BLOG 34: OUR PERSONAL SOUNDTRACKS
Though this month has had its ups and downs, June has been a month filled with singing, music, art and travel. So - lucky me!
I have been involved with music in lots of different ways in June, from arranging, singing and recording backing vocals, to creating cover artwork for an EP, re-listening to songs which Sunfish Music will be releasing imminently on physical CD i.e. the band ‘Sparrow’ produced by Chris White in the 1970s.
Also there has been a lot of travel - driving with compulsory ‘singing along’ - and this month, I was also introduced to Boom Radio (UK) which started in February and specialises in music from the 1960s and 1970s.
Hearing such a kaleidoscope of songs on this great station by artists like The Carpenters, Cream, Pilot, UB40, Chicago, Stevie Wonder, Martha and the Vandellas, Crosby Stills & Nash (the list goes on forever), got me thinking about the emotional effect music has on us.
I have touched on this subject in previous blogs - it has been shown that music naturally targets the dopamine systems of our brains (as does food, sex and drugs!) and around 95% of us humans will experience an emotional response.
The action of listening to / hearing music engages MANY parts of the brain, triggering connections which create personal physical, mental and emotional associations. This results in music, of whatever genre, being inextricably wound up with our lives, our memories, our recollections and our emotional and social responses and preferences. It’s always great to be introduced to new music.
Having music around can alter our concept of time, can change our moods, mental state and our behaviour (consciously or subconsciously). It can give us a sense of belonging or of being understood. It accompanies our sadnesses and our joys in life. It can affect our health, our attitude and our alliances.
Lyrics add yet another layer of attachment and involvement which can become our mantras or form part of our personal philosophies.
I cannot fully grasp why certain songs or pieces of ANY genre of music make me cry. It’s all very personal and we all have our own set of triggers. Music in the delivery room introduced a new member of the White family into the world this month – those songs cause tears of delight to the new parents now!
Of course, the sound of certain singers can reduce listeners to tears too. What a fabulous gift THAT is. I include here the voice of the marvellous Bianca Kinane. It has been an honour to co-write songs for this lovely human being and ‘singer extraordinaire’. Having her sing our songs has reduced Chris White and I to tears on numerous occasions - which she finds very amusing!
I haven’t had the time to trawl through this subject deeply enough to remind myself of all my own personal inspirations, triggers and ‘flags’ – but now I really want to! So I will return to this later in the year and give a bit more of a personal insight. This deserves some thinking time!
Until then, keep enjoying the soundtrack of your own life.