There is much power in music. I cannot think of a single movie that does not have an accompanying soundtrack. Music has a powerful influence over us. With the opening strands of an old favorite, we are instantly whisked away to a past thought, situation, emotion, or person. Sometimes the memories are happy, sometimes not.
The song "Bad Goodbye" stirs up the melancholy and despair I felt when Troy and I broke up after a year of dating. Hearing any of the songs that were played during our wedding conjure the joy and bliss of the day. When I am stressed or need to rest, I am always soothed by the beautiful piano instrumentals of my Pride and Prejudice soundtrack. On those rare days I feel a cleaning jag looming and need some added inspiration, the quick tempo of jazz, particularly my Swing Kids soundtrack, gets my feet moving.
Music also helps to set the mood and tone when it is time to write. Each of my stories have their own accompanying soundtracks--songs I have blended together based on experiences of my characters, rather like those old mixed tapes we used to make when we were younger. For example, the soundtrack for The Roommate would include Toni Braxton's "Breathe Again" and Jon Secada's "If You Go", because they remind me of all the struggles Devon and Adrienna face as they fall in love. (This particular story is one I've been working on off-and-on since my sophomore year in high school, which explains why the songs are not "new".)
One of my favorite movie lines pertains to the power of music and is from the movie Music and Lyrics, with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. Hugh's character states that nothing can make you feel as good, as fast as a song.
And that is the power of music.
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