After The Music

I love a good patriotic tune, let alone music in general.

Much inspiration is born of music, an inspiration in itself (Think of a mirror that reflects an image. Then that image is reflected in the next etc.).

The soundtrack of many a movie makes the 'blood flow'. Yet, what about after the music?

There are no tunes on the battlefield. No matter how encouraging The Alamo 1960 tracks may be, there was no music that last day, save for Santa Anna's drums and bugles. There was music and singing during the siege and Crockett had his fiddle and John McGregor had his pipes Yet, Dmitri Tiomkin's score can rouse strong sentiment. It should.

Then go study history.

The Star Spangled Banner sometimes gives me goosebumps. It never fails to remind me of what happened to start this country (I know it was written during the War of 1812, btw.) and what is happening now to renew it.

Other tunes bring thoughts of what it took to continue and sustain this Great Experiment of America. Again, what about after the music?

History can be masked by music sometimes, thus for me it reminds me of real events.

I've watched war movies with combat vets.

Some I know refuse to watch them.

Many just go along and can say what looks more real and what doesn't. Or what actually happened historically.

This I do as a student of history.

Music is a part of us all with few exceptions.

But after the music, I hope we all have purpose and study then act.

What I'm trying to say is that music should not block you.

It should carry you along.