Music and memory page 1

Fuzzy

16th January 2012, 12:41 AM

I've noticed that a lot of music I listen to becomes very closely associated with my memories about particular times in my life to date. Like, more so than other things that remind me of things.

Nine Inch Nail's "With Teeth" reminds me of a visit to a fwb in Halifax; Sonata Arctica's album "The Days of Grays" reminds me of painting my living room at my previous place of residence and the emotional rut I was stuck in at that time... The list goes on. Sometimes the emotion conveyed by the song and the emotion contained in the memory are completely discordant, so a really depressing song might make me really happy to listen to for no reason other than because the context in which I first heard it was cheerful.

Does anyone else get this strong association between music and memories? Do you have any specific examples worth sharing?

Mr. Mellow

16th January 2012, 04:44 AM

Very much so. I'm a melancholic/sentimental/nostalgic sap, so a lot of music reminds me of romantic moments. Many happy memories of songs on the beach, etc., but some songs are at least temporarily ruined if they were an "our song" with an old flame.

nostrum

16th January 2012, 05:17 AM

Oh yes.

Hmm example: tubthumping's I Get Knocked Down is entwined completely with my memory of moving to a new city. Hearing the song brings back the feel of the weather, the place I stayed at etc

All music is like this for me. Makes me incredibly nostalgic and so I don't listen to music all that often, ironically.

Gonzo

16th January 2012, 08:23 AM

I have strong romantic feelings tied to The White Stripes.

Magicziggy

16th January 2012, 12:44 PM

To the OP:

yes... when I was 15... I was up in my room. Music was via cassette player... I had a cassette of tracks I'd recorded from Capitol Radio. Just recorded anything really then rewound and recorded over anything I didn't want.

Anyway ... mum came in (yes... she knocked) . She had just taken a call from my teacher. My best mate had been killed in a road accident.

So occasionally I think of the song that was playing at the moment she came in... and think of Jason.

Unit Four Plus Two - Concrete and Clay - YouTube

Mantisdreamz

17th January 2012, 02:42 AM

So occasionally I think of the song that was playing at the moment she came in... and think of Jason.

Unit Four Plus Two - Concrete and Clay - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE9eEf6tlSk)
:[ :hug:

A nice song though to remember him by...


I find that I have a lot of songs that remind me of people, in particular. My best friend and I used to drive around aimlessly late at night chatting... we'd take country roads and listen to The Dixie Chicks - Landslide song over and over again, singing at the top of our lungs. So that song always puts me back in that scenario - just being relaxed and driving aimlessly with just field and trees surrounding you and not caring about anything, in that time.

My dad doesn't really like music a whole lot, but he loves Jim Nabors and Elvis Presley. And it's about the only thing he'll sing to. So those artists remind me of when I used to live with only him at about age 15... he was a swinging bachelor at the time and obsessed with spandex and cycling. My friends and I used to have parties all the time because he was always out at the "Chick n Deli"... it was when we all first started getting into drinking and would all come together with water bottles filled with various liquors from our parents liquor cabinet.

So.. yes!! Lots of memories. I think I just went on a somewhat nostalgic rant. :p

Mr. Mellow

17th January 2012, 02:48 AM

... just being relaxed and driving aimlessly with just field and trees surrounding you and not caring about anything ...

:yes: Doing nothing is highly underrated.