photo stolen: salon.com
Some of you know I watch Live from Daryl’s House on the ‘tube. I wasn’t planning to – I remember dancing in the clubs to Hall & Oates back in the Jurassic Era, then I got old – and busy – and forgot about them. An invitation to LfDH brought Daryl Hall back to my rather sketchy musical forefront and I found myself loving this new approach to guest artists’ as well H&O’s (and Hall’s solo) music. He’s an amazing artist and I love his stunning voice and his work – but I’m no fanatic – my approach to music is pretty slipshod – if I hear something and I like it, I listen to it then I kinda forget about it until I stumble across it again. Every now and then, though, I will get hooked on a tune and lose my mind for awhile. That’s what happened with Hall’s 2011 tune “Eyes for You”, which I just heard (for the first time) on LfDH with Jason Mraz (whom I didn’t even know existed! I really have to get out more. And don’t get me started on JOE WALSH! Holy cats & crackers! Have y’all SEEN him play? okay, so I’m about 40 years late – but! Have y’all SEEN? omg. ).
Hang in there – there is a point, I promise. And! Surprise! It has to do with PERFUME!!!
So. I played that song at least 10 times last night. It’s gorgeous, with Mraz bringing a little bit of ‘the regular’ to Hall’s still-crystalline vocals. I was mesmerized by the pairing – and the song itself, a li’l bit 80s, some great Philly Sound , a bangin’ bass, and some lush accompaniment. I played it so many times that I was sure every note and word was imprinted on my teeeeny, tiny brain..
And then I went to bed. And sweatergawd, I couldn’t even remember the name of that damb thing! Seriously. It was such a total and complete blank that, for a second, I wondered if I’d died and was in some weird transition state, where no memories existed (then I figured that if I was stressing about not remembering then I was probably NOT dead (or transitioning), so I got over it). Woke up this morning? STILL couldn’t remember ANYTHING about it. Not the intro (that bumpin” bass, which I should’ve remembered because if anybody loves them a bumpin’ bass, it’s this gal). Not any part of the tune. Not. One. Word. Nada. I mean, it was there – but only in theory. I wasn’t dead/transitioning – and I could see the ‘tube video in my mind’s eye – I just couldn’t remember a thing about it. It wasn’t until I pulled it back up on YouTube that it came flooding back. It was just weird – until I broke down the song and realized: it’s a beautiful dance tune – but it’s not one that sticks in my mind.
Which brings me to perfume: awhile back I realized that there are many categories of perfumes – but one of the most populated is the Gone in 60. You spritz a perfume, delight in the ‘pretty’ (or maybe even the ‘interesting’)….and then, 60(minutes, prolly) later, you can’t remember what it is you sprayed ! I used to think it was just us perfumistas, because we expose ourselves to so many different scents – but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked a layperson what they’re wearing and they’ll say ‘I…I can’t remember. I remember liking it and spraying it – but I can’t remember the name of it AT ALL WHAT THE HELL IS THE NAME?! (‘by then, there’s a touch of exasperation/mild panic). Gone in 60 does not refer to longevity – often the ones we can’t remember have good longevity, which can make it even more annoying (more time to wonder if you’re losing your mind) – but there’s a certain ‘something’ about those scents that doesn’t linger in the psyche. Obviously, there are very many perfumes that defy this category (I doubt anybody who’s ever spritzed Mitsouko – or Opium – has forgotten what the hell it was they just sprayed! lol! Ditto Clinique’s Happy and Aromatic Elixir (talk about opposite ends of the spectrum! And you can identify Calyx from a mile away!!!) But there are a LOT of good perfumes that, if you don’t really stay focused, can be gone from your mind in 60! Why is that, I wonder? Is it because there are Just So Many out there, now? A lot are flankers, of course. I mean, Shalimar is undeniable – but I couldn’t identify a single flanker and, in their ubiquitousness, they seem to have diluted Shalimar’s power, just a bit (ymmv) . I just smelled No5 l’Eau – again – and remembered why I forgot about it the first time – it’s lovely, but I can’t seem to keep it in my mind’s eye. But not just flankers – there are a squickton of really lovely standalones that just …I dunno…I spritz them, love them….and then promptly forget what it is I’m wearing!
I would give you a list…..but I can’t remember any of them! Seriously!
