Of course we’ve all had “one of those songs.” I have a few of them. They are the songs that bring something up…some kind of memory. Some kind of pleasantness.
I think I first heard Jack Johnson when my son Jack came up with one of his CDs (On and On). I actually enjoyed the whole thing.
Jack Johnson seems to capture something in some of his music. He’s from Hawaii — born and raised on the North Shore of Oahu. Surfer dad. Surfer himself. Laid back. And maybe that’s what he captures in his music. The North Shore is a special place. You can get a feel for real Hawaiian laid back when you’re there. I lived in the middle of Oahu for three years, so it was an easy trip to the North Shore and we spent plenty of time there…but not enough. And I miss it.
So maybe that factors into what I like about his music. My favorite song from that CD, “Taylor,” isn’t about surfing or island life. But for some reason it has that feel for me, and it invokes something that’s maybe a dream. Some kind of paradise where I can get a little rest. The song just makes me feel comfortable.
Hope you enjoy it.