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The House of Porterhouse Slants

Music and Personality: How They go Hand in Hand.

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As everyone pretty much knows, I have two passions in life. They are music and sports. Can you ever tell someones personality by listening to their IPod Touch or conversations about songs they like or hate? Virtually anyone can relate to music in their own unique way. They have the songs that pump you up for a big date, event or interview. They have songs that relaxes you or chillin. Songs that make you get up and dance like a fool. Even the songs that you can kick back and say you can relate too. I had previously had a thread on the baseball site to get other people to find songs for me to expand on and had great success. It gave me an idea of how that person can be without actually seeing them. Here's how music has influenced me and my personality.

I was brought up on Motown and R&B. Mom loved the Temptations. Dad loved Al Green, Teddy Pendergrass and Curtis Mayfield. Boyz II Men was just slightly popular during my childhood, end sarcasm. It showed the calming side to my personality. As I got older, my variety of music expanded as I got to know more people. Rock, Reggae and Blues got into heavy rotation as with some older Rap (not much of the newer). As you grow into your own, you branch out and get out of your comfort zone. The same goes with music. As you listen to more songs, in time you will find a song that a couple of years ago you would hate and in time you let it grow on you. As I met new people, you learn a new song that you like. I came to realize that if you listen, to the whole body of work (which in this case is an IPod or conversation), and the person that owns it. You come to realize that what they like really does reflect who they are, where they came from and were brought up from and how they are at face value. Does anyone else get that when you relate Music and Personality at all?

Updated 05-07-2010 at 01:30 AM by Porter

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  1. missionhockey21's Avatar
    Very much so Porter. My Mom and Dad were hippies, for real, not plastic hippies. My Dad played in some pretty successful local bands, bands that actually had some records pressed. His musical taste was classic 60's and 70's rock and as a guitarist, Hendrix and Clapton were heavy on the rotation whenever I went anywhere with him. My Mom was similar, but had a much broader musical scope, and from a young age I learned to love reggae, folk, psychedelic, country, classical, opera music and more.

    Wanting to like music beyond what they liked, I was into (and still am) punk. The older I have gotten though, I have found that those early experiences really shape the music I lean towards. Most would probably label my music comfort zone as somewhere in-between Pitchfork hipster and punk, but those genre variants I grow to love usually can be traced back to those sounds I first heard. Of course I am into a lot of stuff beyond what my parents might enjoy, but listening to music with my Mom when I was young, where she might play a Cat Stevens or Al Green record and then "Their Satanic Majesties Request" by the Rolling Stones and then maybe to finish it off with some Bob Marley and The Wailers, certainly gave me a desire to have a wide musical interest. I am convinced that when my friends check out my iPhone music, they can think I am both the coolest and lamest person they know.

    And I think my wide taste describes my personality in a lot of ways. For instance, I have my favorite sandwich I might get from one restaurant, just like how I can listen to Strawberry Fields Forever ANYTIME and love it, but then when I go get Thai food, I almost always try something new (even though I loved all the other dishes I got from the restaurant before.)
  2. missionhockey21's Avatar
    Oh and even if I might act pretentious about music on occasion, fly the "I listen to bands you've never even heard of" flag, I still love pop music.