Okay, maybe not quite THAT serious – but I find this intriguing. Have any of you had this experience? If not with perfume, then what? Food? Wine? Music? Where it’s LOVE – then it’s ..gone.
Would love to hear your thoughts. The Girl would, too! She’ll read them all, then pull a couple of Messy Armoire winners!!!
And…wishing everyone Happy Holidays!
And…fwiw? I STILL can’t keep that song in my head!
Amen, dear, amen!! So glad several of us have experienced this — it’s not just me and senility settling in, ha! Hugs to all and wishing you a beautiful and blessed holiday!!
I am having such a hard time lately with names and phone numbers. Yesterday I was so embarrassed, I couldn’t remember my own cell phone number–well, it’s not like I call myself, right?! 🙂 Aside, I have a Hall & Oates station set up on Pandora and listen to it regularly at work, often I need to escape to a time when life was fun and easy with not so many responsibilities and obligations. Best Wishes for a happy holiday season!
Agreed with all of the above! I struggle to remember names of many things. It really frustrates me with perfumes, because I read so much and feel like I should retain so much! Nope!
I adore your writings Musette. Happy holidays and seasons greetings to all!
I have a really hard time keeping track of scents and songs especially from the radio as I grew up without the screen which tell us what song and artist Totally there with you!
Ditto on the Sam Elliott voice! My problem is when a song gets stuck in my head, often for days and I can’t get rid of it…except with perhaps another song. And then that one might get stuck in there too. Right now it’s ‘Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow’. NO! I don’t want any snow. Lol.
As a young person I had a scary-good memory. I can still tell you what row, what desk I sat in in my ninth grade history class. I used to rely on my memory. Those days are gone! *sniff* Now I am queen of lists and post-it notes. Have to write everything down. I can’t remember the names of the new niche lines and independent parfumers that I hear or read about. It’s like they leave no “footprints” on my brain’s “sand.” Ugh.
Absolutely agreed. It happens to me with movies in the last decade all the time. There is this new thriller everybody likes, you take your time to go to the cinema and the next morning you can’t remember the title of the movie nor the leading actors. I’m talking like “I’ve seen that new movie with…hm, you know the guy who was married to…hmmm, the one who’s brother is a famous pianist but I cannot remember his name… and so it goes 😀 Please don’t ask me to tell the plot of the movie. The only thing I recollect is the overall impression it made on me, the way it moved me eventually, what frightened me…things like that.
Yes, it’s got a lot to do with perfume. There are many likes but very few loves. It may seem like a new crush but often it doesn’t leave a lasting impression. Just like some people.
HA! Everyday with everything.
One of my friends has this idea that walking through a doorway erases your last 10 thoughts. It feels pretty legit some days.
Portia xx
I have a mind like a sieve, unless there’s a specific thing I’m jonesing for, and then it’s OCD time until I can get my hands on it. Names? Fuggedaboutit. In one ear and out the other.
This happens to me all the time. Happens a lot to me when it concerns books. I’ll read this fantastic book, want to tell someone about it, and then can’t remember the author, the title, or both. That being said, I will always remember The Eagles and Joe Walsh is my very personal heart throb. As my mother used to say, “That man can park his boots under my bed any time.” Same with Sam Elliott. Sigh. With perfume, I think that it sometimes is caused by the saturation of so many and so many that you try and go”meh” about. Leastwise that’s part of it for me. I really try to remember what I’m wearing….not always successful. Enjoy that music, whatever it is, and have a Merry Christmas.
Love Sam Elliott, that voice !!
Sometimes I find that when I’ve been trying to remember something all day, the name will come to me in the middle of the night !!
I hear ya! Perfumes,especially flankers. The names all run together anyway. And then if one is better than the others, WHICH ONE WAS IT???
I’m that way with wines — I’ll really enjoy something, look at the label so I remember it, and the next time I’m in a store, I can’t for the life of me remember what it was. I also have trouble keeping all the SL Bois perfumes straight.
Ohhh, magawd, I’m so relieved it’s not just me!! I have had this specifically with music, in recent years and increasingly over time. I’m still new enough to perfume that my memory for it tends to stay pretty delineated, but music, names of writers and titles of what they’ve written, it’s all very fleeting of late. The only thing that helps is being aware of it, I tend to recite names over and over before walking away. Then I have about a 50% chance of recalling it at any point. Thank you for the post, Musette, as always your sense of humor makes it all delightful (and this is kind of a concerning topic for me, normally ).