Okay, so I've been on quite a 6/8 kick while hunting down some of my favorite songs on Kazaa. I've always loved the meter signature, but man, I can't get enough of it lately. You all probably have your favorite 6/8 song and just don't realize it, but let me help you out.

For those of you who aren't musically inclined, 6/8 is a time signature where there are six beats per measure, and the eighth note gets the beat. Agh... What’s a measure?!? The metric unit between two bars on a staff :-P Simple, right? Try to figure it out... more often than not music you hear on the radio these days is in four. (But a lot of ballads and love you/hate you songs are done in six).

Here's an easy way to do it... Tap your foot/fingers (whatever suits your mood) to the beat of the music. Now, count along with the music as you tap... c'mon! You can do it... multi-task like a Virgo! Figure out the meter by counting how many times your foot taps per measure... When you get the waltz sort of feel to a song... you count 123 456. That's 6/8.

Another way to tell is to listen to the guitar (or whichever instrument is laying down the chords in that particular song)... usually the bass. Is it changing notes on beats one and three, or is it changing when you're on counts one and four? One and four? Then you have 6/8 meter. That might be a little harder to hear, depending on your ear training skills.

So here's a list of songs I've found (or rediscovered) this weekend that are in 6/8. I'm sure my roommates are sick of hearing them because I've played them over and over for the last two days. And this is just a small list of many.

Billy Joel - Piano Man
Bryan Adams - When You Really Love A Woman
Satellite - Dave Matthew's Band
Seal - Kiss From a Rose
Unsung Zero - Louder Than Words

I recently had a conversation with some friends discussing whether we'd rather lose our sight or our hearing. I didn't have to think twice before saying my sight. It all depends on your point of view, but I know this. I'm not sure what makes the rhythm of the music draw me in so quickly. Whatever it is, it has always been able to grab hold of my soul and take me for a ride that I've come to know and love so well. I wouldn't give that feeling up without a fight.