Listen to the Music - Introducing: Lyrically, i

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Hey, everyone. I'm Isabelle Estevez, and this is not what the heck? I gave you like a five minute pause. All right? Can you clean the shot, please? Oh, fantastic. I'm just going to throw this out there. Yes. Okay, fine. I have been dating just a little okay. Trying to throw myself back out there. Went on a phenomenal date and at a lovely restaurant and everything, and everything was going great. And then there was just this one moment, this one moment where in the background I could hear Michael McDonald's I Keep Forgetting playing over the speaker at the restaurant we were at. I was like, oh, my gosh, like, so distracted in whatever this person was saying. I was like, oh, my gosh, michael McDonald. This is a phenomenal song. Love, like yacht rock type music. I'm like, do you know this song? And he's like, no, never heard of it. I almost died. How do you not know Michael McDonald's? I keep forgetting. Warren G sampled it for regulators, for heaven's sakes. I could not believe it. He's like, worse than know. Like, why does it mean that mean I like music, but it's just a song. Who even knows the lyrics? I die. I know the lyrics. I know the lyrics to an awful lot of songs. As a matter of fact, I almost kind of said at that point that not being that into music was somewhat of a deal breaker for me. And I said it somewhat lightly. But I also feel like I might kind of mean it because if you just take a look around, even in this little tiny space that I'm in right now, in my living area, I have my 70s, all original parts, sony record player that has an eight track on it and beautiful speakers to go with it. Above me or around me is this saying it was all a dream? That is a lyric from a biggie song. And then there is my prized collection of shirts. And I won't go through all of them, but I've got some amazing ones here. And I would say, of everything that I own in my closet, my shirts, my band shirts here's, my biggie are like, number one. I wear these things on repeat. My middle son is named after Elton Johns, benny and the jets, to put it lightly. I love music. I love all kinds of music. Selena probably one of my most favorite artists of all times because she was really the first example of a Hispanic American. Not even just Hispanic American. Mexican American. Woman just serving it. And my Spanish is not even that good. I sing every single song. Like, I take Spanish for 30 years. Beatles, of course, quintessential, one of my favorites. Paul McCartney, my favorite of all time, aerosmith Queen. And it could go on for days. The point is, music is a major part of my life and has gotten me through some of the best and most certainly some of the worst times in my life. And I can't imagine a world without it. I really can't. So, yeah, it really does mean a lot to me. It means that much. This shirt right here, given to me by my amazing, beautiful, gorgeous cousin Irmajean. I love it. I wear it all the time. Obsessively. That's how much I love music. Hey, everyone, I'm Isabelle Estevez, and welcome to Everyday Above Ground, where we're talking life and the opportunity to live every single day like it's your last. And today we're talking about music. Not just music, but lyrics and why they're so important to me, why I live and breathe lyrics. Not just wearing shirts, but like literally everything that I do. I make presentations for work a lot and I am constantly, constantly sneaking in song lyrics. I think it's hilarious. I did an entire presentation called Storytellers, which focused on the idea of the best storytellers alive. I will fight you on this is musicians. They are able to tell a story in three to four minutes or less that can have profound impact on a person's life and being and their reach. And the way that some of the best storytellers tell stories is just nothing short of amazing. And then it's even better because it comes with a beat. And so I went on this little bit of a date and got into a lively discussion and I was like, no, you know what? It really is that important to me. I won't call it a deal breaker, but there is something special about when you go to a concert, when you hear a song, when you go to karaoke, or when you do something like that related to music, and you just feel like you're one with other people, like you share in this experience. Some of my favorite moments in life revolve around different concerts and shows that I've been to. I went to Paris at the beginning of the year after a little bit of a breakup. And when I was out there, I went to this incredible jazz bar that was like up. This is really random and hard to find, but I got to this jazz bar and this woman was singing Cry Me a river by, I think it's Julie or Julia London, the original singer. And it was just probably one of the best songs I have ever heard in my life. And what's crazy is in that particular situation, the people playing together didn't even know each other. It was just like some random meetup where people just came and came to have like a jam session together. So to be able to create such an amazing moment based on music was just phenomenal. I've seen Paul McCartney many, many times. He's one of my probably the favorite performer of mine so far of my life. I take every single opportunity I can to see him. I've had some really great opportunities to see him, particularly when I lived in Chicago, I went to Lollapalooza and camped out all day to see him in the very front row, and that was an incredible experience. One of the first or second times that I saw him was at Wrigley Field on the field. So that was an amazing experience as well. The bottom line is I just love music. And so reluctantly, and I mean, like, very reluctantly, I've asked my brother, who spent an awful lot of time today setting up his own mic, to give me some questions or maybe even treat today like a little bit of a request line. Because I think deep down, one of the many things that I thought about doing when I was younger was there was this lady, Delilah. I'm sure she's still on air, but on a radio station, like a soft rock, because confession, like, soft rock, yacht