I have been inspired to write this entry after hearing two songs on the radio as I drove to work the other day. They summed up the power of creativity, the human spirit, and above all sounds created by people for the enjoyment of others, or to celebrate something, or to say something about the world we live in. I love watching musicians play live, to watch the technical ability and see the pleasure and rewards of their efforts. I am fortunate to be able to play a bit and enjoy bringing joy to others by performing live myself.
The songs I heard were firstly ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ by Queen, which never fails to make me move about and smile. I’m having such a good time – which is true. The next song was Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run’……when played loud the hairs stand up on my neck and goose pimples flow down my arms. Tears prickle the eyes. But why? And why does this affect me like that at the moment and not you? And not me on another day in another place with the same music?
That is the power of music. So many of our favourite songs form the soundtrack of our lives. I like to list favourite songs/gigs/albums/bands etc. The lists change and evolve but many stay the same because they are bound up with people, places, memories and of course emotions. This is not like films or books I find. with these art forms I watch or read them once and am often incredibly moved and find them thought-provoking – but I rarely return to them again as there’s too many new ones to see or read. But with music we all turn to our old favourites and relax or enjoy listening to them again and again.
I have a few friends who keep up with the times and go and see lots of new up and coming bands with young audiences, where the kids’ parents are waiting at the back of the hall. I’ve tried this but cannot get into the music. Some of it’s ok, but none of it or the performers are particularly memorable. And I think that’s because neither they nor the lyrics or music mean anything to me.
So music has to mean something to the listener if they are going to enjoy it. The music I play with my mates and at parties etc on the guitar is stuff people know. I’ve tried writing my own material but it doesn’t really work because first it isn’t very good but also it doesn’t mean anything to anyone else, only me. I really enjoy making people smile, sing and dance. It’s a great feeling to see that. And this is where the universal language comes in. I remember strumming a few songs years ago in a remote Thai village somewhere near Chang Mai on one of those treks you can go on. These little kids had no idea what I was singing about, but they knew it sounded jolly and was a funny song. They were jigging around and joining in when they heard the refrain and so on, smiles all round. And when on a Barrier Reef expedition with about 50 other backpackers the leaders on a big sailing brig asked me to ‘keep the party atmosphere going’ as they waved goodbye, the camp-fire singsong with the guitar was what they were looking to me for. At my wedding, my speech revolved around this theme, of the power of music to inspire and uplift us all. Our song was The Voyage by Christy Moore – look it up. At my father’s funeral I wrote new lyrics about him set to Waltzing Matilda (he was Australian) and got everyone to join in. At Dave’s wedding, and Paul’s, I changed the words to well-known pop songs to suit the bride and groom as part of my best man speeches.Music and entertainment; messages and meaning.
“Music speaks of platonic truth – the ideal river rather than the polluted reality, love as we dream it rather than we experience it, grief noble and uplifting rather than our distracted weeping. It is necessary to our survival and our sanity.” (Pam Brown)
The bands I come back to most for inspiration and motivation are The Beatles and U2. With the Beatles I am fascinated by their story, how good they were, the energy and originality and how they got out of Liverpool and took the world by storm. How they influenced everyone afterwards. Who they were, how they did it, where they came from, how they developed. With U2 it is more about the sound and the feel of the band, the sum of all the parts, and power of the music. For all his haters, Bono knows what he is and how he is reviled by many, but he and Bill Gates have worked tirelessly to end Aids in Africa. The Edge is not a great guitarist, but he is techy geek who has worked tirelessly with electronic gadgets to refine and develop and change his sound over the years. I like they way they try to move on all the time. Bono likes to improvise and interact and and create a bond with his audience.
For me the power of music lies in the sound and the emotions it provokes. I like lots of genres and eras, from the 50s, Elvis, rockabilly, ska, reggae, rock, new wave, punk and folk. My father was a jazz musician and a little Louis Armstrong or some classic pre-war jazz standards always move me with a tinge of sadness and pleasure mixed together. I enjoy finding traditional music when I go abroad, and love the drone of the didgerido, it mesmerises me.
In summary music is the most powerful, interactive and creative art form of them all to me. Music can make you feel invincible, that you can do anything.
“When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest.” (Henry David Thoreau)
sledgent64 