Music as healing

Frank Sinatra was arguably the most important popular music figure of the 20th century, his only real rivals for the title being Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, and the Beatles.

I never liked Frank Sinatra, most especially because of his mob connections (notably chronicled by Garry Trudeau's Doonesbury comic strip).

But I've learned that music is the most evocative of the sensory stimuli, able to bring forth memories long hidden. And warts and all, Sinatra was a master musician.

In these incredibly stressful times, a nerve-wracking presidential election and much more, music can ease stress.

This video of a Sinatra classic, "It Was a Very Good Year," fascinates me. Here is Sinatra, flawed and all, singing a lovely, beautiful ballad. His facial expressions and show his personal creative process, his playfulness and joy. The conductor, Nelson Riddle, works hard to perfect the musical track.

My evoked memory: I'm nine years old, listening to a radio in my brother Robbie's room (my respected big brother). It's a winter Sunday night in 1967 and I'm waiting for the broadcast of a New York Rangers hockey game from Detroit on radio station WHN. A lot of detail, but my brain has retained this comforting image over 50 years. Sinatra's performance summons it forward.

So it would be helpful to learn about our how our brain uses memories, good and bad, and what role they play in the stress process.

LISTEN AND WATCH SINATRA'S "IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR" BY CLICKING HERE.

Order my well-received book on stress and health:

CLICK HERE.