One of the most powerful things about music is that it is the soundtrack of our lives. Fellow music fanatic Sharon Hepworth started a music challenge on Twitter for the month of July. Each day, fans around the world will select a song from their life and describe what it means to us. These are my songs. #SoundtrackToYourLife
Day 18
Hailing from one of my favorite soundtracks of all time, “Free” fueled both my imagination and my ambitions after graduating from college. I was living at home and commuting to the city for work. Some of my friends in the area were already living in the city and I was envious of their city lifestyle. The Empire Records soundtrack – and this song in particular – gave me a moment of respite as I daydreamed of life as a city dweller with my own apartment. Somehow these songs became synonymous with my desire for independence.
Hearing The Martinis today I’m pleasantly surprised that “Free” has stood the test of time rather well. The Breeders may be the more renowned Pixies side project. But The Martinis was no slouch in my mind. Pixies guitarist Joey Santiago teamed up with his then-wife to record two albums of unpretentious, melodic alt pop — a far cry from the pioneering two-minute musical rants from the Pixies. “Free” wasn’t the headliner on the soundtrack, but its sense of ease allowed the track to be right at home as part of an ensemble of great rock & roll songs. It was simply easy to get, easy to listen to and easy to like.
“So free for the moment. Lost somewhere between the earth and the sky.”