When I got my car, passed down from my older sister, full of dents, scratches, and a persisting “check tire pressure” message, I couldn’t have been more satisfied. Sure, the car always had an unexplainable lingering aroma of crayons, but to me, the car was perfect. It was perfect because it lacked one central feature–an aux cord. My friends urged me to get an FM transmitter, but I refused. Instead of undergoing the agonizing pain of trying to select a song, I could rely on the preset songs of a CD.
A CD eliminated all my indecision. All I had to do was press play. My car only has three CDs: a Drake album my younger sister bought, 1984 by Taylor Swift from my older sister, and Fine Line by Harry Styles. The CDs my sisters bought sit abandoned in the backseat of my car, but Fine Line holds a special place in the front compartment. When the radio is playing the same Ed Sheeran song from three years ago or is spewing endless commercials, I turn to Harry Styles.
I love the CD version of Fine Line because it encapsulates all the moods I could ever need. The first four tracks are uplifting, the middle more melancholy, and the end more thoughtful. In one CD, Harry Styles packed in all the selection I could ever need. In my friend’s cars, we all hurry to put our songs on the AUX. We sit through other’s selections just to look forward to our own. One song never quite encapsulates the moment when we’re always wondering what song will be next. In my car, we all listen to the same twelve songs on repeat but none of us complain. Every Friday, we cram seven of us into the backseat with smoothies in hand and talk over the soft melody of the album. During finals week, we panicked to Falling. On the last day of summer break, we belted Golden. Late-night drives always call for She and Sunflower Vol. 6 is in the background as we scramble to school after going through the Starbucks drive-thru we definitely didn’t have time for.
Having a CD helps me live in the moment. I spend the majority of my life stressing about what I want to do for the rest of my life, whether one decision will spiral into dozens of other consequences. We’re always wanting more–more time, more money, more choices. But sometimes these choices hold us back. Thanks to Harry Styles and my outdated car, I have everything I could’ve ever wanted.
Hi Cecilia! I love how you were able to take something (not having an AUX) that is typically seen as a setback and turn it into a positive thing in your life. You mentioned that people normally sit through other people’s song selections while only hoping to listen to their own song, which I found to be particularly relatable to my own life. The experience of listening to music should outweigh the fact that it might not be our own “top choice” song. Additionally, on a more informal note, I LOVE Falling by Harry Styles. His voice and the lyrics really hit different in that piece. Truly a work of art, fit for singing at max volume in the car under any circumstance.
Cecelia, your blog makes me want to buy more CDs! My car also doesn’t have an AUX cord, and similarly I appreciate the elimination of indecision when I get in the car. I tend to listen to the radio, and although the ads and morning talk shows are sometimes annoying, I don’t mind not having to choose my music. Plus, the radio is where I am exposed to the most new music and artists I don’t typically listen to. I have a few CDs, and the predictability is often comforting.