Songs that change your life
Every now and again, a song comes along that changes the very way you think. The way you see your world, or even more importantly made you feel something you hadn't before. In my life I am happy to say there has been many of these songs. I often relate a place and a time in my life to the discovery of that song.
An example of this, though not a song is Fanfare for the Common Man. To me it goes back to when I was a very small child, when it was the opening music for the ABC news in country Victoria. I would get excited because it meant that dad was back from milking for the day. As I grew older my music tastes changed from top 40 to stuff that was far darker. By my early teens I was heavily into heavy metal music (the devils music according to some). I look back at this period of my life, and I was searching. Searching for what I don't know, maybe the real me, the one who wasn't the show child for my parents.
The first heavy metal song that got me was by Metallica, with Fade to Black. It lyrics here and YouTube here Its dark, and foreboding yet it was the probably the single song that saved my life. So many times I experienced a darkness like that, and one line in the song stopped me every time. Even today when I hear that song it reminds me of the darkness I lived through and that I occasionally visit today. Basically from that time forward I kept searching for music that could explain the way I felt to others, since I didn't have the skills to do it on my own.
Since my breakdown and diagnosis, my music tastes have varied greatly. For nearly 5 years I couldn't listen to any music, it was just noise to me, no meaning nothing. In a way a part of me had died, I also lost my ability to write. Then a couple of years ago, I heard played on the radio "Beds are Burning" by Midnight Oil, it started my ability to listen to music again.
There have been a few bands these past couple of years that have made an amazing impact on my life. Linkin Park, with the heartfelt lyrics of dysfunction. I can genuinely feel the pain and the guilt they sing about. Evanescence are the ones who have blown me away. Lead Singer Amy Lee is simply beautiful, their lyrics are dark and foreboding, but for me they are like a bandage on a bleeding wound. You see for all that I have traveled since my life fell apart I am still a very damaged individual. Though I have learnt now how to articulate how I feel to others, I still find it difficult to do so. I find even those with the best intentions will find it all to over whelming. Though they try to help they end up feeling helpless as well, its the quickest way to loose all your friends.
At least with the music I can put the headphones on and cry if I want to, sing they lyrics to myself and express what i feel with no fear of judgement, no fear of driving someone away. People say that personal music players are a curse. Its the opposite for me, its been the single place where I can be me inside my own world. It means I can express what I feel and no one is the wiser.
What am I building to ? There are two songs that I believe have helped me immensely, First is a song from Evanescence off the Fallen Album called "Hello". As far as I know it has never been played live or anywhere outside the studio. Its worth a listen the Lyrics are here and YouTube here . The second is a Linkin Park song from The Meteora Album called "Somewhere I belong". Lyrics are here YouTube Video is here. I will place a warning here "Hello"is not a song for the faint hearted and should you want to know about its meaning please feel free to use Google
Even Pink Floyd have some very profound music should you take the chance to read the lyrics.
Can you name one song that has changed things for you ?
Thanks for reading :)
An example of this, though not a song is Fanfare for the Common Man. To me it goes back to when I was a very small child, when it was the opening music for the ABC news in country Victoria. I would get excited because it meant that dad was back from milking for the day. As I grew older my music tastes changed from top 40 to stuff that was far darker. By my early teens I was heavily into heavy metal music (the devils music according to some). I look back at this period of my life, and I was searching. Searching for what I don't know, maybe the real me, the one who wasn't the show child for my parents.
The first heavy metal song that got me was by Metallica, with Fade to Black. It lyrics here and YouTube here Its dark, and foreboding yet it was the probably the single song that saved my life. So many times I experienced a darkness like that, and one line in the song stopped me every time. Even today when I hear that song it reminds me of the darkness I lived through and that I occasionally visit today. Basically from that time forward I kept searching for music that could explain the way I felt to others, since I didn't have the skills to do it on my own.
Since my breakdown and diagnosis, my music tastes have varied greatly. For nearly 5 years I couldn't listen to any music, it was just noise to me, no meaning nothing. In a way a part of me had died, I also lost my ability to write. Then a couple of years ago, I heard played on the radio "Beds are Burning" by Midnight Oil, it started my ability to listen to music again.
There have been a few bands these past couple of years that have made an amazing impact on my life. Linkin Park, with the heartfelt lyrics of dysfunction. I can genuinely feel the pain and the guilt they sing about. Evanescence are the ones who have blown me away. Lead Singer Amy Lee is simply beautiful, their lyrics are dark and foreboding, but for me they are like a bandage on a bleeding wound. You see for all that I have traveled since my life fell apart I am still a very damaged individual. Though I have learnt now how to articulate how I feel to others, I still find it difficult to do so. I find even those with the best intentions will find it all to over whelming. Though they try to help they end up feeling helpless as well, its the quickest way to loose all your friends.
At least with the music I can put the headphones on and cry if I want to, sing they lyrics to myself and express what i feel with no fear of judgement, no fear of driving someone away. People say that personal music players are a curse. Its the opposite for me, its been the single place where I can be me inside my own world. It means I can express what I feel and no one is the wiser.
What am I building to ? There are two songs that I believe have helped me immensely, First is a song from Evanescence off the Fallen Album called "Hello". As far as I know it has never been played live or anywhere outside the studio. Its worth a listen the Lyrics are here and YouTube here . The second is a Linkin Park song from The Meteora Album called "Somewhere I belong". Lyrics are here YouTube Video is here. I will place a warning here "Hello"is not a song for the faint hearted and should you want to know about its meaning please feel free to use Google
Even Pink Floyd have some very profound music should you take the chance to read the lyrics.
Can you name one song that has changed things for you ?
Thanks for reading :)
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