Hit Me in the Feels

My eyes are closed. I'm reclining. I drawn in a breath and hold it. I know what to expect.

"My eyes don't shed tears, but boy, they bawl when I'm thinkin' 'bout you," Christopher Breaux croons.

I can exhale. This time is just as painful as the first.

Christopher Breaux released Channel Orange under the name Frank Ocean 14 months ago.

Despite having heard track two, "Thinkin' Bout You," multiple times a day for nearly a year, I feel just as bad for the boy every time I listen to him sing about his rejected affections.

I know how you feel, Frank.

"Thinkin' Bout You" is one of a handful of songs that never fails to provoke an emotional response from me. From my face. Fine, from my tear ducts.

While I could go into a scientific explanation of why and how we as humans connect with music, I thought it would be more interesting to have people I know tell me what songs evoked emotion from them, and why.

Here are some of my findings:

Angela Schifani, a 22-year-old student and the music director at KLSU said The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips was an album that she felt particularly strong about.

"It makes me feel positive and feel positive that I am creating a significant space in the universe. It's that kind of sound that says 'You are worth something, I am worth something, and we're all here for a reason,'" she explained. 

Having never heard The Soft Bulletin, it was hard for me to really imagine how Angela felt. She further explained that while the album was an equal mix of happy and sad songs, overall, "the sound is so beautiful and pleasant and it feels good. It's warm."  

Phil, a 22-year-old film director at Big Fish Presentations, said Darkness on the Edge of Town by Bruce Springsteen was important to him.

"It's awesome and reminds me of my dad introducing me to his music," Phil said.

While Phil's selection was based on a good memory, Angela's was based on a good feeling. 

Another answer I received focused on experiencing a range of feelings, rather than a specific pleasurable or positive one.

Ryan Hill, a 25-year-old chef at Whole Foods Market, said the song "Forever" by Papa Roach reminded him of the pain of loss, but also of the happiness that existed before a loss.

Another sentimental album for Ryan is Love Metal by HIM.

"Love Metal covers a spectrum of crushing loss all the way to a perfect happiness," Ryan said.

One friend, who I don't have permission to name, said the song "Same Love" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis gave him the strength to come out to his friends and family, and made him feel less alone in the world.

If that's not a reason to appreciate the power of music, I don't know what is.

By asking, "Is there a song or album that always hits you in the feels?" and getting respondents to explain their choice, I've found that just about everyone has some piece of music that makes them giddy, or melancholy, or appreciative, or inspired.

One Reddit forum in particular frequently tackles questions similar to the one I asked my friends. I could spend hours scouring comments and posts for the reasons people feel so strongly about different songs. 

(If you're interested, check it out here.)

What's special about music is it's ability to speak to each person differently.

Think about it, and tell me about a song that hits you in the feels. I'd love to hear what you have to say.

While I'm waiting on your responses, I'll be "thinkin' bout" all the other songs I want to share with you.

What's Your Song?

It had been one of those weeks and by Sunday night I was on edge.

Maybe because I had killed a roach big enough to walk on a leash or because my room was serving as a breeding ground for bugs whose sole purpose was to  me in my sleep. Maybe because the human stampede occurring in the apartment above me caused ceiling popcorn to fall on my head. 

In the midst of crying and cutting up apples in my new kitchen, (two things I don't recommend doing simultaneously) I found my mind was fraught with thoughts of pest control, bug bombs, and breaking the lease. 

While my mind buzzed with possible solutions, I realized everything around me was still and quiet. The silence filling the space around me and the lack of silence in my brain made me uneasy. 

I turned on my radio.

My anxieties were replaced with melodies and toe tapping. The noise created a happy energy, allowing me to dry my tears and focus on my apple smoothie. 

I'm not the only one who finds solace in the sound coming out of the speakers, and continually wonder how other people connect with music. Emotionally? Spiritually? Do they feel the same way about a certain song as I do? My aim in this blog is to answer these questions - and more.

Frank Zappa said, "Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid." 

Music means more to me than dates. When I remember an important life event, there's usually a life soundtrack that was or is just as important as the event itself. 

My music is a mood regulator, a calendar, and a means by which I connect with other people. What does music mean to you? Let's find out.