my mother's daughter

Nostalgia has hit me like a bag of bricks this week! I was just tiring of my daily dose of kcrw and the new and fantastic Raconteurs album when I suddenly found myself doing a search for Linda Ronstadt on youtube. I love this woman, not for her duets with Aaron Neville but for her awesome Mexican ballads dedicated to her late Mexican father. Sunday's growing up were my favorite since my parents always played the most eclectic mix, loading their 5 disc cd changer with everything from the Beatles, to the Guess Who, Moody Blues, Julio Iglesias, Frank Sinatra, Carpenters, Ottmar Liebert, Roberto Carlos, Pat Methany, Sergio Mendez, Santana, The original James Bond soundtrack, and of course, Linda Ronstadt's "Canciones de mi Padre" (thanks mamacita).

I'm much better when it comes to smell since it really triggers the most vivid memories, but music is probably the next most powerful way to tap into the past. Let's see, this song makes me think of tropical rain, visits from my tia Carmen, tio Neto and and their kids, warm hand made tortillas and refried beans, my mom's Obsession perfume from the early '90s, and turning blue from trying to match Linda's high octave and drawn out notes (you'll know when you get to that part of the song). This will probably humor anyone that listens to the tune and will make no one's day besides mine, but I felt it worth sharing the bright spot of my Thursday afternoon in the middle east.