I just realized that there are very specific power songs that symbolize milestones or big challenges in my recent life. I don't typically listen to music when I work or write. But I find when I am trying to accomplish something 'big' that I do listen to certain songs. When I was studying for my qualifying exams, I would listen to the the Monitor (bishop allen) everytime I got to the library to start studying. While I listened and prepared for a full day of quiet studying, I would search the internet about the ship and battles of the Monitor. As the day flew by, I would sit in the library all day and anytime my mind started to wander, I would throw my headphones back on and listen to the song again. While it was a little bit of torture studying for those exams, when I hear that song, it is a nice memory.
I remember listening to the entire album, Mermaid Avenue, by Billy Bragg & Wilco, as I would walk to classes or to the library. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I listend to Home (David Byrne) over and over and over. I also made a "walk and heal" playlist that I would listen to, on my walk from the parking lot to my office.
Lately, as I am trying to write and finish my dissertation proposal, I have listened to
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), and Halflight I and II, all by Arcade Fire, a thousand times (give or take a few).
It is funny, Mike listens to music during 95% of his day. When I work at home, 9 hours can go by with no music but he walks in and before taking his jacket off, his iPod is plugged in and continuing the song that was playing in the car. Music is important to me, just in different, signficant, powerful doses.
Do you have any power songs?
