Ain't that a shame...my tears fell like rain...

The American Graffiti soundtrack is quite possibly one of my favourite soundtracks of all time. I can credit this to my father. My favourite memories from childhood consist of me curling up with my father on a Saturday night in his favourite chair as we listened to his record collection. This almost entirely consisted of fifties rock n roll and motown. My first memory dates back to listening to records with my father, seeing how his eyes lit up and a smile crossed his face when these songs crackled through the speakers. For hours on end we would listen to Chuck Berry, the Beatles, Fats Domino, Otis Redding, Buddy Holly, The Beach Boys and the list goes on forever...

My father is an honest man who worked very hard to support his family. When he wasn't being a hero and saving lives in his day job as a firefighter, he was painting houses on his days off to ensure we were sheltered, clothed and fed. With all the stresses my father endured in his day to day life, he could always come home to his favourite chair and his favourite records and lose himself for hours. I felt honoured that he let me into his secret club. I became a full fledged member.

Although as I got older, I discovered my own brands of music that my father couldn't possibly understand or like, but I know he always appreciated that I loved music as much as he does. I think he knows that he instilled that deep within me, and I will forever be greatful to my father for showing me how amazing music is from such an early age.

Twenty some odd years later, here I sit alone in my apartment in something that could be referred to as my favourite chair, as it is the chair I spend the majority of my home time in, listening to the music he showed me all those years ago. And that makes me smile.