Producer’s Commentary
What is a personal soundtrack, but a world we build for ourselves to live in, that is composed of melodies, beats, and lyrics? We have a song for everything--the moment you began your first job, where you were when you heard that news story about a tragedy, or how the music made you feel when you went on that first date. Music is linked to more than physical moments. They are portals to a catalog of emotional memories from different points in life. It can point to places in our lives that remind us of how we've grown--or where we need to work.
For example, I recently told someone about a moment I'd had during my quarter-life crisis--I was standing at a bus stop on my way to a job that I didn't actually hate. I had headphones on and was listening to my recently purchased Black-Eyed Peas CD- Elephunk. By the time the bus was arriving, I had reached track #4 titled Hey Mama-, and I somehow had spiraled into an existential life crisis and was weeping at this bus stop--and was, from what I remember inconsolable. Don't ask me what triggered the lament, but I definitely remember the music. The entire scene would have fit perfectly into a coming-of-age movie--I was definitely giving main character angst.
For some people, listening to music can be an important part of their daily routine. They might make a conscious effort to choose certain songs or genres that they know will put them in a certain mood, and if they're not consciously choosing what kind of soundtrack they want for themselves, it might happen subconsciously based on their surroundings. The soundtrack to our lives can change over time as we grow older and live through different experiences. The same song can take on a completely different meaning as we go through life; it's up to us whether we let it bring us down or lift us up when it does. If you want to truly find yourself, don't stop listening to your favorite tunes – just consider what they really mean to you now.
Music gives us a sense of time and place. Think about some of your favorite songs from junior high or high school. You'll probably notice a few things: They were often love songs, and they probably made you believe you were in the middle of the greatest love story ever told. Then there was the break up--a tragedy greater than anything Shakespeare could write, and there's one track lined up to play over and over when heartbreak shows up—both genres of song get added to our lifetime music catalog as reminders of these transformative experiences.
We live in a world where music can be streamed on-demand from any device, but many of us remember the tactical experience of vinyl records, CDs, and cassette tapes. Music was physical. Waiting for a single--yes, a single to drop, or standing in line at the Sam Goody or Virgin Record store because your favorite artist was releasing a new masterpiece after 4 years. All of those experiences contributed to the building of our soundtracks. Which song reminds you of being 15 years old and first discovering your love for a particular artist?
If you feel like everything has been quiet lately, take some time to craft a personal life soundtrack for yourself right now! Why do these tracks matter to you? What would happen if they disappeared tomorrow (and could never return)? Think about all of your happiest moments from grade school through high school, college, and beyond. Have those moments been defined by certain songs and artists? Did a band or song define your transition into adulthood when you graduated high school or college? What songs take you back to good times with friends that have since passed away or moved away from where you live now? When you have a story to tell, what better way to tell it than with music?
And for those times when silence seems to be the only track on repeat---lean into it. Get curious. Ask the questions. Accept the gifts that only silence can offer, because life has proven time and time again that we will always reunite with our soundtracks eventually.
VoiceNotes #004