When there's too much to do, between tests to study for and papers to write and tournaments that keep me out of the house all weekend, I have a nasty habit of sequestering myself in my room in order to avoid all my responsibilities. Or, sometimes, I do end up tackling them, but only after making a promise to myself: "I'll do it, but not until after I make a playlist for it."
For someone whose music knowledge and appreciation isn't all that broad in the grand scheme of things, I make a lot of mixes. I seek out catchy melodies for cleaning my room, quiet acoustic covers for reading in bed, basslines and beats per minute for running in the mornings. My Spotify sidebar is a mess of constantly rotating playlists titled with album names and dates of creation and cryptic, one-word descriptions. I even made a playlist before I started writing this blog post (it's called "settle down," but I couldn't explain why). It's a method of procrastination that has an end in sight. Once I am satisfied, I hit "play" on the first song and get to work.
I spend the most time making playlists that I intend to have meaning. I mean, I can put together eight songs that have been stuck in my head lately in all of two minutes without having to think too much...
Planes Fly — Angel Haze
Fireside — Arctic Monkeys
Drop the Game — Flume ft. Chet Faker
Take Me to Church — Hozier
This Is Gospel — Panic! At The Disco
Second of Love — Sebastien Grainger
Shades — Tales In Space
My Cup Runneth Over — Vanity Theft
... but when I'm making a playlist that has a point or one that I'll send to someone else, I don't just take into account how catchy a song is, how well I know it, how much I like it. I look up lyrics and keys. I think about the mood of the song, the colors and ideas it suggests. One of my favorite things to do is imagine what scene of a movie the song would be the the soundtrack to.
I used to play violin in the school orchestra, but eventually dropped the class—and my practice of the instrument—in order to focus on academics. Two years later, I still miss making music. That much is clear by the way I neglect to hum the melodies of my favorite songs in favor of the harmonies, from my ongoing interest in remixes and mash-ups. I know the tune, if not the lyrics, to well over a thousand songs in my Spotify and iTunes libraries. Perhaps I'm no longer much of a musician; I don't have the voice or the time to dedicate to the art. But my appreciation for music is boundless. My next favorite song is always just over the horizon.
Playlists rule my life. I completely agree that they are necessary for getting anything done. When I started driving I began to convert my playlists into CDs and they're now some of my most prized possessions! I can spend hours picking out songs and organizing them just right for the perfect mix to start my mornings in the car. It's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI also know what you mean about giving up violin, this year I had to make the sacrifice and I miss my violin terribly, but when does one have time time? That's why music that is so readily accessible is refreshing. Perhaps rejuvenating is the better word. And hey Lilly! Since I know blogger has the ability to incorporate sounds, if it doesn't break any laws perhaps you can integrate a blog post playlist into a post one of these days ;)
Thanks for sharing!
Playlists are my lifeblood as well. Music is such a wonderful thing, even though I've never really had any talent for making it (I had to stop taking piano lessons a few years ago). I still love to sing, and have managed to make enough time in my schedule to be in Chorus.
ReplyDeleteThinking about movie scenes as I listen to my favorite songs is one of my favorite things to do, too. I wish you happy travels in the vast land of music, Lilly!
I loved your tone in this post! I do the same thing and won't let myself start working until I have a song I can listen to. I felt your emotion and passion that you have for music and how it's more than just a catchy song that makes it worthy of your playlists. After reading your post, I really felt like making playlists is a bigger deal to you than it is to many; it feels like it's a part of your personality.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who makes a lot of mixes, mostly as gifts for friends, I particularly appreciate this post. (And I also like its title.) There's an art to making a perfect playlist for a particular person or situation. I'm especially picky about the song order if I'm making a mix for someone else.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I wish that I had an ounce of a musical bone in my body. To be frank, I heavily rely on finding one artist that I like and then listening to all of their other songs, and I don't quite focus on any imagery that's brought about. Most of my playlists come from others, 8tracks is my life, but I'd never be able to craft a mix of my own without it being a cheap imitation of someone else's.
ReplyDelete"soundtracks of our lives" - I find this incredibly fitting. That is, for me, if it involves holding a one man dance off in the solitary confines of my room while listening to intense irish-rock or cello duets when I'm supposed to be working.
ReplyDeleteI can't play music. I couldn't hold a tune if you gave me a leak-proof bucket to carry on my head.
But if I can dance to it in a one man dance party in my room, that's enough for me :)
I loved your post Lilly! I too love making playlists for different moods and different activities-string music for homework, piano music for sleeping, Disney music for when I'm alone in the house, and a playlist of all my favorite songs for relaxing. I'm also in the same boat with having given up violin my sophomore year and missing being able to make music of my own, as my piano and voice skills aren't incredible. But I really like the thought that making playlists, making lists of songs that fit together, is a similar thing, and it makes me feel a little better.
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