by mia turnock (@miaturnock)
It is said that almost everyone falls into one of the five ‘love languages’ when describing the
way they show love or appreciation, but I disagree. What if alongside words of affirmation,
physical touch, acts of service, gift giving/receiving and quality time there was music? Today
I will be discussing how it is used as a catalyst for creating meaningful relationships.
I feel as if I speak for many when I say that for me, music is an incredibly personal thing – it
can tell someone what you’re thinking about, how you look at life and even how you feel
about them. When two people share a love for the same music, it can pull them closer to
one another in that the soundtracks to their life are in sync. For those who treat music as an
escape, knowing that they’re not alone in that can cause people to latch onto each other,
bonded by their shared comfort playlist. However, when I talk about music forming
relationships you may automatically assume I mean romantic ones - but I ask you to imagine
playing ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond in any British pub and seeing absolutely nobody
get up and sing along. See, you can’t do it! Songs such as that have become anthems for
many, brightening spirits and lifting smiles for as long as you can remember.
This isn’t a new concept however, your grandparents and great grandparents will
undoubtedly be able to tell you about the songs that would play on the radio particularly
during and after historic events such as World War 2 that would unite the nation as they
find light in even the darkest of times. ‘There’ll Be Bluebirds Over The White Cliffs Of Dover’
by Walter Kent and Nat Burton was popularised in 1942, when the future was appearing
uncertain, acting as a symbol of peace and hope for families everywhere. This connected
families and was used as a way of vocalising their shared experience which they
would remember for the rest of their lives.
I feel as though we forget how large of a part of our lives music really is. It’s everywhere,
helping us through life like a chorus of enthusiastic tour guides. It’s with you on the morning
bus, in your lunch break, while you’re doing homework – sharing this guide is like showing a
small piece of your life and experiences to another person. So, next time someone
recommends you a song they think you’d like, or even makes a playlist just for you, take a
second to think about the fact that that person is sharing a small piece of their heart with
you.
- Mia <3
In the spirit of the theme of this issue ‘Lovestruck’, the other writers and I have curated a
playlist around the theme - just search ‘LOVESTRUCK- tea and cake mag’, click the link below or scan the code to be taken right to it!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/61zxNUx6JxF90D7iyVCVhd