Comments on: Of Music and Memory: A Writing Exercise

By: William Bradley, St. Lawrence University

William Bradley, St. Lawrence University — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 03:11:05 +0000

I had a nine hour car ride today, which would normally be kinda boring, but for about three minutes, I got to hear “Ice, Ice Baby.” Which was dope.

Actually, at first, I thought, “All right! Queen and Bowie!” Then, I thought, “Awwww, no.” But by the time he started cookin’ MCs like a pound of bacon, I was won over.

By: Kristen, North Central Texas College

Kristen, North Central Texas College — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:30:46 +0000

Snow’s “Informer.” It’s so ridiculous, so absurdly fun. Listening to it takes me back to my shabby dorm room. I can almost smell the hairspray…

By: Dyanne, FAU/BC

Dyanne, FAU/BC — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:15:16 +0000

That was my favorite assignment from your class. Every semester, I share the music memory essay I wrote for you with my CRW students before they write their personal narratives. Thanks for inspiring me!

By: Bonnie C., No Institution

Bonnie C., No Institution — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:25:09 +0000

It was the summer of 1965. The summer after my graduation from high school, and before my entrance into nursing school. Joe was my first boyfriend, my best friend’s brother. And the song was Satisfaction, by the Stones. Every single time I hear it, no matter where or when, I am back in that old Chevy, sitting almost in the lap of my handsome crush, my heart pounding with love and expectation, as we cruise the hot streets of a Birmingham that still vibrated with civil unrest and uncertainty….

Thank you for this. Great prompt!

By: Ginny Taylor of Hiram College

Ginny Taylor of Hiram College — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:44:00 +0000

Thanks for mentioning Bob Cowser’s work and also Hope Edelman’s on Springsteen. Once when I wrote about the influence of Springsteen on my college years, Bob referred me to Hope’s essay, which I immediately fell in love with. As far as for cheesy songs, I have one. Bobby Sherman’s, “Julie, Julie, Julie, Do you Love Me?” Takes me right back to sixth grade, the 45 spinning on the small portable turntable, pictures from Tiger Beat plastered on my bedroom wall of Bobby Sherman and David Cassidy. When I heard the song on Sirius one afternoon driving home from work I realized the shallowness of the lyrics and was embarrassed that they and the voice and the music could evoke such a powerful trip down memory lane. Yet, it happened. Thanks for reminding us to not push away the moments or the memories, but to instead reflect and to embrace. If I ever get to teach a CNF class, I’ll definitely use your prompt. Thanks for sharing.

By: Mandy Len, University of British Columbia

Mandy Len, University of British Columbia — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:49:49 +0000

I love this idea and plan to use it as a new memoir prompt in my CNF class this term.

Your writing about your own favorite/awful song reminded me of these short essays on McSweeney’s: http://www.mcsweeneys.net/columns/short-essays-on-favorite-songs-inspired-by-nick-hornbys-songbook Your students may like checking them out.

I’ll always remember the day I was working as a barista when Oasis’s “Wonderwall” started playing on my iPod for the second time. When I skipped the song a few seconds in, everyone waiting for their Saturday morning coffee groaned in shared disappointment. I promised to put the song back on if everyone in the cafe sang along. And they did! And for three glorious minutes, I pulled shots of espresso, sang in my finest mock-British popstar accent, and pretended I was living in a movie.

Some songs–especially unexpected ones–really do have a strong tether to memory.

By: William Bradley

William Bradley — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:17:36 +0000

Thanks for the kind words about the exercise, everyone.

Mallory– Yes. I’ve always been this cool.

Nancy– I used to listen to John Cale’s version of “Hallelujah” a lot throughout the 90s. It was featured on the “I’m Your Fan” Cohen tribute album, which also included R.E.M. singing “First We Take Manhattan.”

Arts– Sounds like an essay waiting to be written!

Benjamin– I surprised my students last night with the revelation that Vanilla Ice wrote a song called “Ninja Rap.” They were also impressed by my demonstration of M.C. Hammer’s “2 Legit 2 Quit” hand gestures.

By: Benjamin Vogt, UNL

Benjamin Vogt, UNL — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:24:07 +0000

I can, and do, recite all of “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice to my writing students. It’s the only “poem” I can remember from heart, and I even do the intro high hat beat. If only I wore zubaz, too.

By: Arts @ the Aviary

Arts @ the Aviary — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:08:17 +0000

I love this. I have been trying to get back into creative writing, and I am always intrigued by how one art form can spin into another.
Exercises like this are so hard for me to get started. Having had a pretty narrow music exposure as I was growing up (mostly hymns and classical), I feel like an alien when others mention their classic songs that “everybody” knows.
That being said, the song is “That I May Know Him” – a churchy children’s song. Picture: hotel in Omaha, snowed in, power outage, grand piano in lobby, this 12 year old girl knew one song – only one song – by memory. Over, and over, and over, and over. I think I owe an apology to the rest of the guests at that hotel.

By: Nancy Ryan

Nancy Ryan — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:17:56 +0000

For years, I was transfixed by a particular cover of Leonard Cohen’s song Hallellujah. So many musicians covered it, but there was one version from the mid 1990s that I loved. I’d somehow hear it when I needed to … after finding out that a high school friend had died in a car crash; on the rainiest of Mondays; when struggling with writer’s block. But I didn’t find out who the musician was until early 2010. His name was Jeff Buckley, and he covered Hallelujah on his only studio album, Grace. How I overlooked this album and musician for 20 years mystifies me. It saddened me to learn that he’d drowned in 1997, while preparing to record his second album. But his vocals and guitar make me slow down and take a second glance around: The leaves and grass look brighter and greener when I hear this song.

PS: I’ve also used lyrics as writing prompts for poetry …