Musical Influence

Anything too stupid to be said is sung. ~Voltaire 
  How do you feel about that? Honestly, I can see both sides of it. Music is a way to express yourself in a different way than talking, and it can be beautiful, or it can in truth be nothing but stupid... 
  "I know I may be young but I've got feelings too, and I need to do what I feel like doing. So let me go and just listen. All you people look at me like I'm a little girl. Well did you ever think it'd be ok for me to step into this world?" ~Britney Spears I'm a slave 4 u. 
  That dear girl can not get over the fact that people still view her as young. They don't. She is so caught up in proving herself with vulgarity that it merely shows her immaturity. Come on, the girl can't even spell out the title of her song! 
  On the other hand, music can tell a story: 
  Once upon a time Not so long ago: Tommy used to work on the docks. Union's been on strike He's down on his luck...it's tough, so tough. Gina works the diner all day Working for her man, she brings home her pay For love - for love She says: We've got to hold on to what we've got 'Cause it doesn't make a difference If we make it or not We've got each other and that's a lot For love - we'll give it a shot. We're half way there Livin' on a prayer Take my hand and we'll make it - I swear Livin' on a prayer.  ~Bon Jovi, Livin' on a Prayer
Bon Jovi has such a flare for telling stories! They can totally rock out love songs and ballads too. 
  Then there's music that you can relate to: 
  i got a face like a limp handshake, hair like an accident scene, i've been waking up slowly savoring the same old dream. and somewhere between the folds of your memory i was sleeping soundly oh, yeah, hell yeah. 'cause i like you, but i know you don't know it. i like you so much, i talk to everyone but you, and i wonder what you would think of this little number i wonder what you would say if you knew. ~Ani Difranco, Hell Yeah 
  This last song reminds me of before I started dating Jeff. Yes, as a matter of fact everything eventually ends up back talking about Jeff.
There are many other lyrics I could show you. There's Weird Al, Korn, Vanilla Ice, Hoobastank, Indigo Girls, or Nelly. Each of these have a quality. Some poetic, angry, uh weird, clever, funny, emotional, and vulnerable. So my advice to you as Ani would put it: "if you hear me playing guitar - listen to what i'm not playing and don't ask me to put words - to all the silences i wrote" Listen to everything, and take nothing for granted. Especially, look at beauty.
To Beauty and Music!   ~Ashley