Music is what keeps me alive. I sing for all I'm worth, to make the discomfort of whatever bad experience I might be going through seem like a minute thing. 1
I write my own songs, but I can find songs written by others which speak to my soul in the throes of a desperate situation. I must admit that the most recent occurrence of this was discovering a song called "Operator" by Jim Croce in April 2007. 2
Jim Croce is one of my favourite artists, and at the time I'm talking about, I'd only just discovered him. I still had the second disc of my two disc best of to listen to, and I'd received some bad news that day, so it felt fitting to break that out. 3
(I had listened to George Harrison almost exclusively up until that point. I like other music, but nothing moves me like George's does- at that time, I'd discovered that a friend who I'd known through the official George forum had passed away from cancer in the late afternoon of the previous day.) 4
It had been expected, but took the wind out of my sails all the same. I had listened to George's music in the days leading up to her passing, listening to "My Sweet Lord", as directed, three days before she eventually passed away, but I suddenly found that George Harrison's music was too much, it reminded me too much of her. 5
So, I fetched the Jim Croce album and put the second disc on. I listened to the first three notes of the first track, "Time in a Bottle", and decided that it was a far too attractive idea at that particular time to want to bottle it, and I couldn't, so I hit the skip button on my CD player, and listened to the opening bars of "Operator (That's Not the Way it Feels)"- pure beauty, something so affecting that it almost made me cry. When Jim got to the chorus, I felt every word: 6
"Isn't that the way they say it goes,7
Well let's forget all that, and give me the number8
If you can find it, so I can call9
Just to tell 'em I'm fine and to show10
I've overcome the blow11
I've learned to take it well12
I only wish my words could just convince myself 13
That it just wasn't real14
But that's not the way it feels."15
Jim had nailed it, although the song was about a relationship breakdown, it related perfectly to the grief I felt at the death of my dear friend. Music has soothed my soul in many sad situations, and the artists I like are many and varied, too many to name here, but I'd like to mention Emmylou Harris, and "From Boulder to Birmingham". This is one of my favourite songs of hers, again relating to my feelings about Chris, but putting it far more succinctly than I ever could- there are just too many words when I try to articulate it. Emmylou wrote "Boulder to Birmingham" in response to the death of Gram Parsons, and it's a heartbreaking song, but fitting: 16
"I don't want to hear a love song17
I got on this airplane just to fly18
And I know there's life below19
But all that it can show me20
Is the prairie and the sky21
And I don't want to hear a sad story22
Full of heartbreak and desire23
The last time I felt like this24
It was in the wilderness and the canyon was on fire."25
That's just an excerpt of the first two verses, which fit in most with my experience, but the rest of the song is beautiful, and sad. I could mention so many others, but there wouldn't be space or time. So, I'll just mention two more. The John Lennon version of "Stand By Me" is the only version I can listen to without becoming a human mush. "Hickory Wind" by Gram Parsons makes me cry: 26
"It's a hard way to find out that trouble is real27
In a far away city, with a far away feel." 28
So, this is how music affects me, and has changed me for the better. I could've written an essay about James Taylor as a single influence on my life, but I chose not to, because that would have been boring.
Author notes
YouTube links to every single song I've mentioned here:
George Harrison- My Sweet Lord
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ls8Mhoafn0
Jim Croce- Operator (That's Not The Way It Feels)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2iS8XctJKo&feature=related
Emmylou Harris- From Boulder to Birmingham
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEvZF2-d0w0
John Lennon- Stand By Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4_ghOG9JQM
Gram Parsons- Hickory Wind
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK70vImXkgY
A contest entry
- A Long, Long, Time Ago... by Frozen Angel.
225 points, ended May 15, 8 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next story in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 10 of 10
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Fantastic job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love how you told your perspective on music
nicely written!!!
-songbird
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GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
that was one of the best yet keep on doing this kid please good job great job excellent job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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music is wonderful. i love music(but dont exactly listen to english ones) but anyway music ha a way of calming me and all that. u put my feelings into words...(:
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Wow
I love music. It seems like it can cure anything. There is a song for every moment of life. It's the thing that brings the world together. I haven't met a person who doesn't like music. -
Stand By Me and Operater are two of my favorite songs, because, like you, i can relate to them, only not because of a best friend's death. my heart goes out for you there hun. seriously. my deepest symapthies. i really liked this, because it explains so much and because i can relate to it very well too. music is like my life. lol. that and writing. and even when i write, i have to listen to music to get the juices flowing, you know? good job!
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That's great that you found the songs to help you get through a difficult period in your life. I know music has helped me more than once when I'm grieving.
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music is an amazing thing but some people just dont get how music can affect someones life. i am happy that you have found music and that you have an artist that can speak to your heart. this was an amazing write! keep up the great work
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This is so true. People who don't understand what's so wonderful about music never will, but others, others who deply rely on it, they do. I know exactly what you mean. Some artists don't realize it when they compose music, but some songs just hit certain people, you know? Good work. ^^
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songs can save your life
POD Alive, best song ever.
Morrissey 'Oh well i never learn' second.
I'm off to listen to them now.
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This is great. I'm so glad music could help you through such a hard time. I know it can do wonders for the broken soul and it's great to see its true impact on listeners.
Thank you so much for taking the time to enter my contest and I wish you luck in it.
*Frozen Angel*
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