STRINGS OF MY HEART

When shawdy is like a melody stuck on replay eh, you know some loves bi outdo some.

Eeiii Love and Music! For as long as I can remember where I see Love, Music is featuring high on that roller coaster too. Maybe the romance between these two is as old as time itself.
Remember how Lucifer used to minister to Love itself. Uh huh 😊

Yes! I’m telling you; this love-music relationship runs deep.
The only man in history to be called a “man after God’s own heart” was always giving a musical tune of hymn, praise, worship to declare his love and goodness for God.

How about we come to one of my favourite movie genres aka cartoons? (Lol got so used to saying it this way. Referring to it as animation sounds weird. I’m sure I’m not the only one)

So yes, cartoons, Barbie, Lion King, Aladdin, Strange Magic, Tangled. These are just a few and I must admit the musical interludes in them were always impressive. (Somehow deep in my thoughts, I feel like, the music in these animations are a significant part of why we all yearn for a fairytale love story)

Lol tell me, how many of us won’t fancy a magic carpet ride,  romantic melodies playing with the love of our lives by our side.(*winks*)
Mehn, that’s some enthralling experience right there.

Love and music are both deeply rooted in some cultures. You cannot see one without the other.

Let me tell you slightly about a particular culture. Here’s a clue; Anjaanaaaaa!!!!! 

If you are guessing what I’m guessing and I’m hoping your guessing is right and good as mine, I’m talking about “them”.  Yes! Absolutely! Most definitely! THE HINDUSTANIS! 

I’m sure you and I have lost count of the number of Bollywood movies with their love stories.

Honestly, I don’t know of any movie production that can dedicate half an hour or more to a scene of music and dance with so much expression of love. I mean every time, I watch the music scene, I’m impressed. You would think it would make the movie less appealing but surprisingly, it does not. 

It’s so amazing; the dual relationship between love and music is undeniable.

Before I get a little sciency( yeah I just coined it up. I’m allowed right? Of course I am), let’s take a look of some few of my past favorites songs that has left lasting impressions on me and hopefully you too.

My Love -West Life

I still remember the lyrics like I learnt it yesterday and not my ten year old self.

“Where the clouds are blue, see you once again, my love “

The hope and love this song ignited in me eh. Gyai! This was a massive hit in the early 2000s. Each line in their song was simple yet captivating. You could fall in love right that minute listening to this.  It’s no wonder, they produced many of the best love songs of the century.

Still The One- Shania Twain

Shania taught me to keep fighting for the love I chose and believed in. That come what may, that person would still be the one. That we’d weather the storms together. And if there was any one I would want to kiss goodbye, it would be him.

Those times I knew love could fight and win even if it came out bleeding. But now….(A story for another day)

All of Me – John LegendPianos! Keyboards! Guitars! And….. we cannot forget the cowboy’s hats. Eeeii I almost forgot! The baritone voices of the Southern singers drives me crazy any day 😁😁😃. Lol I really can’t help it.

But John Legend is just something else!! That cool wind that blows your hair in your face yet calms you down. Yes! that’s exactly how I’d describe him. Any day, any time.

And when he dropped, “All of Me”, it felt like he had taken the words right from every lover’s heart and displayed it beautifully to the world with one of music’s favorite box- the piano! Darn! the lyrics,  the voice, the melodies were all so on point. And for a long time, the words were stuck in my head and heart. One of the few songs that I caught and understood the lyrics at the very first hearing.
Yes! You don’t have to tell me. I know how bad a hopeless romantic I am. But think about it , who isn’t? We all are.
Just maybe we differ in levels. The next time love finds you, I hope you remember my favorite lines of the song and maybe give your heart a chance.. after a considerable amount of thought (This is very necessary) ;

Cards on the tables

We’re both showing hearts

Risking it although it’s hard.

Wonderland-Efe Oraka

The first time I heard this, I thought it  was a Western pop song. Before you jump into conclusion, no! I’m not saying African artistes cannot sing like the Western artistes. I’m only saying this because, the concept that was portrayed by the song was so foreign and felt like musings of a Western girl in love. When I discovered she was Nigerian, I was so much impressed. I love pop music and to have a great pop singer right here from home,  that was a blessing. She executed her version of “Alice In Wonderland” so beautifully.  It’s a twisted fairytale how we follow our hearts even though it might lead us right down the rabbit hole!

Now let’s get a little scientific, shall we?

Love And Music On The Brain’s Activity

 

 Does love and music stimulates the brain in similar ways?

Can you recall the last time you got so high by listening to your favourite music?

Do you remember the recent love episode in your life that made you feel superhuman?

According to a research conducted since 2006, two professors from University of Central Florida(UCF),  Kiminobu Sugaya and Ayako Yonetani has proven that music affects the brain  in a much similar way as cocaine.  It tends to increase the production of dopamine in the brain.  Dopamine is an element in the brain that makes an individual feels way too hyper and exciting not to forget fearless too.
So yeah,  music acts like an addictive drug would on the brain.

