The Death of James Brown

The "Godfather of Soul" died on Christmas Day and he died in Augusta, Georgia, right across the river from where I went to high school. For me his most famous song was "I Feel Good" and I can't help but get a big smile on my face when I hear that song. that song actually does make me feel good and his sincerity just comes right through. James Brown wrote a lot of songs that mean a lot to many people. I can't say that most of it was my cup of tea but I certainly respect the man as a very creative musician who had many barriers to break down in order to acheive the success he did acheive. Long live James Brown!!

How does music affect us Babyboomers?

We all know that music makes us feel good, right? It brings back happy memories, gives us energy, calms us down and generally feeds our spirits. How does this happen?? Well, there is a process called entrainment, whereby the components of music: rhythm, melody, mood of music, etc., synchronize with your own biorhythms (heartbeat and breathing). Sooo, when you listen to a favorite song from the 50's, 60's or even 70's, your brain and body are flooded with memories, endorphines, dopamine and other "feel-good" chemicals. It's the best way to get a "natural high." Give it a try!

Also, wanted to let you know about a Holiday Sale on my website for those of you who might still have some last-minute shopping to do. I'm offering a free electronic version of any of my products if you buy the hard copy of a CD, tape, or book! It's a deal you can't beat! Also, if you want to purchase a personal consult with me about a problem or diagnosis or just how music can improve your life, http:www.HealingMusicEnterprises.com/NeedLast-minutegifts.htm

Baby Boomers and Christmas Music

If you're on the older side of the Baby Boom, like me, you grew up with the Holiday music of the 1950's. Songs like "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Raindeer" and "All I want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth." Hearing those songs makes me smile and my brain is flooded with memories which in turn creates and flood of serotonin and endorphins. For a brief period I feel no pain whatsoever and I am transported to happy childhood memories and times. How about you??

It's My Party and I'll Cry if I want to

This past week-end I went home to the little college town in the deep South where I grew up. While taking a walk one evening in my old neighborhood I began thinking of that music that I loved and danced to and went to sleep to every night. I felt a little sad about all the things I didn't know and understand back then and then I thought of the song "It's My Party and I'll Cry if I want to." I remember hearing it for the first time when I was riding home from Jr. High on the city bus. I loved the idea that it was my party and I could cry if I wanted to. The year before, I had danced to and liked the song "Big Girls Don't Cry" so this was the opposite sentiment and I prefered being able to cry if I wanted. Still do!

Baby Boomers divided between 50's faves and 60's faves

Judging by the informal research I have done when I go out to speak, the baby boomers favorite music is pretty easily divided between the early rock and roll of the 50's, like Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis, Peggy Lee, Brenda Lee, Fats Domino, The Platters and the classic rock of the 60's. You know who they are!! I'd love to know what your favorite baby boomer music is. Research done by music therapists and others has shown that it's the music of our courting years that we really love when we hit our "golden years."

Make sure to know when your favorite music is from your courting years and write it down for later. You'll be glad you did!

Did your teenage music give you unrealistic ideas?

I know that when I was in high school (1963-1966) I loved to listen to "Johnny Angel" "Leader of the Pack" "Cupid" "Soldier Boy" and other such songs that glamorized the "bad boy" and oftentimes the "bad girl." At the same time, the movies I went to were Doris Day and Hayley Mills and Annette Funicello. By the 70's I was listening to the Carpenters and all of the co-dependent messages about not being able to live with "whomever, whatever..."

Sadly, many of the clients I work with have never questioned these premises and as a result they are in miserable relationships and have unrealistic ideas and expectations of themselves and their spouses. One of things I do as a therapist is to look at some of these erroneous and faulty beliefs and re-write them to match their dreams and goals for life.

Interested in doing this? Contact me at chantdoc@healingmusicenterprises.com and set up a consult! Thank you!

Bus Songs from Baby Boomers

Recently I was looking on the internet for sites about baby boomers. I came across a site for all the songs the we sang on school bus trips during the 70's. Below, please find this list. I do remember many of them, do you??

The Ants Go Marching Bear Song Billboard Song Bingo Boom a Chicka The Bus Driver Cannibal King Comet Down By the Bay Everywhere We Go-O Father Abraham Fee-Fi Flea Fuzzy Wuzzy Glory, Glory, Halleluia Harlem Goat Herman (I Was Sittin' On a Fencepost) Hole in the Bottom of the Sea I'd Rather Suck on a Lemon I'm Gonna Eat Some Worms Old Hyram's Goat On Top of Spagetti 100 Bottles of Beer Oooie Gooie Popeye, The Sailor Man Roll Over Rubber Dolly She Sat On a Fencepost Sippin'Cider The Song That Never Ends The Song That Gets On Everybody's Nerves The Tarzan Song There Goes Teacher Titanic Tra La La Boom Di-ay The Tree Song The Wheels On the Bus (Go 'Round and 'Round) This Old Man Yogi Bear

Let me know what YOU remember!

40th Reunion Report!

Well, the 40th high school reunion has come and gone and I think we all really had a good time!

Even though I only went to this high school for my senior year, I made some good friends there and many of them attended the reunion and came from far, far away. It was impressive! Now I'm looking forward to the 50th reunion and wondering how we'll all look then.

