This weekend was unbelievably unforgettable for so many reasons but none more than the ability to make whatever choice at whatever moment. One of the biggest pleasures of my weekend; however, was something I haven’t done in years: listen to music. As I sat at the pool, taking in the Caribbean sub, just me and my Baby Boy Bump, I plugged in my headphones – one end to my belly and the other end to my ears.
I let myself sink into each song. At times, I kepy my eyes closed and thought about how amazing a path my life was on; a path that allowed for long weekends like this and a Husband that not only wanted me to go but encouraged it. Sometimes, I opened my eyes and looked around at where I was to make sure it was real. This path we chose for our lives was not to be turned out but rather played loudly, enjoying every beat. Sometimes I feel like I’m living in a movie and so I’ve often thought about what the soundtrack of my life would be if my life was a movie.
Well, then… lets begin.
1. Good Life (One Republic) – this song makes me want to stand on the front railing of a ship with open arms, wind in my hair. The first time I heard this song, I was pregnant, planning my wedding, and our move abroad. I knew then that what we were about to embark on was something incredible. Special. Unimagineable. It made me cry. Still does.
2. Conga (Miami Sound Machine) – when I was five, I shook my ass to most any song that my father played for me on his record player – yes I said record player – the same recorde player he still has. But Conga, ohhhh Conga. I have very fond memories of my mother getting ready for her afternoon shift as a toll collector at the Port Authority of Ny & NJ. I had just come home from Kindergarten, put on my favorite heels that my mother owned and danced to the record of Conga. And when it was done? “Maaaaaami?! Could you play Conga again?!” She had no choice but to redrop the record needle to the beginning of the song.
3. Yellow (Coldplay) – When Husband and I were deciding the music to our wedding, there was no question that this was the song that I would walk down the aisle to, the last moments of my single years. My father would walk me into Husband’s arms. Perfect.
4. Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours (Stevie Wonder) – Also in our wedding, Husband and our bridal party danced their way down the aisle to this favorite of ours. It will be with us forever.
5. Home (Phillip Phillips) – Last year, I had the pleasure of working on part of the end of the year CMS video. Dear friend, Shayna, introduced me to this song and it was over. Pictures of all of the families that we had come to know, pictures of some of us pregnant followed by pictures of us in the delivery room, pictures of our kids playing together at the park, at the beach, on long weekends, after school, pictures of our dogs running in the fields. The simple strings of the guitar, the beautiful words of this song:
Hold on to me as we go, as we roll down this unfamiliar road. And although this wave is stringing us along, just know you’re not alone, cause I’m gonna make this place your home.
Settle down, it’ll all be clear. Don’t pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear. The trouble it might drag you down. If you get lost, you can always be found. Just know you’re not alone, cause I’m gonna make this place your home.
Maybe it’s the thoughts of Rafa that I conjure up in my head or the idea of our soon-to-be-here baby boy, or the images of my little family, but this song make me a bumbling, sappy mess. It’s the song that is our Family.
6. Bleecker Street (Simon & Garfunkel) – Years ago I heard this song. It might have been my love for living on Bleecker Street (260 Bleecker Street to be exact, The Atrium) combined with the very artist/writer feeling I get from this song but I swallowed this song fully at our first meeting. It is always my “Go To” inspiration song when I’m stuck in writer’s block.
7. I Will (The Beatles) – My sister was the first person to introduce me to this Beatles’ song. She was in a deep Beatles phase and had a book that decoded the meaning of many of their songs. She played this for me and I had decided then, in middle school, that this would be the song I sang as a lullaby to by future babies. I imagined my unborn babies in my arms as I rocked us in a rocking chair singing or humming this song. It’s nice when dreams come true.
8. Here Comes the Night (Van Morrison) – It’s one of the original Husband and I songs. a song that will always transport me back to the beginning.
9. Everything (Michael Buble) – when Husband and I were just boyfriend and I this song had just come out and Michael Buble was not as big a name as he is now. I heard it one morning getting ready for school and played it over and over and over and over again. We worked together in the same classroom, which is how we met, and that morning, I headed over to his apartment before work from pure excitement over this song. We were already in love and this song exemplified it for us. For reasons unmentioned, it did not become our wedding song but it will forever be “our” song.
10. Little Red Corvette (Prince) – Growing up in the same house, my sister and I listened to the same music – Dad’s Music. When we got older we would take road trips to Miami to visit my grandparents and still listen to the same music – Dad’s Music. On one of these trips Paul Young’s “Everytime You Go Away” came on the radio. My sister started singing along with the chorus, “Everytime you go away, you take a piece of MEAT with you…” Wait. What?! “What are you singing,” I asked her. She sang it again. “Sister,” I asked, “What in the world would make you think that someone would take a piece of MEAT with them.
This would have been a surprise to me if we hadn’t already made up the wrong lyrics to Prince’s “Little Red Corvette.” We were girls. There was two of us. Of course we thought the song was called, “Little Red Barette.” More than anything this song reminds me of my childhood with my sister.
11. Glory Days (Bruce Springsteen) – this song could single handedly define my college years for me. I played it on the jukebox every night I spent at Ryan’s Bar on Gold Street. Though the bar is no longer there, Glory Days spot on the jukebox – 6910 – will forever live on.
12. Dancing on the Ceiling (Lionel Richie) – Music in my life is pretty synonymous with my dad. One of the best memories was of this 1986 hit. Still young enough to reap the benefits of being picked up by my dad, he used to play this song, lift me upside down over his head and I, folks, would yes, DANCE ON THE CEILING!
13. Eye of the Tiger (Survivor) – the quintessential ass kicker song, this song came creeping back into my life as a Cuppercake, Cuppercake # 8 to be exact – it’s a Willow Lake Day Camp thing. When I was teaching at my old school the students had to label every paper to me the same way. Name, date, subject, assignment, and quote. The quote was “Eye of the Tiger.” I would give these students the “Eye of the Tiger” as my way of dismissing them. Each individual student would have to wait for me to give them “The Eye” as a sign of me knowing they were ready before standing p pushing in their chair and getting on line. At our wedding, Husband and I asked our friend who is aprt of a band called Lightning Jar, to play a rendition of Eye of the Tiger as we were announced as Husband and Wife for the first time. Need I say more as to why this is part of the Soundtrack of my Life.
14. You Were Born (Cloud Cult) – If you are a mom and haven’t heard this song yet, click here. you will understand.
15. and 16. Our wedding songs. Nothing Can Change this Love and Save Me a Saturday Night. Yes we have two. We have the one we danced to at our wedding and the one that should have been our wedding song.
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