Music and Rituals

 I have been to many gatherings and important events such as  "fun"erals, graduations, sporting events, church,  and birthday's; while taking your class help me understand that every song has its own occasion/purpose. In my family we usually play sad songs in the church after viewing the body it feels sad obviously but gives us a sense of comfort as well it almost feels like a imaginary hug. So the music is correlating with the event but contradicting as well which I found is intriguing this moment is almost bitter-sweet. Usually after the funeral and everything is said and done we all meet up at a family's residents and play only happy music there and reminisce. As far as I know majority of high schools/University's have their own alma mater song which is very therapeutic and give a sense of calmness and achievement as the trail and tribulations someone has overcome and conquered. Sporting events songs/chants depends on the team so it is very diverse and multiple in the community continue to keep their team chant and ritual alive. Going to a majority black Baptist church the music that we listen to enable to feel like we are connected with the divine is high and super energetic music. As Americans we all know the trinational happy birthday song its most likely the first song we learn when we are little at out friends birthday party.

This song is called ill be missing you is a song on my playlist when I miss someone that I was close to has died. I remember being on the bus playing this when my cousin that passed away crossed my mind this wasn't a sad moment. While listening to this seeming like it kept replaying in my mind over and over when I found out he died I didnt want to believe it was true. This song seems sad but enforced good memories in my head when he was being a jokester and enjoy life without taking it serious and living day by day.

I remember this day very vividly from every year I've heard it honestly I didn't care about it much because while people were graduating I had no connections to the song but my senior year I learned it so I could participate. When I heard it when I graduate the connections were there no tears but all bitter-sweet emotions sunken in and felt like I was warrior that won one of the most intense battles to mankind.

This is an example of a high energetic song that we would play at our church the sense of the upbeat music makes it difficult for us not to want to move in the church. When everyone is up clapping and singing in snyc makes up happy and believe god is in the building celebrating with us although there are song calm music as well that is sung most of them of are similar to the high tempo to get people in the church on their feet and engaged.