Music and Feelings of Nostalgia?

Hi, Vince.

All the time actually, sometimes I even search for a certain vinyl to get in to the mood, whatever that might be.

I play in a cover band and some of those tunes I've picked are directly related to those memories. In good and in bad.

Sam

 

Sure, it happens all the time. When you listen to a particular song on vacation, and hear it later on it make you remember about the good time you had, or like you said about school, etc...

 

No doubt about it

 

Listening to "Pop!" by Erasure always reminds me of going to the Metro Center a little while before Christmas when I was like 3 or 4.

 

My people!

Music is a part of every aspect of my life and songs evoking nostalgia is a daily event.

Music is also tied to moods and used to change them for me as well. There are some pieces that got me through some things in life.....

I have always said I feel so bad for those who are not passionately moved by music....

 

Debaser - by the Pixies reminds me of the late summer before school started during my freshman year. Was just getting to know all the cats on our swim team and was spending my time in between practices making out with different swimmer chicks in their dorm rooms. As soon as school started I discovered the the bountiful fields of sorority chicks. Oh Lordy.

 

I can name a couple. And that's what I really love about music, I always find a way to connect to a certain memory.

For example, Blinded by the Light reminds me of when I would be awake during long car rides up to Pennsylvania, it would be dark into the night, and the only other person awake is my father, who's driving. It's one of my earliest memories of listening to classic rock. Fly by Night by Rush also sparks that memory.

A similar memory comes attached to a compilation of hits from the 80s (I don't remember the title of it, but I think we got it from Target). That reminds me of when my family went to Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. I actually connect Billy Joel's entire Glass Houses album with our trip to Fort Launderdale when my father won Sailor of the Year or something. Man, that was a great time.

Now a great question a friend of mine once asked me was what I think of whenever I hear Feel Like Making Love by Bad Company. Honestly, I think of cars and trucks flying through the air after hitting a dune or something. I used to listen to the song (actually, I think it might be the same CD that I mentioned with my trip to Universal Studios) while playing Test Drive Off Road 2 on my computer.

Man, I miss my childhood...

 

moved in 3... 2...

 

a lot of songs remind me of some very bad times. not enough happy songs get wrote

 

ALL the time. Reminds me of certain periods of my life, a place I was, school I was at, a walk I took, a girl... happens all the time, for better or worse.

 

Also, music from Blink 182's live album reminds me of when I used to play Unreal Tournament (well, it was the demo for the first one, but it was still fun), and Coheed and Cambria's In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3 (one of my favourite albums) reminds me of when I used to play the Halo PC demo.

 

Absolutely, I can't help but remember certain things when hearing different songs, and music is meant to do that. It is a cultural thing, and plays a big part in every niche in our culture. It is ceremonial, whether that be church, marriage, parades, holidays, graduations, school football games; it is also a mood-setter, from movie music which tells you how you should feel, and in games; it is entertainment; it is political messaging.

Beyond those, since it is a major part of every part of our lives, we connect a certain type of music with a certain part of our lives. When I heard a chopin prelude while watching the anime series blood+ I immediately connected feelings with that piece which was played, because I have learned that prelude on the piano, and I know the rest of the piece which wasn't aired. When I hear blink182 or MCR, I think of my bandmates, because most of them (ok all of them) are obsessed with MCR and have had weird comments on blink182's music videos (which are justified, because those are pretty weird). When I hear american pie, my favorite song, I think of many things, and I also turn the radio up and try to get to the best stereo available to listen to it on.

 

"Surface to air" by Chemical Brothers makes me think of all the great times I had mountain biking with friends, and just overall freedom. Great song.

 

Gotta Jiboo - Phish reminds me of dancing with sexy trust fund hippy chicks being "free loving" spirits for the night and me taking advantage of that. Best part about it was they didn't have the same lack of hygiene as hippy chicks.