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Music: Serious Business
I was surprised to see this fact mentioned on the website of classical music station WCPE in North Carolina:
Studies citing the high quality of life in the area consistently name WCPE as a factor.
— About Us description on wcpe.org
Watching one of my favorite classical music videos today on Youtube, I found myself agreeing with the principle — there are cultural treasures that do in fact make the area around them a better place to live. Thinking of the clip I was enjoying (from that point until about 3:30), I absolutely believe in the power of music.
I have songs I listen to that help me:
- Focus on the positive
- Avoid things I don’t want to be doing (that’s not always good)
- Remember things I want to be reminded of
- Appreciate my relationships with others
- Reinforce whatever I’m feeling at the moment (again, not always good)
I must admit that I believe that all music carries a message. And while I don’t really cast that into “good music” and “bad music” containers in order to reinforce something I’m trying to believe, I do try to pay attention to why I like what I like, or why I feel like listening to one song rather than another.
I’ll wrap this post up by linking to a song that resonates with me: What is the Time by Moot Booxlé. Moot (not his real name) is an online acquaintance with a real talent for music. That’s him playing all of those instruments in the track.
When I listen to that music, the facts I already know about Moot — his talent, his difficult life circumstances — are amplified and I feel humbled by the powerful way he’s able to express himself. It’s funky stuff, but it’s inspired by his search for a sound that resonates with his soul. It makes me want to do the same.