Lyrics Speak: Music as a Catalyst for Conversation Jeanine Hoff Joseph Penola Lyrics Speak: Music as a Catalyst for Conversation

music gives wings to mind1 PLATO (428 – 347 BC)

The Role of Music in Recovery Plato believed that music played in different modes could arouse different emotions2 In a 2015 study, participants were randomly assigned to either listen to music or take anti-anxiety drugs. Scientists tracked patient's ratings of their own anxiety, as well as the levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The patients who listened to music had less anxiety and lower cortisol than people who took medication.3 Dr. Daniel Levitin, PH.D cites “music intervention,” not to be confused with music therapy as having “evidence that it (music) can affect mood and heart rate and respiration rate. So, fast stimulating music stimulates the production of adrenaline and other hormones that get your heart racing faster and your pulse increases and blood pressure increases and then soothing, relaxing music has the opposite effect. ”4

MUSIC & THE BRAIN Research in the Journal of Neuroscience finds that playing music helped kids’ brains process language5 Music stimulates several areas of the brain: Nucleus accumbens and amygdala are involved with emotional reactions to music Prefrontal cortex controls behavior, expression and decision making Hippocampus involves music memories, experiences and context Auditory cortex listens to sounds, perceives and analyzes tones6

What About the words? Looking at the songs we’ve grown up listening to and loving, sometimes their words take on new meaning when we least expect it.

Lyrics and Healing How do lyrics go from just words in a song to providing inspiration and healing? How can we use them to express our deepest thoughts, when our own words fail us? How can we incorporate art, photography, and song lyrics into a shareable form of expression?

AMSTERDAM - Coldplay My star is fading. And I see no chance of release. And I know I'm dead on the surface, but I am screaming underneath. Time is on your side, it's on your side, now. Not pushing you down, and all around. No it's no cause for concern. Stuck on the end of this ball and chain. And I'm on my way back down again. Stood on the edge, tied to the noose. But you came along and you cut me loose.

ALL THE MADMEN - David Bowie Cause I'd rather stay here With all the madmen Than perish with the sad men roaming free And I'd rather play here With all the madmen For I'm quite content they're all as sane As me

A BETTER SON/Daughter - RILO KILEY

Under Pressure - Queen & David Bowie

Lights will guide you home. And ignite your bones Lights will guide you home And ignite your bones And I will try to fix you FIX YOU - Coldplay

Sources Nizamie, Shamsul, et al. “Psychology and Music.” National Institutes of Health. Web. 29 May 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4040058/ Landau, Elizabeth. “This is Your Brain on Music.” CNN. Web. 29 May 2017. http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/15/health/brain- music-research/ Hamilton, Audrey. “Speaking of Psychology: Music and Your Health.” American Psychological Association. Web. 29 May 2017. http://www.apa.org/research/action/speaking-of-psychology/music-health.aspx Chanda, Mona Lisa and Levitan, Daniel. “The Neurochemistry of Music.” CellPress. Web. 29 May 2017. http://www.cell.com/trends/cognitive-sciences/abstract/S1364-6613(13)00049-1 Turner, Cory. “This is Your Brain. This is Your Brain on Music.” NPR. Web. 29 May 2017. http://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/09/10/343681493/this-is-your-brain-this-is-your-brain-on-music “Music, The Brain and Folk.” A Folk Ton of Music. Web. 29 May 2017. https://rampages.us/jethrosmitty/wp- content/uploads/sites/12942/2015/11/Brain-on-music.jpg