Journal Entry #12: Free Write

Journal Entry #12: "It Ain't Nothin' But Music"

Write about a topic of your choice.

If you’ve ever seen me before, you’ve probably seen a pair of headphones in my ears. If you’ve ever spent an extended period of time with me, you’ve probably noticed that those headphones stayed in my ears the entire time. I love music. It’s become a huge aspect of the person I am. I figured, since I spend so much of my time listening to it, I could probably spend around 500 words talking about it.

I first started listening to music in grade 7. I mostly listened to rock music that I’d heard in video games, which I find hilarious now. My first favourite band was Simple Plan, and I don’t really know why, considering I can’t stand listening to those songs now. Again, hilarious. Anyway, in grade 8, my entire musical preference changed drastically when my friend told me to listen to a metal song he had on his mp3 player. It was Hand of Blood by Bullet For My Valentine, and I still remember how awesome I thought it was. From then on, Bullet For My Valentine became my first favourite band, and I started listening to several bands like them. Over the years, my "favourite band" has changed frequently, as I’ve come to appreciate and enjoy practically every genre of music. I have 2386 songs on my iPod at this moment, with 30 new ones being added within the last 2 weeks. My most listened to song has been played over 500 times, with another being played almost 500 times, and others over 300 times, etc. I’m sure some of those plays can be attributed to forgetting to turn off my computer and/or iPod on numerous occasions, but the numbers don’t lie, the songs have been played that many times.

I don’t know what it is that draws me so much to music. I don’t really have an explanation for it, I just like it. Maybe it’s that I have songs that can cheer me up, or songs that can make me feel bad, and can really add to however I feel. Maybe it’s that there are songs that remind me of certain things. I remember a few weeks ago, you mentioned how poetry can make you feel a certain way when you read a certain line. That certain line can resurrect the feelings you felt when you wrote it. I understand what you mean exactly, because some songs have that effect on me. I may not have written it, but hearing a certain song can instantly bring back feelings from a certain time I’d listened to the song. For example, music by The Ataris always reminds me of summer, and gives me an indescribable feeling, one that I remember feeling during summer, while music by The Almost reminds me of my vacations to Sauble Beach, and can make me feel very content and at ease. That’s just two examples, and I have about 400 bands on my computer, and I’m sure at least half of them I associate with something.

This semester, we’ve all written poetry, and I’m sure that it has some sort of significance to most of us, just like I’m sure it does to everyone who writes a song. I think music is a great way to capture emotion. I wish I’d learned how to play an instrument, or was able to sing (sing well, I mean, ha ha!) so that I could play music. There’s just something about adding a musical aspect behind most words that makes them so much more amazing in my opinion. I’m not saying that Robert Frost poetry would go great with "a groovy bass line," nor am I saying that the only thing the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe is missing is "a sick guitar riff." I’m saying that songs sound better when they are heard, rather than read.

Back to the topic of "certain lines" from a few sentences ago, what I really like is finding a song with lyrics that are clearly heartfelt. I’m sure nearly anyone that reads this would be able to recite some line from a song that they find very emotionally touching. Personally, my favourite lyricist is Kristopher Roe, from my favourite band, The Ataris. One of the highlights of my short life is getting to meet him last summer, and actually getting to have a conversation with him, though I still regret not getting him to autograph the merchandise I bought! It really turned The Ataris into my favourite band, and I listened to them daily for the entire summer, they practically became the only band I listened to! I find what he writes to be spectacular, as he gets his point across very effectively, without being packed full of metaphors, or coming off as particularly "life sucks"-esque. One of my favourite lyrics by the band that come to mind are from "When All Else Fails, It Fails," "The demand to be loved is the greatest arrogance, and I can never make you love me again. And when all else fails, it fails. Did I fail you? Will you fail me too? Because there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do to hold on to you, but you give me nothing to hold on to. And maybe it’s too late to keep the one I love from giving up." That may just pass as another line in a song to some people, but it really stands out to me. I guess what is considered "good" music is all a matter of perception.

All opinion aside, the fact remains that it’s 1:40am, so I’ll finish on that note (no pun intended, seriously.). I’ll take a wild guess, and say that I’ve written over 500 words, if not twice that. I guess it’s extremely easy to write about something you really enjoy.