The Beatles or The Rolling Stones

On one of those stupid questionaire things that we've been doing lately, there was an interesting question. Beatles or Stones? Interesting question, especially if you're a music fan.

Most of my friends answeres Stones, which is pretty cool. In fact, I only know one person who answer Beatles. For me, though, the Beatles and Stones represents more than music if that makes sense, so thus the choice was harder.

The Beatles and The Rolling Stones are pretty much the music of my childhood. It's what I grew up listening to and both bring back very specfic memories and emotions. But for me music has always been more than just music. Practically every song I like, I like because it reminds me of someone or something, it's the personal connection.

I mean I share my name with a Beatles song (though I hate that song--I've heard it too many times) and my father's pet name for me was a Stones song. And there were several other songs by both bands that have deeply personal meanings.

To me The Beatles represent my early childhood. My mother is a huge Beatles fan and when I listen to them, I remember dancing in my living room with her to certain songs. I remember her singing off key (I got my musical talent from her). I remember teasing Taela, since she hates Yellow Submarine. It brings me back to that specific time.

For me, I think mainly of times spent with my mother when I listen to the Beatles. I remember all the fun we had together. I remember silly moments, when my fahter was at work. Soemtimes, we'll still dance togehter in our living room to the Beatles.

But as the Beatles make me think of my mother, then it's impossible to listen to the Stones without thinking about my father. A friend of his recently commented that when she wants to have a "Rick moment", she just puts on the Stones and remembers him. He was a huge Stones fan (he named his only child after Mick Jagger) and he passed on his love of their music to me.

When I listen to the Stones I think of loud parties on Friday nights, of prancing around on the stone steps in front of the fire place while my father watched proudly. I think of dancing to It's Only Rock and Roll with him, of all the times he called me his little Ruby Tuesday. I think about how when I would whine about soemthing, he'd sing the words to You Can't Always Get What You Want or how he had taught me all the words to Satisfaction by the time I was four years old.

Everytime I listen to the Stones, I think about him. I think about all those wonderful, crazy memories and for a moment it feels like he's right there with me again.

I think that's why I chose the Stones over the Beatles when it came to that question. Because, I love both my parents and I treasure the times I've had with each, but it's not the same now. My mother's here, we can still share the Beatles. Still make more memories. My father's gone, but the music he loved so much is still there. I can listen to it and I can remember him and I can know that a part of him is with me always.

So, I guess for me it has to be the Stones.