The Power of Music
This is a post I drafted a few weeks ago, before my blogging break. I figured pulling out some drafts would be a good way to ease back into it.
I’ve fallen out of the habit of listening to music regularly since we moved to Mexico. It’s partly because I don’t listen to the radio in the car anymore (Mexican music isn’t really to my taste) and fiddling around with the iPod and iTrip for short journeys just isn’t worth it.
Because of this I’d forgotten the power of music to really affect my mood and evoke memories. Some songs remind of a certain place or person or time in my life, like “Oh What a Night” always make me think of University parties in the early 90s, or an Everclear song which was on high rotation when Rocky and I drove around the US in 1996, or Groove is in the Heart that G & I danced to endlessly in our youthful night-clubbing days.
More than that, the ability of music to change my mood and make me feel sad, homesick, nostalgic, romantic or joyful is pretty powerful.
A few weeks ago, I was feeling really cranky. From memory it was about something silly like being forced to buy 8 tickets to Guerita’s ballet concert, even though we only needed 3. It actually wasn’t a big deal, but for whatever reason it made me cranky. Steam-coming-out-my-ears cranky and I thought “I’ve got to snap out of this!” so I searched my music collection for something “feel-good”. I always seem to come back to the classics at times like these, so I cranked this up on the stereo:
The subject matter actually isn’t particularly joyful but wow, the beat and the way Aretha sings just makes me want to sing at the top of my lungs and dance with reckless abandon!
It certainly got me out of my funk very quickly and the girls loved it too. One of my favourite mother-daughter moments is when the three of us are flinging ourselves around the family room with the music cranked.
So Think has been on fairly high rotation in our house lately. Chiq claps her hands and wiggles her hips and Guerita’s choreographed the whole thing!
It even snapped Chiq out of her whingy bad mood on our recent road trip. In my opinion anything that calms a screaming baby on a 4 hour car ride is GOLD.
What about you? Does music affect your mood? What songs make the biggest difference?
P.S. I was having a bit of fun learning about blending in Photoshop with that photo. If you want to know how to make something like this, check out this tutorial.
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I love music. For me, there is nothing so powerful, that can bring with it such strong emotions. It can make you feel happy, it can make you cry. It helps me to reflect. I find it soothing and I can alays find a song to fit any message i am trying to convey.
Music and dance go hand in hand. I can watch the girls forever dancing to a moving, heartfelt song, especially when they have picked up on the lyrics andhave used them to blend with the movement.
Great post…off to find something to fit my mood now…
tiffs last blog post..Where I talk about febrile convulsions…again.
Oh I always forget how good music can be! And I am also just about to post a post about music saving the day!
Totally LOVE the dancing photos!
katefs last blog post..$50?
OMG you read my mind. A really good friend of mine has moved to Canada - her flight left here Thursday morning. All day today in the car I kept hearing songs that reminded me of her and had to fight the urge to burst into tears again. So many memories associated with various songs.
Gemishts last blog post..Screw Up Tuesday
The photos look amazing. Music does exactly the same thing for me. I could live without TV but not without music.
Adorable pics of Chiq! Love it and love the collage. I am exactly the same about music since moving here. My cd jukebox is in storage in France *sigh* and I just have the computer which is something I´m not used to listeing to music on. I miss my music and I´ll be happy to get back to it!
Here´s a song I like to dance around the living room to with Little S! (Hey Baby - by Buckwheat Zydeco)
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rzbmzHM9BuE
misschriss last blog post..Oops missing a day
Wow!! Your photo looks great!! Music is a great equaliser and motivator I think.
Bettinas last blog post..Waking Children Part 2
I love the photoshopping - it looks awesome. I love music too - it really helps change a mood and motivate or soothe a weary soul.
Trishs last blog post..52 blessings Grateful Fridays,
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