It consumes me and surrounds my body like a cushy cloud. I feel vibrations and all the directions it travels through me. I’m anticipating my favorite part so I can experience the goosebumps and release as the memories flow in and then out of my mind. Next, without a thought, my head, then shoulders, the arms, legs and my hips began to catch and hold onto the rhythm. Before I know it I’m dancing and it’s controlling me and I don’t care. It’s the best feeling ever and the words speak my language. The sound whispers to my heart and cranks up my energy. The memories of who I am and the worries I had fade away.
I’m talking about music and how it makes me feel.
For my husband when he hears Easy E say, cruising down the street in my six four. The penetrating low thumps of the base and piercing high sounds of the treble get him pumped up and ready. It brings back all the memories of NWA and how ground breaking their music was in the late 80’s and my husband can remember like yesterday the place and time in his life when that song was popular.
It’s amazing how music can bring you back to the past and inspire you to move forward. It can speed you up or slow you down in an instant. Some songs change your life. There is a song by Mary J Blige called Reminisce. Every time I hear that song I remember vividly listening to it in my headphones while sitting on an airplane wearing my over sized college sweatshirt and looking out the window in a daze. I had colossal size tears dripping from my swollen eyes because I had so much fun with my boyfriend who I just left back home way too many times. I was on my way back to college 1300 miles away, from him. Reminisce was my song to listen to and just cry and think about my boyfriend. That boyfriend is now my husband. Thank God!!
One day our daughter came home from elementary school not understanding why the kids in her class didn’t know who Earth Wind and Fire or who Chaka Khan are. She said to me it’s good music and I like it. I was smiling big on the inside. On another day, while driving in the car, our son nods his head to a song that’s playing then stops, and says, this old school music is jamming. Again, I smile. We play music on volume number blast, in our house, and the kids try to let the music move them. When they think too hard, they dance like what I call, little rhythm-less nations. It’s like their body parts are all out of sync. But when they truly shut everything out and just enjoy the beat inside the sound they get it. It’s like they free themselves from thought in their dance movements.
Layla Hathaway is one of my favorite singers. She has many songs that speak to me like the song called I’m Coming Back. Every time I hear this song I understand, feel and hear so many messages. How can one song do that? Is it talking to my Spirit directly? Is it clearing my mind and secretly letting in messages that need to be decoded by my soul. I listen to it over and over in my headphones. It’s like a drugless drug. It NEVER gets old. Have you ever heard song lyrics and swear to God that the song writer only wrote it for you? Sometimes I stop and talk to the radio and say SANG that song like I’m witnessing in church. Haha! Maybe I’m being too much or just overly happy that I can experience the wonderful thing we call music.
Okay one last artist then I’ll end this story. Meshell Ndegeocello sings a song called Outside Your Door. The song is beautiful. Her music is sensual and seductive and heavy. But she paints a vivid picture of wanting to be listened to, wanted and important.
So when you are having a day not going your way, or want to get pumped up, inspired, or happy I hope you turn on your favorite song and lose yourself for a moment. Free yourself from thoughts and enjoy the music.
©2015 by Allura Eshmun