“There’s only one word for this, it’s bliss,” so goes the song by Alice Peacock and her’s is not the only song that can elicit that amazing feeling of bliss that comes from being surrounded by good music. I’ve been known to bebop down the aisles of my local grocery store when a song I loves come on. I used to restrain my joy at good music, but I’ve learned to embrace the music and let it flow through me.
Growing up, we listened to Elvis as my mom had been a fan of Elvis’ since when she was a girl and she passed that love on to me. I remember rushing home from school to watch Elvis on the after school movie. Although all of those movies were silly and always followed the same format, I loved watching them with my mom. My mom always told me that she loved Elvis because he reminded her of my dad and looking at the photos of my dad as a young man, I can see the resemblance. My husband always teased me about my love of Elvis until I told him that I loved Elvis because listening to his songs reminded me of the times I’d spent listening to Elvis and watching those silly movies with my mom.
A few years ago, I discovered Johnny Cash and burned a bunch of Elvis and Johnny Cash on my little Nokia phone. I loaned the phone to my mom and she told me that when my dad was dying in the hospital, she played that old time rock and roll for him. That gave those songs special meaning for me and I always feel blessed that those songs were on that phone and could give my dad a little bit of comfort in his last days.
Songs tell stories and elicit emotions like words alone can’t do. Growing up, I remember listening to the song Teddy Bear by Ray Sovine, my eyes always welled up in tears as the kindness the truckers showed Teddy Bear. It reminded me that there is good in this world and that people do care about one another. God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood is another song that always has tears streaming down my face as I listen and remember that there are good people in this world and that we are truly blessed to live in this country.
I’m not a fan of the rap my kids listen to, but some of today’s music is magickal and tells real stories. Natasha Bedingfield’s song Unwritten is another song that sends chills up my spine and reminds me that my life isn’t over and I still have choices in this world. I have to confess that Gretchen Wilson’s Red Neck Woman could be my anthem. I love that song as it empowers me to embrace my earthy and trashy side that loves playing in the mud and saying “He** yes.”
The amazing power of music is evident in the video below that was shot in a Belgium train station. Although this was set up as a publicity stunt and a lot of the dancers were professionals, it is amazing to me to watch the people in the audience get into it and start singing along. Quite a few people drop what they’re doing and jump in for the sheer joy experiencing the music. It is blissful to watch them drop their cares and worries about “what people will think” and sing and dance for the sheer joy of singing and dancing.
That’s when singing becomes true bliss when you’re not worried about how awful your voice is, how weird people will think you are for singing and dancing along, and you’re just immersed in the music and feeling the sheer bliss of song.
Cairn by Cairn 