[Moreta]

So I came home today, and since my husband was going to be late, I wanted to play Rock Band 2. But the stupid x-box isn't hooked up, so I decided to go to youtube to watch some videos, and that is what I've been doing for the past 2 hours, and I feel pretty relaxed. It's nice. I've been forgetting lately how much my mood is effected by music, and lately I've been listening to just trash. I need music that will stimulate my mind, and dancing in da club, is not something that really does. I need music that means something.

Growing up, I always escaped through music. I think that's why 40% of my brain is full of lyrics. It's probably why I also have tinnitus, from wearing head phones and listening to it waaaaaaaay too loud. But when I listened to music, I just got away from it all. Away from all the crap. Always being told what I should be doing, and that I could have done better. But when I listened to music, that was it. I didn't think of anything else.

Then I thought about it some more, and there's been basically one band that has been a constant since 1998.....that band would be Placebo. I was watching one of their old videos, and then it said the date, which led me to remembering what happened that year, because somehow I have related my life since '98 to Placebo songs....weird.

Their new album is, can I say, "brighter" but I don't think you would understand it, having not listened to them. I'll just go with "not as dark," then their other albums. Anyways, the video for their song "Bright Lights" came up first, and I watched it, and started thinking how music made me feel at least something growing up.

Any one else have a similar experience?

[IndigoRose]

Music has to mean something to me too. I listen to such a wide array of bands and artists that most people woud die if they saw what was on my MP3 player. It's so "all over the place", but it works for me. It's such an amazing form of expression. Like you, I have my "constants" that have been in my life for as long as I can remember. My brain is also chock-full of lyrics. My brother is constatly asking me if I really eed to sing EVERYTHING. And the answer is always "YES!". LOL.

I'm with you, sometimes I listen to things that are brighter in mood and other times I want my angsty stuff. People think it's just a thing that writers and artists do, but it's really not.

[BNLsMOM]

I listen to a lot of New Age music as well as other stuff, and there is something about "Silk Road" by Kitaro that just takes me to another level of consciousness.

It's hard to explain, but it really helps me to get out of my head.

[grizmom]

Except for the band, you could have been writing about me! I can't memorize anything except song lyrics. I've always used music as an escape, and I also tend to stick with the same music I listened to as a teenager, with only a couple of new artists or bands thrown in - and I'm in my 30's now. The song that has always stuck with me and has the most impact on me is "She Talks To Angels" by The Black Crowes. Guns N' Roses "November Rain" and "Don't Cry" are also up on the top of my list. Music is my savior sometimes!

[concern1970]

This is so totally the same as me, throughout my life I have so released my feelings through music, when ever times got bad for me on went the earphones and on went the music. I's a support that somehow gave me the strenght to carry on with a kick in my step, go music we love you

[Anneinside]

Music makes words/lyrics easier to recall. When I was a teacher of learning disabled children I used music to help them learn things. The fifth grade curriculum required them to write out the preamble from memory. We played the preamble by School House Rock over and over. When it was time, all of my kids passed this requirements while some kids without disabilities did not.

[Moreta]

Originally Posted by Anneinside

Music makes words/lyrics easier to recall. When I was a teacher of learning disabled children I used music to help them learn things. The fifth grade curriculum required them to write out the preamble from memory. We played the preamble by School House Rock over and over. When it was time, all of my kids passed this requirements while some kids without disabilities did not.

Heh...My US History teacher made us watch "The Presidents" which was a song they did on Animaniacs (which first aired in 1995, wow I feel old) daily for a whole semester. When we took the EOG you could hear everyone humming it to themselves....worst part is that I still remember all the lyrics.

We watched the School House Rock you mentioned, in 10th grade in our social studies class at least once a week, and yes I remember that one too.

It's amazing how some can learn easier when music is entered in to the equation.

My question is: Do "normal" people have the same experiences with music, or do people with a mental illness (mainly Bipolar) process music differently than others?

I've been in inventory h*ll all day, so this post probably makes no sense.

[venusss]

Music is my remedy (anotation to Little boots and her dance-music-awesomeness

).

I do like meaningfull music, but than I can just do with dance music, or psytrance and goa... i have a wide variety of styles in my music library... some songs carry special memories for me... like Rihanna's Umbrella... alongside of the aquired meanings connected with "no to the radar bases", it always makes me remember the rainy summer in Karelia, where we would not pronounce the word "umbrella" without subsequent "ella-ella-eh-eh" and acting like total fools.

I would listen to "appropriate" music in school when studying in Uni. So I have a large collection of music from ex-yugoslavia, Israel... and well, USA and Britain (my combo was International relations/English). I am into Israeli psytrance... which has somehow existentialist/vitalist feel to me. In Tel Aviv one dances to forget, and do not try to convince me otherwise. And as for other genres made-in-Israel... I pretty much re-wrote my conclusion of my thesis on Israeli/Palestinian conflict... according to Ofra Haza's "Jerusalem". Except I left out all the King Solomon and two women arguing whose child is it references I always loved Balkanese music... because "they love with the same passion as they hate, they live as passionatelly as they die" (eh, sounds pathetic, I know).

[englishteacher]

Music soothes the savage beast! I listen to everything from Mozart to Pantera to Garth Brooks...there's music for every mood!

There are days when I get in the car to go somewhere...the radio comes on and suddenly, I feel lighter, happier...the sun seems brighter. I grew up listening to music - The Mommas and the Poppas, Arlo Gutherie, Leon Russell, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doobies, James Tayler, ummmm - sometimes I wonder what happened to that? There was always music on in my house growing up - now, all I hear is the crappy Cartoon Network...

Thanks for the reminder! I'm gonna turn off the TV tonite and listen to music instead!

[yutzman]

My music helps me to recall a lot of good memories of the past. During my high school and college years. What a way to relax, but for me it's more of a catharsis in that I like Heavy Metal......and blast the volume....it may not be good for your ears, but it hasn't effected me that much....and my stereo isn't that good to cause damage ( I wish I had one good enough!).......but yeah, you have struck a nerve....I need to listen more to my faves......to heck with the nieghbors.....Y