Musically Yours!!

What is Music? For some it’s a way to distress themselves, for some it’s an energy booster, for some it’s a way to connect with others, many love the beats that move their body, others get lost in the beautiful words while few even get carried away. If one divulges into history of mankind, Music has been here forever. Whether we dig into some old scriptures, sculptures or paintings, everywhere we find a trace of it. Even the oldest of fossils shows us some or the other evidence of music or a musical instrument to that civilization. And most importantly, Music has surely evolved over centuries and so did the musical instruments. Right from the cave man using claps, slaps or even singing to different tunes; to flutes, drums and harps during the medieval times, we have surely evolved to using synthesizers, electric guitars and even computer programs that create music now a days. It gradually became more complex and so did the musical instruments. Research has shown that music can positively impact plants and animals, and so it does to humans.

And just like everything else in this Universe, there is Yin and Yang to Music too. If Music is Yin, then Lyrics are Yang to it. I rightly found this in one of the articles which states “Words make you think… music makes you feel…but a song make you feel thoughts” (Alonso, 2012, Preface section, para. 12). And I very much believe in it. Ever since I started listening to music, I was always fascinated with lyrics and of course the beats. Together they make a beautiful number to listen to. Also, it has shaped me into who I am today. When we listen to music, we are happy for that moment, however, the lyrics stays in mind forever. It makes you think over those beautiful lines and eventually your thoughts are personified in your behavior. It has very much affected my emotions and how I treat others. Makes me wonder when I see and feel things in a different way. It has enhanced my observation in my surroundings and most of all has helped me unwind during the stressful times. Basically, it has helped me empathize with people around and know them too in my own way. If Music could help you in so many ways, there must be a scientific explanation for it. Music releases Endorphins, protein molecules released by nervous system which ultimately affects how our brain functions. It is because we feel happy when Endorphins are released in our body. Now there are various ways to release Endorphins in the body. But that is a discussion for another day. Just like we adults get affected by music depending on what we listen to, the babies and kids do too.

For kids, music could be entertainment and dancing to their favorite tunes. However, somewhere it even affects how they socialize with their age group. If one thinks deeper into it, a parent should really take care as to what they listen to. In today’s urban life, parents are too busy to notice what their kids do with the technology at hand. However, in a long run it deeply affects their behavior. Some research has found that the more importance adolescents give to a certain type of music, the more attention they will pay to the lyrics. Although young listeners might not understand all the details in lyrics, they recognize enough to obtain a general idea of the message they bring. Recently I met an old friend and while she was not so proud of her couple year old kid listening/watching to only item numbers, it was horrifying for me to absorb the fact. And there are many such factors involved where in the song only personifies a woman as an object, to a greater extent a sex object, mainly focusing on body shaming, alcohol and abusive substances. What do we expect for a kid to absorb out of such music? It deeply worries me at times on the kind of world I have my kid born in. I still remember when my son was not even 2 months old and he woke up at night. Once he had his feed, I was trying to put him to sleep and he just won’t. I put him in his cradle and as soon as I put his favorite music, I asked, is this your favorite music, will you sleep? He instantly replied with a ‘Hmm’ and went to sleep right away. I was surprised to see how smart a couple week old infant is. This made me think on a few things at 2 in the morning. First, he knows what he likes listening to, second, he loves what he listens to or rather he already has his favorite out of the song we made him listen to and third, that song soothes him to core. So, if someone tells me infants are stupid who keeps on crying all day, then my friend, that kid is way out of your understanding limits.

It’s extremely important why we (kids, adults, et al.) should listen to healthy music. Be it any genre, a classical, country, soothing, soft rock; but a healthy one. Since Music just does not affect our behavior, it even helps us in several ways. Good music can help reduce the risk of heart ache and stroke. Since its directly linked to our nervous system, it even helps in breathing and improved heart rate. It even improves mood, boost the immune system and confidence. It even helps in increasing concentration and several social functions like communicating with someone unfamiliar in the language of music. I still remember how we used to make our custom Music Cassettes of our favorite songs, later came the CDs and Pen drives. However, now a days, Music is easily available everywhere at a click on a mobile phone, computer or an iPod. Now I know for sure, that I need to be cautious to what I listen to in front of my son. Or to a deeper extent, to everything I do in front of him. They try to do what we do. They try to mimic us in several ways. And we just try and hope he finds the light to guide him home. As a parent, I do not want him to get addicted to some stupid music which would alter his personality. And this even reminds me of a saying by Victor Hugo “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent.” But what if the Music has words?