Naked

A long time ago I said that my dream job would be to curate movie soundtracks. Not sure exactly how one would get such a job, but I still think that’s probably one of the best fucking jobs in the world. I would be so goddamn passionate about my work if that was what I got to do all day and all night.

Ever since I can remember, I’ve wished that there was a soundtrack playing for my life. Sometimes just because there were moments that were screaming for background music. Other times (and most often, if I’m being brutally honest with myself) simply because I could have used the help figuring out what the fuck was going on. 

Music in movies and in television shows has that amazing ability. You learn the subtle nuances and cues. Strings begin to swell, a timpani begins a steady beat, some woodwinds begin a seductive trill…here comes the hero to sweep the girl off her feet and kiss away her tears. Thudding bass drums, clashing horns and cymbols – look out! Danger is sure to be on your screen via villian or car chase. Steady beats and subtle vocals? Here comes a decidedly not PG rating. 

Music is one of life’s great equalizers. I don’t know a single human being alive that doesn’t enjoy music. Every culture has customs that revolve around or involve music in some form. Even before we are born, our mothers coo and hum and sing to us in their wombs. 

Music, like love, is universal. 

Through music I have learned bits and pieces of several different languages. I know I’ve touched upon it briefly before, but when I was a young teenager, music saved my life and gave me a sense of belonging and the will to see that things would get better. As an adult, music is not only an escape, but I use music to sculpt the world around me. 

I don’t know about anyone else, but I know that if I’m in a certain type of mood, I can listen to certain genres of music (sometimes even just a particular song), and I can absolutely change my frame of mind. Music has the singular abilty to elevate and bring about revelations. 

I’m listening to music right now while I write. I find that having low-key music playing helps me more easily get the words from my sometimes erratic brain through my fingers and onto the page, be it parchment or digital. I feel so blessed to live in an era where music is more and more easily shared and I can discover new favorites with the simple click of a button. I will never forget the hours that I spent at record stores as a teen listening to the albums that were in the sample booths. I will never forget the years I spent working at a record store. 

Music has always been and will always continue to be a very large part of my life. I don’t really understand when someone says that they don’t listen to a lot of music…it actually saddens me when someone says something like that. 

I guess that I never really grew out of being that awkward kid who was in choir and band and had no friends. I grew up and I look a lot different, but I still find great comfort in all things musical that bring people together. 

I guess you could say that music is my first love.

(Brought to you tonight by some fantastic tunes by; The Lumineers, The Head and the Heart, Lord Huron, Bon Iver and Passenger)

~ by tatterednotes on March 4, 2015.

Posted in Art, Entertainment, Life
Tags: bon iver, career, confessions, dream job, dreams, jobs, life, lord huron, love, lthe lumineers, music, my life, passenger, passion, soundtrack, the head and the heart, work