rock is my jam. It's like my favorite genre, if I had to pick one, but people would just call in at night, and they'd talk about their problems, and she'd kind of talk back with them and just share this moment and then share a song that made her think of those things. And so I've asked, again, reluctantly, my brother to kind of pull a couple of those instances together, as well as questions that maybe I could talk through on the topic of music. It's something that I can talk about all day to anyone. By the way, before we start, one of the shirts I just realized I don't have is an Eagles shirt. So I'm just saying, my birthday is November 18. If you miss it, it's no problem. Christmas is right around the corner as well. I accept gifts all year long. Who am I kidding? I need an Eagle shirt. Someone hook me up. Help me out. All right, so let's see what my brother has. I wish people could see the faces that he makes at me, and I'm sure that this is part of his evil plan to take over the show eventually, but anyway, in these ridiculous boots he has on. Yes, sir. [00:09:14] Speaker B: First of all, let's not even start with my boots, okay? [00:09:18] Speaker A: Because they are you've been in Texas for like, one month, dude. Like one month I've been here. Okay, if you've been here, like, one month and you went in right away, went and bought yourself some boots ridiculous. First question. [00:09:32] Speaker B: Well, it's not a question. [00:09:33] Speaker A: It's a all right, fine. What's the request? Okay, I don't know how Delilah did. [00:09:38] Speaker B: Like, I can give this to you in, like, two different ways, by the way. [00:09:42] Speaker A: Okay? [00:09:43] Speaker B: So I can either ask you what quest and what kind of song you'd play, or I can request the song myself. [00:09:48] Speaker A: Are you going to make up voices? [00:09:51] Speaker B: So I was debating that as well and how I would oppose this, but that's up to you. [00:09:58] Speaker A: All right, fine. Just do it the second way where. [00:10:01] Speaker B: I request a song. [00:10:03] Speaker A: Yes. You're on the request line. God. Production. Hang up on this guy. Why are you taking so long? Please. Are you going to make it up or not? [00:10:16] Speaker B: I would like to honestly get your first let me do a mixture. [00:10:20] Speaker A: Oh, jeez. [00:10:20] Speaker B: I would like to see what you would actually do in what I think song request should have been. And we can let the viewers decide. [00:10:30] Speaker A: All two of you? I do. We're up to two, by the way. Very excited. [00:10:35] Speaker B: Yeah. And I will be pulling my ways I want so the first one is about going through a breakup. [00:10:44] Speaker A: Okay. [00:10:44] Speaker B: So initially it'd be like, hey, there. Going through a tough breakup. Feeling lost. It's like every song I hear echoes my heartache. Maybe you could play something that captures that feeling. So what would you play to capture this? You're going through a tough breakup. You're trying to figure things out, and everything you hear as you're driving and you're hearing the radio, it's constantly playing music and you're just like everything's just like hitting you. What would you think? [00:11:11] Speaker A: I feel like I would need more to this story. The immediate one that came to mind, I mean, it would depend. It would depend, like, who broke up with who if they want to get back with a person. If they don't, some breakups. You're thankful that they happen. The immediate one that came to my head was Tony braxton's unbreak my heart. But you don't want to get back with the person. You're feeling a little caddy. I would go with the olivia Rodrigo deja vu. I guess it just depends. [00:11:45] Speaker B: I was thinking Adele, someone like you we'll see. [00:11:49] Speaker A: Are you talking about, like, that kind of situation? [00:11:52] Speaker B: That's clearly what I described. [00:11:54] Speaker A: Okay. My brother's trying to prove to me that he's better at collecting songs. Adele, someone like you. It depends on the situation. Rolling in the deep could have did Roland, but that's what I'm saying. [00:12:09] Speaker B: Adele's pretty strong with twelve songs. [00:12:12] Speaker A: Yeah. Chasing pavements might do some chasing pavements depending on the situation. Tears dry on their own. Amy winehouse is one that just came to my head. Get gone. I don't know who sings that song, but that's, again, like a I want to say 112, but it might not be 112. Anyway, I would go something along those lines, but I guess it would really just depend. I mean, even taking it like really old school and random. There's this great song called silly and it's not Denise Williams, but it's like an old r b song. And that's a great song. Chain of fools, I don't know. Could do this all day. [00:13:01] Speaker B: I think that's the great conversation that we're trying to have here is that it's not so much like what is your request? Because radio shows didn't really go back and forth really quick. Hey, I got you. Let me play the song for you. Go into it. Well, that's why I said the conversation to more. [00:13:15] Speaker A: Yeah, okay, fine. So a huge part of that is the back and forth because maybe if you had told me that, I would have asked you. I would have been like, well, tell me more. Like, did you break up? Did they break up? Do you want to get back together. [00:13:28] Speaker B: Through a tough breakup? Was broken up with? [00:13:32] Speaker A: Not necessarily. [00:13:33] Speaker B: I think so. [00:13:33] Speaker A: All right. Broken up with, but do you want to get back with the person? What are you baby, come back. It goes so many different ways. [00:13:46] Speaker B: Okay, well, how about this? [00:13:48] Speaker A: Well, obviously, this is why I didn't take that job. [00:13:51] Speaker B: Next one is going to be a little bit more clear. [00:13:52] Speaker A: All right. [00:13:53] Speaker B: Shouldn't have so much ambiguousness to it. I lost someone dear to me and the pain is overwhelming. I just need something to help me heal. [00:14:06] Speaker A: The first song that comes to my head is this Mike and the mechanic song from the that is called in the