Before I share what I've found, I thought of something at work. I use music, at least a little, as a privilege. While I'm working I love having music in the background. It doesn't have to be music that I particularly love... just something that can make my head bob a bit or my toes tap on the floor. Something that gets into me and gives me a rhythm.
This isn't unique to work. While I'm sitting at the computer I have music playing almost all the time. I actually am getting to the point where I don't like visiting facebook as so many people are sharing videos... to watch a video I have to pause my music. The pausing itself isn't what bothers me. What gets me is having the music fall away from the background. It's not there as my primary focus you see. It's there to have something tickle the back of my brain. I will generally start up on one of my more recent songs, let it help set my mood, and then all songs that follow are just in the background. Songs can flow from genre to genre without me even noticing. NIN follows Brittney Spears, which followed Brooks and Dunn, which played after a Bach concerto, which played after Herb Alpert.
That's all fine and good until I pause it to listen to (watch) a video. When the video ends and I start the music back up it's no longer in the background. I am pulled into that 'first' song and if it's not right to how I feel I have to skip along until a 'proper' song plays. By the time the second song rolls around, it's back to the background.
Music is used like this whenever I'm doing something silent. Reading, playing around on the computer, cleaning the house, cooking dinner.... about the only 'silent' subject that doesn't apply is driving. Driving just doesn't take up enough of my attention so I'll have to have a 'good' song playing. I don't necessarily mean a song I love, by good I mean a song that fits the mood and atmosphere.
Anywho... at work I want music playing. But when there is a patient/prisoner in the clinic I almost always turn the music off. A small part of the reason is that I want to concentrate on them. My focus shouldn't be anywhere near music. But that's the reason I would tell people about. A bigger part is that I don't want the inmates enjoying the music. I doubt many of them feel about music like I do and if they did they can always buy a portible radio or music player. But even if it's just a small part of their lives, I don't want them to associate that joy with being in the clinic.
If I were in the hospital or even a doctors office, that may change. I may want to have the music out to help calm my patient or even just make them a little bit happier Prison? No.
I don't know what that says about me. I am constantly telling myself that I'm there to provide healthcare. I'm not there to provide punishment. Their punishment is BEING in prision... not having a bad experience IN prison. So does that make me a bad person?
OK... next up the 'radio' stations. Keep in mind I'm really kind of stuck with listening to iheart radio. It's a streaming service from clearchannel radio and something that I'd never really use if I had a choice... but it's about the only streaming music that can get by the state's firewall. I actually signed up for an account so that I could listen to more than just their actual radio stations. With an account I can bring up an artist that I like and they'll primarily play that artist, but intermix other similar artists. At least what they think of as similar artists.
My biggest struggle there is variety. No radio station on iheart would play NIN, Britney Spears, Brooks and Dunn, Bach, and Herb Alpert. So I quickly tire of their stations. This month I listened to a lot of Garbage (the band), but that 'station' was filled mainly with female singers. I have no problem with female singers, but that's not what makes me like Garbage. I like their guitar riffs and their lyrical modes. I then went to Dave Auerbach. He's half of 'The Black Keys' and that radio station is pretty good. It's mild and plays mainly slower songs, but it's still good.
For the past week though, I've been listening to Creedence Clearwater Revival. I guess because CCR has such a varied tone, the music that they intersperse in is equally varied. None of it is music from the past 25 years, but for being 'oldies', it's a really good collection. If I had to guess, I'd say that I can listen to this station for the next couple weeks before it just starts to get old again.
Music that caught my ear (and wallet) this past month:
First up was Spicks and Specks by the Bee Gees:
I heard this while watching an episode of The Walking Dead. It fit the scene, but wiggled it's way in my ear more than a normal song would and just wouldn't let go. I like that I have more Bee Gees songs that aren't all disco than those that are now. And I swear, this song sounds like one used in some apple (probably iTunes or iPod) comemrcial. I've tried to find it, but nothing has turned up yet.
Next up was Somewhat Damaged by NIN:
Another song found while watching The Walking Dead. Like many NIN songs, this one as a kind of 'really good porno' music feel to it. It's dirt, and raw, and in your face... just like good porn can be. I'm surprised that it never caught my ear before as I really like NIN and have listened to all of their albums.
Next up is a song thanks to Dee. Don't You Want Me by The Human League:
Last up is a song that I got from Fresh Air on NPR. They were interviewing the show runner from Justified which has been recommended to me on many occasions. At the end of the interview they played this song which evidently is used in all the season finales of the show. You'll Never Leave Harlan Alive:
Four songs that I honestly like (o.k... three and a half) isn't bad for a month. Here's to hoping that April will be just as fruitful!
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