Feel the beat with these writing ideas for musical memories
First published January 25, 2018: This article has been updated and improved.
Popular music festival Splendour would usually be held this time of year in Australia but it has been canceled because of coronavirus.
However, I know this is the case too for many Northern Hemisphere summer music festivals.
Certainly, at the moment, it’s hard for me not to think about seeing live music!
As a result, when I hear certain songs I saw in concert it gets me thinking: who was with me, what were we doing, when was this, where were we, how good was it?
Indeed, music is a wonderful way to stir up memories for your autobiography, memoir, biography or other life-story project.
So today I’m going to take a look at ways you can use it to get your memories flowing when you are planning or starting to write.
One, two, three… let’s feel the beat!
Music and memories: Make your own soundtrack
Firstly, I heard an interesting music and memories story about songwriter Stephin Merritt.
To mark his 50th birthday he helped create the Magnetic Fields’ 50 Song Memoir.
The five-CD/ five-LP set by Nonesuch Records has one song for every year of Merritt’s life.
“I am the least autobiographical person you are likely to meet. I will probably not write any more true songs after this than I did before but it’s been interesting working on it,” he said in the album’s liner note interview.
Certainly, this is a very different concept of looking at your life through music and memories!
Therefore, it got me thinking about nominating a top song (or songs) that bring back a certain memory for each year of my life.
Obviously I might need help from my folks with ideas for my earlier years!
But this exercise would be a very interesting and entertaining way to highlight memories to include in an autobiography.
So why don’t you give it a try?
Related article – How to start writing: The ultimate guide about planning to write life stories
Related article – How does memory work? What is memory and where is memory stored in the brain
Feel the beat with music and memories
If picking a song per year of your life is a bit too ambitious, another way to brainstorm anecdotes is to look through your music collection.
Get your groove on by pulling out your rock ‘n’ roll vinyl collection or flicking through your electronic music library.
Indeed, songs are a powerful way to time travel to different parts of your life and relive the moment.
Plus all that dancing is sure to get the blood pumping!
Most importantly make sure you have a notebook handy and jot down notes about music and memories as things come to you: keywords, dates, feelings, details etc.
Finally, these don’t have to be perfect prose or complete paragraphs but will make great background notes for when you sit down to write about different chapters of your life.
Related article – Memory recall: Memory retrieval and remembering childhood memories
Related article – How to beat memoir writer’s block in 8 simple steps
Music and memories through the years
Popular songs are a super way to help us remember our lives but don’t forget to think outside your own musical tastes to traditional and cultural songs.
Indeed, these too can evoke a gold mine of memories worth recording in a life story.
Therefore think about music and memories related to:
- School anthems
- Sports club songs or cheers
- National anthems
- Church hymns
- Songs played at weddings or funerals
- TV series, movie or theatre songs
- Other holiday songs – Christmas carols, Happy Birthday song, memorial calls such as The Last Post etc
Related article – Story outline: How to make an outline and have topics to write about
Related article – Writing tips: The ultimate guide of life-story tips for new writers
Final say
In conclusion, whether you realise it or not, our lives are surrounded by music year in, year out.
Consequently music and memories are bound together.
Therefore, brainstorm ideas before you sit down to write: by focusing on one song per year of your life, looking back at your personal music collection, and remembering traditional and cultural songs.
Certainly you will be amazed by what you remember when you crank the sound system.
Hopefully it will inspire a writing dance party?
Happy writing groovers!
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Your say
What’s your favourite song? I’d love to hear what memories it brings back. So send me an email or leave a reply in the comments section at the end of this article.
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This article first appeared on the website Forever Young Autobiographies.com.
