Joseph Internicola November 29, 2018
More than Just Noise
Have you ever heard of a song and it takes you to a place and time where there were no problems in your life? Where everything and anything didn’t matter? Well that’s how I felt when I heard the song “Stairway to Heaven” By Led Zeppelin for the first time and whenever I am having a hard time or I am feeling a little down I put that song on close my eyes and just remember the first time I heard this song. The first time I heard this song was on then last day of school back when I was in fourth grade (about 9 years old). At school that day I found out that I was passing all of my classes and passed the state test that allowed me to advance to fifth grade so that right there was a big weight lifted from my shoulders and the only thing left to do was enjoy the summer. After school that day me and all my friends went to the park and just had fun. When that day was coming to an end my dad called me on my first phone which was a flip phone and said that he was on the corner in his car ready to pick me up. When I went in my dads car we went around the corner and he stopped at a store for a minute. He ended up leaving me in that car and that song came on. In an instant all of my attention went to the radio and I was mesmerised by the delicate descending guitar that opened the song. I could remember looking out the window of the car to see the sunset. I didn’t know how perfect I felt during that time until looking back at it. My life was stress free and all I had to do was enjoy myself. Unfortunately when you grow up you obviously have more responsibilities and with that you have more stress. So when I get a little down or I am overwhelmed with life I put on my headphones and listen to that song while I take a walk to clear my mind and take me back to that wonderful day.
I know that everyone has their own way to cope with hard times but I feel that music is special because there are millions of songs out their that can be singing about the problem that could be occurring in your life, There could be a song that makes you forget about those thing and just makes you feel happy, or like me a song can be special to you in a specific way. According to David M. Greenberg in the article “What is Music Exactly” he states “Music is essential to many of our lives. We listen to it when waking up, while in transit, at work, and with our friends. For many, music is like a constant companion. It can bring us joy and motivate us, accompany us through difficult times, and alleviate our worries.” This quote took the words directly out of my mouth. David greenberg said music has become a essential in our lives today and I could not agree with him more, music helps people not only through hard times but through the day. He talks about how we listen to it everywhere and anywhere we get a chance and I can personally relate to that because as long as I have my headphones with me and i’m not doing anything that requires my ears i’ll be listening to music. He also say that it relieves us of our worries and when he said that I thought of music allowing people to be incases in their own little world that makes them forget about all of the problems that they have going on in their real life. Unfortunately you can’t stay there forever and eventually have to return to your problems but for that five or ten minutes a day that you are in your own little world listening to music it can really help you in the long run and allow you to get through the day.
Music is also important to people because it can sometime make you feel something that nothing else can. On April 13, 2009 someone named Cheyenne posted a statement on a blog called “What Makes Music Meaningful” and they said “Overall, music is meaningful to many different people and for a numerous number of reasons. Renee Fleming talks about how music touches many people lives. It touches their hearts and souls in ways some people could not imagine and in places nothing else can reach.” Music can intertape things in ways that just can’t be said or showed and it truly connects with the listener on a deeper level then the song just sounding good. Artist are people too and they go through some of the same things that we go through and when they express it on their songs it is a everlasting connection that can never be forgotten or broken between you two.
Overall my point beings is that music is much more than noise it’s something that allows people to escape from their problems and enter their own little world with no worries. It a sort of coping mechanism that people use on a day to day basis because it works. Like stairway to heaven reminds me of that wonderful day any song of your desire will have a similar effect on you and it will forever allow you to escape to that happy place whenever you need to.
Bibliography:
Cheyenne. “Music101Wallace.” What Makes Music Meaningful?, 1 Jan. 1970, cheyenne-wallace.blogspot.com/2009/04/what-makes-music-meaningful.html.
“What Is Music…Exactly?” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-power-music/201608/what-is-music-exactly.
