Life Without a Soundtrack

I can’t imagine life without a soundtrack. Be it our own internal DJ running playlists in our head, or our earbuds emitting favorite tracks to accompany our runs, a radio station in the car, AirPlay throughout our house condo apartment abode, a movie soundtrack masterfully helping to carry a mood, becoming part of the story, a CD loaned in a office, tunes streamed in an office, and for good or ill in an elevator a grocery store a Dr.’s office, hummed by a child in the restroom stall next door, hummed by you yourself, belted out in the shower.

Songs of joy, protest, love, hate, frustration, depression, darkness, hope, hopelessness, goofy random silliness, triumph–all have a place. They prompt a smile, or nod, or tap of feet. They can get you to turn the volume up and push the gas pedal dowwwwwnnnn. They can keep you company when you are blue, encourage you to dance, relax, meditate or gyrate. They turn a dark walk in a cold rain up the hill from the bus that was late and cold and loud and smelly with a bad driver into a triumphant march, dance home. They can save you from a hard day, week, time, carry you safely home. They can let you be OK, let you know you are not alone. They can give you strength hope courage. They can lift you up and calm you down. Transport you to a particularly good concert indoor, outdoor, large club or small once upon a time.

Any age, any genre, if it speaks to you, sings to you, relates to you, beckons you, grabs you, taps your foot, brings a smile, saves you, cradles you, lifts you, entices you to sing, dance, laugh, cry…”…sing the body electric…” and thank you Walt Whitman and Weather Report…

Sound and silence, melody, harmony, rhythm, timbre, mathematics and soul. “Life without music would be a mistake.” Friedrich Nietzsche said that. “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” Bob Marley said that. “I can’t imagine life without a soundtrack.” I said that.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.