The Story Behind the Lyrics - Devin Dean

    

    During quarantine, I realized how much I took for granted.  Everything my life revolved was ripped away; my sport, my friends, my freedom, they were all gone.  My isolation made me understand how much my day-to-day life meant to me, and the true importance of having something that puts you at ease.  For me, that was music.  From the lyrics to the beat, everything incorporated into a song is unique and can comfort you in unimaginable ways.  

    Each individual song can tell a story.  The expression behind the lyrics, the tone, and the music, all convey a message.  The genre that a song is written in helps to communicate what the artist is really trying to say.  Listening to a song is a journey, and there is always a song that you can relate to, no matter your situation.  A true experience though is listening to an album from start to finish.  Usually, each song relates to each other, so the journey from one song, leads you into the journey of the next.  Playlists can also accomplish this feeling.  Having a specific group of songs for every mood and lifestyle helps to magnify the beauty in each moment that you experience.

    Music also holds a power that nothing does; the ability to transport you.  Whenever the song Element by Popsmoke plays, and I clearly picture myself dancing on the beach at 2 am.  The moonlight across the ocean, the feeling of the wind against my skin, and everybody with me just having the time of their lives is clear as day in my mind immediately as soon as I hear the opening.  The highs and lows of my life have been documented by music, so one single song can completely take me to a different place, a different time, and to different people.  Whether it is an iconic song from my childhood, or one as recently as last week, music can bring me to the best moments of my life.

    Music also can connect you to other people.  I wouldn't friends with half the people I am now if it wasn't for music.  Bonding over an artist, or a song, can create a connection with a complete stranger.  Hearing someone play your favorite song in a public place, and then proceeding to sing it with them instantly creates a shared memory between you two, even if you never exchanged words, let alone phone numbers.  

    Harmonies and melodies have defined my life, and they will continue to do so.  Having an outlet like music brings serenity and dependability into one section of your life, despite whatever troubles you may be going through.  Music will forever lie in my mind and my heart, and I couldn't picture my life without it.