Modern Music

Music has been around for thousands and thousands of years. The caveman had originally started some type of sounds in which branched off into the music that we listen to today. This prehistoric music was started by the cavemen in order for them to express themselves, and the others who listened were affected in the same way that people are affected by music today.

For example, if someone is upset they will listen to something that will get them into a better mood, perhaps something mellow or soft. If they are happy, they will listen to something that is more energetic, and so on. After I interviewed four people--friends and family--I found out what type of music they listened to when they are upset, angry, or calm. Music touches people's souls, and gets the best or worst out of them.

My friend Kyle said, "When I am in a bad mood I listen to basically rap because it gets me hyped up to where I want to dance. Rap lets me get into a better mood where I can forget the problem or what I was mad at before." He continues, "No other music affects me as much as rap does because rappers put everything they have into their songs, but that is only my opinion." Kyle has listened to rap since he was 13, and he actually got me interested into it. I never liked rap until I started to hang out with him, and I am now starting to enjoy it because of its' diversity that is involved in making the music. Each rapper has their own version of the world, and they express it through their music.

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Not all rap music is good according to a Texas widow, who filed a lawsuit against Tupac Shakur. Her husband, a Texas state trooper, was allegedly shot to death by a man who stole a car. In the man's car a Tupac tape was found in the cassette player, and

Tupac's music was allegedly to blame (Damean). Some people tend to take music too seriously, and end up making mistakes, and they have to suffer the consequences like that Texas man. Those people, who take the music too seriously, are not stable, and the music brings out the worst of them. On the other hand, people like Kyle have no problem with some of the lyrics that some rappers incorporate into their music, and end living happily with society.

I asked Kyle's roommate, Tim what type music he listens to when he is in certain moods. He said, "Sometimes when I am homesick I listen to Frank Sinatra because my mother and father listen to it all the time, so it reminds me of them." He is also a big rap

fan, but not as much as Kyle. Tim can listen to anything at any time, for instance, he could listen to Notorious BIG one minute then listen to Marilyn Manson the next. He continues, "If I have the urge to get pumped up then I need something that is crazy and wild to get me in that mood, like White Zombie or some sort of heavy music."

There have also been lawsuits involved with such heavy metal like Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Osbourne, Slayer, and Judas Priest. Marilyn Manson's music had been to blame for the suicide of 13 year-old boy from California. Another family from California sued the band Slayer because their lyrics inspired three teenage boys to rape and murder their daughter. Ozzy Osbourne and Judas Priest had lawsuits filed against them claiming their lyrics drove teens to attempt suicide in the late 80's, but the cases were won by the artists

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(Demean). Once again people or teenagers took the music too seriously, and they ended making stupid mistakes by doing so.

These teenagers are allowed to listen to such music at an early age when they look up to certain entertainers like--Marilyn Manson. These teenagers need role models, and they end up looking the wrong way when they should be idolizing baseball and football players. They are at the crucial age when they are looking for a direction in life while trying to find themselves in the process. These teenagers think that they are supposed to listen to every word they sing, and they end up taking them seriously by acting upon those words. The teenagers, who take it seriously and act on it, are insecure looking for someone to lead them through life, and end going to the wrong person for help when they should be going to an adult, or a positive role model for help.

I asked my mother what she listens to and what she feels when she listens to it. She said, "I like to listen to classical music after a hard day's work because it soothes me to a point where my mind is free from all of the stress that is involved in my job." My mom is an accountant where she works with numbers all day long, and that can get annoying by looking at the same sheet of numbers for hours at a time. My mom recently began listening to country music, and I asked her why she recently switched. She responds, "I needed a change from the regular music that I normally listen to. I like it because the lyrics of some songs are quite deep, and I could relate to some of the stories that are incorporated in the songs. The songs make me feel free,