Normally when I say the phrase, ‘the mind behind the music' I am referring to the mind of the person writing the music and musicians– who they are, and what they were thinking when they wrote certain songs. In fact, all artists make me think in that manner.
Years past I had a membership to a museum that started out as being a place that I went to for my classes – papers that I had to write, but it wasn’t long before I really got into going regularly because I just wanted to go instead of having to go. I even introduced my children to the museums so that they could have experiences that they could talk about, but most of all learn from and broaden their mental horizons. Several years back I took a walk across campus to another building which happened to be the Art building. There was a painting that stood out to me that I’ll never forget. It was by a student, the background was all black, with a crooked staircase that got smaller and smaller as it went up to the top of the paper, and there were a set of eyes with a teardrop falling from them. I have no clue what it meant, I don’t remember seeing a title of the painting or anything, but one thing I do remember is asking myself, what was on the artist’s mind when they painted that! Music, writing, painting/drawing, dancing…it’s all art to me and I believe they show a type of emotion that can’t be verbalized.
Talking about music… The other day, for the first time ever I thought about my mind and how it has connected to music throughout my life. I was taking a bath and the thought came to mind… Angel, your choice of songs—what is the mind behind this music girl?! I have always had a thing for romantic songs and movies, but my playlist (if I had one back then) would have included songs that were very unhealthy to me. Okay, you’re probably wondering what I’m talking about, I’ll tell you. You be the judge.
Can He Love You Like This? (After 7)
Do Me Baby (Prince)
As We Lay (Shirley Murdock)
Secret Lovers (Atlantic Star)
Your Body’s Here with Me (But your mind is on the other side of town)
You, Me and He (Mtume)
Nothing Compares to You (Sinead O’Conner)
Creep (TLC)
Cheating in the Next Room (Johnny Taylor)
If I Were Your Woman (Glady’s Knight)
Love Under New Management (Miki Howard)
Oh, my word! All of those songs are about having an unfaithful relationship or loving someone until it hurts. What the What!!? Don’t get me wrong, I still like all of these songs, but as an adult in a place that I am now mentally and spiritually, I can stand and say that I don’t think those were the kind of lyrics that I should have been gracing my ears with. I had other songs like:
Super Woman (Karen White)
Stranger in My House (Tamia)
When A Woman’s Fed Up (R. Kelly)
In the Rain (Keith Sweat)
Now some of these song titles I might have messed up on, that’s normal for me. Don’t message me correcting the names. Hahaha Just kidding. Take a joke! J
Listen (or look), words are very powerful. Not only does it talk about it in the Bible, but you think about some of the words that have been said to you, or that you have said to someone that cut them like a razor blade. It hurts and you can’t take the words back. You can say you’re sorry, cry, or whatever. They might accept your apology, but the scars will take longer to heal and be very careful not to do something that will be like picking those scabs off before they’re healed. It’s bleeding all over again!
Think about songs that you hear in a store, or in a passing car, or on your own radio. They stick - they stay! Back in the day when we used to go out to clubs, shoot, we would turn it from our Christian radio station and put the radio on something that would get us in the mood for clubbing. You know songs like Headsprung by LL Cool J, or something like It Takes Two by Rob Base. You can’t go clubbing comfortably while listening to church music. I mean, it bothered me and gave me all kinds of guilty feelings. So, what do you think was entering my system when I was listening and writing the lyrics to these songs? I was basically telling myself that you have to beg for love, or accepting an unhealthy love life – and it was okay. No, I didn’t see it that way, but I’m saying, we don’t know what gates we’re opening up with our choices.
Your Body’s Here with Me…you better stop! That was my song! As We Lay, Secret Lovers and You, Me and He were just down-right talking about going with somebody’s husband and it sounded romantic. The songs basically went against what I knew was right, but I was captivated by the music and something about it. It’s like music does…suck you in. Could it be because Satan was a master at music in heaven? Hmmm… Music is mesmerizing, brainwashing and mood-changing. Cheating in the Next Room was saying, “Oh, so you wanna play that game? Alright.” I never thought about these songs doing these things, but y’all those can’t be healthy. Creep, well, it is what it says.
Super Woman (A guy who doesn’t appreciate a woman for who she is and her worth. She’s trying to talk to him and he doesn’t want to talk – ignoring her, and then didn’t want her food anymore)! See, I’m getting stirred up just thinking about him not wanting to eat the food that she slaved over. When a Woman’s Fed Up (tired of fooling with him treating her less than and she’s fed up. When she’s fed up, you better move around), and Stranger in my House (You look the same, clothes and shoes are the same size, but I don’t recognize you anymore. The man you were wouldn’t touch me like you do and treat me like you do. Is someone acting like me? We’ve grown apart and I don’t know you anymore). In the Rain by Keith Sweat was saying that he could cry and no one would know because it was already raining outside. Smh
I realized I have always liked the depth of words with melodramatic music. I was deeper than the average girl. Actually, the songs that I mentioned were out in my earlier 20’s, 30’s and so forth, but as a teen…I chose songs that were relationship draining – Is This the End (New Edition). LOL… Angel, Angel, Angel!
Not all music is bad of course, but no matter which type of songs you listen to, the lyrics enter the mind. I am thankful for every single aha moment that I have because it is wisdom…power and the ability to help others not make the same mistakes or become aware of what could be detrimental to their relationship, themselves, or others.
So try putting something good, uplifting, and edifying in your player, because what goes in will surely come out.