NOISE or MUSIC

Again today morning, it so happened that I got up early in the morning, switched the 7800 W Sony system on and put in one of my favorite CD. The music played by the system was very pleasant. This was a pretty classic collection of pop music.

Boxing day test match was going on in Melbourne. South Africa was fighting hard to establish its resurgent image in world cricket. On the other side Australian bowlers were trying hard to reclaim their lost supremacy in the world cricket. Nope I was not in Melbourne. I was just watching the match on the television relaxing on the sofa in the living room of our flat on the sixth floor of a tall building in Baroda; the volume of the TV was muted and Marvin Gaye was singing something on the music system.

Don’t worry if you have not heard about Marvin Gaye. You need not to know everybody on the earth. But he had sung one of my favorite songs, that’s how I know his name.

I can’t explain my feelings regarding the lyrics of this particular song, as I am very bad on expressing my true
feelings to others, particularly through words. It was just a fabulous song, having a very touchy lyrics and a pleasant music. In short, the song being played at that time is one of my favorites.

Slowly the sound level started increasing. Of course I was pressing the volume button on the remote. For me it was still good music, but somebody else residing in the same tall building had an entirely different perception. That gentleman came to our flat and started knocking the door. After opening the door, within a matter of few seconds; I found myself explaining to that gentleman that Marvin Gaye is not crying, instead he is singing. Sometimes it becomes real hard to judge that weather a particular sound falls under NOISE category or MUSIC category. The discussion also gave me an insight of the difficulties faced by the teachers in explaining certain ethical things to the students. Till now you must have understood the intentions of that gentleman.

The bottom line is, one can’t imagine that this type of music can be unpleasant for anybody. So please have a look on few lines of that song and try to listen it, if u can.

Listen, baby
Ain't no mountain high
Ain't no valley low
Ain't no river wide enough, baby

If you need me, call me
No matter where you are
No matter how far
Just call my name
I'll be there in a hurry
You don't have to worry

'Cause baby,
There ain't no mountain high enough
Ain't no valley low enough
Ain't no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you

Please let me know how you feel about this particular song. In-between I’ll let you know about the outcome of that discussion sometime in the future.

P.S. – Do not ever try to refer this healthy discussion between the neighbors as quarrel or wrangle or something like that. You just need to understand that the same sound will act like a soothing music sometimes and acerbic noise at some other times, depending upon your own perception.