Most of us have had the experience of hearing a song that suddenly transports us to some other time and place. I find this happening to me frequently. Without any warning, a few chords will trigger memories of sights, sounds, and even smells that have been absent from my consciousness for a very long time. I see and hear people whom I haven’t thought about in years so vividly that I find myself intrigued by the experience. My heart and mind are conquered in a second, and I am overwhelmed.
Most people are familiar with this experience. I know I am not the only one who finds themselves teary-eyed at the sound of a few notes, a church hymn, or a favorite song.
What I’m not familiar with is for a melody to invade my consciousness at the mere mention of a common word. Maybe I’m getting old. The arbitrary word was “cloudy.” It was a suggestion for a writing assignment. Instead of thinking about it within its usual context regarding the weather, Carly Simon began singing in my ear. She was belting out the tune, “You’re So Vain,” and the needle was stuck on the words “There were clouds in my coffee.” I find this phenomenon fascinating. It was only one random word!
In the spirit of full disclosure, I admit I had recently read an article where Ms. Simon elaborated on her inspiration for those words. Perhaps that is why a simple word had such an impact on me. She was on a cross-country plane ride with a friend. He noticed the clouds outside the window and observed their reflection in her drink. He announced there were clouds in her coffee. If one of my poetic friends made this declaration, I doubt the phrase would ever have been committed to paper. Thankfully, the words were spoken to Carly and were destined to become part of a shared cultural consciousness so deep that the mere mention of a term brought back a song from my life’s playlist.
Although I didn’t dissect the meaning of those lyrics when I was younger, I was compelled to examine their meaning now that I reached a certain vintage. I pay closer attention now. I am looking and listening more. Ms. Simon stated that the words are meant to signify the confusing aspects of life and love. She explains that you can’t see through the clouds which signifies a sort of mirage. You may not be seeing what you think you see. Why didn’t I listen to those words more closely???
may be our last opportunity for a big barbecue. Summer may not have met its official end, but autumn is definitely breathing down her neck. Today is September 1, a new month. Another chance to get it right! Happy Labor Day. Enjoy the warm weather before we trade our summer clothing for those that will keep us warm as the weather turns colder.
MA. They had moved from the second-floor tenement they had lived in on Federal Hill in Providence, RI. They had lived there practically their entire married life, but the state had plans to develop a highway. The old three-decker was slated for demolition, so they moved to a three-decker in East Boston that had been in the family for many, many years. My grandparents now occupied the third-floor tenement where I had visited my great uncle and great aunt throughout my childhood.
We all watched in amazement along with the rest of the country as Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon. There was not a sound in the entire building as he said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” You could hear the country’s collective sigh of relief.
To all those men and women who weren’t relaxing on commercial flights waiting for the movie to begin, but were being transported to faraway places to participate in battles that we will never understand.
Janet DeLeo, Author and Artist 