Friday, July 18, 2008

God bless my i-Pod, God bless Springsteen


(AKA, another commuting blog)

Today my i-Pod's shuffle mode takes me to “Wild Billy’s Circus Story” as the R train hurtles us toward Manhattan. You don’t often hear tuba in a rock song -- all right, it’s not REALLY a rock song – but, did ever listen to these lyrics? Well, of COURSE you've listened to the lyrics, if you have any taste in music and, therefore, are a Springsteen fan. Disturbing. Springsteen’s early genius in evidence. Phantom Dan Federici’s touch was all over it, too.

Train pulls into 42nd Street/Times Square. “God save the human cannonball!” Song ends; I click backward through the i-Pod selections, go to the previous album in line, “Born to Run.”

I stop on “She’s the One,” listen and reminisce as I walk through the station. Another great song. I am momentarily distracted by a pretty and confident-looking woman in a tightly cinched black dress, high-heeled, of course, stepping briskly past me toward the downtown trains. Turning my head to check her out (yes, I’m a guy sometimes), I almost run into someone else.

Focus!

Up the stairs, cross the open area where “Andes Fusion” is setting up for their first song of the day. The pony-tailed mandolin player is tuning up. But I only hear Springsteen through my ear phones. It makes me happy -- is that all right? -- and it makes everything seem okay. It’s Fourth of July Asbury Park. “The fireworks are hailing over Little Eden tonight…”

Must a day’s work come up and ruin a good mood? Let’s hope not. “Hey Sandy Girl, ma ma ma ma ma baby…”

2 comments:

Radagast said...

One of my daily rituals (as you know) is spending about an hour and a half at Starbucks before I go to work. I usually write and listen to music on the Internet radio station Pandora. It's relaxing to be able to breath a little before the work day starts and to be able to get stuff done as well.

Ms. Cassandra (Sandy) Park said...

I have trouble reading or writing while listening to music, so I tend to use my i-Pod more when I need to block out people talking loudly around me. Still, certain songs/artists just do make you feel good.