A few weeks ago I had listed some of my favorite songs from 1966 and sure enough that's what the DJ was playing. I still am amazed at how music can bring back soooo many memories. Apparently, the neuro-hormones and neurotransmitters that course through our brains and bodies when we're teenagers really lock in the associations between the music and the "feel-good feelings!" Today, we can listen to the same songs and get a surge of great memories and feelings. And you don't even have to be a member of the Class of 1966! :-)

As I thought about my reunion I started to think and read more and more about the Baby Boomer Generation. I know that as we age we are going to want more and more information about retirement, investments, health issues and lots more. Now, I have created a site called "BabyBoomerArticles.com" Please visit my site and tell your friends about it as one-stop shopping for information of all kinds geared to Baby Boomers. Remember, http://www.babyboomerarticles.com/.

I'll stop for now because I've got some other exciting information for you later this week!

As always, feel free to forward this to all your friends and interested folks!

Keep the music playing!

Alice

Baby Boomer Quiz

You may have seen this, but I thought it was kind of cute:

01. After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, the grateful citizens would ask, Who was that masked man? Invariably, someone would answer, I don't know, but he left this behind. What did he leave behind?____________
02. When the Beatles first came to the U.S. in early 1964, we all watched them on The __________________ Show.
03. "Get your kicks, ___________________."
04. "The story you are about to see if true. The names have been changed___________________."
05. "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, ________________."
06. After the Twist, The Mashed Potato, and the Watusi, we "danced" under a stick that was lowered as low as we could go in a dance called the "_____________."
07. "N_E_S_T_L_E_S", Nestle's makes the very best _______________." 08. Satchmo was America's "Ambassador of Goodwill." Our parents shared this great jazz trumpet player with us. His name was _________________. 09. What takes a licking and keeps on ticking? _______________
10. Red Skelton's hobo character was named __________________ and Red always ended his television show by saying, "Good Night, and
"_______________".
11. Some Americans who protested the Vietnam War did so by burning their____________.
12. The cute little car with the engine in the back and the trunk in the front was called the VW. What other names did it go by? ____________ & _______________.
13. In 1971, singer Don MacLean sang a song about, "the day the music died." This was a tribute to ___________________.
14. We can remember the first satellite placed into orbit. The Russians did it. It was called ___________________.
15. One of the big fads of the late 50's and 60's was a large plastic ring that we twirled around our waist. It was called the ________- ________

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ANSWERS: 01. The Lone Ranger left behind a silver bullet. 02. The Ed Sullivan Show 03. On Route! 66 04. To protect the innocent. 05. The Lion sleeps tonight 06. The limbo 07. Chocolate 08. Louis Armstrong 09. The Timex watch 10. Freddy, The Freeloader, and "Good Night, and may God Bless." 11. Draft c ards (Bras were also burned.) 12. Beetle or Bug 13. Buddy Holly 14. Sputnik 15. Hoola-hoop Send this to your "old" friends. It will drive them
crazy! And, keep them busy and let them forget their aches and pains for a few minutes

Have you been to a high school reunion?

This weekend I am going to my 40th high school reunion in Aiken, S.C. I only went there for one year, my final year in high school. Even though I was not a happy camper at first, I met some great kids, had some wonderful teachers (Bobo, Barlow, and Butler) and danced and dated to some great music! Much of this music brings back surges of memories and emotion. Among my faves:

Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations
Born Free - Roger Williams
California Dreamin' - The Mamas & The Papas
Cherish - The Association
Devil with a Blue Dress On
Winchester Cathedral
When A Man Loves A Woman - Percy Sledge
These Boots Are Made for Walkin - Nancy Sinatra
Supremes - "You Can't Hurry Love"
Eleanor Rigby - The Beatles
Wipe Out - Surfaris

I'm wondering if I'll see my old boyfriend...I'll keep you posted!

P.S. I did see my old boyfriend!

Pay Attention to Your "Courting" Music

Are you worried that perhaps one day you'll get Alzheimer's disease? Rather than worry about it, there is something contructive you can do! There is ample research documenting the fact that people who have Alzheimer's disease can often remember, recognize, and sing along to the music of their "courting years!" In study after study, patients who no longer recognized their family members or even remembered their own name, heard some music on the piano, another instrument or just people singing, and the patient started singing along too, often remembering verse after verse.

So what can YOU do? Start making a list of all the music you loved when you were in high school, college and probably through your 20's. It could be the best medicine you have!

What was the music YOU fell in love to?

I dont know about you, but when I was 12-13 in the early 60's I had a little radio by me bedside. Late at night in my bedroom in S.C. I could get WGN in Chicago! I thought that was pretty awesome. I can remember lying in my bed listening to "Soldier Boy" and "Cupid" and dreaming of the day I would be a "real teen-ager" with a steady boyfriend and lots of parties and dances to go to. The picture here is my family on a ship in the summer of 1961, going from Miami to the Bahamas. Can you see me?

If you were a teen at that time, what was your favorite music?

Are you a Boomer? Do you like music??

Hi everybody! I'm a Baby Boomer, born in 1948, turned 13 at the beginning of the sixties and loved every day of them! I got married in 1971 and continued to love most of the music of the 1970's. Now I am a musicologist and I'm learning so much about how, when people get to the end of their lives, the music that is most meaningful to them is the music of their "courting years." Here's how I looked as a teen: