March 30, 2008


If you look at the comments from yesterday my friend Erin pointed out that she bought a t-shirt that said this and thought of me. I love the fact that she "gets it" about music. I know many of you do also.

I am frustrated this evening because its not always easy having a passion that is misunderstood. The fact that I love music is often the source of teasing and jokes where I work. I try my best to not even bring it up in front of them anymore.

You know when you hear a song - lyrics and/or music - and you can FEEL it, it MOVES you inside (and maybe outside too) and you just feel more alive, during that song you are not wherever you are, you are "in" the music? Well apparently not everyone feels that way.

If you were to ask me what's more important to me: lyrics or music. I can't say. Sometimes it takes no words to convey a message, the instruments create a mood that says it all. Sometimes the music is just a means for the words to be heard. Most of the time (for me) its the combination of both so closely woven together that they one.


Sometimes when I listen to music I just hurt.

Sigh.

I hurt tonight. I am listening to U2 and wishing people gave a shit about other people. I wish war was non-existent. I wish poverty wasn't a death warrant if you were born on the wrong continent. I wish we would judge either on our character not our looks, or religion, or social status or ethnicity.

And I don't mind admitting that I am lonely. I wish I had a boyfriend other than music. But at least music will always be here for me.


----------------
Now playing: U2 - Grace
via FoxyTunes

11 comments:

chez bez said...

I closed my recent post with this quote and it seems perfect here as well:

"I think I should have no other mortal wants, if I could always have plenty of music. It seems to infuse strength into my limbs and ideas into my brain. Life seems to go on without effort, when I am filled with music."

George Eliot (1819 - 1880)

Erin said...

Yeah, I get it. It's so funny, I don't meet real music lovers very often. Music changes me, every day, and lots of people don't get that. I can tell you, for almost any song that was popular in the last 25 years, I can tell you the year and facts about my life at that time. It DEFINES me.

Words or music...hmm...I think both...music that has words has to be meaningful in some way, but instrumental music is great, too.

Erin said...

If I was stranded on a desert island I would want an iPod loaded with every song ever recorded and a solar battery charger. Oh, and headphones.

;-)

Wonder Boy said...

I get it too. My dad was the first one in my life that I realized didn't get it. What that taught me was that, no matter how much I respected his ways on a lot of things, music was not one of them and it was a part of me that would not go away. Hurray for that!

Like you said, sometimes the music awakens the soul and sometimes its the lyrics...both have the power.

Bar L. said...

Michael, I love that quote, thanks it is perfect here.

Erin - Awww you are too sweet!

Jim, Your dad missed out but I am glad you didn't let that affect your passion for making and appreciating music.

I am lucky - my dad introduced me to The Beatles when I was only 4 :)

Jeff said...

All I could say is well said. Music is the best thing on earth...

Jessica said...

I agree with Erin, and her stranded on an island request. :) Music is so much a part of my life. I know I would die without it. Music helps stimulate my creativity and wellbeing.
And my dad introduced me to The Beatles when I was 4 too!

David Amulet said...

Well put. Music is trustworthy and not judgmental, music is there when nothing else is.

And to show that you know your music, check out my new quiz! I made it with you in mind (well, at least a few of the questions).

Anonymous said...

When I was in Iraq, any free moment I had there were headphones affixed to my head. One of the guys I worked with never understood this, saying he didn't understand music. Now I remember my parents playing Zeppelin and Floyd & etc. since I was a kid, so I asked this guy, didn't your parents listen to music? And he said, no, even during long car trips, there would be no radio or anything and the kids would sit in silence. Wowzas, isn't that pathetic?

Paul Rhodes said...

Hi Barbara what a great post, god, i couldnt agree more, it's better than a photo album for rememering parts of your life (tastes and particulrly smell do the same, but music triggers so much more), it can be fundamentally spiritual (I think Van Morrison introduced me to 'god' not the church), it helps you remember it's ok to be angry (thanx Henry Rollins), to express your politics (thanx Barry McGuire);

Paul: Rock Revival

Mike said...

music is my passion.
If I find a person that loves it like I do...they are a friend instantly.

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