Songs from the past can stir up powerful emotions and transport us back to a certain point in time. No matter how far you try to run away, a song can grab you like a Venus flytrap does its prey. You can go back to the best times of your life as you can to the worst. Music uncovers a person’s inner most secrets and doesn’t have any mercy.
Maybe one day you're feeling overjoyed and ecstatic, need some motivation spiritually or emotionally, in the mood to be hood/ ratchet or just want to sulk and be in your feelings; you can find any type of music that matches your emotions. Music has been there through all of my heartaches and tears. If I didn’t want to talk to anyone about my feelings, I either put a song that understood exactly how I felt without having to say a word or I could put on a song that totally makes me forget what happened. No matter what, it has always been an escape for me; Escape from myself or from the world altogether.
People always ask me questions like “Why don't you like or listen to the music from today?” Or “Why are you stuck in the past, old lady?” My answer is always the same: Music sucks nowadays! Now, there are exceptions when I say suck; music ranges from people like J Cole, The Weeknd, Tyrese or any other person who is an actual true artist, but to me, the majority of music in this generation is missing soul. It takes more than just putting some words and a beat together to make a great song (Which is what a lot of music is today). It's the way in which the words and the beat are put together that create a certain feeling deep down in your heart. I do at times like to be a little "ratchet" and listen to trap music or rock to Drake, but I just miss hearing music on the radio that actually made sense and had something important to say.
Today on the 4-train, I met an 80-year-old man. I sat next to him and was listening to a song named “Love is Strange” by Mickey and Silvia. Now, I personally listen to this music all the time, but this man kept on looking at me and then down at my phone perplexed. At first, I was a little creeped out, but then he tapped me on my shoulder and said “Excuse me, but I cannot believe you are listening to Mickey and Sylvia. I danced that song with my first girlfriend back in 1957.” I saw how his eyes lit up and how his expression changed after seeing that song on my phone. I transported him back to that same day in 1957 when he danced with his first girlfriend. That truly made me feel overjoyed.
I have always had an affinity for classic music like Motown, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Pop, Rap, Hip-Hop and I tell people who are are about 45 years old how jealous I am that they are older and were able to experience all this amazing music firsthand. Music back in the days was just straight up real.
I wasn’t made for this generation.
