Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Music/Scent Evoked Memories!



Hey guys!
You know when you're walking past a shop, or even just sitting at home watching tv, and a song comes on and instantly transports you back in your mind to a specific time, place or memory?

The other day, I was watching tv and randomly channel hopping, and suddenly some music caught my attention - I couldn't place it for a few seconds, and when I did it made me laugh because it reminded me of a sketch on my favourite radio show. Every time I hear Money On My Mind, it makes me laugh because of remembering my favourite YouTuber singing it really badly, and it just makes me giggle every time.

There are also some songs that make me smile because of the memories attached - there's a certain My Chemical Romance song, for example, that makes me remember being about 15 and staying at my friends for the weekend with my group of best friends back then, all lying on his bed and singing while they did my hair and makeup - for some reason, I used to be the one they made over, haha, I don't know whether to be flattered or offended. Bands such as Green Day and You Me At Six also remind me of being in my teens and going to concerts all the time, and hanging out with my friends at the weekends and also after school sometimes - I remember I used to listen to Green Day while I was getting changed out of my school uniform on the bus on my way to meet my friends after school, and one summer me and a group of people who used to be my best friends spent the whole summer at one girl's house, chatting, watching videos and learning how to play Wake Me Up When September Ends by Green Day on guitar. When I was at college, I was meant to sing Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana as one of my projects, but it hurt my voice too much so I had to change groups and sing something else instead, but whenever Smells Like Teen Spirit comes on, it always reminds me of hanging out with my closest friend on my course and just chatting and working together.

Also, the song that currently reminds me of my best friend is probably either Rather Be by Clean Bandit or Oath by Cher Lloyd because they're constantly on when we're around each other or listening to our favourite radio show, and also Oath is about best friends and having a good time together so it sums us up perfectly!

Unfortunately, there are also songs that now hold sadder memories for me, and now I can no longer listen to them because of the memories attached. The main example that springs to mind for me is Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley - I was listening to it when my dad called me to tell me that my grandad had passed away, so every single time I hear it now, it makes me want to cry - it's got to the stage where I have to leave the room or cover my ears if that song comes on.

It's not just with music, either - even things like smells can remind you of people and places. For example, the smell of Brut reminds me of a band I used to see all the time because their lead guitarist used to use it so it's all I used to be able to smell when I hugged him. Likewise, the smell of vanilla always reminds me of baking with my mum, and her letting me lick the spoon clean of batter, and the smell of chinese food always reminds me of going shopping in London with my friends and spending hours on end just wandering Camden and Oxford Street, buying random things.

So, do you also have smells and sounds that remind you of certain people?

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