Living Years. And I think it just kind of, again, like the idea of a great storyteller. I think it's just phenomenally done. And I would say when my dad actually did pass away when I was younger, it was somewhat of a saving grace song for me. So I would say that song because if nothing else, it warms the heart and it just kind of serves as this great reminder. We don't know how long someone is going to live. People can be gone in an instant. And so it's like rather than fight about these small and little petty things like just learn to love one another and appreciate each other for where you're at, where you're at and to love life. And I think that song in particular just really hits home for me. [00:15:18] Speaker B: I had Eric Clapton's Tears in Heaven. [00:15:21] Speaker A: Yeah, listen, it's probably not going to be typical. Tears in Heaven is a great song. Tears in Heaven just makes me like, man, it makes me cry a lot sometimes. Maybe not as much as it used to, but it's a good song. I'll allow it. [00:15:45] Speaker B: Longtime listener, first time caller, welcome. Struggling to find myself to get out to the gym, I need something to really just boost me and kick my butt into gear to where I'm like, hey, I got to achieve this. I got to do this. What are you going to psych me up with? [00:16:04] Speaker A: This is hard because it also okay, wait. Okay. Let me ask you this, caller. [00:16:10] Speaker B: Go for it. [00:16:12] Speaker A: What is the genre that you would prefer to be amped up by? [00:16:20] Speaker B: Something old school. Something that definitely can carry the vibe throughout the whole day. [00:16:27] Speaker A: I think as silly as this might sound, eye of the tiger. If you're thinking really old school. All right. We match. Haza. Eye of the tiger would be a good one. I personally like one of the theme songs from karate kid. You're the best around. I don't even know who sings that. That pumps me up. I like if I'm going just like random 80s when the going gets tough, tough get going. I used to listen to that. Their lose yourself by eminem. I know you used to be a big eminem fan. [00:17:07] Speaker B: I'm still am. [00:17:08] Speaker A: Yeah. I don't know this caller, but I sense it in the bones that he dyed his hair bleach blonde at one point because he was a big eminem fan. But eminem lose yourself would be a great one, man. You could just take it in so many different directions. It really just depends on what pumps you up sometimes. For me, it's like rihanna's, this is what you came. That gets me amped. I use a lot of beyonce songs when I'm running as well. Or cardi b. Actually. If I'm going to give one to just really get you motivated to move. One of my favorite songs, cardi b's get up ten just talks about the idea of knock me down nine times but I get up ten. I would say that song right there really gets me motivated to move. Matter of fact, that is my alarm song that goes off in the morning. I love that song, actually. I change it. It might be that song for like a real good starter. [00:18:24] Speaker B: Just ace my exams in college. Feeling on top of the world. Let's keep the celebration going. How are you going to keep the mood flowing? [00:18:34] Speaker A: I'm going to go with I don't know why this just popped in my head, but congratulations by post malone. I could also do congratulations. I think drake has a congratulations but for some reason post malone congratulations pops into my head. I love the idea of like especially people think you're not getting anywhere, you're not doing anything. People are always trying to down you in some kind of way and then all they can do is say congratulations. I love it. That was the first song that came to my head when you said that. Also celebration. I don't even know what the name of that song is. Celebrate good times. Come on. Depends on how old you want to go. Those are soul train awards. No, those are not soul train awards. [00:19:24] Speaker B: I had pharrell williams happy, but I also kind of like backed up with I think, like outcast just I don't know whether the song is fitting. The happy is for sure whether the haya is fitting. Just the beat of it is like a carry through. [00:19:40] Speaker A: Yeah. No, it's a great song. I mean, happy is, too, but if I was celebrating, too congratulations. [00:19:47] Speaker B: Yeah. How do you see your personal connection with music inspiring you to create just anything around you and its emotional impact to people's lives or your life in general? [00:20:01] Speaker A: I am so obsessed with music lyrics. I think a few well placed words can have such a huge impact and can really ignite, change, inspiration, motivation, can feel like a warm hug. Just if I think about all those different request line, let's say examples, right? Happy, sad, joyous. Just like there's an app for everything, there's music I feel like for everything, for every one of those things. And so I try to again in a very clever way weave that in little lyrics, little different ways of saying things that can have an impact. And so even if it's just like an Easter surprise egg to me, in some of the presentations that I do, I'm always trying to use words of encouragement, oftentimes by way of lyrics. When I think about if I see somebody sad like how I lift them up or what I would do sometimes it's just like, hey man, I heard this song and the song reminds me of you. I send people music a ton. So there's this whole big thing about love languages and I argue, right, like there's physical touch, words of information, blah, blah, blah. If I could create my own love language, it would be music. It would be the idea of sharing music. It would be the idea of going to concerts or live music or what have you and just kind of do these different things. To always have a way to have music just be a huge part of my life. [00:21:59] Speaker B: And this is just more of a side question to that as well. I just kind of thought of as you were speaking about that and its impact with music. Do you feel like there's different scenarios that you feel like music is more impactful and more welcomed into your daily life versus where you kind of just want to zone out and maybe it's not into