Can you work hard while listening to music?


Could we please hear your recommendations for music that wouldn't ruin your productivity or concentration at work?

My general happiness in life is so improved by music that I would like to put a stereo in my office -- but some of my work can be very technical and I don't want to be too absorbed or distracted.

Of course, I am not talking about "elevator music" -- just trying to identify things (not just classical) that are rich and worthy of repeated listening/study, yet perhaps also have a soothing or meditative quality.

Perhaps this is extremely personal and also varies greatly depending on ones profession -- but if something works for you, perhaps you could remind us of what you do to pay for all of your expensive audio gear.

Thank you.
cwlondon

Showing 3 responses by twl

I recommend:
John Handy "Hard Work"
Miles Davis "Workin'"
10 Years After "Workin' on the Road"
Steely Dan "Dirty Work"
4 Tops "Workin' My Way Back to You"
Bachmann Turner Overdrive "Takin' Care of Business"
Grateful Dead "Workingman's Dead"
Johnny Paycheck "Take This Job and Shove It"
Tennesse Ernie Ford "Sixteen Tons"
That's all for now. :^)
How could I have forgotten "I've been working on the railroad"?! Somebody slap me!
Okay, CW, sorry about the "working" songs. To your point, I have found that I like to listen to soothing music while working. Something that doesn't require much attention. The hard rock stuff, although I enjoy it, has an agitating effect on me, and I get short tempered. I have found that "smooth jazz" is about right for me while I'm working. As for babies, anything that you expose them to will have some kind of effect on them, just as it does on us. They will view it differently, though, since they have limited experiences to relate it to. And BTW, I thought of "Workin' in a Coal Mine", but I couldn't remember it was Devo. :^)