Love At First Tune

In French its called a Shot of Lightening or coup de foudre. The moment Cupid's arrow hits is always remembered. As I will always remember the moment I was informed that ColdPlay's first release from their album MyloXylato would be played on the radio: Every teardrop is a waterfall.

I remember the exact location and the timing of the first hearing. In fact, I have grown fond of arriving early to school before I pick up the children, because somewhere lost amongst the palm trees and the grass, in that quiet moment of my daily routine, I do remember the poetry of the song.

I remember being enveloped by the music, introduced to the new tune, taking it in, grasping the lyrics, the upbeat rythm, the splendour of it.....and loving it. Not like a random song I take a liking to. Instantly loving it. No need for adjustment. It didn't grow on me. It hit me, like the lightening mentioned by French.

Perhaps I was prepared to love it: the DJ announced she would play it and I have a passion for ColdPlay. But none of his other releases, while pleasing, had the same effect. This particular track bursts with music, like the graffiti on the cover. It sings of waterfalls but reminds you of sadness with the single symbolic tear.

Today, the same DJ played it, 10 months later since that love at first tune, at a similar time, as I drove towards the school gardens. I have since then heard the song innumerable times,on repeat, on shuffle and even live! I have quoted "comas instead of full stops", "caught between two trapeze" and my favourite "cathedrals in my heart". I have pondered their meaning, ran on the treadmill, walked on the beach, driven to it, shopped at Carrefour on it. The music still has a very strong effect on me.

The song celebrates music, it begins with "I put the music up to my.....favourite song!" And always I remember the first time I fell in love with it.