Essay on Harmonies of Life: Exploring Emotional Resonance Through Nursery Rhymes, Pop, Soul, and Country Music

Introduction

Music has, over time, been recognized to be a robust manner of presenting art through sounds. It can be experienced by listening or hearing. Listening involves concentrating on the music's details while hearing does not keenly pay attention to the music structure (Martin & Jacobus, 2014). Music elements such as theme, rhythm, melody, tone, style, and dynamics are critical in expressing our reactions. Different type of music brings about different reactions from the audience. Music is coherent with one's feelings and emotions (Martin & Jacobus, 2014). For instance, nervous music can cause nervousness, whereas calm music can contribute to relaxation. In this paper, I will discuss various music categories and their emotional attachment to people basing the results on personal experience.

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Analysis

I can relate my childhood eras with nursery rhymes. These are rhymes that are composed to be either read or sung by children. Most of these rhymes originated long ago when they initially emerged as written work published in the 18th century and blossomed through the 19th century. They differ in themes, subject matter, tones, and styles, although most are recognized using repetitive rhythm, which allows them to be easily remembered. This song category consists of lullabies, riddles, ballads, and finger-plays. There is one melody, "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep," first written in England, that still brings fulfilling nostalgia to me. Although monotonous, the song's repetitive nature makes me feel some sense of satisfaction and lifts my inner spirit. The amicably and peaceful characteristics of these songs sufficiently restore my moods. Kidz Bop music compilations also encourage playfulness in nursery rhymes. These songs, introduced by Concord Music, output children-friendly lyrics in pop and playful nature. For instance, their cover of "Say So” is child-friendly (2020). The impact caused by these nursery rhymes makes me realize that, as a child, I prefer very easy and playful music. Children are introduced to this music in their earliest years as a way of building their interpersonal relations. During this stage, children could also establish their music types of preferences.

Pop music is well associated with the adolescent stage. Pop is a genre whose music possesses a captivating melody and entertaining rhythm, and it is gratifying to sing along. Most of this kind of music makes hit songs that pave their way into international markets. Adolescence is a stage in one's life when one feels a need to fit into modern society and is greatly influenced by peer pressure. The sense of fitting in mostly drives many adolescents into listening and even master lyrics to hit pop music from globally recognized artists. Some examples of such songs include 'Baby' sung by Justin Beiber featuring Ludacris (2010), "Work" sand by Rihanna and Drake (2016), and Megan Thee Stallion's recent hit "Savage" (2020). These songs usually narrate love relationships, ups and downs, money, power, fun loving, and triumph. They express different sets of feelings and emotions and are traditionally sung in varying tones. Pop songs helped me, as an adolescent, develop confidence in expressing myself, and I became more outgoing. The feeling of fitting in a particular culture or era also instills a strong sense of belonging and freedom in one’s life.

I firmly believe that soul music fosters comfort. Soul music was initiated in the 1950s, mostly by African American songwriters and artists. This genre included rock music, rhythm and blues (R&B), and gospel. They are characterized by strong vocals, church and bible references, and extreme melisma. These songs usually resonate with self-satisfaction, emotions, and cultural pride. Their references to religious writings and lyrical intensity create a harmonious and calming environment essential for meditating and relieving stress and depression. A good example is "Hallelujah" sand by Alexandra Burke (2009). The slow tune, beats, intense vocals, and lyrics of this song set a relaxing mood that significantly calms an individual experiencing depression and mental breakdown. Generally, I am certain that everyone needs comfort at some point in their life, and soul music could essentially boost one's self-esteem and get through disappointments, hurting, pain, anger, anxiety, and depression peacefully.

In my opinion and experience, country music is associated with inspiration and happiness. The themes related to country music revolve around celebrations, idealizing rural life, expressing traditional pride, and conservativeness. Significantly, the lyrics and tones of most country songs express happiness and joy. A perfect example is "Old Town Road," sung by Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus (2019). When listening to this song, I identify with the rural culture of horse riding, tractor riding, and life in a small rural town, which boosts my sense of belonging and pride. The songs reflect that one should not be ashamed of their origin, ethnicity, or cultural background and motivate me to appreciate my life without listening to what people will say. Country music inspires one to confidently and happily embrace their lives regardless of what others feel or say.

Conclusion

In conclusion, music is an important form of art that benefits everybody, whether physically or emotionally. From personal encounters, music has played a significant role in enabling me to express my feelings. Childhood years are usually playful, and most nursery rhymes have satisfactorily blended in with children’s nature. During adolescence, everybody purposefully needs to feel updated, and it is the age that has promoted listening to pop music. Soul music is personally the best option for meditation and calming down from daily worries and depression. When looking for inspiration and self-assertion, country music is a better fit than the earlier-mentioned music genres. I, therefore, can confidently confirm the significance of music throughout one’s life.

References

Justin Bieber. (2010, February 19). Justine Bieber – Baby (Official Music Video) ft. Ludacris. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffacxfA7G4

Kidz Bop UK. (2020, July 10). Kids Bop Kids – Say So (Official Music Video). [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJwNhYSfJt4

Lil Nas X. (2019, May 17). Lil Nas X – Old Town Road (Official Movie) ft. Billy Ray Cyrus. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2Ov5jzm3j8

Martin, F. D., & Jacobus, L. (2014). Humanities through the Arts. McGraw-Hill Education. https://lib.hpu.edu.vn/handle/123456789/32678Megan Thee Stallion. (2020, April 6). Megan Thee Stallion – Savage. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOxj2ROIxok

Miketop. (2011, November 18). Hallelujah – Alexandra Burke. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSgsW9GLerA

Rihanna. (2016, February 22). Rihanna – Work ft. Drake. [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL1UzIK-flA