Music Matters - The 30 Day Song Challenge

'Flash' by Queen - the first single I ever owned.

I’ve consciously avoided blogging much about music so far.  This isn’t because I’m not interested in it or that I’m not as opinionated about it as anything else.  Quite the contrary really, it’s the one art form that I care the most about and the one that I really couldn’t do without.  There’s something about music that can touch us and move us like nothing else. From unborn babies able to response Mozart in the womb, to toddlers dancing along to music on the TV or the radio, through to a singer in an old folk’s home with an audience sitting back, eyes closed, letting the music transport them someplace else.  It’s the art form that we will fall for first of all and it’ll probably be the last one to leave us. 

Music is so personal too.   When we meet someone we really like, we make them a mix-tape of songs that really matter to us.  And when that someone we really like ups and goes, it’s music we turn to for consolation, understanding or just catharsis.  People can dislike a book I love or hate a film I rave about or dismiss my taste in art as rubbish and I wouldn’t take it personally.  But if someone scoffs at a band I like or a song that’s really moved me, then it’s a little upsetting on a personal level and makes me feel very defensive.

It’s also relatively easy to discuss a book, film, art exhibition or play.  We can talk about plot, character, performances, style, influences, technical merit and a whole string of other attributes that the piece has and use a common vocabulary for this discussion.  Music’s different though.  It’s often impossible to explain why we find something so moving or why we fall in love with a band.  Technical merit is usually really important in books, films and plays but you can hear a simple song, sung by a so-so singer and it can really move you.  Other times you hear something that’s technically slick with a fantastic vocal and be left cold.  There are genres of music that I don’t much like, but can still produce something to make me stop and listen and think again.  Music can always surprise you.

All that said, I’d still like to try to write something about the bands and songs I like.  So I thought I’d take on the ’30 song challenge’ that seems to be sweeping Facebook at the moment.  Because it’s all about personal musical taste then I’m not obliged to be objective and you’re not obliged to agree or justify your hating of my favourite songs.  I’ll begin tomorrow and post one a day throughout April.  Bet you can’t wait...

David Millington

31st March 2011

Nottingham

Song List

Day 01 - your favorite song
Day 02 - your least favorite song
Day 03 - a song that makes you happy
Day 04 - a song that makes you sad
Day 05 - a song that reminds you of someone
Day 06 - a song that reminds you of somewhere
Day 07 - a song that reminds you of a certain event
Day 08 - a song that you know all the words to
Day 09 - a song that you can dance to
Day 10 - a song that makes you fall asleep
Day 11 - a song from your favorite band
Day 12 - a song from a band you hate
Day 13 - a song that is a guilty pleasure
Day 14 - a song that no one would expect you to love
Day 15 - a song that describes you
Day 16 - a song that you used to love but now hate
Day 17 - a song that you hear often on the radio
Day 18 - a song that you wish you heard on the radio
Day 19 - a song from your favorite album
Day 20 - a song that you listen to when you’re angry
Day 21 - a song that you listen to when you’re happy
Day 22 - a song that you listen to when you’re sad
Day 23 - a song that you want to play at your wedding
Day 24 - a song that you want to play at your funeral
Day 25 - a song that makes you laugh
Day 26 - a song that you can play on an instrument
Day 27 - a song that you wish you could play
Day 28 - a song that makes you feel guilty
Day 29 - a song from your childhood
Day 30 - your favorite song at this time last year