Core Values: What is the Power of Song?

Here's a reference to the power of song. The inexplicable part of music and song. Director Danny Clinch followed the artist Ben Harper around in the 90s and the result was a documentary released in 2002, called "Pleasure and Pain." In the opening scene Ben is talking about the theme of this blog: "I love melodies-melodies are one of the things...that excite me about LIFE the most...how...of all the states of emotion I've ever been in music takes me to the strongest state, the quickest." That is the heart of this blog in my idealistic mind's eye. It could be many other things, but that is at the core of my aim. To discuss the power of song. How music can flood the human mind with imagery, the closed eye with colors, how it can literally affect our physiology. It can increase the heart rate, raise the hair on the back of one's neck, deepen one's breathing, and release endorphins. Tonight, I am thinking about another scenario from the NICU with my son. In this case, the anecdote has more to do with my personal music therapy and/or processing of the situation then providing therapy for my boy. It also has to do with music connected to lyrics and not just pure melody. Quickly, I do want to make it clear that one of the very first things I realized upon entering the NICU that first day was that Benton was doing very well. I saw several other babies in much more serious condition and I counted my blessings and tried not to complain or show too much fear when their parents were present. The NICU is a serious and scary place and I felt very lucky to count my son among the ones who were thriving, mostly, all on their own. Ok, got that out of the way. So here is my musical example. I played songs for Benton on my ukulele and I sang a cappella lullabies, etc., but I also played music for him on my phone. I used tracks that I own as well as youtube videos. Most songs were chosen for their instrumentation and quality. Obviously, my taste played a much larger role than Benton's and my judgement as to what is appropriate and/or client centered was the only guiding factor other than what I just "wanted to hear." So, specifically, one track that I saw in my itunes and decided to play was "Papa Hobo," off of Paul Simon's self titled album from 1972. If you're not familiar with this record you most likely do know that track "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard," which opens the second side. If you're not sure what I mean by "the second side," ask your dad what an LP is...or a cassette tape, for that matter. Anyhow, I chose this track because of the playful bass harmonica and the mellow qualities of the arrangement/tune. What I didn't foresee was that on top of the beautifully composed melodies, singing timbre (timbre- pronounced "tamber" refers to the quality of the sound/tone. For instance a flute and a piano could play the same note, but one would recognize the different quality provided by two totally different instruments), and guitar playing of Mr. Simon; was that one line could change the song and my reaction to it in literally microseconds. The song begins by poetically and comically discussing the heavy smog of Detroit among other things and introducing Papa Hobo, who seems to be possibly just a man that Simon is passing on the street (maybe this man is giving Paul some type of intriguing or piercing look. The type that makes you question yourself and then question how a homeless man down to his last bit of hard luck could possess the power to have you check yourself ;) who knows). Back to it...so the song is jaunting along and then all of a sudden: "I've been sweeping up the tips I've made. I've been living on Gatorade. Planning my getaway." I can't really explain how this meant something, but at that moment, in the middle of the night, with my 5 and a half pound son in my arms, with tubes in his nose and machines reading his vital signs...it meant everything. It was some sort of fantasy; that Benton was really pulling one over on these nice nurses and he had designs on how to bust out of the joint. It punched me in the face and I cried. I think I laughed and cried at the same time. "Planning my getaway," became Benton's theme line and "Papa Hobo," became his theme song. Hell, it was my theme song. It gave me power and hope. B-Boy was planning his getaway all the time and he was charming the nurses along the way to grease the wheels. Then, as I left each morning the final line began to echo in my head and was my little anthem:"Well it's just after breakfast, I'm in the road, and the weatherman lied," followed by that little scat-ish ending. That silly, beautiful little song is now stitched into my life and the bond between my son and I. We will talk about this story and the power of one note, one line, or even one word. With any luck he'll teach me about what this experience was really all about, but no matter what the song will always evoke the memory and the feelings it contains. Jeff Tweedy, the frontman and songwriter for the band Wilco once said that along with whatever other current music is out and about; an artist is also always going up against their own music from the past and that this is basically an impossible endeavor. I'm paraphrasing here, but the idea is that a song from ten years ago or one year, or twenty, has all of those years to go along with it. That song is embedded in your memories. The time it was playing when you kissed the girl, or celebrated the grade, or got engaged. OR, just the way your thoughts about the song or it's lyrics have evolved over time. Nowadays, people rarely seem to listen to a song or an album multiple times before making a judgement on it. In many cases it's instant gratification or nothing. Meanwhile, a new song can only connect with your memories through comparison. Through evoking a style or a feeling. That's obviously something that is very hard to do in a short amount of time, BUT IT CAN BE DONE. It can be done in a serious and meaningful way, too. Not just by catch pop tunes, alone. That's in the power of song, too. Thanks for reading if you did. Until next time...EAT MUSIC. IT'S ORGANIC.