It Seems I Was Meant to Waltz

Like any good generalist, I know a little bit about a lot of things, including music.  I sang in choir and other groups through my school years and even a couple of years into college.  I never quite mastered reading music and was always too shy and unconfident to really sing by myself around others, but some of the knowledge from those years remains.  So I'm pretty sure that the word waltz is commonly used to describe any piece of music with a 3/4 meter.  It's that distinctive ONE-two-three-ONE-two-three-ONE-two-three . . . I don't really think about these things when I listen to music unless I'm trying to analyze it, but every once in a while some piece of information will trickle its way into my consciousness.

A couple of years ago a friend introduced me to Martin Sexton and he quickly became a favorite.  Out of all his songs that I enjoy, the one I most love listening to over and over is "The Way I Am."  I've been aware for a while that it has a waltz rhythm, but didn't think any more of it than that it makes me sway and tap.  Last month I was introduced to Ingrid Michaelson and instantly liked her.  After sampling all of her music, the one I most love listening to over and over is "The Chain."  I'd been focusing on the haunting polyphony (Ha! another big music word) I've always loved so much in the song's second half, but realized driving to work this morning that this one is also a waltz.  Then I started thinking and realized I almost always love songs with this rhythm because they make me tap my feet and sway my body and want to dance.  Even Jim Gill's Family Goodbyes that I'm using to close storytime lately, I always sway in my chair to that one.  When I hear one of these songs it's impossible for me to hold still and they always leave me wanting more.

Is it just me?  Can you listen to these and hold your body still?  Doesn't something about them just feel good?  Or maybe I was just meant to waltz.














And many, many others . . .