Music Appreciation 101

 I can't begin to describe the excitement and the exuberance and the joy that overtake me when I hear a good song. I explode with a desire to tell everyone about it; I want to spread the gospel. "You've got to hear this song, god damn it!"  And my insistence is strangely prescriptive: It's as if people risk harm by not listening to the song -- like they're forgoing heart surgery.

Most people will humor me and listen to the songs I recommend.  But their response never fails to disappoint me.  "Well, the song's okay..."  I take this response personally. How can something that stirs my soul be "okay?" How can something that pummels spiritual lightning through my verterbrae to my pineal gland be "pretty good?"  I refuse that this is a matter of preference. I insist that the song is an exception, something that swims in the shared pool of human consciousness. 

And I admit: it may seem like I'm taking this all too seriously. But I have a theory for why I enjoy music to this degree and intensity. I have failed to learn violin and piano and have pretty much resigned to -- no, embraced --mediocrity in my singing and guitar playing as fact.  So maybe my music ineptitude is the reason.

I remember there was one episode of Curb your Enthusiasm.  Larry was arguing with Jeff about whether skinny people appreciate food more than fat people.  Jeff didn't think so:  Fat people have more "food experience," which lends to a deeper appreciation of food.    I tend to agree Larry, though.  Skinny people probably enjoy food more.  This is a broken analogy, but I'll trust you know where I'm going with this.

Most recently,

http://www.livefromdarylshouse.com/index.php?page=ep24

Let me tell you.  I spent 10 hours on my desk watching this 1 hour show.  So I watched this straight through 10 times.  It's obsession.