Significance of a Song

Marina Del Rey has been my favorite song for as long as I can remember. Typically, when someone hears the song, they think it has some sort of 'ex love' significance. Wrong. Nothing of the sort. At least not to me. I know, I know. The song talks about making love to a former flame. What the song is about, doesn't have anything to do with why I love this song so much and even go so far as to call it "my favorite song".

You see, I had this grandfather, who was the most important person to me. He was someone I enjoyed spending my time with. We always got to see him (and my grandmother) on the weekends we were with my dad. (Seeing them was the only exciting part about going to dads every other weekend.) I have so many memories of him, that I wouldn't even know where to start if I tried to explain now. Anyway, grandpa used to always like to go to Marina Del Rey for his birthday or Father's Day. Therefore, growing up, I always associated Marina Del Rey with him. Every time I went there, we had a wonderful time. Going around to shops and having dinner at wonderful restaurants, always made the time I spent with him, more special.

In 1993, grandpa passed away. I stopped listening to Marina Del Rey when it would come on the radio. I had a really hard time with it. I was 13, and hadn't yet figured out how to express my emotions properly.

The parts of the song that get me the most are:

Like the ocean tides

Highs and lows

Love sometimes comes and goes away

In Marina Del Rey

And as this plane is touching down

Tears touch my eyes for I have found

My heart has stayed

In Marina Del Rey

When I hear the song, I think about the wonderful times we had in Marina Del Rey. I think about how loves "comes and goes away", and how much his passing affected me. It was really hard for a long time, but now I just smile and think grandpa made them play it on the radio, just for me.