It is hard to describe what music exactly sounds like. Diane Ackerman states, “We listen with our bodies; it’s hard to keep our bodies still when we hear music” (Ackerman, 212). Music offers different perspectives on life by listening to what others wrote. There are different ways to listen to music focusing either on lyrics, rhythm, instruments, or just enjoying the whole product of the song.
It has been proven that it is easy to memorize verbal materials through songs than on paper. In the article, “Learning Lyrics: To sing or not to sing?” 36 university students were involved in an experiment about the easiest way to learn part of a song. Results showed that fewer words were recalled when they had to be spoken. The experiment also concluded that, “the results indicate that the text and the melody of a song have separate representations in memory” (Racette, Peretz). This study shows that singing can be used as a pneumonic device; therefore lyrics impact the ability to learn a song or information better. Lyrics in a song can also act as poetry. “Each word in a verbal phrase tells something all by itself; it has a history and nuances” (Ackerman, 205). It is hard to imagine artists such as Tupac, Biggie and Kanye West write poetry, however they all have multiple albums out that could be considered as poetry. Looking up the lyrics to some of these rap songs, I find they have stories and morals that go with them.
For multiple years, witness peers catch gunshots
Nobody cares, seen the politicians ban us
They’d rather see us locked in chains, please explain
why they can’t stand us, is there a way for me to change?
-Tupac, Thug’s Mansion
Many types of songs have a story or moral in them, meant to leave an impact on people. Above, the few quoted lines from Tupac’s Thug Mansion explain what he felt was unfair during his life and can be expressed in poetry form. Lyrics in songs are powerful to read and even more significant to hear because lyrics can put life into a different perspective; listening to other’s ideas and stories.
A catchy melody can leave one humming the tune all day, even if a clip or the song was played. The ability to remember what we hear is quite fascinating. Rhythm can take over the body in the fact of tapping toes or fingers and dancing. Expression through music usually involves dancing and movement of the body. “The odd thing about music is that we understand and respond to it without actually having to learn it” (Ackerman, 205). I agree with Diane Ackerman because unlike movies, which sometimes must be watched twice to understand, music can be heard one time and instantly captivates the person who is listening to the song.
There are many unique kinds of musical instruments that make up different parts of every song. Percussion, string, wind and electronic are several different types of instruments that are used in many songs, each having different sounds. Without instruments, a song cannot be produced. Instruments can be almost anything, including whistling, rubbing two stones together or hitting a rock. By listening to certain songs, one may be able to tell what key the instruments are playing in, or how many instruments are used in a song.
We all interpret something different when listening to music. By listening to lyrics, rhythm, instruments or the whole product of the song, people perceive each type of genre differently. Not all people like the same types of music, it is all what we make of it. While country music may have good stories, rap music may have a good beat and still classical music may captivate people with the wide use of instruments. That is the beauty of music, no one has the exact same songs on their iTunes player, or iPod for that matter. I do not just listen to music, I express myself through it and try to appreciate different types of genres. It is important to have an open mind when listening to music; depending on the people I’m with, I may interpret a song differently than when I’m by myself.
Works Cited
Racette, Amelie; Perez, Isabelle. “Learning Lyrics: To Sing or Not to Sing?.” Memory
and Cognition 35. Mar 2007 242-253. <http://indianapa.library.ingentaconnect.com/content/psocpubs/mrc/2007/00000035/00000002/art00005>.
Ackerman, Diane. A Natural History of the Senses. New York, Random House Inc.,
1990.
Tupac. Thug’s Mansion.
http://www.lyrics007.com/2%20Pac%20Lyrics/Thugz%20Mansion%20Lyrics.html
