Ghosts and Shadows
I sometimes wonder whether we love our favorite things because of what they actually are or because of what they remind us of. For me, this especially applies to music. There are some songs that I absolutely adore, mostly from childhood, that I have to admit are musically horrific. However, this doesn’t stop me from listening to them, and they make me happy. There are also some songs I loathe and refuse to listen to because I can remember a specific bad thing that happened to me while the song was playing. It’s probably impossible for any piece of music to be completely disassociated from the memories and experiences you’ve had with it, but there are degrees to which this is true. Some songs come close to making me relive certain moments, while others might remind me of something but aren’t inextricably linked to it. In the end, does it really make a difference why I enjoy a song? Is there more value to listening that can’t be pulled from experience, or listening that has only to do with what a song actually is?