On The Power of Music

Well this morning I am not feeling it today.  I didn’t sleep well last night and this morning I am looking the opposite to what I normally look….rough, knackered and worn out. 

So I got up, scraped my hair back, put on my vintage burgundy and black lace dress, blazer, and I refused point blank to put my tights on so my bare legs are on show today along with my Mary Jane shoes.  I look a bit off but, hey-ho, you can’t be perfect all the time. 

It’s becoming common knowledge at work that I am leaving.  The worst was when my team found out.  I told sexy Peter yesterday and he looked….upset.  I mean really upset. That broke my heart.  I know that nothing could or would ever happen between us but we get along so well.  We have a laugh, talk football and he’s actually a good friend.  And he’s super-hot.  That cheeky smile will keep me warm on the coldest of nights…He said that he wants to keep in touch. 

Even though I looked rough today, I heard some good tunes on the radio this morning on the way into work and I have to say that you don’t realise how much of an effect music has on your day and your mood.  There have been days when I have rocked up to work feeling hungover, tired and looking like death but then the radio will play an amazing song and all is right in the world!

The type of music I like?  I am very much a classic rock/indie/alternative rock sort of girl.  I also like Rockabilly sort of music.  Credence Clearwater Revival, Johnny Cash, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.   But saying that, I like all types of music.  My iPhone (which has all my music on it) looks like it has the music choices of a schizophrenic.  I have everything from Iron Maiden to Rihanna on it.  But my music keeps me sane. 

When I am sweating it out on the gym, I put my gym mix on and when it’s hurting, I pump up the volume and go for it through the pain barrier. 

But also music comes into my personal life.  I play the piano and the guitar (I’m not a guitar hero or anything, but I can play a tune) and I write music.  Music is so personal to me.  I would much rather strip naked publically than play my music publically.  I can’t sing (I leave that to my older sister) but I write words to go along with the music.  It’s like therapy.  My dream is to one day publish my music and maybe write a number one hit?  I am currently without a piano in my flat, which hurts me, but I vowed to save my money and buy one when I get myself sorted with my new job.   I like to play classical music.  I love immersing myself into the world of Mozart, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, and Chopin.  It makes me feel civilised and almost human. 

Because of my of my love of music, I find that people in my life have “theme songs”. 

Take the lovely Suzanne.  When I see her I hear the music “Georgia on my Mind”.  She would kill me if she knew that as she isn’t from Georgia but it’s a significant song for her in my head.  And I think that she would understand why that song is for her…

With Jan, he has 2 songs associated with him.  The first one is by the British group Doves. The song is called “Pounding” (no it’s not that form of pounding, dirty minds!!!) and the reason I have this song for him because the chorus says “this won’t last forever”….in my mind I know that.  That song brings a tear to my eye. 

My “Comfort Friend” has the song “Van der Graaff” by Manchester band The Courteeners. They are a cool local band and this particular song has the line “I don’t need you in my life but I want you tonight”.  That pretty much sums up my feelings for him.

Simon has a couple of songs too that remind me of him.  Mostly songs by Johnny Cash. Simon is a fellow Rockabilly like myself, that’s why we get along so well.  But the song that makes me think of him is Florence and the Machine “You’ve Got the Love”.   I just know that no matter what happens in life, Simon would be there for me.  If I fell, he’d pick me up.  If I cried, he’s wipe away my tears.  I know that he’s a good man and that he cares for me very much and I am starting to care for him very much too…I’m seeing him tonight.

There is a saying that there is one song that turns every woman into a stripper…and this is very, very, very, very true.  There is a song called “Beggin” by a group called Madcon.  It’s a cover of a Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons song of the same name but damn!  When I hear it my inner slut comes out!  The amount of blow jobs I have given to that song…..It just makes me feel like a sex goddess.  Every woman should have a song like that I think.

I also have an “entrance” song.  I discovered this song 2 weeks ago and it has proved to be quite an entrance song.  When I get ready to go out on a night out and I am dressed to the nines, to get myself pumped up and ready to make an entrance, I have been putting this song on to get my strut going.  The song in question is by an up and coming new artist called Indiana and the song is called “Solo Dancing”.  The beat is contagious and I have been checking the rest of her stuff out.  It seems quite cool.  But when I listen to this song I work my outfit, my heels and I make the world my cat walk.  Every girl definitely needs a song like that!

I have songs that I listen to when I need a good cry.  Those are the most important ones.  If I need to let it all out, I listen to Half Moon Run and their beautiful song “Full Circle”.  That’s such a soulful, beautiful moving song.  There is another one by a group called Sebadoh and it’s an acoustic version of one of their songs called “On Fire”.  That one, I just sob like a little kid.  Then there is Mazy Star “Fade into You”.  That’s an oldie but a goodie.  It’s crazy how music can evoke such a response. 

Eternal American Party Boy Dick Clark once said, “Music is the soundtrack to our lives.” How true is that?  It’s insane how music can take us from one mood of feeling pumped up and ready to rock to dropping us to weeping out pain. 

As it was a beautiful day today, when I left work I dropped my top (on my car, perverts!!!) and blasted Rage Against the Machine "Killing in the Name"...and that music? I felt like a total bad ass. 

Until next time, Ragers and Ragettes stay fabulous!

Lots of love

Betty Rage xxxxx