In 2014, Tanya Lewis also conducted a research on the various brain parts stimulated when we are in love.  Her results?
Her results were strikingly similar to the findings of music on the brain by the  UCF professors.

Moving forward, how about we take a look at the significant brain areas affected similarly by music and love. Alright music, lovers,  here we go!!

1. Nucleus Accumbens
Also known as the brain’s pleasure centre, this part of the brain seeks pleasure and reward. It is a major factor in addiction development.  How? The nucleus accumbens has a long standing relationship with dopamine. 🤭🤭

It releases dopamine,  resulting in the feeling of hyperactiveness.
So here, music leads to the production of a lot of dopamine making you so “high” like you are on cocaine or ganja

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan has also revealed increased blood flow in this part of brain when we are in loooovveee😍😍😍.
It is believed that this brain region lights up like literally when people are in love.  It causes them to be fixated on each other.

Eeerrm, so the next time you receive a cute text from that special someone like say “I can’t get you out of my mind ” or even a drastic one like “I can’t live without you.“

Just remember the pleasure centre is at it again with dopamine. 😘😘😁

2. Amygdala
Do you recall  the flight or fight rule of survival? This is the part of the brain responsible for it.  It helps us decide to flee a situation or battle our way out.

Music can control our fears, make us ready to fight and increase pleasure.

You know that sensation you feel down your spine when you are really sitting or lying down with that special someone and there’s the slightest physical touch.
Yes that sensation! It’s the amygdala testing the mikes. One two, One two 😅😅😅

And remember those times you didn’t want to let go of a certain love of yours because you didn’t want to deal with the pain that came with letting go so you fought despite having already lost the person.
That again was the amygdala helping you fight to maintain pleasure and avoid pain.

3. Hippocampus
This region of the brain is responsible for memory processing and retrieval. It also regulates our emotional responses.

You know all those memories that come back to you after listening to a particular song?

You know that sense of relatedness you feel towards a song, let’s say that feeling of being in love or having your heart broken?

Remember how you felt when you listened to Adele’s  “Someone Like You”?

Remember when your mind could not stop playing that kiss or that awesome public proposal he made? 😉😉😉

All those memories and feelings were because your hippocampus had been activated.

Wheew finally done with the science class!! Now how about a break with something nice to munch on.

What happens when love leaves music with a promise to come back but like any forlorn love story we know, a thousand years saf, it’s just like running with the wind?

 

They told me you had left.

They kept insisting you were not coming back

And you were gone forever.

I couldn’t believe them.

You promised to stay,

And if ever you had to leave

We would say our proper goodbyes.

 I still keep visiting our favourite place under the mistletoe.

My heart still beats

Like those times when you have your arms wrapped around me.

 

But the tick tocks

And the seconds, minutes and hours

Slowly turn into years.

I keep waiting,

Holding on to the promise you made me;

That if ever you leave

We would say our proper goodbyes.

And as each week ends,

I sit in our favourite place

Hoping you would show up soon.

Yes, maybe something came up,

I know

Maybe you are stuck in traffic,

Or I don’t know

Perhaps you run into some issues.

But yes, I keep waiting.

 

They all look at me like I’m crazy,

Desperately holding on to

What’s gone forever.

But I have a reason to;

That piece we started is still incomplete

Without your part, it’s still less

Of a symphony

Each time I touch the strings of the piano,

I hear an echo.

Like there’s a hole in there

And it’s void of something,

Like the feeling in my heart

Ever since you left.

 

 

I’ve been soaked by the rain,

I’ve grown resistant to the heat

And the wind and I

I think we’ve become one.

But yes, I still wait,

Fighting all odds in one belief

That you would one day show up.

But that day I almost lost it,

Going home after another fruitless wait,

Didn’t even see myself crossing the road

Till I felt an arm around me

Pulling me to the ground.

I had my eyes closed.

Finally, it was over!

A little shake, he told me,

“You really need to be careful next time”

I nodded and walked away.

No more piano strings,

No more going to sit down at the park

Waiting for you

 

 

Everyone thought I had finally snapped out of it.

I was back to my work,

Stopped writing my songs.

I was just existing.

Then I heard

Someone playing the piano,

Not so effortlessly.

But the strings felt like they were coming to lifen

And there, my heart skipped.

I run to see

Who had made those beautiful symphonie

And he lifted his head

“It’s you again”, he smiled

I was lost ,

Hadn’t seen him before.

Clearing his throat

He told me how he saved me the other time.

Again I just only nodded.

Eyes closed,

Feeling the touch of the strings

I couldn’t help it.

Once, twice then I began playing

It sounded different.

A good kind of different.

And I realized I hadn’t been playing our symphonies.

No, not even my part which I knew so well.

Soon he joined in and played his too

And somehow it blended with mine.

 

 

But we knew we were telling

A tale of two hearts,

A tale of chords and strings.

When words failed us,

And the only sound

We could create was a melody.

But there’s no language that tries 

Reaching out

More than that of a broken heart

Afraid to ask for a mending.