Living Out Loud

Life is a soundtrack

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Music is my life, the lyrics are my story.” - Benjamen Kalone

I believe music can affect people in so many different ways. To me, music is more than just something to listen to or play, it’s something to be felt. I believe it has the ability to convey all sorts of emotion, whether the emotion is joy and happiness or sadness and despair through rhythms, harmonies and the lyrics, music shows it. Listening to a song that tells a story from start to finish almost paints a picture in our minds.

For as long as I can remember, music has been one of the most important and powerful things in my life and without the melodies and harmonies of artists such as the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, and Johnny Cash, life would seem so empty to me. Listening to and playing different styles helps me to relax and as well it has motivate me in trying times. Some days I’m in the mood for an upbeat tune, and others I prefer something more slow tempo. I believe in music therapy and every day presents its chance to create your own special playlist, even it’s one of those difficult days when you’re just going through the motions — press play and let the rest go.

Listening to a song that tells a story from start to finish almost paints a picture in our minds. Kenny Chesney’s song “I Go Back” describes my thoughts:

We all have a song that somehow stamped our lives

Takes us to another place and time

So I go back to a pew, preacher and a choir

Singin' 'bout God, brimstone, and fire

And the smell of Sunday chicken after church

And I go back to the loss of a real good friend

And the sixteen summers I shared with him

Now ‘Only The Good Die Young’ stops me in my tracks

Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go back”

What song takes you back? “Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen, Selena’s “Amor Prohibido” or maybe “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong? What would our lives be like without music? Rather dull, too quiet I believe. While music may not be a language, it is universal, it can express and communicate emotions from many different cultures. Music brings people together, no matter what race, religion, or political affiliation we belong to. There are no barriers because the music does the talking for us. Some days, it’s the music I need and other days it’s the lyrics, but the best days are when both speak what my lips cannot.

 “Music is the soundtrack of your life” – Dick Clark

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