I keep a wide variety of music on my BlackBerry in order to serve up different types of music on a whim. When I’m working out – it’s almost always rock-and-roll, hard-edged techno or something similarly upbeat. When I’m chilling out, it’s some atmospheric offering from any of a number of artists. I also have a smattering of my own music for contemplation/review when on the run.
This morning I decided to pop on the earphones to listen to some music while walking to the grocery store for some supplies. I decided to put on Eagles Greatest Hits Volume 1 and settled on “Hotel California” right as I hit the sidewalk. As I got further down the street, the combination of early rush-hour traffic, car horns, and series of squalling emergency vehicles added an eerie (and more than slightly ironic) tinge to the classic tune. It was quite a surreal experience, which was enhanced by the morning ‘golden hour’ lighting.
I don’t know if there’s a metaphor in this experience, or if I was just enjoying listening into the song for the first time in a long while – but I may be shuttling past “Hotel California” the next time the environ is a little ‘too close to home.’