maybe the time for music. And I'll give you the example. So when I'm driving, I tend to drive no music, like nothing around the radio. I want to feel like on the road and that could be just on how I drive. But when I am working, if I'm into any kind of coding or anything that's really deep into something having some kind of music on to I don't know feel like I'm just present in it is really great as far as how I can create things and how I can write things and how I would do that process. So do you see music as something that you do want to sit back, chill, listen to and enjoy the music as it is? Or do you feel like it can run with your life and integrate basically and just kind of go with you? [00:23:15] Speaker A: For me personally it's both. So if I'm making a big meal, especially if it's like, let's say Thanksgiving is coming up around the corner and I'm trying to make a meal for everybody, I'll kick on some music to help move the idea of cooking and baking whatever it is I'm doing along to kind of, like, help pass the time, do the same thing. Similar to what you're saying. If I'm really enmeshed in a project at work and oddly I need to focus, I'll put music on in the background to kind of help me do that. Similarly, when I have free time, I don't watch TV, I don't watch movies. I'll just sit there and listen to music and just kind of let it carry me away in a sense and just kind of take me oftentimes somewhere else and a daydream in my mind as the different songs kind of play out and I again totally key in on lyrics. And I'm also one of those people that lets the music kind of follows my mood. So I've got very specific playlists for kind of different situations, just a compilation of music that I like to listen to. I've got one that I listen to a ton called Morning Moves, which is just a whole bunch of songs that are very light rockish uplifting, but good songs to kind of give me positive energy to start the morning. [00:24:51] Speaker B: Can you share a specific moment from your life when a particular song had a profound impact on your emotions and helped you navigate through that challenging situation? [00:25:02] Speaker A: There is this song called Drive by the Cars and it's an 80s song. Well, after our dad died, I struggled to sleep so bad for years. And so what I would do was I would have my little boombox right next to my bed and I would have like a soft rock radio station on to help me fall asleep. And one of the songs that they played probably almost every night was Drive By the Cars. And that song was just so soothing to me and brought me so much comfort in such a chaotic and sad time in my life. I think it's one of those times where it's like music literally saved my life because it was like we didn't necessarily have someone to comfort us, but the music there was there to comfort me. The music is always there. So I think that's a large part of the reason why I lean on it so much. It's, like, literally saved my life quite a few times in my life. Drive by the Cars definitely one of my favorite songs of all time. [00:26:21] Speaker B: When you're curating a playlist, whether it's just in general or for a specific reason, how do you choose the songs that resonate to you and keep it in mind that especially general ones, you want to have that wide range of emotions and experiences that all tie together. How do you create your ideal playlist? [00:26:43] Speaker A: Some of them I categorize by year or genre. I have probably my most nerdiest, but also one of my favorites is called Control Alt Rock, which is a riff off of Control Alt Delete, the computer thing. And so anyway, it's just this massive playlist that I have of alt rock from the it's really just kind of if I'm thinking about the summertime around then, what was on the radio? I was a big radio listener. What CDs did I have in my CD book around that time, around that genre? And I'll go through some of my favorite albums and then I'll just kind of add them in groupings. And then sometimes the list is ever evolving. Actually, most times all of my playlists are ever evolving. And so sometimes I'll be at the grocery store, I'll be at a restaurant or I'll be somewhere and I'll hear a song that reminds me of that specific time period and add it to my playlist right away, even if I didn't necessarily hear it or it didn't have a memory for me back then. There's this song called Hacienda. Motel or hotel? Hacienda motel, I think by this group pickwick. And I just love this song. But I heard it at a restaurant. Like, I'd never heard it before. I heard it at a restaurant and I was like, you need to find that song and add it to my playlist. And so I ended up finding it. It's like one of my favorite songs on that playlist. But it's not like, let's say, for example, the Strokes is this. It is like one of my favorite albums. And so I've got every song from that album on that playlist. Incubus stellar drive. There's all sorts of megalomaniac. I've got all sorts of Incubus songs on there smashing Pumpkins and so oftentimes it's by year. But then I do have playlists. So I do have one that's specifically for heartbreak, but not know Tony Braxton. Unbreak my heart. Heartbreak. This is more like Middle Finger heartbreak. Like you broke my heart. That's fine. There's a song that I'm just all the broken hearts in the world still. Beat it's, girls. Chase Boys. I forgot what the girls ingrid Michaels, I think, sings that. But anyway, so it just depends. It depends on what I'm going through. There's happier playlists. There's sad ones on there too. I try not to anchor too much to the sad ones these days just because unfortunately fortunately, I don't know, music can impact my mood. So I also try to be mindful of that. I've got a ton of workout playlists and it just kind of depends on what mode I'm in. [00:29:53] Speaker B: I have playlists for everything, including depression. [00:29:59] Speaker A: But that's the thing. It's like if you have the playlist for depression, it can keep you in the loop. [00:30:08] Speaker B: For me, it just works it toward. [00:30:10] Speaker A: Like to move you out of it, right? Oh, yeah, I've got ones like that too, but some of them are sad. I do have really sad