They say that smell is the strongest sense tied to memory. If “they” say it, how can it be wrong? But I’ve always found nothing brings back a vivid memory like listening to music. I could list pages of songs and the memories they bring back. Lady in Red is sure to send me back to the first high school dance I took a girlfriend to. Ironically, she was wearing green. Porno for Pyros’ song Pets will put me on a boat with a friend I no longer know. There were cows in the water. We honked a horn at them. A slew of songs including Come on Eileen and Banditos will take me to Higgins Lake. That’s where I met Kelly from Ohio. That’s where Mark nearly fell out of the attic naked. Somebody left open ranch dressing packets in my car and I have roll the windows down when I drive to pick up a new boat battery.

Laid – I’m in East Lansing at P.T. O’Malley’s, drunk off of 7 and 7’s with Mark. I’m drawing attention to myself because the guitar player refuses to play American Pie this early in the night. Mark has called out Laid and we sit at the bar singing and drinking. The bartender is cute and I’m fairly certain she’s been checking me out. It’s a good night.

Anything by Harry Manx and I’m back at the Kraftbrau, a rustic brewery in my college town. Manx is blending Indian Ragas with Deep Mississippi Blues on the small stage and my back is against the wall. There is dark beer and hardwood floors. It’s cold because the door is always open, but the atmosphere is great and the music wonderful.

Sara, without an H. Her friend Justin introduced me to The Aquabats and a song called Chemical Bomb. Justin was funny, Sara was cute. She gave me her number but I never called. I met her during the final death throws of my relationship with Alisa. We’re in class listening to music as part of a lesson. Justin is standing next to the little CD player while his song is played. Sara, without an H, I walked her to her car the last night I saw her. Chemical Bomb, up-tempo, happy music masking dark and ominous lyrics.

I’m in the car with Jen. She’s driving because I haven’t bothered to learn the town yet. There is snow on the ground but the car is nice and warm. The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion is screaming at us through her car stereo. We park but don’t get out yet because Can’t Stop is on and we have to hear that one line. “Throw your hands in the air… And kiss my ass, ‘cause your girlfriend still loves me.” Then we can get out and walk up the dangerous narrow stairs to her apartment.

Bryan is singing Mr. Jones in the basement of Benjo’s house. I’m wearing my PacMan ringer and hoping there were no hidden stains on it about to be revealed by the black light. It’s the last time I will see him or Sarah before they move to California. I know I will miss my sister but at the moment I’m worried people will mistake her for my girlfriend because we’ve sort of paired up; neither of us know many people. There is writing on the basement wall and Christmas lights strung up around the heating ducts. Somebody is smoking a clove cigar.

I’m eating Burger King in my car on the way to Grand Rapids. The Celtic song, Courtin’ in the Kitchen, is playing for the second time but the traffic is heavy and I’m not familiar with the directions. It’s cool outside and the sun is about to go down but I’m almost there. I call Mark for confirmation that I’m headed the right way but we talk until I’m almost at the doorstep. We’re both bored, but things are about to get a whole lot more fun.

If I stop and close my eyes during every one of these songs and many, many more, I can see, hear, smell and feel everything going on around me.