The Sounds of Music

Throughout my childhood and adolescence, music was a very big part of my life. My parents chose to expose me and my siblings to it at every turn. Sometimes, I hated it- the hours of practicing instead of playing outside or watching tv. As I grew older and became more practiced, I started to appreciate my parents' efforts and the gift of music and rhythm that they had given me and my siblings. I learned to recognize the way that music has the ability to invoke emotion or express it- perfectly.



This morning, as I was listening to NPR, Peter Gabriel was interviewed about his latest album, "Scratch My Back." Although Peter Gabriel and his original band, Genesis, will be part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame later this year, this album is different- all of the pieces are covers of another artists work and none of them contain the typical Rock and Roll instruments drums or guitars.



After listening to a few clips from his new album, I realized that part of the thesis of this album was not only to show a new side of Peter Gabriel, but to explain to everyone that it is not only the lyrics, but the music that makes a great piece of music into a stunning piece of art. Many of the songs were very popular when they were originally released, such as Paul Simon's "The Boy in the Bubble." Paul Simon, known as a great singer/songwriter, released this song in the 80's as a politically active song representing Africa. You can listen to it here. After Peter Gabriel did it over, it represents a completely different mood and conveys a completely different message. You can listen to Peter's version here. Another example is Peter's version of "The book of Love." I fell in love with song several years ago as it quietly expresses the complex enchantment of love. The original writer, The Magnetic Fields, expressed more of a mocking tone, pointing at the silliness and trivial pursuits of lovers. Even the concept of "the book of love," as if there are instructions on this thing, is somewhat hilarious. Listen to the two versions of the song, I am sure you will understand.



There are many other songs on this album that I loved the first time around- "I think it's gonna rain" by Randy Newman (although I love the covers by Bette Midler and David Gray as well) and "Flume" by Bon Iver- but I understand them in a completely different way now that Peter Gabriel has worked his magic. The amazing thing, which you will hear if you listen to the album, is that the sounds of music can enhance lyrics and mood in a way that literally nothing else can. I have a younger sister who is just discovering the power of music through composition. Recently, I asked her what she wanted to study more deeply, what she was passionate about, and how she might look forward to turning her passions into a career. Although she is only 15, she expressed a lot of joy and passion for the subject of musical composition. I talked to her about writing movie scores and explained the way that a good score composer creates a mood for a movie- Thomas Newman's score for Little Women is one of our common favorites- and she understood that emotion is a part of art and that writing music is more than putting notes on a page that sound good together; music is an emotional expression.



As I sit here listening to the songs on the album, I am blown away, once again, by Peter Gabriel. This album is more than a new musical expression. It is a representation of the study, care, and process that is songwriting. If you buy one album this year, buy this one. It isn't just songs that go together, this album is a musical and artistic representation of emotion. Well done, Peter, well done.