playlists, self worth playlist, happy playlist. [00:30:30] Speaker B: Sometimes it's not even like don't be wrong. They're all like depression songs. But you ever have this thing where it's like you think you're in a bad situation and you see somebody else's situation. And you're like, yeah, I'm not there. [00:30:46] Speaker A: It's not that bad. Some of the songs are just like, that ain't happened to me. [00:30:51] Speaker B: This person's really going through something that's kind of the depression tracks I have when I do something like that. How do you believe, obviously with music as is powerful with you, how do you believe music has the power to shape and influence our identities and the way we perceive the world around us in moments of anything that's going on? I have the tiger plane. It changes the movement. Do you ever see those things where maybe not you, but I've seen things where the context of a movie scene is completely different with different music behind it. You have this leading music, but how does that change for you, man? [00:31:38] Speaker A: Few well placed notes, a song. We hosted this event at work one time and I was like, dude, you got to start I'm talking to the DJ. I'm like, you got to start with something that's going to resonate with everyone, but that tells them like, the party is now. And this dude kicked on. One of my favorite songs of all. This is how we do it by Montel Jordan. And I was just the stuff. That's the power of a great DJ too, because I didn't give him a whole lot to go on. I'm like, dude, it's got to be diverse and it's got to just let people know that the party is here. I think music is incredibly important in that way. When I eventually start to do like motivational speaking, that's one of my goals is to do that for a living. I will 10,000% have a Walkout song. I had a walkout song plan for when I was going to be a wrestler. I had a Walkout song when I thought I was going to be a kickboxer. I got Walkout songs for everything. I think it sets the tone and to your point, a good melody, a good hook, a good song. That's universal. And I think that's the thing too universal. If you think about all the different languages, all the different cultures, all the different people in the world, one of the coolest things is when there is a song playing and it don't matter what language you speak, black, white, republican, democrat, left hand, right hand, it does not matter. You're getting up out of your seat because you just feel this song. And I love it when a song is just so universal like that, that it can get people to want to move a mountain, to feel inspired that they can move a mountain. [00:33:41] Speaker B: So I feel about outkast like all of outcast well, like, they're like, hey and shake it like a speaker box. [00:33:49] Speaker A: And the love below. [00:33:51] Speaker B: Just the way that it's hard to get through a song and not and not feel it. [00:33:57] Speaker A: And that's how it is. You brought up Pharrell's. Happy is like that. Too, right? Where it's just like you see everybody just kind of even if you don't speak that language, you know that song when it comes on. [00:34:09] Speaker B: Do you have any memorable stories of any time you've ever given advice to somebody and it was basically, Listen to this? [00:34:17] Speaker A: I would really have to think about that because I send people songs all the time. Did I send you one? [00:34:25] Speaker B: I don't think I've ever prize surprise. [00:34:30] Speaker A: I guess that is the song. That's hilarious. [00:34:34] Speaker B: You sent that to me multiple times. [00:34:37] Speaker A: Like, it's brand new every time. [00:34:41] Speaker B: Yeah. I don't know if you've ever sent me a song that's specifically for a situation. [00:34:47] Speaker A: I send songs to every. [00:34:49] Speaker B: Do you have a list of songs? Are your go to songs for if my friend is doing something or is. [00:34:56] Speaker A: It curated per person by a person by person? So I have songs I'll tell you this, I don't know if they have impact yet, but I have asked them repeatedly, keep these songs in their hearts long after I'm gone as like a dog whistle, if you will, to them from when hopefully I make it to heaven is I've given each of my kids a song. And so my oldest, when I was pregnant with him, I always listened to with Arms Wide Open by Creed. Creed. I'm pretty sure it's I every periodically I send that to him and I'm like, hey, don't forget the song. Don't forget the song. Because for me, it's almost the reverse. It's me telling him in a song how I feel about him, how important, how loved he is for being my first born and how excited I was when I was pregnant with him. So it's kind of like a special thing that I send to him. My middle son my middle son is my little Valentine, who he's so hard headed, he doesn't act like a valentine at all. But his song is Benny and the jets because that's the reason why his name is Benny is Benny and the so and that song is also huge for me. Benny and the jets by Elton John. Because when I was younger and I was in my room, I'd be dancing around and just in my head have these visions of me be this Benny character that Elton John talked about. Like, what would I look like if I was like Benny in the jets? And so it has, like, a deep, profound meaning for me. And then the last one is my favorite because I'm interested to see where he'll take it. But he loves the song. I still haven't Found What I'm Looking For by YouTube, and I'm not the biggest fan of YouTube, but that song is one of my favorite songs and it's one that I have on repeat lately because I'm kind of in that part of life right now where it's like, what's my purpose? What's the journey? What am I really looking for? And ultimately the answer is myself looking within because that's all we're on the search for is who we really are within. And so I'm super excited to see what he'll end up doing with that song. But those are the songs that I would say are kind of in the reverse question of what you ask. Like my messages to my kids in kind of each in their own way. [00:37:44] Speaker B: Ask you a bit of a controversial question but there's obviously a big evolution in music