My anti-drug. My release. My intangible stress ball.
Music is just one of those things that no matter what mood we’re in, there is a song for it.
Failed your Chemistry exam and set a record-low percentage in the class? Daniel Powter’s “Bad Day” can surely relate.
Think your love life is complicated? Don’t worry; the Jackson 5 assures you it’s as easy as “ABC.”
Heartbroken and can’t seem to get over that perfect woman? Jesse Powell can describe that feeling for you in the song “Gloria” – oh the irony.
Maybe you’re just in a really good mood and feel like thanking God for it. Kirk Franklin and his gospel choir do as well in “Brighter Day.”
Therapeutic tunes for your everyday emotions. How cool is that?
Better yet, they relay messages better than we sometimes can ourselves. Not taking away from our individual creativity, these artists write music with the intentions of relating to their audiences.
I mean, it’s the same thing as buying a card for someone – whatever the occasion, you’re taking someone else’s words, signing your name and handing it off. We browse through the card aisle looking for the most sophisticated or witty piece of writing, simulating ourselves into all $2.99 worth of someone else’s quote. Ouch, I know.
Anyway, I may download anywhere from 200 to 300 songs in a month’s time. Absurd? Maybe. But as the radio plays the same 10 songs in a new rotation every hour, I’m off in La-La Land streaming music in different places like New York or the United Kingdom.
And when it comes to music, I do not discriminate. I try to have a variety and listen to just about everything: R&B, hip-hop, old school, gospel, reggae, blues, alternative, pop, rock and even country (I mean I live in Kansas now, I think I was kind of forced into that one). Regardless, I cover all grounds, because good music has no definite genre.
I now compile monthly playlists on Facebook of the top 50 songs after going through the 200-plus songs downloaded. Sure it’s time-consuming, and it takes more than one listen before determining whether a song is legit or not, but to me, it’s worth it.
Lesson of the day, music is like people. If you only mingle with one kind, you have a limited and second-hand opinion of everyone else. And if the grass is greener on the other side, maybe the music is too.<br/>&#160;