Pennies & Pens,
I’m convinced, and have been for a while, that music is the language of the soul. Music can soothe your soul when it needs that specific person to talk to, cry with, celebrate and even boast with. I’ve always felt that notes are magical, and to me the proof of that is the tingle in your spine when the right note is hit or the perfect chord is heard, and the song becomes emotive. The music you listen to and enjoy is a pretty direct indication of what’s going on in your head and heart, long before you get to verbalize what you feel. What’s more important is that, music can be the creator and the reflector of your mood, which all plays into the type day you have. Therefore it pays to be mindful of what tunes you start your day and wind it down with, so I’m going to show you how music is intertwined into a day in my life.
In the mornings I like to listen to a few things, none of which include the radio. It’s usually between three or four artists — Bob Marley, Al Green and Fela Kuti, with a random Salif Keita song thrown in. With Bob I listen to a lot of his Kaya album, which is my favorite of his. That record is just the perfect soundtrack to a sunrise. It usually ends up getting played when I awake in a really good mood and want to maintain it.
Al Green gets played on those mornings when there’s this urge to let things happen at their own pace and take everything easy. The lion’s share of Green’s songs really remind me of a southern, relaxed morning. One where it’s a little more humid than you’d like it to be, but you’ve gotta roll with it and take it one thing at a time. Al Green’s songs are just a big glass of auditory iced tea for me.
Fela is for those mornings when it’s a bit rough to get up and moving and I need a little bit of a spark to get things in gear. The energy that Fela’s classic “Zombie” brings to me is unparalleled, yet it still possess that cool, chilled characteristic that defines me. The pace of the song may be fast, but it’s not rushed, which makes it perfect for jumpstarting a morning. I highly recommend it.
(Image from Amazon)
The type of music that usually dominates the ear canals on my way to work is that good old brag rap/rich off cocaine rap, and my pharmacists of choice are Raekwon, Pusha-T and Rick Ross. It’s sort of a like a pre-game to a party, but instead of bouncers and crowds it’s bosses and customers. It’s a good prep and protection for my introverted soul, and it helps me be a bit more persuasive, oddly enough. What this music really does for me though, is boost my confidence and help me remember that my situation, my job, etc. is just a part of the process of life. It helps me remember that I do have a greater potential to reach as a spiritual being. The reasoning behind that connection is difficult to put into words, but play Ross’ Teflon Don album on your way to work and see if you don’t go through the day differently!
Let me give you a closer analysis of how powerful and integral music is to a healthy soul. After a break up I went through, the song that I used to move on and get to a better place was The Game’s “Why You Hate The Game”. Ok, wait… let me explain. I didn’t suddenly start gang-banging after splitting with this woman, I promise. There’s actually a really uplifting part towards the end of the track.
Listening to it, I was almost subconsciously responding to what I felt was being repeated in my heart and soul: the thought that things would get better, I would feel better, and the sun would shine again. So the part of the song that I was stuck on was the soulful, choir-sang breakdown that repeated, “And the sun shines with you.” Those of you familiar with the choir breakdowns in church know exactly what how a resonating phrase can so powerfully grip you.
I had many a tearful night with just that section of the song on repeat. But what I believe was happening was a spirit-driven response to what I was feeling at the time. There was pain there, but at the same time there was a yearning to move past it, with help from what was being said in the song. Almost like a mantra or affirmation. During that time I thought it was just my version of a bowl of ice cream — something to comfort me — but looking back it was a much bigger form of therapy than that.
What I use to end off a day varies a lot less than the music I use to start it. I prefer older jazz and soulful songs that are really soft and go well with the ambiance of a candle-lit room. The candles are, of course, optional. That genre casts a wide net, ranging from Nina Simone, Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane, Julie London and Madeleine Peyroux. The difference at the end of the day compared to the beginning is that the wind-down music is more about ambiance than what it does for your soul. There’s some soothing going on, yes, but it’s less intentional and promotes much more relaxation.
So what you might want to do the next time you press play on your music app is just take note of what’s playing and how tightly you’re controlling it. How do you feel before and after you’ve played a few tunes? What would you rather be listening to? How would you rather be feeling? Answering those questions and finding out which type of music makes you feel what way can really help you to have a more productive, yet relaxed day. It’s like figuring out whether you work better in the daytime or at night and making the proper efficiency adjustments. Once you find that sweet spot, you’ll wonder how you ever operated before then.
Be sure to follow BranTheDon on Twitter: @BranTheDon_ and check out his blog: www.branthedon.com.
And there it is…de la Pen…All Pen Everything.
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