Why My Teachers Hate Me

How to- Music For Life!

Music is for life

“Music touches us emotionally, where words alone can't.” 

― Johnny Depp

“Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens.” 

― Maria von Trapp

“Music is the strongest form of magic.” 

― Marilyn Manson

“Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.”

― Ludwig Van Beethoven

A few weeks ago, my niece passed away.

I’m not looking for sympathy, in fact, the only reason I even mentioned it was because she gave me the idea for this chapter a couple days before she passed.

Leila, like the rest of my family, is a big fan of music; but there is one song in particular she adored above all others: The Circle of Life. Her adoration for this song was the subject of many conversations we held over Skype and the centre of a promise that, no matter what, I would make sure that song would be played at her funeral.

                On the day that we buried this beautiful and sunny little girl, I sat at the top of the church in front of a keyboard and played The Circle of Life. Beside me, my niece sang, and just as Leila asked, we even included the very beginning, you know the ‘Nants ingonyama bagithi baba,’ bit.

                You can imagine the church, two hundred people gathered for a child’s funeral when a twenty-three year old woman bursts out in Zulu. Despite being upset and crying, more than a few people laughed. And that’s what Leila wanted, because she knew, at nine years of age, the affect songs have on people.

                Leila wanted The Circle of Life played because it was a song that she loved, it was a song that made her happy and she wanted everybody to be happy; she didn’t want anyone to cry over her.

                So I asked you, my amazing readers, what your ‘Go To’ song was, the song that makes you happy, that cheers you up and lets you know that, no matter what, it’s okay. Leila’s was The Circle of Life, and I was curious as to what other peoples were.

                My ‘Go To’ song is Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls. It’s such a beautiful song that means a lot to me for so many reasons, one of which is how it reminds me of when I was sick, how I just wanted to tell someone that I wasn’t okay, but I couldn’t because I still hadn’t admitted to myself how bad I was. I would lie to people constantly over something as simple as when I last ate or whether I was hungry or not. It’s one of the only songs that can actually make me cry and, despite some of the painful memories; it’s definitely one of my favourite songs because it reminds me of how I never want to go back to that.

                Some other ‘Go To’ songs:

My ‘Go To’ is ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’.  My dad used to sing it all the time, in his horrible tone-deaf voice. After he died I became a big mess and, a year later, when I went to a concert with my boyfriend this song came on the radio. It was the first time I had heard it since my dad died and I burst into tears. Adam pulled the car over and hugged me as I cried and told him old, irrelevant stories from when I was a kid. We missed the concert but he never complained. When he proposed to me last year, ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ was playing in the background. It’s a song full of both happy and sad memories and there is no other song that can make me both cry and laugh at the same time. – HardToPlease.

For some reason, my ‘Go To’ song is How to Save a Life by the Fray. It’s not even the happiest song or anything, but I can just listen to it over and over again without getting sick of it. I have lots of happy memories with my cousin related to it. Another one could be Gives You Hall by All-American Rejects, or I’m Yours by Jason Mraz. – panda_lover_xox.

Not Alone by RED. Just reminds me that no matter what happens, I’m NOT alone, and that I will always have someone who cares.

Forever and Always by Parachute. Words cannot describe the beauty of this song. It’s a story, but it’s so devastatingly sad and beautiful. Makes me cry every time. – EmilySmith268.

It would either be Some Nights by Fun or Lost It All by Black Veiled Brides. Some Nights, because it is so awesome and amazing. Lost It All because of the message and the instruments and because it happens to everyone. – Anna_Thordaughter.

Yesterday is mine as it’s such an amazing and beautiful song. It’s simple and almost haunting with only a few, soft instruments and Paul singing alone. It’s the song I listen to when I’m sick, or lonely or just need a bit of comfort. – supermegafoxyawesome.

The song that really gets me ‘pumped’ is Undercover Martyn by Two Door Cinema Club. It’s such an upbeat song that puts you in a good mood, and when we (Freddie and I) went to the concert it was an epic night and I’m totally in their new video. – Freddie.

I’m in love with Under the Sea, I listen to it all the time and it makes me really happy and nostalgic so I guess it’s my ‘Go To’ song. – P.J.

So there’s just a few peoples ‘Go To’ songs, if you want you can comment and let me know what yours is and, if you want, you can tell me why you chose that song,

Peace and butterflies,

                Nikki.