I work late a few nights a week, so on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, The Ashers tend to cut loose, and rock out a little.  Sometimes we use the vinyl, and other times we’re all techie and turn up the Apple TV, which hosts our music collection.

Liam drums to The White Stripes, or plays the uke to Funky Town.  Nathan does the groovy dancing, Coco runs around like a loon, and smashes head-first into the couch, and me?  Well, I’m the DJ with the 80s dance style. You know it; failing arms, white-man’s overbite.  Very, um, cool.

Songs are like smells for me.  They evoke a memory that is strong and pure. Three chords in, and I’m back to a time…

So let me tell you a true story:

Back in 2004 I was at the Byron Bay Blues Festival, half-way pregnant and starving. Always.Bloody.Starving.  I was standing out the front of the best pizza joint in the known world, waiting for a table.  A tall dude came loping along and tried to squeeze past my pendumen (pedulous abdomen).

Alas for him, he tried to go between me, and the gateway to food.  Not possible.  I pushed my protrusion forward and blocked his way.  I may have growled a little.  He kind of shuffled back, gave me a strange little look, and went around the other way.  Turns out he wasn’t trying to steal my spot, he was just moving through.  I smiled bovinely back at him, once the emergency was averted.  He smirked back, said “Hey,” and disappeared off down the street, and I like to think he was humming the beginnings of a little tune as he went.

Nath leaned in and whispered, “That was Michael Franti.”   I didn’t take much notice at the time, because: PIZZA.

I know what you’re thinking, “Oh my, Michael Franti wrote you a song.”  And yes, I suspect that is true.  Now before you start getting all confused with facts, and pesky things like that, check out the lyric:  “Bump into a person in the middle of the road, Look into their eyes and you suddenly know.” Amazing, right?  I’m only just recovering…

So that is what DJ Shadowcat will be playing ’round these parts tonight.  The song written for me when I was glowing and gorgeous and politely smiling at the lovely people of Byron Bay  when I may have tried to fight some big bloke for food.

It’s one of my favourite songs, and not only because it was written for me, but because it lifts my heart, every single time.  I wave my hands in the air, and jump like I have the pelvic floor of a twenty year old.  The Ashers all scream out the chorus together.  And of course we smile.  How can you not?   Michael Franti, you give good song.

Pump it up, think of someone you love, and rock out with us.

Say Hey… aka “I love you random grumpy pregnant chick”

Do you have a song that gets you every time?

How good is Michael Franti?