Musical Connections

Certain songs spark very distinct memories for me. It’s always interesting when those memories hit, much like déjà vu. Just last night Laura and I were watching an episode of Dexter when they played the song “Free Ride” from Foghat and it struck that chord (pun intended) in my memory. Bakersfield, Ca. - 12 years old at one of my cousin’s parties with all the grown-ups outside drinking Budweiser and smoking Marlboro Reds and me hanging out with some of my uncles and cousins in the living room blasting the new 8 track cassette - Foghat Live . There are many other memories that are sparked by music for me but this one I forgot about for the longest time.

Giving Parker the middle name Johanna was performed with the same sort of thinking. Bob Dylan’s “Visions of Johanna” has always been something special to me. It’s a song whose lyrics evoke a feeling of creative, intelligent affection. Now whenever I hear it I think of ParkerJo. There you go, I’ve just created a new musical connection. Plus, it simply had to be Johanna. My other choice would’ve been Ryan Adams’ “Magnolia Mountain” and I cannot name my child Magnolia without first converting to a hippy.