The Power of Music

Analena Jurić

Grant Currier

English Composition 1

22 September 2017

The Power of Music

        Music is a piece of writing that surrounds in our everyday lives. If a person wants to know how another person they know is feeling, they should simply just listen to the kind of music that person is listening to. Music can have a great effect on someone, the song someone is listening to can change the way they look at some things in the world. Sometimes while listening to certain songs it can remind someone of a past memory or even a person that was or is currently in their life. Through music, people are able to express their feelings easily in a peaceful yet effective way. Listening to “Keep me” performed by Khalid a song like this one can even contain lyrics that someone can relate to and know others who can relate as well. This song in my opinion meets the definition of good writing with how relatable and powerful the song is. I was recommended to listen Khalid’s album American Teen and out of all the songs on the album it was the song that stuck out to me the most. This song displays good writing effectively through Khalid’s ability to write a song that contains lyrics so many people can relate to at the moment, it is also a song that can trigger and remind someone of past memories, and in general the song itself has a powerful meaning.

        In the song, he starts out by talking about someone loving roses and despite him hating the smell of them, he still dealt with the smell of them just so he was able to put a smile on that certain person’s face. Khalid also talked about not liking people the person would hang out with, but he was also willing to deal with those people just so he was able to still hangout and see that person. It takes a lot of strength to be able to deal with those types of situations, but Khalid was willing to do whatever it took just to make a certain person happy. What he goes through and does during those situations is relatable, everyone has gone the extra mile and sacrificed certain things for a certain person or people. Right off the bat listening to the song I knew I was going to be able to relate and connect to it. Relating to those lyrics does not necessarily mean that it has to do with relationships where someone is in love with another person like Khalid is in it, people will do whatever it takes to save a friendship they have with someone or anyone they meet in general. Musicians have the advantage of being able to touch people with their lyrics and music and this gift isn’t something everyone can give. Their music also has the power to evoke old memories while listening to certain songs.

         We have all been through the phenomenon of listening to a song and suddenly a rush of emotions and memories begin to rush and flood back to us. Once that happens you are immediately transported to a certain time when that particular song or songs played a significant part in your life. When I listened to the song for the first time I was amazed at how it captured the exact feelings, mood, and emotions that I was feeling at the time. Whenever I listen to the song “Keep me” I always suddenly recall a time a couple months ago when I first started listening to it. With this song, I think back to good times I had but also bad times that I shouldn’t think back on but with it comes more positives than negatives. Just because you listen to a song and it reminds you of a certain point in your life does not mean you listened to it during that time. Truly listening to powerful lyrics can make you think back to a certain point in your life and the memories that come along with it or a certain person. Having this happen shows how effective this piece of writing is. With lyrics that come with memories good or bad also comes a deep meaning to them.

Music is the universal language in this world that most people will take for granted in their lives. Most people don’t realize that music has a transformative power on them whenever a certain song will come on.

        What the song is about according to Khalid is that it is about him convincing a former partner that she does not have to be committed to the times they had but to remember him, and that they should “walk away with me in your heart.” He wants the former partner to always have a part of him with them and to think of him and keep him in their mind, and that they don’t have to speak of the times they had only to think of him. Even though someone is not in your life anymore you still don’t want them to forget about you completely, you want them to still appreciate you whether you are in their life or not. That meaning is truly power and important, the lyrics “Keep me in your life keep me alive” has a truly deep meaning to it you want someone who was once an important factor in your life to still consider you in it in a way. With every great piece of writing there should always be an important meaning to it, something to take away from it and always remember. That type of quality included in the piece of writing will make that certain meaning memorable, the song having it makes it one that is something to always cherish and go back to and listen to all the time.

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