“Everything in the universe has a rhythm, everything dances. ” ~ Maya Angelou
It’s been a long winter…Long days and long, dark nights. I’m ready for Spring, and I’m grasping for every bit of sunshine and warmth I can find. It’s times like these (dreary, winter days) that I find myself reaching for my headphones or cranking up the volume of my favorite Pandora stations in an attempt to put a little dance-in-my-step. Inevitably, I find the inspiration I need in the words to songs that relate to me, and the tempo to lift my mood. Studies have long shown that music therapy can help with depression, anxiety, productivity, and healing. Like the background ballad on one of your favorite Grey’s Anatomy episodes, or the interlude in a good movie, life is best accompanied by music. In the hopes of spreading a little sunshine, I’m sharing a few favorites from my play list. Feel free to click on the links if you want. I hope it makes you tap your foot, and in the best of circumstances, sing along.
Gravity by John Mayer. Love the lyrics to this song. “Gravity…is working against me. Gravity…wants to bring me down.” It’s not necessarily a pick-me-up song, but the lyrics speak to me about not letting things get me down. Truthfully, it’s also reminds me of how gravity is affecting me physically, but I’m pretty sure that wasn’t John Mayer’s intent. As a plus, it has a great bluesy vibe.
Into the Mystic by Van Morrison. Just because I’ll forever be a fan of 70’s music and because it makes me think of the ocean.
Hey Ya by Outkast. Try to keep perfectly still when you listen to this one…I dare you!
Pink Cadillac by Bruce Springsteen. Crank this one up while housecleaning. No way you can sit down for this one… Dust, Dance, Dust, Dance….Dust, Dance, Dust, Dance…still going…
Hotel California by The Eagles. Still remember having this eight-track in my player, and still love The Eagles.
The Midnight Special by Creedence Clearwater Revival. Everybody needs a little CCR in their life. Let it shine on you…
Share some of your favorites with me…
As always…a few quotes.
“You’re like a song that I heard when I was a little kid but forgot I knew until I heard it again.” ~Maggie Stiefvater
“Joy, sorrow, tears, lamentation, laughter — to all these music gives voice, but in such a way that we are transported from the world of unrest to a world of peace, and see reality in a new way, as if we were sitting by a mountain lake and contemplating hills and woods and clouds in the tranquil and fathomless water.” ~ Albert Schweitzer
“We are the ones who take this thing called music and line it up with this thing called time. We are the ticking, we are the pulsing, we are underneath every part of this moment. And by making the moment our own, we are rendering it timeless. There is no audience. There are no instruments. There are only bodies and thoughts and murmurs and looks. It’s the concert rush to end all concert rushes, because this is what matters. When the heart races, this is what it’s racing towards.” ~ Rachel Cohn
“The times you lived through, the people you shared those times with — nothing brings it all to life like an old mix tape. It does a better job of storing up memories than actual brain tissue can do. Every mix tape tells a story. Put them together, and they can add up to the story of a life.” ~ Rob Sheffield
“Our lives were just beginning, our favorite moment was right now, our favorite songs were unwritten.” ~ Rob Sheffield
“No matter who we are, no matter what our circumstances, our feelings and emotions are universal. And music has always been a great way to make people aware of that connection. It can help you open up a part of yourself and express feelings you didn’t know you were feeling. It’s risky to let that happen. But it’s a risk you have to take-because only then will you find you’re not alone.” ~ Josh Groban
Another nice blog! Well done. Music is CRUCIAL in life. I can hear Elton John’s “Honky Cats” and I’m instantly in college in my dorm room — all the sights, sounds, smells are there and my old radio is blasting Elton John. I can hear the Kingston Trio and I’m 8 years old listening to my dad dj on the Sunday afternoon WHIR radio. Lately Brandi Carlisle is a musician who REALLY speaks to me. In particular, her song “The Story” –f or anyone who’s been through something, it’s an amazing song. It starts “You see these lines upon my face, tell you the story of where I’ve been….” Well, I could talk music all day. THANKS!!!!
Thanks, Mona. I agree totally…music is crucial in life, and isn’t it great how a specific song can bring back those special memories? Like you, I could go on and on about certain songs and about how they inspire me! I haven’t listened to “The Story” but I will now! Thanks for sharing!