Music: Has our Life Line Flat-lined?

Music. We nod our heads to it. We stomp our feet and snap our fingers to it. We sometimes catch a groove and bust a move. Almost everyone is a Mariah Carey in the shower. We depend on these sounds to heal, to feel, to cry, and to smile. They summarize our day in 4 minutes and they have the ability to completely change our mood. They are our story told through earphones. Our therapy in rhythm. Our mood through song. We call to music to symbolize a situation or a feeling that’s relevant. I can remember burning an Usher CD for hours to patch up a broken heart.

I remember times when Carrie Underwood energized me, or when Justin Bieber redirected a frown. I like to say that I’m a music philanthropist. I enjoy various genres and usually choose certain stations depending on the situation. Elvis has made my day at plenty of red lights. I am even guilty of allowing the Backstreet Boys to accompany me on stage. Think windows up, thumb against the steering wheel, with the road as my open stage.

Now for some more current picks. I like some older Rihanna, Beyonce, and even some Janet Jackson. I admit my favorite song is still from 2011….”Refill,” by Elle Varner. Whatever your taste or preference, something has changed about the soulful sounds of intrigue in music today. Now it seems like many lyrics are derogatory in nature, or meant to highlight a not so notable time in great detail. What about when the Jackson 5 taught us our “ABCs?” Remember when a song was just about feeling good and sending sentiments of love and pleasure? Understand I’m no fool. I realize the innuendos in older songs, and perhaps what was suggested, but they left the message up for interpretation most times.

Now some may say, “listen to different music,” and that would be a relevant suggestion. But it’s still a shame that sex and raunchy depictions are what it takes to connect a listener to the song. Songs about twerking fill the air waves accompanied by lyrics about illicit drug use and violence. I’m mature enough to decipher what is real and understand why the appeal exists, and then leave the ideas on the CD once the song is over. Unfortunately, many of our youth repeat the lyrics without a second thought, twisting their hips and snapping their fingers as if their ability to repeat the lyrics is impressive. They get wrapped up repeating words they do not even properly comprehend. Music used to be about feeling good, brightening a tough day, or highlighting a personal ordeal. Now music is all about drinking, smoking, and doing drugs. When did our entertainment become focused on things that are degrading? Maybe, a better question is why.

Music was invented as a release. Perhaps people are only speaking of their truth, but I feel the purpose has been lost. While older R&B may have implied its intentions, modern-day sound exploits it. It seems love is a lost emotion, replaced with drunken fixes, meaningless encounters, and the secret of a fling or forbidden indulgence. It’s not fun anymore. I miss the times the songs emphasized my mood. Music is no longer easy to listen to, at least for me.