Comfort Music

Stella_Omega

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Many people have a visceral and immediate reaction to music- that has nothing to do with the quality or content of the song in question.
I realised this once more when I listened to a "Best of Queen" compilation. Some of the early stuff is pretty goofy, twee heavy metal! yet, i felt the rosy certainties of my eighteenth year flow over me like a beloved blanket. I was not expecting that reaction.

Wouldn't this be akin to the peace the religious folks feel singing a familiar hymn?

For me, there are two albums in particular that I listen to for solace;
"Hunky Dory" by David Bowie
and
"Holland" by The Beach Boys :rolleyes:
 
Pictures at an Exhibition - Moussorsky.

Beethoven's 6th Symphony - The Pastorale

Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen.

Jim Croce's Greatest Hits.

Sit Down Young Stranger - Gordon Lightfoot

Don Quixote - Gordon Lightfoot
 
Stella_Omega said:
Many people have a visceral and immediate reaction to music- that has nothing to do with the quality or content of the song in question.
I realised this once more when I listened to a "Best of Queen" compilation. Some of the early stuff is pretty goofy, twee heavy metal! yet, i felt the rosy certainties of my eighteenth year flow over me like a beloved blanket. I was not expecting that reaction.

Wouldn't this be akin to the peace the religious folks feel singing a familiar hymn?

For me, there are two albums in particular that I listen to for solace;
"Hunky Dory" by David Bowie
and
"Holland" by The Beach Boys :rolleyes:

For the last three years, it's been anything by Tori Amos -- I have an MP3 disc with everything she's released up to now on it that plays endlessly when I write certain stories, or that's on in the car. There isn't much I've experienced that she hasn't at least brushed by in her music.

Before that, it was Kate Bush. Same thing, only a little younger aspect.

Also, Steely Dan spends a lot of time on the stereo. Something about the mix of jazz, cynicism and hope just carries me through.

I get moods for various musicians, too, that just come on me and require I dig out everything or hit Napter or start buying CDs. I live at the whim of my musical muse ;)
 
Physical Graffiti, by Zeppelin (bonus is it's two discs :D )

Queen's Greatest Hits (cheers, Stella!)

Any of my numerous Stevie Ray Vaughan discs.
 
cloudy said:
Physical Graffiti, by Zeppelin (bonus is it's two discs :D )

Queen's Greatest Hits (cheers, Stella!)

Any of my numerous Stevie Ray Vaughan discs.
Physical Graffitti comes mighty close for me, too :rose:
Isn't it interesting that hard rock can actually calm us down?
 
Stella_Omega said:
Physical Graffitti comes mighty close for me, too :rose:
Isn't it interesting that hard rock can actually calm us down?

Zeppelin is very unique, though. No one's even sounded remotely like them since then (unless you count John Bonham's son's short-lived band). Just about any of their discs work for me, but PG is a personal favorite, along with Houses of the Holy.

Grateful Dead works, too.

I'm such a hippy. :D
 
The first three Violent Femmes calm me down instantly.

Another Hunky Dory fan

Robert Earle Keene, especially "Feeling Good Again" or "I'm Coming Home."

lots of others.
 
Stella_Omega said:
i felt the rosy certainties of my eighteenth year flow over me like a beloved blanket.

There are songs/albums which throw me right back to what I was feeling at the time they were popular.

Kiss
Aerosmith
Blue Oyster Cult
REO Speedwagon
The Cars
Boston
Styx
Yes
Journey
Prince

... the list is endless, and each marks milestones in my life. I might not have LIKED all the music, but it still triggers the memories.
 
Stella_Omega said:
For me, there are two albums in particular that I listen to for solace;
"Hunky Dory" by David Bowie
and
"Holland" by The Beach Boys :rolleyes:

Solace depends on how you got strength thru hurt? What made you get thru it and overcome at the same time? "Music" by Madonna is my tour de force. :D
 
'Maggie May' transports me instantly to my middle teens.

Any of Robin Trower's first three albums put me immediately in the middle of a sweaty crowd of long haired, air guitarists whilst I stand mesmerised by his fingers on the fretboard and the pain on his face.

Now, as always, his guitar and James Dewar's voice make me so deleriously happy that I cry.
 
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Mozart: Exultate Jubilate, and The Magic Flute

Beethoven: Piano Sonatas

Offenbach: Tales of Hoffman

And from a musical, Kiss Me Kate, - 'Brush up your Shakespeare'.

Og
 
Chorale music, "Magnificat", something I can sing along to. Throwback to my choir days.

Flute music by R. Carlos Nakai

Joshua Kadison, anything.

Shadowfax's album, Shadowfax.

Oingo Boingo, anything.
 
CharleyH said:
Solace depends on how you got strength thru hurt? What made you get thru it and overcome at the same time? "Music" by Madonna is my tour de force. :D
well, that process is what I'm in right this minute, so I'll get back to you. I don't know if it will be a sccuessful journey or not.... I'm not talking about COURAGE music necessarily- I simply noticed the remarkable feeling of peace that overtook me listening to the songs, which had nothing to do with what's going on in my life!

Similarly, my kids discovered The Beatles. I got albums for them- "Sargent Pepper" "magical Mystery Tour" the "White Album" etc- and discovered that I couldn't listen to a whole album without wanting to vomit. Thats how strong the visceral memories are for me, dredged up by one of the best bands of all time- too good, really.
I mentioned this to someone else, and he said he had the same reaction.
One or two songs in a mix, that's okay. :heart:
 
Norah Jones. I made the mistake of playing her once while I took a bath and I fell asleep in the tub. :)
 
sophia jane said:
Norah Jones. I made the mistake of playing her once while I took a bath and I fell asleep in the tub. :)
*Makes note* I'm going to try that... :rolleyes:
 
When I want comfort music, I listen to my dad's CDs. They remind me of my childhood and they make me feel safe and relaxed.
 
AppleBiter said:
When I want comfort music, I listen to my dad's CDs. They remind me of my childhood and they make me feel safe and relaxed.

I went out of my way to order something from the Kingston Trio.
 
Recidiva said:
My dad used to play them.

Ohhh, okay, I get it now. Sorry, I was just confused by that for a minute. I was talking about CDs my dad made, so I was wondering what the reference to the Kingston Trio was. Now I get it! :) Yeah, I'm a dork. LOL :)
 
AppleBiter said:
Ohhh, okay, I get it now. Sorry, I was just confused by that for a minute. I was talking about CDs my dad made, so I was wondering what the reference to the Kingston Trio was. Now I get it! :) Yeah, I'm a dork. LOL :)

It's okay, you understood when I 'splained it :)
 
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