Music That Makes You March
I know it has been a couple of days since my last post; I had a big flurry of posts last week, and then hunkered down to get ready for the inaugural class of the Create a Business People Love group that kicked off on Tuesday this week (it went great, by the way; thanks for asking 
).
I came out of tunnel-vision to find that I was tagged for another meme, and it seemed like great timing, not to mention that it’s about a subject dear to my heart: music.
Joanna Young of Coaching Wizardry tagged me in Hilda Carroll’s meme about “Songs That Make Your Heart Sing.” With a title like that, how could I refuse? (Besides, as Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “Most people go to their graves with their best music inside them.” Not me, friend.)
The challenge is to pick your “number one energy-raising song of choice”. And now you know why I’m calling that a challenge!
How to pick one? My iTunes library has 1863 items in it (that’s 11.81 GB of data) that could play for 14.7 days… and Hilda wants me to pick one. Sheesh, where to begin!?
I could start with an artist that’s captivated me lately, the lovely and talented (isn’t it great how often those go together?) — not to mention downright hilarious — Christine Kane.
Or, I could go with something by David Wilcox, who I mentioned in a recent post, whose music always transports me to a higher place.
What I noticed, though, as I thought more and more about this while rifling through my iTunes playlists, is that music, for me, is very situational.
A song that inspires me deeply one day may not have the same effect the next, because I’m in a different place. As my state changes, the music that matches and affects that state changes, too.
Have you noticed this? Your receptivity to certain grooves (music, art, food, the company you keep, etc.) changes as you change. You can have micro changes (day to day) and macro changes (year to year), but your tastes will most certainly change as you go through your own cycles of evolution.
Which is why, in answering this question, I chose to go with a band, and a song, that has been with me for 12 years.
The Dave Matthews Band has been a long-time fixation in my music library. I got into their music back in college in 1994, lost track of them for a while (heck, I lost track of just about everything for a while, there!), and then got back into them a couple years ago.
And then, for my birthday last year, my good friends Jim and Mary Keeley gave me a ticket to go see DMB live, at the inaugural show at John Paul Jones Arena in their home town of Charlottesville, VA. It was amazing.
Dave Matthews Band is who I put on when I want to get my groove on in a big way. I can’t help but dance, sing, and feel pumped up when I listen to them. Seeing them live, and soaking in their stage presence, has also revolutionized the way I hear them, and I love that.
Consistently, DMB does it for me. Admittedly, some of their lyrics can be intense at times, but I’ve always been more of a melody man than a lyrics hound; it’s just how I was raised. It works for me, anyway.
What’s the song I return to again and again? It’s gotta be Ants Marching.
So, in the spirit of meme-tagging, I’ve gotta tag Dawud, because he’s a lyrics hound, so that’s a good counterpoint to me. I’ll also tag Peter, David, Colleen, and Wendy, because I have absolutely no idea what they listen to, but I have a feeling that music is a big part of their lives, based on what I know of them. And, I’m curious as heck. (no pressure, y’all; I know you’re busy…)
And the question to you: Do you listen to music as you work? What gets your juices flowing and your feet marching? Feel free to post a comment, or pick up the meme and run with it yourself.
Images by metrojp (by Creative Commons license) and Dave Matthews Band.
And thanks to all who have commented on the previous post so far: Dan Schawbel
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Intuitive purpose finder and meaning maker.
Hey, since we were just talking about it…this week the music that has gotten my juices flowing is “Promontory” from the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack. I can almost FEEL myself running up granite hillsides with Uncas and Hawkeye! I feel strong and vibrant and passionate…yes, I have it playing right now!
And paraphrasing Cora, the heroine in the movie, “it stirs my blood…”
How funny — Joanna Young (who tagged me for this) mentioned that soundtrack on her post, too. (note to self: get Mohicans soundtrack…)
It has been years since I’ve seen that movie, but movie soundtracks often carry huge associations for me, too. Vision Quest, Shine, Walk The Line, etc…
Do I listen to music when I work? I (have to) listen to music everywhere I am (except in the garden where birds provide the music).
Why? Otherwise me ears make too much ‘interference’ music (tinnitus-sufferer = whistle, high pitch tone ringing in your head - constantly, every day, every minute of the day).
What type of music? Loads and loads of different ones, from classical (Mousorski is great - pictures at an exhibition, so is Ravel and Camile Saint Sans), pop - modern and past, rock, jazz, folk. Another great type are Brass Bands, the sound of the copper in tune and the second ‘voice’ coming over it: great.
I only thing I don’t like is rap.
Karin H.
Music? I can’t live without it and I use it to anchor myself and put myself in peak states. Right now writing this comment and listening to Jennifer Hudson ” I am changing”, that sure makes you focus on the future
and as ITunes library moves on … “don’t stop me now” from Queen …
Karin, sorry to hear about the tinnitus (no pun intended, believe me). I know there are healing modalities that have proven useful; let me know if you’re interested, and I’ll track them down (I can’t remember offhand where I was seeing about them recently…).
I rarely listen to rap, either, but I do have to say there are a few pieces out there I like… in fact, one song almost made this post, but the lyrics are way over the top (great message, foul language
).
