Still Into You and Simple Man

Chip and I grew up in different eras, which was one of the reasons we had different favorite bands and favorite styles of music. He followed the Dead in the 70’s and into the early 80’s while at the University of Denver; I followed the locations of raves held in vacant buildings in DC while in college during the mid- and late-80s. That said, we always appreciated each other’s music and fully embraced each other’s taste for certain song and dance styles.

Earlier today, two songs came up back-to-back on the “My Darling Husband” playlist I created on Spotify the week after he died. The juxtaposition of the two songs was a solid reminder of how different our music favorites were, and I smiled remembering that each of us found value in the “why” behind each other’s musical leanings.

The first of the two that played was “Still Into You” by Paramore (You can watch the video here). He bought tickets for us (me!) to see Paramore not once, but twice. Each time, I danced, sang and rocked the whole time while he watched me, smiled and tapped along to the beat. Over the years, I would look at him from across the room and say “Guess what?” and he’d say “What?” Then, I’d say “Still into you” and we’d both know why that made us smile. The song was a reminder to us that no matter how much time passed, we were always as into each other as we were from the beginning.

The second of the two songs that played on shuffle was Govt Mule covering Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” (You can watch a video here). We saw Government Mule several times (twice? three times?). Each time we did, he’d belt out the lyrics and, at points, strum his air guitar, and I would gaze at him lovingly while he did so. Oh, how he loved that song and, oh, how I loved the way he enjoyed the way Warren Haynes sang and played guitar. The lyrics resonated with him, to be sure (I think he thought he was a much simpler man than he really was).

Tonight, the music brings me joy, along with some pain. My world of music, song and dance will never be the same without Chip.