Tuesday 11 October 2011

Shuffle Theory

I have this theory. I think that whenever you play music on your iPod or similar device, if you hit shuffle/random, the song that plays first is exactly the song you need to be hearing at that precise moment in your life.

Whatever you're going through, however your day has been, that song carries the wisdom of the day. It knows how you feel and what you need.

I'm serious, I trust this theory more than I trust the government.

Okay, bad example. I trust it more than my girlfriend, and all the guys she's sleeping with.

No, but really; shuffle theory. Try it.

I was heading home last night and on came Rod Stewart's "Mandolin Wind". The song sounded like me. It was me, just in mp3 form.

Tonight, I was heading home on the tube just a couple of hours ago, when I put on my headphones and hit play. The song was Van Morrison's "Into The Mystic".

I'd skipped that song three times already this week. But tonight? The shuffle Gods got it right. I needed that song. It took me off into a dreaming world. I was on the tube yet also everywhere else all at once.

And the lyrics resonated. The song has wisdom. It knows life. It knows my life. And it was exactly what I needed. Exactly where I am and who I am and how I am.

Smell the sea and feel the sky
Let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic.

And my soul really did. Flew all up in the London air all crazy and joyous. Only music can do that.

I wanna rock your gypsy soul
Just like way back in the days of old

Care to share?

8 comments:

  1. My iPod is always on shuffle and I never thought of it this way. I don't think I will ever forget this now, though. I love this thought and will pay more attention to that first song. Now I can't wait to drive to work in the morning and hit shuffle and see what comes up!

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  2. lol I think I kindof agree with you.

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  3. I remember when I learned to use Tarot card. Yes, sure, the one who should get the future foretold should shuffle the deck, but in the end it was quite simple: you got a random new point of view to the problem. A random "comment" that could put things in another perspective. He or she applied these "comments" to their situation and could find a freash view of things.

    I think your shuffle theory is about the same thing. You have a list of songs selected by you - so you like them in the first place. You accept a random result from this list and you listen to what the randomizer gives you. It then maps to your current mood giving you a random new point of view.

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  4. Yeah, you know shuffling is something I should do more of, I have some many songs and I spend so much of my time wanting the "Whole Album" experience that I forget to enjoy just one song for the message it may need to be sending me. Thanks a lot for this post. As usual, very entertaining.

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  5. I have been making soundtracks to my life since I was six. I have felt this way for a very long time, but kind of thought I was alone on this one.
    My iPod is always on random shuffle and I work most songs I hear into what I am feeling. On last nights episode of Parenthood I actually cried cuz one of the songs spoke to me so wholeheartedly. Creepy, isnt it?

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  6. I like that thought, next time I hit the shuffle I'll listen with an open mind.

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  7. Randomness rox B| I always hear only in shuffle and believe it or not It perfectly reads my mood!! xD

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  8. There must be some kind of series that the SHUFFLE follows and i would really appreciate it if someone knew about and would like to explain it to me. Thanks.

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