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On a night like this, you just gotta shake it.
I always complain that there aren’t any dance clubs in Boulder. Sure, you can dance at the bars like the Foundry, but it would seriously be nice to have a real “straight-up” dance club around here, too.
Tonight, the Bácaro will have to do.
Kristen and I make our way to the dance floor toward the music and the lights. There’s nothing like throwing off your jacket and letting the sounds soak in.
We danced till we dropped. There was such a powerful connection between the music and our bodies. And I had a fantastic night.
Music is always something I can turn to for escape – for sheer indulgence. The sensation of sound is so intoxicating. The right kind of song, the right combination of beats, rhythms and melodies reverberates with something inside, and all this physical energy spills out like fire.
For each of us, there’s a different combination, a different set of triggers. Music is something everyone loves in their own way.
To me, music is very much like sex, in the sense that one derives pleasure from mixes of sensations, that it’s very physical as well as emotional and spiritual, and that everyone requires a different touch.
You can tell a lot about a person by the music they listen to. Most people you’ll ask will say they like a little bit of everything, but it’s interesting to see what they tell you when you ask for music they like for a specific context: sex.
For example, I like anything dark, heavy, and fast, like KMFDM or Korn. When situation calls for a little less metal, songs like “Sir Psycho Sexy” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is the way to go.
But while I have my own taste for music for these special situations, I think it’s rather thrilling to see what kind of music lights his fire.
Intrigued, I talked to a few people at CU to see what different tastes for “happy” music are out there.
My friend Briana loves reggae music, specifically songs of the dancehall variant of reggae. Her artists of choice include Sean Paul, Beenie Man, Shaggy and Mister Lover Man.
“I love the beat,” Briana said. “It’s very sexual.”
She explained to me that dancehall dancing had a huge influence in the sexuality of modern dancing as we know it today, all that booty shaking and what not.
My friend from high school, Billy, likes any song by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, which is a great choice, if I may say so myself. He mentioned that Mindless Self Indulgence could be fun, too. Billy also likes music by Michael Buble and Andrea Bocelli, depending on his mood.
As with Billy, I found that people made distinctions between music they liked to play for having sex and music for “making love.”
According to Marnie, my roommate, “If (the music) were to be on, I’d really enjoy Justin Timberlake, because he’s sexy. And when you’re having sex, you don’t want sappy heart-breaking music or whiny little punk bitches playing in the background. It has to be something upbeat to make it more interesting.”
I tend to agree with Marnie, but I can see how other aspects of “happy” music can get you in the mood in a different way.
My good friend Natalia said, “I’d go with love songs, jazz, vocal trance. The romance in those songs is what does it for me. It gets you into that lovey-dovey state of mind.”
While I found lots of people who liked to mix sex with music in various ways, there were many who preferred not to have music on during sex at all.
My friend Mallory said, “I’ve never really had music on, just because of the situations and people around. I sort of find the quiet erotic and dangerous.”
My classmate Peter agrees, and prefers it when the girl makes her own music, so to speak.
Naturally, people’s interests and levels of interest varied in the matter, but it was cool to talk to others who liked music in the same way I did.
My classmate Chris described sex and music to be like “peas in a pod,” and strongly suggests the Led Zeppelin II album as a way to get things started.
“There’s a reason why we say ‘sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll,'” he said.
Chris thinks that music during sex is nicer, as it helps distract from “all the weird noises upon action” and can enhance the mood.
Emma, a friend from high school, said that while she’s never actually “gotten whoopee to any jams,” she thinks that sex and music definitely feed into each other.
“Every time I hear anything with a heavy base, I want to get down,” she said. “There’s something about the deep rhythmic sound that penetrates into your body and makes your naughty bits tingle. It’s comparable to how classical music makes you want to indulge in fancy cakes and tea…but maybe I’m just weird.”
So whether it is classic rock, dirty hip-hop or lovey-dovey trance that gets you going, I think it’s awesome that music is something you can psychically share the love for on the dance floor and the bedroom alike.
Our tastes for sensation vary as we do, but the enjoyment of these things is what makes us all the same and allows us to connect. So, if you haven’t gotten the chance yet this weekend, I encourage you to share the love, and have a fantastic night of your own.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Natalie Bui at Natalie.bui@colorado.edu.
