Using Music to Cope with Bullying

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During the years I was bullied in school, I’d come Home in the afternoon, and take refuge in my bedroom. I would then turn on my stereo or play one of my cassette tapes (they were the thing back then) and get lost in the music.

I was a Prince fan and hairband girl. I’d put in one of my Prince,  Dokken, Motley Crue, Ratt, Judas Priest, or Skid Row tapes and rock out in the privacy of my bedroom. I would turn the music up full blast and have it blaring so loud the entire house shook.

Other days, I’d come home and boogie down to some Janet Jackson, Al B. Sure, Salt N Pepa, or Paula Abdul. I was into New Jack Swing hip-hop as well. And sometimes I listened to softer rock on the stereo, “Money for Nothing,” by Dire Straits, “Tell Me Lies” by Fleetwood Mac, or Springsteen’s “Tunnel of Love.”

For me, listening to music always helped me recover from a bad day and made me feel great. There was nothing like bebopping all over the floor in my bedroom to the beat of a great song. It seemed to make all my troubles and worries disappear. It was what made me feel alive!

Today, I still listen to those songs either through my music downloads, on YouTube, or I play one of my numerous Prince CDs.

The music of today just doesn’t have it- doesn’t have the heart and soul it used to. The music of today is all about “me me me- all eyes on me” and is doused with blatant, in-your-face sexual profanity, or it’s pity-party music, as I like to call it. Yuck! Who wants to hear that?

The music of my day was music that you could let your kids listen to without fear. Here are a few more reasons I prefer old rock over this new crap.

1.Rock music from my era was about having a good time. It made you want to jump up and shout! New rock is too emo- it’s about “my partner left, and now I want to die,” or “Mommy and Daddy didn’t love me enough, and now I’m one messed up individual.” No thanks.

2. Old rock didn’t have the blunt vulgarity that today’s rock has. What profanity we had in my day was more innuendo that went over the heads of most small children. Sadly, some of the lyrics in today’s songs are downright cringeworthy.

3. I like old stuff. Old songs take me back to a time when life was much simpler.

4. Surprisingly, I’ve noticed that many of today’s young people listen to music from my generation, which is refreshing! Because you know the music’s good if your kids like it too. My oldest son loves AC/DC and Ozzy Osborne, and just the other day, I had the pleasure of seeing a car full of teens riding around with Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me” blaring from their car stereo. Now that put a smile on my face!

‘You see? Back when I was young, if we were caught listening to music from our parents’ generation, we’d be ridiculed so hard by our friends and peers we’d never want to show our faces in public again. So, knowing that kids still dig music from our day is truly amazing!

Music is great medicine and has always picked me up. I can say without a doubt that I’ll be a devout music lover until the day I close my eyes!

Are there any music lovers out there among my community of blogger friends and readers? Feel free to comment.

0 thoughts on “Using Music to Cope with Bullying

  1. mic says:

    👌👌👌👌✒😘 I loved Skid Row … I actually love them all the time … song Wasted time always gets me back … I travel through time.Have a nice Sunday 🌼🎶🌞

  2. Rivers Renewed says:

    What??? Def Leppard, Judas Priest?? I am so surprised! 🙂 I was into metal bands before they were called that. I think that’s why I have a hearing problem today. I was into Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, later on Ozzy, Aerosmith, Boston, and the “Boss” Bruce Springsteen (not really metal). I saw Aerosmith in concert once and they were very good, but the best concert I ever saw was Bruce Springsteen. It was 3 solid hours of rock energy with no opening act! He was AMAZING! At least 2 encores.

  3. C Emily says:

    Thank you for your ” music in my day” article.

    Mine was the music of the 70s, post Woodstock , Classic Rock, and beginning disco and punk.

    Im still being bullied and harassed. often by 23 year olds to 33 year olds, who get into my apartment and it has been impossible to figire out how. I often wonder if their parents …in their 50s and 60s know and wonder why theif parents approve. Were their parents also bullies and did theif parents terrorize others to get their own way.

    The same thingbhappened to a friend of mine, she was terrorized longer than I have bern. She checked out a month after the onset of quarantine in 2020. She was a far better person than I. so why did they attack her,?
    It may even be that my city hall is involved. out state’s nickname even uses the word Corrupt in it.

    Someone has been harassing and terrorizing me for a reason. Id like to sit across a table from all my persecutors and heae them tell me why.

    • cheriewhite says:

      I’m sorry to hear this, Emily. 💔 I’ve read a few other things happening that’s similar to yours. They call it gang-stalking and although I’ve never been gang-stalked (thank goodness), I’ve read that it’s happened to many others. Know that I empathize with you and that I hear your voice, sweetie. 💖💐🌹

  4. 80smetalman says:

    You can guess from my blog name what type of music and era I’m into. It was my son who was born in 1991 who first called the 1980s the golden age of heavy metal. He says he was jealous I lived in that time. You’re right, music from our generation is much better.

  5. Kym Gordon Moore says:

    Girl, you left those freaking bullies in the wind by surrounding yourself with rhythms that entertained for hours, months, years!!! 🎵🎼🎶 Girl, I love my Purple Majesty 💜 and I was definitely a part of the Rhythm Nation! 💃🏽 Music has such an intoxicating way to make you leave your worries behind, at least for a little while anyway! 🤗💐💖

  6. murisopsis says:

    The Beatles absolutely! Queen, Jethro Tull, The Captain and Tennille, Elvis Costello, Billy Joel and of course Bruce Springsteen! And my sons are big fans of all those too!

  7. Firstlady 007 says:

    İ agree with you. Prince is and was my all time favorite. When he passed i really cried. Music is amazing becuase it heals and also brings so many different people together banded by the love of muisc!! And btw what is up with musicians making videos with funeral scenes.. really distasteful.. thanks for the good read!!🎶❤️

    • cheriewhite says:

      You’re most welcome. Thank you for your lovely comment! 💖 Music really does unite people. 💯🎯 And wow! Today’s musicians are doing that now??? That’s beyond distasteful! It’s a good thing I don’t care about today’s music. I like the old stuff- like 80’s Prince! 🎸🎶

  8. savitapillay26gmailcom says:

    I know the feeling of being bullied I was often made fun of by kids at school. Due to my physical disability and I coped with it by using my cell phone or other technological devices or just by watching the television while technology was not yet available.

  9. colinmcqueen says:

    Pour Some Sugar on Me is surely the greatest cruising song of all time. I think the music you grow with is the music you live with – and if you keep your ears (and heart) open, it can always surprise, comfort and enrich your life. Much like chocolate…

  10. iamjerry says:

    I must say I’m really impressed by the nice write-up you have here. You actually did a great job, unlike most bloggers I’ve seen on the internet talking about this same topic. Just reading the first few paragraphs, I was already locked in the content. Bravo and keep up the good work.

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