I am currently going through all of the music I have ripped into iTunes and rating it. I came up with a somewhat clever way of doing it, yet sort of “randomizing” the experience so I get to hear a mix while I’m doing it. Something called a Smart Playlist. It allows me to create a playlist based on rules. I basically have created a playlist that shows me only unrated songs 25 at a time.
Anyway, in the process of going through all this music, I find that with many of the songs, I can remember a particular time or period in my life. For example, I am listening to a track from Pink Floyd’s “The Final Cut.” That album was introduced to me in the dorms in high school. I remember moping around my dorm room listening to it while in one of my usual funks. Next up: The Beatles “Let it Be.” Not sure, but I think my mom or step-father had that album. Now a track from Roger Waters “The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking.” College, for sure. Back when I was exploring Pink Floyd in more depth. This track by Men at Work? Don’t recognize it. It’s not a bad song, but it’s getting a low rating.
For me, anyway, it’s about artists or songs that have some conscious or sub-conscious link to my past. I’m willing to listen to say, Alan Parsons, whom has several songs that link back to my childhood. His current music sounds a bit different, and I’m willing to give it a chance because of a strong association.
Most current music just doesn’t “stick.” Is it because the moments with music in them are few and far between? Are the “truly memorable moments” few and far between? I don’t have time to sit around and listen to music anymore, that’s for sure.
Over the years, I have lived in a number of places with different people in different situations. That is not something I have had to tolerate, but it’s not something I’ve been too happy about. One of the few things that has remained constant in my life is the music. In moments where I need to “find my happy place” or whatever you want to call it, the headphones comes on and the music comes on. These days, I can go a month or so without listening to music and then I’ll spend a few days listening to music and get it out of my system.
Back in college, making mix tapes was a way of life. Seems like I was making a mix tape all the time and listening to them. Or particular albums. Songs often repeated themselves a lot on my mix tapes. Maybe I’ll go through my mix tapes sometimes and list all the repeated songs sometime.
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