as this time goes by. One of the things that obviously people will tend to is this movement in rap where it's like you have these mumble rappers or anything like that that are just like they've already been very clear to say that they do this. Not seriously about the music. And some of people don't want to even call it music, but there's this motion of way people's attention spans are with obviously TikToks and things like that. One of the OG rappers, and I want to say it was someone, but I don't want to put their name out there and tie them to it, but it was one of the original OG rappers and they weren't mad about it. What they said was that music evolves and that's where the state is, that's what it is. You just got to accept it for what it is. What do you think of that? What do you think of people that don't actually take the pride in the craft and they just kind of produce stuff out just to make money? Obviously as his music is a big business versus people that actually hone their craft. As you were mentioning before, Eminem can lyrically write and really put time and effort into the work that he does. [00:39:11] Speaker A: I'm indifferent in the sense that everyone has the free will to do whatever they want, right? Like everyone can live and be in their life however they want. I would not necessarily choose to listen to that, but that's my choice. There's so much music to last like ten lifetimes over that if you don't want to listen to it, you don't ever have to listen to it. If that's art to them or if that's just a way that they want to make money, that's what people are going to do. There's baseball players, basketball players, I'm sure football players that take steroids, you could even argue in that. That takes away from the sport like the competitive nature because you're giving yourself an advantage. [00:39:59] Speaker B: But they ban those players. They'll ban those players. Yeah, they'll remove any awards. [00:40:05] Speaker A: Okay, fine, but do you know what I'm saying? There's going to be people who are out just to make money. There's going to be dishonest people. That's always going to be whether or not that's where the state of music winds up to me is irrelevant. One of the things I love to do is search for new old music so this is like me digging through vinyls or old playlists and just finding music that already exists. So what people do today is really irrelevant to me. [00:40:44] Speaker B: Would you call it music, though? [00:40:50] Speaker A: Yeah, I would, because and here's why. One of the coolest things that I've ever heard that I do consider music is one day I was at a freaking airport coming down the escalator, and I could see this guy, like a limo driver waiting for his customer. And I'm looking at him, and he's tapping the sign, and he's moving his head. And then I was like, man, what is that sound? And then I look, and he's tapping the sign to the beat of the conveyor of the baggage claim and, like, some rickety light. And it was, like, one of the coolest sounds I ever heard. So cool that I like, literally I was like, dude, that's so amazing what you're doing right now, even if it's not what people would traditionally consider get, I'll give you one better. Like, forget about that for a second. There was an artist, and I feel like it might be Post Malone that was talking about the idea of, you know, someone asked him, well, what do you think about AI as it relates to music? He's like, Dude, AI could very well put me out of a job. And they're like, no, I think it was Postmology was someone he was like, no, you're so and so. And he's like, no, I don't think you understand. You can literally part of the experience as a musician, right, is to be able to connect with the audience. And when you sing songs and when you think about universal songs, the point is that even if the song is not, it feels like it's about you, right? Like, it feels like your situation. It feels like someone gets you. Well, his point about AI was that eventually and what's already happening is you can tell AI. AI, write me a song in Post Malone's voice about this breakup that I had with a girl on a know, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's, like, truly personal, right? So it's like, if they can begin to create their own music like that, what do they need the artists for? [00:43:04] Speaker B: Performances. I think concerts are still going to be around, dude. [00:43:07] Speaker A: Okay, let me tell you something about concerts. Since you brought up concerts, bad bunny with your ridiculous ass ticket prices. I'm still mad. I'm still mad. I was trying to take my son. I can't even take my son now because I can't be paying that kind I can't be paying $2,000 to come see you in concert, sir. Wrong. That is just wrong of you. [00:43:33] Speaker B: What do you think is probably your biggest concert you ever attended? Either through emotions or through like it was just a big event. [00:43:46] Speaker A: Uh, probably Paul McCartney Lalapalooza at Lala Palooza, like, five or six years ago, we literally camped out at the gates at 06:00 A.m. Because it was like, when else was I going to be able to afford the opportunity to be front road to see Paul McCartney? At the time? At the time, I wasn't making money. I'm making now. [00:44:13] Speaker B: Were you still in Chicago at the time? [00:44:14] Speaker A: Yeah, I was still in Chicago. We camped out for like 06:00 A.m. And my partner at the time like, dude, thank God that guy could run because at the time, I was out of shape and I could not run. And he got to the front row of the gate and we literally camped out there all day. What I love about that day and now it just reinforces even more that that was so magical was that the opening acts were like, SZA right before she came up. She was like the very first one glass Animals we watched perform Alabama Shakes. So it was just, I think, Cold War kids. It was just like a killer lineup that whole day. And then at know to see have Chicago in the background, be on the rail, like right in the middle to see Paul McCartney perform. He had this rising thing that he performed on his roadie manager. Somebody gave me a pick, like a guitar