You Act Like You Listen. (Midterm Introduction by Michele Kelley)

It is common place to hear that "you are who you hang around" , "you are what you eat" or things of that nature. What about "you act like you listen "? Now, it doesn't have the same ring to it as the other two phrases, but it is my purpose over my next several blogs posts to illustrate how in fact it is just as true as the other two.

So what do I mean by "you act like you listen"? Here is how I came about the idea for my midterm project...... It's in your car as you drive, in your supermarket, on your computer, in your head, on the TV, to go on and on would take close to forever because its everywhere. What is everywhere? Music.

“If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”
― Albert Einstein

 We listen to music more than we eat, more than we read, and more than most singular activities. (except homework, I always seem to have homework, but when I do it I listen to music anyways). It is my belief that we ingest this substance called music more than any other form of art.  It is so ingrained in us that we can recall song lyrics, from 2003, without any hesitation. Can we same the same for a book? Or a conversation? Maybe, for some, but not for me in the same confidence or way.

The analysis of several songs will be the core of my posts. Hopefully, they will be pretty well know songs, but don't haste the day when I will evaluate rap. Or metal. Or the deep lyrics of Taylor Swift. No offense to any fans. It is my intention with this to discover the philosophers who call themselves lyricists. Then, beyond that find common ground between these new found philosophers and ones we have studied. 


Think I am alone in this idea? Well in starting research on the current thoughts on the idea I ran across this philosophy blog. It doesn't follow the strain of thought that I have picked up, but it evaluates the emotional power of music and the philosophical view of music. Did you also know that Nietzsche was a composer? Me neither, till now. 


 And just because she is funny. And because it is so true.

“Have you ever heard somebody sing some lyrics that you've never sung before, and you realize you've never sung the right words in that song? You hear them and all of a sudden you say to yourself, 'Life in the Fast Lane?' That's what they're saying right there? You think, 'why have I been singing 'wipe in the vaseline?' how many people have heard me sing 'wipe in the vaseline?' I am an idiot.” 

-Ellen DeGeneres