Music & Memory

Let's take a trip shall we? Technically we will be taking two trips. One to Seaside, Florida in summer of 2021 and the other trip will be down memory lane. See what I did there? Anyway, It's no secret that I love to travel. While I would absolutely love to share my favorite travel playlists, that's not the kind of music we will be talking about today. Take a trip with me to my favorite vacation of last year and the music that I associate with that trip.

What's funny is every time I hear a certain set of songs, I'm transported back to the 16 hour car ride through the Southern U.S. with my family. We never really realize it, but music makes up a large portion of our personalities as humans. You ever hear an old nostalgic song and get a strange sense of deja vu? I hear "Wake Me Up When September Ends" by Green Day and think of my family playing softball in my backyard. Or I hear "Strawberry Wine" by Deana Carter and get whisked back to Freshman year prom. Music drives our emotions and connects our souls to each other. I strongly believe that without music in my life, I wouldn't be the person I am today.

By now you're probably asking, "Mallory, what songs do you associate all of these vacation pictures with?" Well, don't worry I'm getting there. These pictures (except for the memory lane photo, thank you google images) were taken by me in Seaside, Florida last summer. Every time I see these photos, I think of laying in the sun on the, very accurately named, Emerald Coast or sipping ice cold lemonade and eating fresh sushi at an outdoor restaurant. Three songs from an album by The Bleachers that my brother showed me on the way to Seaside are attached to the memory of this trip. I always joke about how that week in late May was a fever dream because it didn't feel real, and I am proven correct when I hear these songs. "Don't Take the Money" (feat. Lorde), "I Miss Those Days" and "Everybody Lost Somebody" from The Bleacher's MTV Unplugged album transport me to some of the happiest memories of my life...even if they don't feel real sometimes.

Driving through Mississippi and stopping at a crab boil, fresh made gelato, the smell of sea salt and happiness, and the cutest bookstore. These memories and these songs remind me why I live life, why I want to travel. Now, the question is...why do we associate music with core memories or favorite vacations? According to an article titled "Music, Memory and Emotion" published by the Department of Neuropsychology at the University of Zurich, emotions enhance memory processes and music invokes a strong sense of emotion. The article states, "Emotional music we have heard at specific periods of our life is strongly linked to our autobiographical memory and thus is closely involved in forming our view about our own self." (Jäncke) The author goes on to explain studies done to prove the cognitive affect music has on humans. (At the end of the post, I have the article cited. It was an interesting read. 10/10 recommend)

First, no vacation photo collage is complete without food pictures so enjoy! Second, the article ends by saying, "These studies...support the tremendous influence of music on our emotional and cognitive system. Music automatically awakes us, arouses us and engenders specific emotions in us, which in turn modulates and controls many cognitive functions." (Jäncke) Even scientifically, music is a part of us.

Relaxing on a beach for five days was exactly what I needed after graduating high school. These songs remind me of a time of calm in the chaos of change. The above photo was taken at a luau on the last night. One thing I love to do is people watch, and I was given the perfect opportunity on the last night. Putting headphones in, listening to these three songs, and wondering why all of these people in this photo were in Seaside at the same time I was is my idea of a good time. Sticking my head out the sunroof of the car while hearing the saxophone solo of "Everybody Lost Somebody" mended my heart at a time when I didn't think I could be okay again. This vacation happened at a time when I had just failed at one of my life goals. I didn't think that there would be a time when I was okay with that heartbreak, but that vacation taught me that "you survived, you gotta give yourself a break" (as one of the lyrics says). Associating these songs with the positive, nostalgic memory of learning more about myself in a place where no one knew who I was became a core moment in my life.

As the article continues to say, music is a cognitive part of who we are. The emotion that it brings out in us is something that has always been written into human existence. When someone asks me about my music taste or for song recommendations, these three songs always seem to make an appearance. My brother suggesting these songs to me on the never -ending 16 hour car ride on the way there was his only great idea he's ever had. I'm glad that I can look back on this trip with a love for my family, myself, music, and traveling.

Maybe if I ever follow up with this post, I can talk about my association of the song "Phoenix" by Olivia Holt with my trip to San Diego. The moral of the story is that music and memory are an integral part of who we are. Our souls are made up of our experiences, emotions, and the people we love. Music is written into all of those things. So, next time you go on vacation, take a few pictures, listen to a few songs, and live in the moment because you never know, you could one day be listening to that song or that playlist and be reminded of a time when you discovered yourself in a faraway place.

Article: "Music, Memory and Emotion" https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2776393/