My passion for words started at a young age. I’ve always made a mental list of favourite words, which gets added to each year as I unearth terms that are new to me. Susie Dent introduced to one of my most recent, highly relatable, favourites – scurryfunge: to frantically tidy the house before guests arrive. 

However, although Roald Dahl and Rudyard Kipling instilled a joy of reading (the prescribed primary school books never managed this – often they had quite the reverse effect), lyrics started to strike a chord. By my mid-primary school years, I would usually select a favourite section or verse from any song I enjoyed.

There is a myriad of reasons that a particular section would be chosen, but I find that it is frequently the appeal or sentiment behind the words. This appeal, of course, often changes over time – indeed not all songs that I loved as a child have hung around and made it onto one of my Spotify playlists today.

Turn, turn, turn!

I believe favoured sections (and preferred music choices as a whole) alter as we evolve and journey through our lives. Although we like to think we know everything as children, as we travel through the years and gain more experiences, it becomes apparent how little we actually knew at that age.

Music, songs and the lyrics they contain allow us to feel, quite possibly, all emotions that we experience in our lives. Luckily for us, a talented selection of people are able to put into words the heartache, the joy, the confusion, the love – every feeling that spurned them on to pick up a pen and start scribbling. It offers some reassurance, particularly for those dealing with the harder parts of life, that your emotions have been felt by another.

Music can help provide a level of catharsis and relieve any isolation that the listener may have. It can be unnerving to first hear a song that really strikes at an emotion, especially if it is particularly raw. Sometimes, this can be a bit too much and you can find yourself turning the radio down or switching to podcasts to avoid being hit by sentiment that you may not be ready to hear.

Sad songs say so much

Naturally, the songs that really strike here are the ones that deal with difficult emotions. Songs that touch upon grief, loss of love, longing and desperation can really catch you off guard, particularly if you are going through a challenging time. However, although these songs can be difficult to hear, they can serve a purpose by helping to express the emotion, come to terms with it and be reassured that it will not be a permanent state.

During a particularly difficult time a few years ago, I collected myself the best I could and got in my car. Turning on the radio, the first few words of Pink Floyd’s classic “Wish You Were Here” floated through the air. This is a song that I am fond of but gained new meaning as my emotional state waded in and added a new, heavy sentiment to the words. Although it will always be tinged with sadness, it now acts as a form of comfort – that time was really tough, but I got through it and I’m still here.

Of course, for another person, that song may not mean anything. More likely, they will have their own song selections that mean something to them and encapsulates a difficult moment in their lives.

If a song means something to someone, and has potentially helped them through a difficult time, its value cannot be understated. There is also research that the benefit of music can be extended past this virtue, with evidence indicating that it can help to reduce anxiety, blood pressure and pain, as well as improve sleep quality, mood, mental alertness and memory.

Sorry not sorry

This moves me on to the songs some would term as being “guilty pleasures”. I personally don’t like this term. A song can take us back through time to carefree childhoods, school discos, nights out, first loves, holidays – why should anyone be deprived of a moment of reflection and happiness, especially given the difficult times we are going through at the moment? Life can be hard enough without imposing restrictions on something that can bring a smile.

I don’t think it particularly matters what music critics have to say in regard to the merits of a song – if it isn’t spreading hate, then why should anyone curtail their musical preferences?

The genre, the artist or the age of a song is also exempt. Good music and strong lyrics are, by no means, restricted to a listener’s preferred decade – they speak across the generations and comment on universal human emotions and situations. Songs can also help to provide an insight into the time that they were penned – from political commentary and protest, to psychedelia, the fight for equal rights or those in line with the “me too” movement – music act as a time capsule.

The songs we enjoyed during the freedom of our teens and 20s, are often the ones we hang on to as favourites, and we can get stuck in these genres. Research has shown that stepping away from these songs and listening to new music, although potentially daunting at first, challenges the brain as the unfamiliarity forces the brain to struggle to understand the new sound. This helps maintain our brain’s health by giving it a bit of a workout – something that is essential throughout our lives.  

We all stand together

Of course, shared musical taste can link you in with a community of like-minded individuals. I have become good friends with many people due to our shared interest in a particular band or artist. However, even then, song preferences and the meanings each individual attributes to them will always differ. Do we ever actually hear the same song as another, or are they always moulded by the meaning we place on them and our current situation? I think the latter could well be the case and I think that is an amazing thing about music.  

I also find that as you meet people that go on to mean something in your life, or represent a particular time, you may end up adopting a few songs from them. These then become part of your story and the eclectic soundtrack of your life.

Through music and lyrics, we can find a common thread that binds us all together – and when you think about it, there is something quite magical about that.