The Power of Music
"With the right song you either forget everything or you remember everything" This has to be one of my favourite quotes because for me personally it's absolutely true. Music is such an important part of my everyday life and can have a powerful affect on my mood and the quality of my day. I'm not purporting to be a musician or to have any depth knowledge about a particular genre but what I do know is how it makes me feel and the power it has to heal or transport. Music can evoke such strong emotions, memories, sights, smells and on occasion act as a much cheaper form of therapy or motivator!
If I'm having a bad day, the kids are playing up, the house isn't tidy, someone's parked in my space and nothing feels like it's going to plan, music can lift my mood. I can be stomping around the house in a terrible frame of mind, snappy and short tempered and just by putting some favourite tracks on I can feel my annoyances being eased and my mood lightening. Somehow, after putting a few songs on I actually start to feel less antagonised, brighter and much more myself. It's the antidote for my bad moods! Calm is restored as I start humming, singing or dancing around the house and as a by product I'm more able to deal with those problems that were upsetting me only moments ago.
But music does more than just lift a grumpy me it's a form of transportation. I can be at home, in the car or in a shop, a song comes on and I'm immediately swept away to a past holiday, a magical wedding, a crazy night out or to a younger me at home with my parents. A few bars of La Bamba and it's 1987 and I'm on a dance floor in Fuengirola with my newly acquired Spanish friends dancing in the hotel. A blast of "If you leave me now" by American rock band Chicago and I'm 9/10 years old and I'm in the car with my dad singing along word for word. A quick snippet of "Freed from Desire" and in a sticky old pub in town dancing with my future husband for the very first time. It's quite incredible isn't it.
A girls night out is always accompanied by the "getting ready" ritual and the obligatory party tunes. But these songs serve more of a purpose than merely background noise, they are an imperative part of setting the right tone, attitude and atmosphere for the antics that will follow. This music gets the party mood going whilst also allowing girls to bond over a mutual love of the same song or artist. Important memories are formed, attachments are made and friendships are cemented.
On the reverse of this if I feel like I need to unwind, relax or even revisit some painful memories as a way of letting go of some pent up sadness or anguish then music is still my go to solution. It has a healing power like no other. I can put on a playlist, sit back and think or even have a good cry and feel the music washing it all away. Certain songs will always have the power to help me release what I'm holding on to and afterwards I feel different, lighter and ready to take on the day again with a renewed sense of calm. How music provokes, heals, motivates, soothes and invigorates all at once I'm not sure, but I do know that I love it and my days are much happier for it. What affect does music have on you? Does it have any at all? Get in touch, I'd love to know!
The Curious Musical Fox