A question that I’ve long dreaded to hear is “What kind of music do you like?” My brain immediately goes into “This isn’t going to end well” mode.
My reasons for this defensive reaction are the interested party either isn’t going to like my answers or know who or what I’m talking about.
Some things are just better left unsaid and when the music question comes up, I’ve always felt it’s just better to move the conversation along or just move on with my life.
I could literally use the rest of this space by answering that question to its fullest.
In my nearly four decades of life, I’ve listened to and like a lot of music.
Depending on the way the week is going, what time of the year it is, my mood at the time, or just the way my brain is firing, I could be listening to any number of things.
If I were to try and seriously give someone a cross-section of what I listen to, I’d probably say: Def Leppard, Jimi Hendrix, The Clash, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Cars, Les Paul, the Carter Family, Mel Tormé, Brenda Lee, and Elvis.
And, that’s not even counting the Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Dave Brubeck, and Bunny Berigan that I find myself rediscovering or discovering this week as I find myself in “Oh yeah, I used to listen to this stuff more” mode.
Seriously, I could keep going, but I won’t.
Just listen
Why am I playlist-bragging?
I’m not. I just want us all not to forget to listen to music. There’s so much out there to listen to and experience.
Listening to early Beach Boys albums can give you images of summer, fun, youth, and innocence.
Listening to Glenn Miller can take you back to a special time when the war was real, the people gave their all, and the best imagery of the times survived to make it a golden or iconic age.
Listening to AC/DC can test the limits of your eardrums or speakers, help you release some stress after a long day, or celebrate the fact that the weekend has arrived.
There’s the free form, improvisation, and raw emotion of jazz. If John Coltrane isn’t enough for you, listen to what Billie Holliday does with her voice on top of the instruments.
Go back further and listen to Jimmie Rodgers to hear where country music started, with its roots and authenticity, and wonder what on earth happened to it over the last 100 years.
Buddy Holly gives us youthful genius and the foundation of rock music to the present day. It also makes you wonder “What could have been?” for him and everyone else who died young, whether it was their own doing or not.
Embracing music, today
You’ll note that I don’t talk about many modern musical artists.
That’s because I don’t know many.
Admittedly, I don’t listen to modern music.
I’m not going to get on my platform and say it’s worse than how it was “back in the day,” but it just doesn’t grab me.
I fully respect anyone now, young and old, who does latch onto the new stuff.
For them, these are their important sounds. Modern music is their soundtrack.
As long as you’re working that part of the brain that appreciates and loves music and melds it with your life, you’re doing alright.
I believe everyone has a “song” or two in their hearts and minds.
Whether it’s just to appreciate the art form, motivate you, make someone laugh, swoon someone, make your point, help distract you while you drive, or make you remember, music should be playing an important part in your life.
If you don’t know where to start, there’s technology out there that will ask about your mood and find applicable tunes to fit that.
That could be a little frightening, but don’t be scared of music.
If you’ve got a favorite “album,” you haven’t listened to in a while, do it.
Art can do things for us beyond what we can express sometimes. Let it, especially music, be a part of you.
Thank you for reading.
I’m praying for you.