Smells, Music and Memories.

I remember writing one time here on how much music can stimulate the senses into living moments in the past because music is soul food and the soul is spiritual. Music is a great way to travel back in time. Ever had a moment where you heard a song and a certain memory pops up in your mind? Some people even have the experience of remembering the smell and the environment around them when they were engaged in that song. I have a few songs that reminds me of lots of things. I have a song for every moment in my life and sometimes I could forget all about a memory only for that song to bring it all back.

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The question is if it is possible to actually travel back in time and experience all things I am saying. If it has happened to me, then I am sure it has happened to many others. I have deliberately shut myself in my room and listened to a flourish of songs that brought back memories so vivid, I remembered what it was like to be there. It was like going into my own head.

Of course, in a world where there is a scientific cause for all things, researchers have gone into finding the answer as to why music can provoke such reaction from the brain. There have been articles as to how smell and music are the major triggers for memory.

A peculiar case is Carol Howard, a marine biologist who died in 2019 after a relentless struggle with Alzheimer’s. Why music causes memories to flood back written by Marlene Cimons in The Washington Post recounts how Carol would remember lyrics to songs but not the face of her husband. Carol’s husband, Joel Shurkin recollects in his publication The Human Toll of Alzheimer’s how much he had to go through with his wife and her case of Alzheimer’s but he also recounts her last moment in the present and what music had to do with it.

Now, music is a major trigger for the brain. However, to me, music is just the doorway to letting these things happen. Sally Fletcher, a harpist/pianist explains in terms that are more scientific on LinkedIn where she shares, and I quote:

Smells stimulate nerve impulses which travel to a part of the brain called the olfactory system…Music travels from the auditory system to the brain, activating both left and right sides of the brain. Music heard at a certain dinner party can bring back memories of people’s faces, the taste of food, the environment, the conversation. Add to this the smell of certain food, perfume, scent of a flower, etc., which will bring back a certain mood…

This means that when you listen to certain music related to your past, your brain is stimulated which brings about the remembrance of smells which does the job of immersing you in that memory and even altering your mood. If you are a fictional writer, you will understand the importance of being able to describe smells. Why? It is important if you want to your readers to sink into a world that is totally different yet similar to this one called reality. That is because they can ‘smell’ your characters, your settings and even the ‘bullshit’.

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I have a few songs that does that for me. One is Jerusalema by Master KG ft. Nomcebo Zikode and BurnaBoy. I can remember vividly jogging under cloudy skies and even in the rain towards the gym where I spend a minimum of an hour daily. This was in my former neighborhood. The smell of wet ground and sweaty bodies is the most graphic when I listen to that song.

Another is Ole Buruku by P-square. This conjures memories of sadness for me because I always remember the bright and lively Jennifer, resting with the Lord now, who was my neighbor then. That song brings back the memories of food sharing between her and me, the pungent smell from changing her baby brother’s nappy and the smell of our bathroom.

While I point towards the memories music and smells can conjure, I will also point out that it is possible to travel into the future too. Does this sound impossible? Maybe but it is in fact possible. Music has the ability to throw us into the past and into the future. Although, this aspect of time travel requires what is known ‘faith’ and delving into your subconscious, music can play a huge part in bringing your future to life.

Of course, all this I write from experiences of both mine and some other cases read from books and articles. I will use the memorable. While Jerusalema transports me to my past using the power of smells, it also played a huge part in making the future I live now. Let me explain…

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Back when I would jog to the gym, with this song blasting in my ears [I had just begun my journey on Hive then], it was on repeat because I used it to create a future I wanted. I would ‘see’ myself moving out of the degenerated neighborhood, buying a better phone, and making it in business. I saw this image constantly and consistently to the point it became what I thought about first thing in the morning and last before bed. By the time it started to happen, it felt like Déjà vu. I have no idea if any of my readers encounter such experiences but I have and I still do.

In summary, smells are more powerful than we think. Music is more profound than we imagine. I guess the saying ‘You are what you listen to’ can be placed side by side to ‘You are what you think’.

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This is my response to the Hive Naija Prompt || Edition 45. You can find amazing topics to write about. Start now by clicking the link above.

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