Music and goosebumps

This past summer I traveled to the beaches of North Carolina with my family. We've been going on beach vacations with my cousins ever since I was little, every two years or so. Prior to this year, our vacations usually saw me and my cousin Dave spending a lot of time in the ocean and finding fun in the simpler aspects of the beach - as you would expect two adolescent boys to do. We didn't see the fun in laying on the beach, soaking in the rays and reading a book, as our families would do. That was way too boring.

This year was different, though. Dave and I are both adults now, along with the rest of the family. So, as the adults always did, we spent a lot of time merely sitting on the beach, passing the time by reading and whatnot.

And I found that I gained a new perspective of the beach. Whereas I used to have to occupy my time with the small, tangible aspects of the beach - the water, seashells, creatures, etc. - I occupied a lot of my time on this summer's vacation merely drinking in the setting as a whole - the sound of the waves, the clouds towering above the horizon, the soothing breeze. All of these elements of the beach came together to produce a chilling, unreal sensation of complete and utter beauty. This setting made me love God's creation more than I have ever experienced before.


I had a companion this whole time: my iPod. Though I realize that sounds so commercial and tacky, my point is that I had a soundtrack for the whole week, specifically a 250-song playlist I had created prior to the vacation and set on shuffle. And this playlist helped me appreciate my surroundings all the more, because the beauty of the music reflected the serenity of the world - that is, the emotion drawn from the music was heightened by the emotion drawn from my surroundings, and vice versa. And it gave me goosebumps.

Goosebumps are a peculiar sensation. We get them in a variety of situations, like when we're cold or scared, but I've found that I get goosebumps usually when I disconnect myself from reality and let go of all worries of the world. I get goosebumps when I remember that God is in control and I'm here to appreciate His creation and live to the fullest the life He has blessed me with.

You can probably see where I am going with this, so I'll come out and say it: I usually get goosebumps when I'm listening to music. I get them when I experience the beauty of the world too - as I did at the beach this summer - but for time's sake, I'll discuss the music.

I've mentioned before how I can see God through music, but I'll say it again: there is something very perfect about music, very unique and beautiful, that reminds me we were created by a God who loves us and who wants us to appreciate life. The fact that I find music so sensational implies that God created it to be that way - He made it so that people could love and understand it. And music can describe every single emotion we can feel as humans; there is literally a song or artist for every mood.

This means that I have music for when I'm angry, music for when I'm tired, music for when I'm energetic, and so on. And I find that there is some music that does nothing more than remind me how beautiful the world is, no matter the emotion or mood I am feeling. This is the music that tends to give me goosebumps, that gives me a disconnection from reality.

Today I was walking to class and was listening to my iPod when one such song came on. It's called 'Guyamas Sonora' by Beirut. As I listened and the goosebumps rose, I started thinking about what elements of a song made me feel this way. I also thought about what other songs do this to me.

I really don't know what to say about the song elements; is it the lyrics? Is it the melody? The hook? The instrumentation? I finally came to the conclusion that I don't know what exact thing it is, that it must simply be the combination of all of those things. And I think it's OK that I don't know - maybe it just is this way because it is this way. God allowed me to find these songs beautiful just because.

Lame answer? I don't know, you tell me. But instead of hurting my head while trying to pinpoint the solution, I choose to just accept it as another one of God's wonders and mysteries.

Here is a playlist of other songs that tend to give me goosebumps:

1. 'Saeglopur' by Sigur Ros
2. 'Síðasti bærinn 5' by Kjartan Sveinsson (that's spelled right; it's Icelandic)
3. 'Scenic World' by Beirut
4. 'I Will Follow You Into the Dark' by Death Cab for Cutie
5. 'Carry You' by Dispatch
6. 'Song For the Angels' by Great Lake Swimmers
7. 'Beautiful Life' by Gui Boratto
8. 'Half Acre' by Hem
9. 'Faded from the Winter' by Iron & Wine
10. 'Nowhere Warm' by Kate Havnevik
11. 'All My Friends' by LCD Soundsystem
12. 'Gone' by M83
13. 'Cataracts' by Andrew Bird
14. 'For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti' by Sufjan Stevens
15. 'Oh God, Where Are You Now?' by Sufjan Stevens
16. 'Come Thou Fount' by Sufjan Stevens
17. '2 a.m.' by Thee More Shallows
18. 'With or Without You' by U2
19. 'The Air Near My Fingers' by The White Stripes
20. 'Twilight' by Elliott Smith