The Musical Memories….

It’s the final countdown…. (Europe) An indomitable song without which the clock does not strike 12 to usher in the New Year, has played year after year, making the moment exciting and wistful.

Daddy Cool or Ra Ra Rasputin...(Boney M); Voulez Vous or Dancing Queen…(ABBA) are some of the classics which trigger some beautiful memories of those days.

How can I forget the songs of QSQT or MPK…Romeo Juliet redux during our sophomore years…awed by their music, I distinctly remember crooning to these songs with heart rending ecstasy. Every song of those days has a beautiful memory attached to it which will continue to influence us always.

I remember, when I was traveling along the west coast while heading to Bangalore, I started humming some old familiar songs, a number of old songs kept popping up in my mind…it drifted me to the year 2002 when we traversed the same route with our little ones in our small car…a distinct memorable trip. Does it happen to you all too? During that trip we played some songs a number of times in a span of over 2000km while driving on the same route. Yeh lamha filhaal jee lene de…(a song with a deep meaning) or the mischievous Whenever, Wherever (Shakira) played repeatedly. This déjà vu (not in literal sense) feeling has visited me so many times. I get transported back in time, when going through some repeated activity and music connects me to the past. Music has enormous power to evoke memories. It’s a proven fact that when we hear some songs that we love; they prompt nostalgia when certain specific scenarios or important life events reoccur resulting in an influx of certain chemicals in our brain like serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine, making us feel good.

Music plays quite an important role in our life…right from childhood to now music has always been an indispensable ingredient…sometimes as a best pastime and sometimes a medium to relax and unwind. Throughout my life whenever I have been happy, sad, or wanting to just spend time on my own, music has always helped me. There’s always music in the background, whether driving, eating in a restaurant or sitting in a salon getting my hair done…music is all around us. There were times when I used to flinch away by the mere mention of singing aloud in front of others and preferred practicing my vocal expertise in the bathroom or behind closed doors, and now, I enjoy singing those age old songs which had wormed their way into my memory decades before, during every karaoke night…Yeh raatein, yeh mausam, nadi ka kinara…being my favourite, rather our favourite (my husband shares this interest with me). Music has always helped me through various mood swings…it’s been a great healer at times and always been a source of letting loose. Music helps to reflect our moods and emotions. Beginning my day with gentle and soft songs helps me start my day on a happy note.

One of the factors for my liking towards Indian movies rests largely on the melodious songs in them…a major element missing in foreign language movies. Sentimental songs to hip-hop, I relish all…it’s my mood that defines the type of song I want to hear. There have been times when the lyrics have brought tears in my eye and at times they have even made me laugh and dance. Music is universal, I feel…I have loved songs just for their melody sometimes even though I did not understand a word of it…Macarena or Kolaveri di are some of them…which had that stimulating effect, that made people dance to their tune.

The rise of digital music, internet radio and on-demand streaming services,has changed the way we listen to the songs these days. The only means to listen to music, way back when I was a kid, was Radio…Binaca Geet Mala, used to play all Hindi chart busters while limited English songs channel used to play Grammy award winner songs. Songs of Bobby, Kabhie Kabhie or Chura liya hai tumne…from Yaadon ki Baraat still rekindle the most vivid memories of the most impressionable time of my lifetime. Our library of vinyl discs (flat records) of the gramophone in two sizes…EP’s and LP’s are still treasured. Whenever I see them, it makes me miss those times so much. The beautiful jackets of these records with their colourful pictures were my prized possession. Then came the era of audio cassettes and CDs…and then music became so easily accessible. Now listening to music does not involve much exercise…it’s just switching on the Spotify or YouTube to listen to our favourite numbers…I still love listening to those classics which bring back such incredible memories of the best years.

Some Flashes (only happy ones) from the various stages of my life which make me come alive:

During School days…spending time with friends practising Tina Turner’s song, what’s love got to do with it or Stevie Wonder’s, I just called to say, during free classes and recess or swaying to the most romantic numbers like Jimmy Jimmy aaja aaja, or intoxicating songs of Nazia Hassan casting their spell on all teenagers.

Oh! I cannot forget our fondness for the Enigma’s MCMXC A.D…our first album on our newly bought music system.

The songs of DDLJ, Roja or RHTDM capturing our hearts in our early years of marriage and then came the Remix trend…like Roop Tera Mastana or Kanta laga…our time just flew grooving to these tunes with friends when we were posted in a remote place where there was nothing much to do.

The list is endless and so are the reminiscences…music is eternal which connects us to the past. Today what we enjoy….it’s the music which will draw us to this time years later when we sit and recollect these days. Let’s make pleasant memories!

Wishing you a fabulous New Year 2021 !!!

If you also believe in the magic of music….do let me know your favourites.