Heart
• "Whipping Post", Allman Brothers
• "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding", Elton John

Comments welcome, as always. In particular, do you have a list like this?