How music moves us

[David Baxter PhD]

How Music Moves Us
By Steve Nguyen
January 14, 2008

Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life. ~ Berthold Auerbach

In late fall of 1997, while living and going to school in Tyler, Texas (a beautiful East Texas town), I had one song that I played over and over in the evening time after dinner. That song was Leann Rimes? You Light Up My Life. For some reason, the words and especially the soothing melody were a source a great inspiration and comfort during that period in my life.

Although the words and song were about love, I found inspiration in it to help me through going back to school. What was so meaningful at that point in time was that it was shortly after I had decided to pursue my Master?s in Psychology. This came about after a long journey of dissatisfaction with my life and self-sabotage resulting in my being dismissed from law school.

I knew it was going to be a long journey but I was determined that failure and giving up were not an option this time around. With the help of that song ,You Light Up My Life, that year in Tyler became not only bearable, but therapeutic.

Instead of picturing a girl (well, the song had a guy), I would envision a guardian angel looking out for me. So many nights before heading off to bed, I?d play that song and picture this angel looking down on little ol? me and it had such a calming effect. My favorite part of the song was: ?And you light up my life/You give me hope to carry on??

You Light Up My Life

So many nights I?d sit by my window
Waiting for someone to sing me his song
So many dreams, I kept deep inside me
Alone in the dark but now you?ve come along

And you light up my life
You give me hope to carry on
You light up my days
And fill my nights with song

Rollin? at sea, adrift on the waters
Could it be finally, I?m turning for home
Finally a chance to say, ?Hey, I love you?
Never again to be all alone

And you light up my life
You give me hope to carry on
You light up my days
And fill my nights with song

You, you light up my life
You give me hope to carry on
You light up my days
And fill my nights with song

It can?t be wrong, when it feels so right
?Cause you, you light up my life​

Music has been shown to be good medicine. Perhaps one of its most famous, present-day advocate is Dr. Oliver Sacks (whose book Awakenings was made into a film starring Robin Williams and Robert De Niro).

Dr. Sacks reports that:

[M]usic can animate people with Parkinson?s disease who cannot otherwise move, give words to stroke patients who cannot otherwise speak, and calm and organize people whose memories are ravaged by Alzheimer?s or amnesia.

Music ?elicit emotions and associations that had been long forgotten, giving the patient access once again to mood and memories, thoughts and worlds that had seemingly been completely lost.?​

The power of music is unmistakeable. It doesn?t just move the heart or inspire the mind, it can literally move body parts (of people with medical conditions and in whom medical science could not help).

 

[lallieth]

Music is so important to us and such a part of our lives,that we attach certain songs to particular events and memories..first dance,first date etc..listening to a song from a good memory or event,can bring us back to that time and place and raise those sweet emotions all over again.

 

[Cat Dancer]

Sometimes I get "stuck" on a song and just listen to it over and over again. It seems to be soothing to me to do this.

 

[Halo]

I have a certain song that a person once gave me the lyrics to when I was feeling seriously down and it really helped so now everytime I am having a rough time of it I turn to this song and it really soothes me as well. I also love when it comes on the radio at random...it is such a nice surprise

 

[lallieth]

I listened to the same song over and over today..Enrique Iglesias (Sp) new song "Somebody's Me" Beautiful song..not to mention that his voice could melt an iceberg in jan WOOT

 

[Cat Dancer]

Cool.

I listen to music most of the time. Sometimes I sing, but Abigail tells me to STOP. LOL. I guess that's a hint. I can't sing.

 

[Halo]

LOL....Maybe she wants you to stop so she can sing instead

 

[lallieth]

My girls use to put their tiny hands over my mouth when I sang...so I would grab their baby hands and kiss em all over and dance with them..god I miss those times

 

[Cat Dancer]

Aww. I wonder why they do that. Are we that bad at singing? Or do they just want to sing like Halo said?

There is something so fun and amazing about dancing with a little child. I love it.

 

[lallieth]

Aww. I wonder why they do that. Are we that bad at singing? Or do they just want to sing like Halo said?

There is something so fun and amazing about dancing with a little child. I love it.

I think they just want to take the spotlight...not that we are bad singers..I use to dance with my kids when they were babies...twirl them around and hold them close and inhale their baby essence..I sure do miss those days