The Song of life...

The music that you're drawn to can say a lot about who you are or what mood you're in at any given time.


Fact is, if you’re depressed you may chose to listen to a more somber tune. Hence the continued popularity of The Smiths! (not hating..just usually a go to for me when it been a bad day!)

When you're having a good day you may tend to listen to more up-beat tunes. Why bring down a good day with a depressing ditty about love lost and chances missed. That’s usually why I steer clear of country as a rule of thumb. With only a few exceptions.)

This topic hit me last night at the gym when I decided to hit shuffle instead of using the same old workout mix. A series of completely non-workout type songs came on and seemed to click for me.

It got me thinking, "if your mood can push you in a certain direction when choosing music...does it also change your outlook on the songs you hear that you didn't actively choose?

Or at least does it make you think differently about those songs?"

Case in point: Garth Brooks--Unanswered Prayers. Always been a favorite of mine. Catchy, tells a story and makes a pretty good point. Not really a workout song one that would usually get skipped at the gym...and given your personal mood sometimes downright un-listenable.

Last night while riding the stationary bike it got me thinking...not sure why really. Maybe I'm in a place right now that seems better than where I was last year. Maybe it was a moment of clarity when the song made sense. But in that moment I couldn't have chosen a better song.

It's like listening to a song that you've heard a 1000 times only to finally figure it out. Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young" springs o mind. I'd sung along with that one for years without seeing how truly dirty it was. You know Catholic girls growing up much to late and all!!

I guess sometimes you're just not in the right frame of mind to truly hear a song. Or maybe your mind isn't open enough to let the song speak to you.

To paraphrase the late comedian Richard Jeni...why is it that when your going through a rough breakup that every radio station on the dial is "All Love Songs All The Time"? Sappy crap that makes you want to stick your head in the oven!!!

It comes down to perception, plain and simple.

As a music lover it's amazing that a song you want nothing to do with one day, can speak to you a short time later. Kinda like how those around us draw us into the gravitational field of music likes and dislikes. If it wasn't for friends and loved ones I'd have missed out on the likes of: Gram Parsons, T.Rex, New Riders of thePurple Sage, Mumford and Sons, Tinie Tempah, Jenny Lewis, Rilo Kiley, Jack Johnson, Ryan (not Bryan) Adams....and a myriad of similar artists.

Granted I'd have found some on my own. But some would have remained unknown (Parsons) or disregarded (Johnson--even though he's in my iTunes library for a few songs and I've owned CDs in the past!). That's the joy of music. You may think you have a song or artist figured out until something changes in you or your life to open you up new possibilities and ways of thought.

Don't pigeon hole a song or artist because you hated it or didn't get it at some point. There's always the opportunity for a comeback...if you just give it a second chance.

To end I'll throw you a wise word from Jenny Lewis, off her album (with the Watson Twins) Rabbit Fur Coat..."you are what you love, not what loves you back." Sometimes those things that you love will rub off on those around you and change their perceptions of life. But only if they are open to a little change. So don't be ashamed of those things you love...be it music, art , literature. Share them! Be proud of that part of you that drew you to those things! Most importantly...be open to new things. You may surprise yourself!