Marcoujor: Musings on Music

Ever since I was a kid, music has been magical for me. As the youngest of four siblings with a range of 15 years in age, I was exposed to an awesome variety of musical genres. My Mother, born and raised in Washington GA brought the melodic tunes of country and western harmonies to our home from my earliest memories. My Father, with a traditional Italian upbringing, added his love of such classics as Frank Sinatra, Henri Mancini and Burt Bacharach.

For me, music has a way of provoking my thoughts. I remember studying a phenomena where listening to complex music, such as a Mozart sonata could stretch our thinking, much like physical exercise does to our bodies. Research has even found that our right brained thinking (the part of us that likes to reason) may even improve after listening to some music?! This Mozart effect, as it is called, is believed to be responsible, at least in part, for improved concentration, intuition, intelligence and even healing. In any event, I know it certainly gets me in the mindset to think. 

Music inspires a range of feelings in me. I can identify a specific song with precisely what was happening in my life the first moment I heard it. I reach for certain songs when I am in a particular mood. I listen closely to lyrics and sounds, deriving much comfort, happiness, diversion, really most any mood that is being expressed through the artist.

Music is timeless.  I teared up when my nephew and his bride recently danced as 'man and wife'  to this sentimental doo-wap song from 1955 - the year my brother (Jared's dad!) was but one year old.  Ironically, Jared was just about one year old when my husband and I married in 1987. 

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Jared & Jenne

The Harptones: Life Is But A Dream

Music is energy and joy. Jared and Jenne knew the perfect song to get the dance party started - sixty years older than the last and hardly doo-wop.  Listen to this and I guarantee you'll be dancing too - even if in your seat...!

Walk The Moon: Shut Up And Dance With Me

Music makes me laugh. Music makes me cry. Music makes it all better. And yes, music inspires me.

Check out May's Inspiration Station where I explain my What Do You Say? idea and share Mike Friedman's musings on the matter of music. 

I recently asked some other family, friends and colleagues if and what kind of music inspired them. Here's what I have to report, so far:

• Meaningful lyrics that resonate on some level  
  
• So many kinds...depends on my mood
  
• Oldies
  
• 70's Lite Rock
  
• Lively music
  
• Gospel, Rock and Roll, Seventies, Disco
  
• Any music...each speaks to me in a different way.  Some makes me laugh, some makes me cry, and some makes me remember good times in my life.
  
• I think the best way to answer is this is that the only music that doesn't inspire me is elevator music, heavy metal, rap and hip hop. 
  
• I love all music, except hard rock and heavy metal, and I use it successfully to swing my mood to whatever mood I want to be in. So, I guess music does inspire me to be happy, sad, creative, or relaxed.
  
• Primarily Gospel,  after that, upbeat Southern, Bluegrass and classic rock

​Wow, I declare I have some cool folks in my circle... I love all of these answers!

How about you...let me know in the comment section or contact me for a questionnaire to weigh in on this and my other questions... to be featured in future posts.

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ShoutOuts

☙ The Living is Easy via WarnerWords

​☙ Welcoming Ann Rains & RainsWriter via flashPress

​☙ Ode to a Klingon - A Tribute to Buddy Lee via In the World

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Until next week, keep a song in your heart and a dance to your step,

mar