A Tune A Day?

It's true - I do like music.  I prefer to work in the office with music playing.  I like to listen to music when I am walking behind a wheel hoe in the field.  If we need an alarm in the morning, it is ever so much nicer to wake up to music than it is to some buzzing or beeping sound and some calming music at night is often appreciated.

So why would I actually set myself a goal of listening to music for the new year?

Well, there is listening - and then there is listening.  I was hoping that I could encourage myself to stop whatever I was doing just ONCE per day and really listen to one tune - allowing myself to pick out a countermelody or a nice harmony.  Maybe I would hear a little bit of something in the background that just makes a particular song that much more interesting.  Or, perhaps, I would actually listen and think a bit about the lyrics.

The funny thing about it is - I haven't been able to actually accomplish this task more than a few times so far this month.  It turns out that it is actually kind of difficult to let myself fully concentrate on the music without thinking I should be doing something - anything - else.

Well, I'll keep trying.  Maybe this isn't something I need to do - because I do still enjoy the music that plays while I do other things.

For now, I'll just share the few tunes I've taken the three to five minutes to really listen.

Easy to Ignore by Sixpence None the Richer

You and the moon are a beautiful sight to me.
The stars in your eyes make it really hard to see you.

I've Got This Friend by the Civil Wars

This one catches my attention with the strong use of dynamics and phrasing in what one might call popular or maybe folk music.

Slow Your Breath Down (Piano & Strings Version) - Future of Forestry

Slow your breath down
Just take it slow
Find your heart now, oh
You can trust and love again

Have a great weekend - and I hope you find some music to listen to in your life as well.