Musical notes

What Is Your Anthem?

Musical notesDo you have one? Do you have that one song you can always turn to for inspiration, fortitude, or calm reflection? If not, think about that today. What is your song?

Although this is naturally not as important as figuring out your passions and taking the plunge, music can be one of the many supporting characters in your life’s story helping to get you where you want to go. In my case, I turn to different songs for different occasions.

Morning Alarm Clock

I love waking up in the morning to Jimmy Cliff’s “I Can See Clearly Now”. First of all, almost any music is better than a rhythmic beeping sound. But I always wake up with a smile on my face when this song starts playing. The song has a very positive message and metaphorically fits with what I’m trying to do. I do see more clearly now that the rain is gone, where the rain was all the things preventing me from living the kind of life I wanted to live. And yes, now it is going to be a bright, sun-shiny day!

Courage and Strength

If I am about to do something difficult, like take a test or give a speech, I have another song that I turn to. Yes, I grew up in the 1980’s and I grew up watching the Rocky movies over and over again. So I turn to the Eye of the Tiger in these difficult situations. In college I would listen to this song before every test to psych myself up for the upcoming challenge. This song puts me in the right frame of mind to be more self-confident for the challenge ahead.

My Anthem

In this current adventure of mine, especially in the lead up to quitting my job and taking the plunge into a happier and healthier life, Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life” was my anthem. It still is. I like the way the song sounds, and the message behind it. It’s my life, it’s now or never, I’m not going to live forever, etc. The theme of the song and the lyrics resonated perfectly with what I was setting out to do. When I hit a roadblock or negative thoughts started swirling around in my head on a bad day, I played this song and it reminded me of the big picture and what I am trying to do with my life.

My Dream

Finally, I have an overarching song that fits with my life and the goals in my life. My ultimate goal in life is to give the planet back more than I take from it. I have a very idealistic point of view when it comes to my world view. Thus, John Lennon’s Imagine is the song I turn to for inspiration and grounding in life.

What are your anthems or special songs? Please share the song and why in the comments below!

12 replies
  1. Rebeka Bálint
    Rebeka Bálint says:

    Well…my anthems…
    different for different feelings..situations..ups-and downs..
    here are some..maybe some more will come 🙂

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wLTx4v9kVcfreedomhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GemKqzILV4wmelancholic lovehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4Rax2PXiWApositive love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lhf9U5Wf3Qhappy lovehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THnabGK7mPscontemplatinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnPzR1-Dp2cup the mountain, after a hard climbinghttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1Ialways makes me positivehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlBiLNN1NhQwhen I’m most down…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_n703YHjzOEfeein‘ goodhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvkFrWUEMdUgood byehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyKXaqc7Czohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uMGH3kHhzMalways, everywhere…

    Reply
  2. Will Davison
    Will Davison says:

    Music really is a marvelous thing and I love those songs that always take me back to a particular time and place in my life.

    You’ve made a fine selection there, here are some of mine.

    When the going gets tough, there always comes a point at which one has to either laugh or cry, at which point I always come in with…’some things in life are bad…’. Sometimes it helps to remember that ‘you come from nothing, you’re going back to nothing, whatta you lost? Nothing!!’. Never fails to lighten the mood.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2Wx230gYJw

    Then there’s Queen, I love the sound of their songs, but it’s the lyrics that make these two stand out. This one for me is a combination of the ‘eye of the tiger’ and ‘it’s my life’. I don’t necessarily want it all, but I do want to live life as much as I can and this song has my favorite lyrics of all time…’here’s to the future, for the dreams of youth’. Whenever I’m rocking out and air guitaring to this song, I always have to stop at that bit, almost as if my national anthem is coming on and I have to put my hand on my heart or grasp the air.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1pm4fQRl72k

    Then there’s Innuendo, more of a contemplative song, my favorite bit is after the perfect guitar solo, when the lyrics start up again with ‘you can be anything you want to be, just turn yourself into anything you think that you could ever be’.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpys1c3jCNs

    Reply
    • Adam Pervez
      Adam Pervez says:

      What a fantastic list. Thanks so much for sharing and for the great explanation! You know, in London I saw We Will Rock You. I’ve loved Queen ever since! And here in India I learned Freddie Mercury was a Parsi!

      Reply

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