Growing up, my dad had one rule about the car radio: you never skip George Strait. Like many other country music lovers, my dad holds Strait up as one of the greatest musicians the genre ever produced. But what makes him so good? What makes any artist good? While we could argue all day about this relatively subjective topic, we do have some objective measurements. Namely: we can feel good music with our bodies.
Music has a certain power over our emotions. Has a song ever made you cry? Has it ever made you feel better about a bad situation? Have you ever felt awe at the beauty of a song? We feel these emotions in our bodies when we hear something in the music that strikes us to our core. Sometimes the meaning of the lyrics brings tears to our eyes, or the melody puts us in a happy mood. We don’t often think of our emotions as a part of our body, but they have an intrinsic connection.
Good music makes us want to dance
Good music can also make us want to dance. Everybody has experienced hearing music and finding their foot begin to tap along to the beat, sometimes without them even noticing at first. A good song can get a party moving and liven it up, while a bad song can totally kill the desire to dance. Not only do songs encourage us to dance, but the melody and tempo of a song affects the way we dance. A fast song brings energy and excitement to a room, while a calmer song might evoke romantic slow-dancing.
We feel good music in our bodies. Whether it evokes a strong emotion in us, or gets us out on the dance floor, our bodies let us know what makes a song worth listening to. Next time your favorite song comes on the radio, thank God for giving you a body that appreciates music.
The King of Texas, George Strait
Chris Tarantino is the Communications Director for TOBET. He studied History at The University at Texas A&M and has written for the Tennessee Register and Nashville Catholic.
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