pick of Paul McCartney's. Perry Farrell from Jane's Addiction came out when he was singing. Helter Skelter was like, right in front of us. We were jamming with him. Just so many great moments. I had randomly reached out to people on Reddit because I love to reddit. And I was like, hey, we're going to try to do Paul McCartney. Anybody else like Paul McCartney fans? So, like five or six people were also there to share in the experience. Met some random guy that had a suitcase that he had been to, I don't know, like a hundred Paul McCartney shows. Like, I think he was on LSD. I'm not even just like, it was it was like it was just so amazing. And Paul McCartney sounded amazing. And so it was just like this really magical time know hold near and dear to my heart because it was just and it wasn't just Paul McCartney, like, freaking Alabama Shakes. She came out I think her name is Brittany. She came out and she sang with him. And then even as Alabama Shakes performed, like, that was amazing. Szzle was amazing. Glass Animals, it was just know, on that one stage was just so cool. [00:46:46] Speaker B: Music is always incorporated in a lot of different medias, whether it's TV shows, movies, obviously that brings in a big background because of its effects. It has video games I think are the same thing. What do you think is probably your most memorable video game music that you've ever heard that you think of? Like, if you hear it, even like a small bit of it, you can remember that game Paint It Black Twisted Metal. [00:47:12] Speaker A: Yes, because when that came out, I was like and that was an instance of like I've loved Rolling Stones my whole life, but it was just like when that came on, I was like and then it was like did you. [00:47:29] Speaker B: See the TV show Twisted Metal? [00:47:32] Speaker A: Oh, no, I don't watch TV, dude. I didn't know they had one. [00:47:36] Speaker B: It's on peacock, I think. [00:47:38] Speaker A: All right. I haven't seen it, but I would say, like, yeah, number one, for sure. [00:47:43] Speaker B: Beyond emotional impact, do you think certain songs or genres have the power to bring people together, fostering a sense of community and shared experience? [00:47:52] Speaker A: As silly as it sounds, freaking that song, We Are the World. I remember when I was younger, there was like a whole day where they're like, we're going to play this song and people are going to join hands in the street. And I was like, I was young when it happened, but I'll be damn. Like, people got out in the streets to go hold hands for like five to ten minutes in Lansing, Illinois because of this song. So I do think that with the right song, with the right mix of people with the right artists, yeah. You can bring some things together. I think one of the things that I'll tell you another way that's really interesting too, maybe not necessarily bringing things together, but I think one of the reasons I think Kanye West is actually like, lyrical genius is Jesus Walks. He says it in the song. When would you ever expect I know exactly what club I was in. I was in a bar. I think it was called like Mad Dogs or something in I wasn't I was at Butch McGuire's. I take that back. I was at this place called Butch McGuire's in Chicago when that song came on. And I know for the exact reason, he said, who's ever going to let them play a song about Jesus in the club? And there we were like, Jesus. So I think things like that are even super cool, where it's something like out of the blue, if you think about music has that impact. Right? I can tell you where I was when I heard certain songs. They were that impactful for whatever reason. Maybe in the beginning, it's just like a beat or a melody or whatever. Music really does have that ability to really just tug at people and hit them in ways that maybe sometimes when you're just speaking words to a person, it won't necessarily click. Yeah. [00:49:59] Speaker B: And plus, with all the festivals, you see some of these things that go know, just not even just lollapalooza, but there's so many different festivals that people just go to, and they have to go to them because there's like people they only see at these festivals. And that connection, that community that they've built is pretty inspiring when you look at what really brought it together is the music part. [00:50:22] Speaker A: Now that you say that, it's insane. Because I huge part of the reason. Swear that I even really lit a fire to start my podcast was back in May. I went to a music festival in Vegas called Lovers and Friends. It was like ninety s, two thousand s hip hop, R and B. I dressed up as Alia. I went with my best friend Leela and her husband. But we met this lady the night before and her name is Nikki. And we got to talking like a million different things. But first initially just connected on music. Like, we're at this bar in not the Palazzo, maybe the Palazzo, I don't know, it was somewhere. We were in a nice place, right? Like, we're in this bar and this song came on. All these songs came on, and we just got to talking to this girl and connecting, and she was telling me about what she does and she's like a coach. So she's telling me, she's like, what are you trying to do? And I was like, oh, I have a really good corporate job, but there's other things I want to do in life. I want to do this podcast. I want to talk about music. She's like, you should do it, you should just do it and blah, blah, blah. And that is a huge part of the reason. I'm like, you know what? She's right. I should just do it. Why don't I? Who cares? No one will listen. I'll just do it anyway. And I'll enjoy what I do. And so even that is an incredible way that music brought us together, right? Made a connection. We might not talk otherwise in life, but it's just like this one moment that we share as part of like I don't think it was like a biggie song playing that we shared that was just so cool. So cool. And I probably might not even start this if it wasn't having met her and having that conversation with her. [00:52:28] Speaker B: It's definitely an impact that you had just based on the music event. It's pretty dope just in conversations because I don't think how many