The Song That Brings It All Back
Do you have a song that reminds you of a time? Ever wanted to know WHY that happens?
Do you have a song that reminds you of a time?
It is amazing how something as simple as a song can be such a powerful memory anchor.
A Song, A Loss, A Moment
I recently heard one of those songs that took me right back. Flooded with emotion, I was transported to a moment in time I will never forget.
It was a decade ago. I was riding home from the hospital after the loss of my son, Ethan. Heather, my wife, was still in recovery, and I had to run home to grab some things. I do not remember much from that drive, but I will never forget the moment Randy Houser's "Like a Cowboy" came on the radio.
That song seared itself into my soul.
The lyrics were not about child loss, but enough of them echoed my reality that they cut straight through:
Every time I fall I get back up again
Cinch my saddle up and find me another wind
Let it take me where it wants to go
Had I ever fallen harder in my life?
Then the chorus hits hard and elevated:
I'll ride in on a sunny day,
Sing you a song, steal your heart away
Like a cowboy
Hang my hat like I'm here for a while
Kick off my boots and drive you wild, like a cowboy
Well baby you know I can't stay long
You wake up, I'll be gone
Until then I'll hold on, like a cowboy
The day I found out I was going to be a father was definitely a sunny day.
"Sing you a song, steal your heart away like a cowboy"
Well, cowboy sounds a lot like Kyle boy, doesn't it?
“Well baby you know I can't stay long”
A literal baby who didn’t get to stay with us.
"You wake up, I'll be gone"
Yeah, I felt that one.
Even now, ten years later, hearing that song is like opening a time capsule. The grief, the hope, the heartbreak. They all rush back, raw and unfiltered.
In fact I’d challenge you to go read that full story of Ethan’s loss then listen to the Randy Houser song and tell me you hold back a tear.
Exactly One Decade Ago This Week
The summer of 2014 brought an MLB Hall of Fame ceremony that was extra special for an Atlanta Braves fan like me. That year, two of my favorite childhood players, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, were inducted into the Hall alongside their longtime Braves manager, Bobby Cox. It was such a momentous occasion that I made the trip to Cooperstown, NY, for the i…
Why Music Triggers Our Deepest Memories
This experience got me curious. Why does music do this? Why can a song bring us back so vividly to a specific moment, person, or place?
There is real science behind this phenomenon:
Music activates the same areas of the brain that are responsible for memory and emotion, including the hippocampus and amygdala. When music plays during a meaningful moment, your brain locks it in tightly.
Emotionally intense experiences become encoded as episodic memories, which include the who, what, where, and when. Songs often become the trigger that unlocks the entire experience.
Researchers have identified something called the "reminiscence bump," which explains why we recall music from our teens and early adulthood so vividly. But the same mechanism applies to any emotionally charged moment, regardless of age.
Music can form what psychologists call flashbulb memories. These are highly vivid, detailed recollections that occur during moments of intense emotion. You remember exactly where you were, what you were feeling, and what was playing.
Music is often tied to social experiences. A car ride, a celebration, a loss. The song becomes a symbol of the people and places that were part of that moment.
Your Turn
Do you have a song like that? One that brings back a memory, a person, or a place?
I would love to hear what it is and why it matters to you. Leave a comment or reply and share your story.
If you enjoyed this, please consider liking, sharing, or subscribing for free. I will be back next Friday with another five-minute read designed to spark reflection and thought going into the weekend.