The Depth of Music

As I told a friend earlier this week, I am a musical person. At an early age, I enjoyed show tunes. For many years, I refused to listen to the radio, choosing instead to listen to my collection of Broadway tapes (yes, tapes!) and CDs. Musical theatre was my career path, and I thought the stage was simply a magical place.

I drove home from a writers' event last night and pulled out one of my old CDs. It's scratched. Worn. But I got enough of it to make me happy--the Broadway cast album of Jekyll and Hyde.

For those in the know, you might ask, "Which one?" (There's only been about ten editions released.) It doesn't matter. They are all great and worth listening to.

I've known the story of Jekyll and Hyde for as long as I can remember. There's the silly Bugs Bunny cartoon. Various movies. And of course, the classic book by the great Robert Louis Stevenson. But quite honestly, I never really cared for the story until I heard the musical. The minor chords, insightful lyrics, and yearning strings took it to another level. There's something about music that does that.

From a writing perspective, I can drum up some pretty strong emotion just by listening to things like this. There are times I want absolute silence, but most often, I'm listening to something to catch the mood. This particular musical helped me discover twisted parts of Poison I didn't know were there. Once I found them, though, wow!

I am grateful for music. For those who delve deep into their souls and create such wonders. It's an amazing art that inspires even more creativity. As ABBA said, "Thank you for the music..."

I've included the Bugs Bunny cartoon for your viewing pleasure. Also, my favorite piece from Jekyll and Hyde, although it's David Hasselhoff performing, so it's not the best. Still, you get the gist of it!