I am currently listening to this song by ‘David Bowie’ called ‘Heroes’ and believe me when I tell you it may be the 15th time I am listening to it today. We all go through this. We kind of like a song we hear some day in a mall or on the radio. We spend some days trying to figure out that song (I know you must be thinking that we have applications in our smartphones that recognize the song but most of us will agree that either we get too mesmerized with the song that we forget to launch the application or even if we remember we are too late to launch it either way.) After waking the Sherlock Holmes in ourselves up and using our intense searching skills to find out the song on youtube or other sites, it takes us mere 2 days to make use of that song-hunt. We put the song on our playlist and put the playlist to shuffle but still we keep proceeding to the next song until we find that “new song” we have explored. Eventually we get bored of it.
But the interesting part of that limited period of our association with the song is that if something substantial happens to us in those days than we, for our lifetime, relate that song to that situation. If somewhere down the line we come to hear that song again then those moments, for an instance, repeat in front of our eyes like Deja vu.
Now when I am writing this article that one song for me is ‘Heroes’ and I come to relate that song with my farewell from college.
I have been part of a The Beatles or Velvet Underground fan club rather than a Metallica or Limp Bizkit fan club. When we have just seen and celebrated the ‘Music Day (which was on 21st June)’, let me tell you 5 songs that have been an important part of my growing up and the situations I relate them with.
5: 1973 by ‘James Blunt’ (Celebration)
I am very fond of James Blunt in particular. I somehow find him very distinct from other singers. Blunt served in army as ‘Captain’ for six years before he started writing songs. I can also associate with him in his love for bikes. But my fascination for him started back in 2007. I had visited a mall with my family. I took my brother to a music shop to buy some CD’s and this song was playing on the speakers. I was spellbound and in love with this song already. But I forgot to ask the name of the song or the singer. Then I searched for this song like a lunatic but to no use. After 5 days we had a festival called Diwali, actually the most celebrated festival here in India. In the morning while preparing for the festivities I was listening to the radio and this song played. Then the radio jockey confirmed that the song was named 1973 by Blunt. I spent my day with my earphones on and 1973 on the repeat.
Each year when I celebrate Diwali I remember this song and my love for it only intensifies. And simultaneously each time I get to listen to this song, I am reminded of the celebrations and my family with it.
4. ‘Who says’ by ‘John Mayer’ (Separation)
It was the summer of 2008 and I was away from home. At that age it’s one thing to be among friends for a short trip and entirely another to be among strangers for 2 years. It was even more intense as I had to spend 7 hours of continuous coaching which was too much for an average kid. I had to find solace in something. Instead of going for drugs, alcohol or cigarettes, I preferred to go for music. I would spend the rest of my day listening to songs from various artists. But one song stuck in my heart and in my phone which was ‘Who says’ by John Mayer. It was first of my songs and it remained in my phone until I left the place in 2009 December.
I still listen to the song and get reminded of what I had to face. I had heard almost all the songs from John Mayer but this particular one will always remain special to me.
3. ‘Black and Gold’ by ‘Sam Sparro’ (Fun)
I was new to the college and Ramp Walk helped me to get acquainted with the seniors and other freshers. Since then I had taken part in various ramp walks but this first ramp walk and the first song I walked the ramp for will always be special for me. I was assigned ‘Black and Gold’ and a beautiful lady to walk the ramp with. Those days were ecstatic. We would stay late in college and practice. One of my seniors would drop me to my PG. It was complete fun and it was new to me as I had not had fun since a long time. Therefore this song remains on the top my playlist. Sometimes while driving at night I feel kind of nostalgic, I take help of this song to feel better. I even survived an accident which was about to happen because of this song. But still, it will remain one my favorite ‘fun’ songs for long.
2. ‘You can’t always get what you want’ by ‘The Rolling Stones’ (Guilt)
It was 2012 and I had started watching a new T.V. series called ‘House M.D.’. Apart from the fact that it is one the best seasons ever made on medicine and otherwise, it has created a character that will last till the end of the world, Dr Gregory House. As a college student would be, I was captivated by his character and tried to emulate him wherever I could. I was becoming irrational in some of my actions and they had had dire consequences on my life. Then one day I heard this song by ‘The Rolling Stones’ on House M.D. It was the ending of the show and this song was perfect to portray what the season had been all about. I was so perplexed with this song that I listened to it before sleeping, after waking up, while bathing and almost all the time. It took some time for me to get over this song. It has indirectly helped me to get over the period of exasperation and contrition.
1. Houdini by ‘Foster the people’ (The Good times)
It was January 2014 and my room-mate and I were listening to ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ by ‘Foster the people’ when suddenly he played ‘Houdini’ as it was one of the recommended tracks by youtube. At first I did not bother listening to it but then I could not help myself from admiring something I had just heard. It was beautiful and charming. We listened to this song out loud all day long on our speakers (I guess our neighbors had gotten aware of the track). I still have this song in my phone and while running I listen to it and those good time roll in front of my eyes as it was just yesterday.
We were so perplexed with the song that when my friend was leaving town after our college ended, I texted him
“This will always be our song.”
SushantKaushik 
nice article,,,!