Alex, thanks for coming by! If there’s ever a meme about, “what websites raise your energy,” I’ll nominate yours for sure! I love the colors, design, your photo, your topics… thanks again for coming!
Hi Adam, thanks for playing and for introducing me to the Dave Matthews Band.
I agree with you about different music for different moods - but it was a fun challenge to go for just one.
Joanna
Hi Adam
Thanks for the offer. Only type of ‘healing’ I know at the moment are ‘hearing aides’ that produce a noise to block the ringing (but really, really don’t like ‘things’ in my ear). The best type of ‘blocking’ the noise my brain is making in my ears is: being in flow, doing those things I like best, really enjoying myself. It then just ‘fades’ into the background.
Music is an extra ‘cover’.
Karin H
Joanna, wow, if I’m your intro to DMB, it has been my pleasure.
Karin, the first thing I’d probably rocemmend would be EFT… I found a few articles about it, here, here, and here.
When I was working solely as a spiritual/energetic healer, I worked with a woman once with tinnitus (the really-loud, insomnia-producing kind), and after about 15 minutes of getting clear on the issue she was dealing with and doing Remembrance, she started crying. She said, “I’m sorry to be crying like this, but the ringing that’s been right in my ears for the last two years now sounds like it’s down the hall.”
So, I know it’s possible to heal it… it just may take some time. Good luck.
Music!! Auditory goes right into my heart so I have to live in a LOT of silence — and my family LOVES music– especially my 13 year old daughter Lilly. She’s very into pop right now and even listens to - gasp– the radio. ARGH! I have so much trouble with that… talk about surrender!
For me, Krishna Das Breath of Heart is the take to the desert island move, meditate, cry, feel Divine joy music.
I like to do yoga to Claude Chalhoub– World
Van Morrision Enlightment - never grow tired of this one
Bruce Cockburn - Nothing but a Burning Light and most of his other CD’s get me going up the mountain
Dead Can Dance - Spirit Chaser
Forest for the Trees - Forest for The Trees the song Dream — go baby go!
Jennifer, you’re too funny… I love it.
Now can you see why it was so hard to choose just one?
Hi Adam
Thanks for the links, requested the Starters Package (funny thing though: an .co.uk email address is named: invalid email address
so had to resort to my gmail.com)
Will keep you posted, glad in a way I’ve mentioned it here. Not that it is a real ‘bug’ in my life, but ‘hearing’ it less would be ideal
Karin H.
Oh
I didn’t see the one song part
Par for my course!
thanks for the link and the kind words adam! i’m working on this meme too!
Right on, Karin. I’m curious to hear how it goes for you.
Jennnifer, no worries, of course! As you can see, I didn’t exactly limit it to one, either; I just did it sneakily (I almost picked this, I almost picked that…
).
Christine, you’re welcome, of course; I can’t wait to see what you’re listening to.
Right now I am listening to Blackfield which is nice music to listen to while I browse the web. When I am working though I tend to like upbeat, pop music like Nelly Furtano, Christina Aguilera, Mika, Lily Allen. If I listen too mellow I find that I get a bit sluggish.
Hi Ellen, it’s good to see you again.
Blackfield? Mika? Lily Allen? Looks like I’ve got some exploring to do… thanks for the suggestions!
Hi Adam,
I have to warn you that Lily Allen’s lyrics are explicit. Mika sounds like a young Freddie Mercury from Queen. You can listen to his album on my blog post Mika: Music to Listen to While Blogging.
Blackfield is a London-Tel Aviv group which someone just turned me on to and I fell immediately in love with the melancholy voice of the lead singer. Reminds me of Coldplay which I love too. I listened to the clips on Amazon before downloading their music.
Now I’m listening to Brandi Carlile whose voice I love.
This past year has been one of new music discovery. Before, I listened to my old favorites. Now, I listen to a lot of the new music that is coming out and finding new tastes. It’s great.
Hi Ellen, thanks for the heads-up and the reviews. After seeing your post, I went to iTunes and listened to some clips from their music. I’d have to say your reviews are spot-on!
For me, most of my music time these days is spent listening to classical, instrumental, or recordings of nature sounds (rainforests, waves, and such) — all things I can listen to at work without throwing off my concentration. Right now I’m on my “Oriental” playlist, which has an album called “Feng Shui” by Daniel May, soundtrack tracks from Hero, Crouching Tiger, Iron Monkey, etc., as well as some Japanese Shakuhachi flute, etc.
When I get a chance to listen to DMB, folk, rock, etc., it’s usually when I’m straightening up the house, dancing with the kids, or cooking. I’ve gotten my seven-year-old hooked on Johnny Cash…
Hi Adam,
thanks for playing along, and like Joanna, for the intro to the David Mathews Band! I’m working my way slowly around the posts, and will let you know when the compilation is complete.
all the best,
Hilda
Hi Hilda — wow, another Dave Matthews newbie! Who’da thunk?
Then again, I found some new music from reading others’ posts, so I suppose musical familiarity is just a product of whatever circles you run with…