Actually 5 boys.

Five boys that would all come and sit on me at the same time if I was trying to take a nap on the couch. And then they would tickle me mercilessly. Five boys that had no compunction about throwing people into the cow trough. Five boys who also were happy to bury faces in snow and dump snow down shirts and have water fights. Five protective, loving, silly, funny, punny, fabulous boys.

They aren't really boys. They are my brothers. They are all older than me and I love them to pieces for different reasons. :)

So, without further ado, 5 songs that remind me of my brothers--one for each.

1-BYU Fight Song--?



For the Air Force Optometrist we have the BYU Fight Song. My two oldest brothers (twins) are unabashed BYU fans. But my memories associated with the school belong to the oldest. AFO was heavily involved in BYU sports at a time when some guy named Steve Young was playing at BYU. AFO, I believe, practiced with the team and worked to be a kicker. He never made it that far, but he tried. In the meantime he made friends with all of them. One of my older sisters was the president of the first ever Steve Young fan club and I remember AFO bringing home a poster for her signed by him.

He still loved BYU--football in particular and follows them closely and inculcates all of his children with this same feeling. He truly bleeds BYU blue.

2-I Believe in Christ--Performed here by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir



My In-Vegas-but-not-Of-Vegas brother is twin to the AFO above. IVbnOV was a hard person to choose for, but ultimately I picked one of the most deeply religious songs I know. IVbnOV is one of the most deeply spiritual people I know. He and his family live and breathe the gospel in a way that I can only hope to emulate some day. He believes in Christ and demonstrates to me frequently that he is also not ashamed of Christ. He works harder at spreading the gospel than almost anyone I know. Living in "the city of sin" has not been easy for him. But perhaps he has gained this extra strength from having to fight sin on a very obvious and literal level every day.

3-Whistling in the Dark--They Might Be Giants



My Physician's Assistant in Pennsylvania brother has taught me more than I can possibly say. He taught me that faith is a choice. He taught me that I didn't necessarily have to listen to all classical music all the time. He taught me about boys. And he taught me about forgiveness. I had borrowed some tapes from him to listen to while I was doing landscaping for a doctors office. One day, I left the tape player and all of the tapes out on the lawn while I went in and had my lunch. They were all gone when I got back. I wasn't too concerned about the player. It was mine. I was sad to lose it, but I felt far worse about the fact that I had lost the tapes I had borrowed from him. I remember (and it sounds cliche, but it's true) dying a thousand deaths before I finally got up the guts to call him and tell him. And he pretty much said, "No problem." I find this a powerful lesson in the fact that things are just that. Things.

(I picked They Might Be Giants here because he was the first person with cd player and I used to sneak down in to his room while he was gone and listen to the cd over and over.)

4-Polovtsian Dances--Alexander Borodin



For a time I was in the Mormon Youth Chorus and Symphony before it's sad demise. I enjoyed my time there. The Solipsist happened to be in town for one of our concerts and Polovtsian Dances by Borodin. Having a huge orchestra and an even bigger choir doing this was an awesome experience. (I didn't even know there was a choir involved before I did it here. Sad, huh?)

Anyway, we finished with a loud bang and right after we were done, someone yelled "Bravo". That had never happened at an MYCS concert. And it was The Solipsist. We met up with friends after who were also in the choir/orchestra and every one was so excited that we had gotten a "Bravo" (it's really just not a Utah thing, I think). There are so many other memories that are associated with The Solipsist, but this is the song that sticks out. He gave us a bravo. :)

(And it still ranks as one of the funnest songs I've ever played.)

5-Bring Him Home--from Les Miserables



The Back Doc is the closest brother to me in age. We were two years apart in school. He took me to a school dance. He was a song and dance man (graduating from BYU in MDT). In high school for a talent show he sang this song, and honored me by asking me to accompany him.

I could really go on and on about him because the memories with him come fast and thick because of our close proximity in age. He's shocked me once by telling me I was pretty (mixed up in a conversation about which boys in the cast of the play I was in that I should be avoiding). I complained once about a neighbor boy picking on me and The Back Doc told me that he would take care of it, and he did. He always included me in his life. We had, and still do, fun together. And somehow, or other, when I think of him, despite all of the plays we were in together and all of the songs we sang together, this is the song that is there, the song that is him.

And that, is your musical. . .Wednesday post. :)