All of us express emotion differently. The causes and experience of feelings such as joy, sadness, and anger come from many different sources in life. Often they are associated with the people and relationships around us. Life is full of unexpected things - which makes it more interesting and I think there are a ton of songs that convey these emotions.
Joy: All I Wanna Do Sheryl Crow
I love the vibe that Sheryl Crow's music gives off. This song just makes me feel good because its about doing your own thing and experiencing life with a carefree, fun attitude. It makes me think of summer time when each day has endless possibilities for new adventures. This song also attempts to draw other people into this same mood and contagiously spreads joy. Not to blatantly use references from our textbook but joy is an incredibly special feeling. I think of it as a heightened state of "Flow," were someone is so happy, crazy, and in love with life that all of their worries vanish and the mind is focused on the present.
Sadness: One and Only Adele
Love is such a complicated and delicate emotion. This song make me think of false hope, hope that maybe a specific person could reciprocate the feelings I had for them. I get sad listening to this song because its about declaring your love for someone, and not receiving the same response. Is it fair that I had to give up my feelings for someone because they weren't ready to be in a relationship? I'm a firm believer that actions speak louder than words and I'm done waiting around for an answer because it's gotten to the point of interfering with other aspects of my life. I was ready, and it sucks because I don't completely understand how this other person feels about me. As the song says "nobody's perfect," and a lot of the time relationships don't work out because of specific differences. I've learned in this course that what makes me different from some people may allow me to form connections with others, and I hope that to be true.
Anger: Push Matchbox 20
A lot of anger comes from the inability to understand something. Not having control or being able to accomplish a task leads to frustration and makes people pissed. This song is about a girl who can't let herself trust anyone after experiencing a heartbreak. And because of a past boyfriend's unfaithfulness she has to assume each new person has the same intentions. Anger is an emotion I avoid because it makes people do things that can sever ties in relationships. People also con't communicate effectively when they are really angry which often leads to physical violence, hence, "Push."
Family: I'll Stand By You The Pretenders
The title of this song communicates what I believe the main function of a family is. Whether its a good or bad day you're going to come home to a family that loves and supports you no matter what. Also, members of families should be able to empathize with each other's hardships. Parents should give advice to their children and siblings are there to help you get away with stuff without mom or dad finding out. Over the past year I've really grown close to my sister and we now come to each other for anything. Even though I may not have the same political or religious ideas as my family we respect each other and treat other people similarly.
Being a Man: Walk Like a Man The Four Seasons
This song expresses how a dad teaches his son to act like a man. In our society a father is expected to have certain influences on his son, and to discourage some behaviors that may not be perceived as "manly." A lot of boys look up their fathers and idolize them. Whether its through sports or whatever it the son's job to not embarrass his father. I know that when I was younger I tried every single sport, I played on teams and tried out for the ones at school. The truth is I really didn't like competing on any of them, I wasn't having fun or making friends. It was hard to tell my dad that I didn't want to play anymore. I felt like I was letting him down.
Today, things are different. I realize now that my dad taught me how to be a man through honesty, respect, and dedication. I'm proud of the man I am today and I'm not worried about what I'm "supposed" to be like.
Hey guys! My name is Matthew Bloom - call me Matt. I'm from Carmel, IN which is a suburb of Indianapolis. There are a lot of ways to describe me but the easiest will probably be through my love for music. Music is what connects me to all aspects of life; from friends and family to my emotions and aspirations. Through my musical endeavors I have made my best friends and learned more about myself and the world than any class I have taken so far. I have a passion for anything creative such as drawing, piano, singing, writing, and performing. Some of my other interests are running/working out, traveling (road trips), tennis, reading, and going to concerts. My taste in music is pretty eclectic and my Pandora station list would probably confuse the hell out of anyone. Anyway, I'm really glad I get this opportunity to study music from a different perspective than usual in this IFS course. I hope to better understand music's place in our world as well as learn more about myself and my identity. I'm very friendly and I love people so I can't wait to get to know everyone!
Here is my attempt to introduce myself via pieces of music. Each describes aspects of my personality and hopefully let you know a little about myself.
I Don't Wanna Be Gavin Degraw
This song represents two important aspects of me - my past and future. Degraw sings about how he has spent life living up to the standards and opinions of people around him- people who don't really care about him. Its about breaking free from a mindset a lot of people experience and are stuck in. That we are afraid to be ourselves because everyone around us behaves differently. As soon as he embraces himself, he realizes that he is awesome and that there is no better way to live life.
I relate to this song perfectly because I have wasted a lot time in the past fitting into communities of people that made me feel awful. Throughout this summer I've been changing my attitude towards myself and it feels good. I've realized that being yourself is the only way your really going to make friends and be successful. It also makes me more sensitive to other peoples' feelings and more aware that they could be going through a similar situation as me.
You Make My Dreams Come True Hall & Oates
This song represents my happiness and love of life. It always makes me want to get up and dance. Its upbeat sound and lyrics remind me to not be so serious all of the time and enjoy living in the moment. Sometimes I get distracted by the actions of others, but songs like this make me feel good and grateful for everything I have. A lot of my clearest memories of high school are when I was the happiest, and that exactly what I want college to be like.
Make You Feel My Love Bob Dylan (Cover by Adele)
This is my favorite song. Its emotions and lyrics are everything I stand for in life. That dedication and loyalty to other people are the foundations of a relationship. I plan on playing this song at my wedding... to whoever I love enough to marry. It's cheesy, but it expresses the idea that when I'm in love with someone I will do anything to make them happy.
Chopin's Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2
This is one of my favorite pieces written by my favorite classical composer. By playing pieces like this I have been able to appreciate the hard work and dedication put into accomplishing goals (large & small alike). The time and focus it takes to produce this music has inspired me to work harder at any challenge I face. The piece has no lyrics, yet I can understand the emotion that is being communicated through the sound.
"A lot of people want a shortcut. I find the best shortcut is the long way, which is basically two words: work hard." Randy Pausch
When I Look to the Sky Train
"I can always find my way when you are here."
I know that this song is specifically written about a girl, and this guys relationship with her. But a majority of the song represents how much I value my closest friends. They have been here for me for a long time and its going to be hard living away from them.
I've never taken any friendships I have for granted because those people haven given me the confidence to be myself and do what I love. Nothings better than knowing you have trustworthy friends that you can talk to about anything. Moving forward in life, I know now what it takes to develop relationships like this and what is necessary to help them grow. Even though I'm now living miles away from some of my best friends I always know that they are accessible to me and that I shouldn't ever feel alone.
