Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Patsy

I go through these weird and wonderful moments when I MUST listen to Patsy Cline. It's very similar to the food cravings I get. Like the time I craved hot and sour soup every day for a week. I could not stop thinking about that soup until I had my fill. Once I did, I could stop obsessing over it.

As I was going through one of my Pasty-craving episodes not too long ago, I remembered the movie 'Terms of Endearment', one of my favorite movies of all time. The movie is set in the 1970s, yet Emma, the main character, listens to Ethel Merman when she is under stress. The night before her wedding she smokes a joint with her best friend and has Ethel Merman belting out 'Anything Goes' on the record player. When Emma and Flap move into a new house, once again, she plays Ethel, which her husband kindly tolerates.

I find Patsy Cline's voice rich, soothing, and pure. There is just something about it that immediately puts me at ease. Maybe it brings back memories of a simpler time, though I wasn't even born when most of her music came out.

When my children would misbehave in the car, I would threaten to play Patsy Cline and they'd be all, "No mom! Please don't play that!" It never really worked as a deterrent to bad behavior, but at least I had a little fun with them.

What's odd is that I don't like the country music genre AT ALL. Most days you can find me listening to The Shins, Jack White, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Incubus, Cage The Elephant, and Muse. Yet strangely, Patsy Cline speaks to me. Even while I'm listening to it and enjoying it, I'll be thinking, "This is really weird. What are you doing? Why do you like this?" While growing up, my mother had records like The Beatles, The Platters, and Sam Cook - no Patsy. I like those others too, but I don't ever yearn for those. Where did Patsy come from and how did she enter my orbit? I may never know.

I Fall To Pieces (1961, the year I was born):

x

4 comments:

Tiffany and the Munchkins said...

I totally get it! Despite being classified as "country music", that doesn't even begin to encompass the musical stylings of Patsy Cline. She is so soulful with such a rich, bluesy voice. I for one am obsessed with the bluesy type of music (Etta James is one of my faves) and Patsy seems to fit right on in there. I feel soothed when I listen to Miss Patsy singing her heart out. :)

Gail Dixon said...

Ah, a kindred soul. I'm glad somebody understands. :)

Thank you for visiting, Tiffany!

Autumn said...

I'm with you on Patsy, actually. Even though I wasn't alive when she was making music, it makes me feel nostalgic.

Remember when you almost bought that victrola at the antique store? I kind of wish you had! We could have played Patsy on it. :)

Gail Dixon said...

Yes! I think about that Victrola every so often. Glad to know that you like Patsy, too!