times you ever get to ask about music random conversations. But what is your opinion on One Hit Wonders and what do you think was probably your favorite or your most memorable one Hit Wonders. And you wonder where music would be if they had continued like they were that good, but for some reason they never took off. [00:53:03] Speaker A: I freaking love one hit wonders. Love one hit wonders. Could I say Montel Jordan was a I can't name any other Montel Jordan song. It's not that I'm sure he did, but that song is such a feel good song. That song reminds me so much of Chicago back in the city. Hanging out with family just gives this total vibe. And I love in that song too. On the close of the song, he's got like legitimately, I'm pretty sure it feels like it is like his barber or something that calls him, and he's like, hey, dude, I think you're going to blow up. You're going to make it, blah, blah, blah. And I love that he put that in there because it's just like this very real moment. I hope it's real. I'll be so sad if it's not. But that he talks about, hey, man, I think you're going to blow up and you're going to do it. And it's just like this dude's random barber. Because I feel like there's always someone who believes in you before you believe in yourself. And in that little piece of the song, I feel it's not even really a song. It's just the guy on a recording is just so great. And it's like, I would love to see people who have one hit wonders just like not be one hit wonders and take off. And so my heart goes out to them because they pour into music just to kind of on the contrast of what you were talking about earlier about these people who don't really care. These people pour in, a lot of them. And so I wish they could, but if nothing else, they got one song that's one more than I got. That's one more than you got. So kudos to them. [00:54:53] Speaker B: Yeah. Final question to end this around your podcast as well. If you were to hit your highest success, you're at 100th episode, what music song would you play? If you could play the music, obviously, copyright reasons and or on that hundredth episode, if I can secure a musician dead or alive at any point, just random. Just anybody, who would you choose that you'd want to have that podcast with? [00:55:27] Speaker A: No brainer? Pit Bull. The name of my podcast is Every Day Above Ground. That comes from his song with I think it's neo called Time of Our Lives. And that song just if you want to talk about a song that just gets me out of whatever it is that I'm feeling, it's that song. At the very end of that song, pitbull says, this is for everyone going through tough times. Believe me, been there, done that. But every Day above ground is a great day. Remember that I could have that man on the hundredth episode singing that song. Just even that line, the whole song is a banger. But that line right there, it's literally the name of my podcast. There could be no other choice. No other choice. [00:56:22] Speaker B: So not only would it be that song playing, but you'd have Pit Bull as for sure. Okay. [00:56:26] Speaker A: For sure. If I could let's manifest it. Let's make it happen. [00:56:31] Speaker B: Did you want to cut it down to like the 50th? [00:56:35] Speaker A: No, because we're going to need to build up some funds to make that happen. We have to throw a Hail Mary to make that happen. But that'd be dope. [00:56:46] Speaker B: Let's put that out into the universe. All right. That's all I got. [00:56:53] Speaker A: Would you turn yourself off? Okay. All right. [00:56:59] Speaker B: Well, I guess I keep talking if you'd like me to. [00:57:02] Speaker A: No, I'm just thinking as a close, I think that was part of the thing, too. Every day above ground is a great day. Remember that. Some of the key lyrics, I think that just repeat in my head. That's certainly like, number one, for sure. There's also this part in an Aerosmith song that at the very end, this song called amazing, which is an amazing song. And he says, at the very end, you know, the light at the end of the tunnel may be you. And so I just want to leave you viewers, listeners, with that. Tell me, share with me anytime, anytime, about music. I love to talk about music. I especially love to talk about key lyrics. There's one that I've been playing with lately a lot, and that is Janelle Monet says, in a song I heard, this life is just a play with no rehearsal. So think about that. There's no right, there's no wrong. It's just life with no rehearsal. Until next time, remember, every day above ground is a great thing. [00:58:23] Speaker B: Tim McGraw, live like you're dying. [00:58:25] Speaker A: What? [00:58:26] Speaker B: Tim McGraw, live like you're dying. [00:58:29] Speaker A: I've not heard that song. [00:58:30] Speaker B: You never heard? [00:58:31] Speaker A: We've gone through a whole episode where I've been able to Ratle off, like, every single song that you've given me until this one. You wait till the very end. [00:58:38] Speaker B: Well, you were toss me. [00:58:40] Speaker A: You turned your mic back on. Toss me a song. I don't know. You discredit me to all my listeners. Do you know how hard I work to build up one? I got one. And now you're going to discredit me to my one listener? [00:58:56] Speaker B: I'm just saying it's a good song if you never heard it. Never again. [00:59:00] Speaker A: No. Now I'm going to have to go listen, otherwise I'm going to look like a total liar. [00:59:05] Speaker B: And I'm not even, like, in big country either, but it was like, one of the few that I just feel. [00:59:09] Speaker A: Like I'm not big country either. But you know what song I do love is traveler by Chris Stapleton. I freaking love that song. I had to hum that song to someone to figure it out. [00:59:25] Speaker B: You didn't just show me shazam it? [00:59:27] Speaker A: No, because I don't know why I didn't shazam it. I don't always think of, you know what, I don't think of shazam. And then the one time I tried to use it in a target, it didn't work, and I ended up spending years looking for that song. I found it, by the way, randomly. But, yeah, shazam is helpful when it's helpful, and it's not when it's not.