Musical musings

Abba once wondered “without a song or a dance what are we?” and you know I have to agree with them. I got thinking in my work the other day (as so often is the case theses days when the place is quiet) what is it about music that can make you feel happy or sad, brings back a million memories, transports you to a whole other country or instantly make a whole club get up and dance?

We’ve all done it you’re in a foul mood you go home dig out the loudest piece of music you have, turn it right up to that annoy the neighbours level and belt out a few tunes until you feel better. Or you go to the gym or for a run or whatever form of exercise you prefer, you have absolutely no motivation but as soon as you put your music on you’re good to go. How many times have you heard a song on the radio that you haven’t heard in forever and all of a sudden you’re transported back to that party, that summer, that holiday, that night out or whatever it is the song reminds you of. There’s so many songs out there that remind me of the summers I worked at a theme park and every time I hear them I’m transported back to all the fun and games and general chaos we got up to those summers. Running around in silly hats, dancing on a wet stage while trying not to fall over, standing in the rain getting soaked to the skin because it was part of the job, singing our hearts out or Irish dancing in the middle of a club just because we could. Or there’s this once song that was played so many times on a trip to the states last year that anytime I hear it I instantly have flashbacks and end up wanting to go back to the states (which I will as soon as I save up some pennies.)

Personally I can’t work it out. Sometimes it’s the lyrics sometimes the melody or sometimes a combination of the two. Sometimes you’ve just heard the song so many times it ends up being forever associated with that place. Whatever it is things always seem better when there’s music. The house isn’t as quiet and eerie. My shift always goes in quicker in the store that plays music. No matter how long the traffic jam as long as I have some tunes to sing along to (all be it rather tunelessly) I don’t seem to mind and parties always have that one song that makes everyone get up and dance and after that you know it’s going to be a good night. So as you’ve probably guessed I rather like my music so just to echo what Abba once said “Thank you for the music, for giving it to me”