The notion that the lyrics of a song can influence your thoughts, feelings and behaviours, probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise. If you’ve ever felt pumped up or been moved to tears by music, then you easily understand the power of music to impact moods and even inspire emotion.
It was even suggested that your taste in music can provide insight into different aspects of your personality. Therefore, I think it’s paramount that for us to be inspired positively, we must listen to the right lyrics.
Music affects our behaviour, psychology and reality perception. In his book ‘change your brain, change your life,’ Dr. Daniel Amen explains that regular listening of some types of music can be a door to a person’s mind and his feelings. According to Dr. Daniel Amen, teenagers, who listen to music with negative content, very often end up in rehab centres.
Remember how lullabies lured us to sleep; effectively shows music affects our behaviour. Music is a powerful tool to affect peoples behaviour so it must be carefully used to produce a positive effect.
Music can be inspiring. Music can be soothing and calming. But music can destruct us in a way we cant even imagine. Every piece of music has it own identity and personality. Lyrics of songs that advocate substance use, usually also refer to violence and sex themes, generate negative ideas and may have respective consequences.
A vivid example is this song sang by Lil Kesh and Olamide;
‘I dey pray to jesuu (jesuu) ko wo wole (kowo wole o)
If money no enter I go do blood money o….
I dey pray to Allah (Allah)
Kowo wole o… (kowo wole o)
If money no enter I go do blood money o.’
Dear readers, what's the theme of this song? Especially to our Nigerian youths and teenagers?
