on guitars, memories and LPs for 1 euro..

I hadn't put the cd on for a while, I have never owned it, and I always associated it with long car rides in my dad's car. Having a new love in my life is making me want to look back over my shoulder, identify what inspired me and share things that made me dream and feel alive. And that's what brought him back.

Recently i saw the cd in the stack of many others and put it on, half embarrassed to look at my-new-love-in-my-life, fearing the possible reaction to my exposé of being moved by sometimes-soppy songs, played by men-with-guitars, a lot of Americana, a little bluegrass, and a lot of longing. Yet upon hearing some of the songs again, i was yet again moved by his straight forward tell-it-like-it-is lyrics, his humanity and honesty, and humour.
A good dose of Jim, the right dosage to trigger yearning for another long roadtrip, enough to trigger longing for far-away friends and past cross-continent adventures, memories of the days of lying in bed and listening to lyrics, and sharing our emotional appreciation of sweetness and nostalgia through looks and smiles and silences.

While far away at a conference recently, i downloaded some of the songs from that distant past, and sent one to my love-in-my-life as a show of affection - across the atlantic, across timezones, hoping to be connected by timeless music.

Upon returning to Holland, I found myself floating through streets filled with small children with faces painted orange, marching bands that looked like they came straight out of a Tolkien fantasy, drinking rosé and and smiling back at the sun, sitting on a tricycle with the warm spring air enveloping me and more rosé in my veins, when suddenly my love-in-my-life appeared, yet again a couple more LPs richer, picked out of all the junk being sold to anyone who will stop to have a look - one LP of which was the man with the guitar, and the music in his blood. Jim Croce.

And such is life, for years you don't hear a particular music, you forget - the music and your own memories, dreams and longings. Fast forward, and you have your love-in-your-life pop around the corner with a big drunken smile on his face and a 1 Euro LP of your history in his hand.

Jim Croce - find, listen, open your mind, and let yourself be rolled along, rolling down the highway, so life won't pass you by.

I recommend to start with: I Got a Name, New York is Not My Home, I'll Have to Say I Love You in a Song, Time in a Bottle, Operator, and Which Way are You Going? for some anti-war and pro-reason sentiment, as relevant today as in Vietnam-day methinks..

Why dó the good ones always have to die young?