Why I chose the songs I chose

Okay, loyal readers, you asked for it! I am now going to tell you why I chose the songs I chose for my blog! Actually, that is not true. No one actually asked me. I came up with this idea completely on my own. Since there are 24 songs on my playlist, sit back and relax as you prepare for an absurdly long post. If you don't care about all of the songs, but only want to know about a few of your choosing, then feel free to browse on down to your chosen song. I should warn you, though; just to mix it up and keep it kickin', I am going to do the list backwards, because I doubt that the songs at the END of my playlist ever get listened to, unless someone intentionally clicks on any of those songs. No one can possibly be logged onto my blog long enough to hear all 24 songs in a row. Unless you are me, and you are so proud of that playlist that you just want to listen to it all the way through while you do other things around the house...I'm just saying.
So song #24 is....Chiquitita, by Abba. Oh Abba, how I love you. You are so misunderstood by so many who simply listen to your songs and laugh at your funny accents. I, however, listen deeper. I hear the gorgeous piano concerto going on counterpoint to the cheesy singing. I hear the glorious sounds of brilliant harmonies and rising crescendo as the song continues...Is that a full chior I hear singing? No, it is just 4 voices miraculously sounding like thousands. Is that a full orchestra in the background? Maybe. I don't know. But the piano stylings sure are glorious. I simply think that the musicality of Abba music is genious. This song is just a sampling of the brilliant stylings of the Abba Gold: greatest hits album. (Now there are a few songs on that album that are just TOO cheesy, even for me, so I absolutely must skip them. Just FYI.)
#23. Bring 'em out by Hawk Nelson. I have long been a fan of happy, peppy sounding music. Hawk Nelson does a good job of crafting a happy sounding song that I just like to listen and sing along to. This song reminds me of last summer when Francesca's daughter Isabella was riding in my car, and this song was on, and she was doing her best to sing along. We listened to it several times so that she could get the hang of it. I just loved how she was just so non self consciously singing along, "Bring 'em out, bring 'em out!" Good memories. Good song.
#22.Hello by Hawk Nelson. I just love the melody of this song. Again, super happy, and it makes me happy when I hear it and sing along. Sometimes, instead of singing "You never ever leave my mind, my sweet sweet Madeline, I sing "You never ever leave my mind, my sweet sweet Natalie." Aaaaahhhhhhh.
#21.Uptown Girl, by Billy Joel. Billy! Can it get any more genious than that? I love that guy! He is the king of brilliant melodies, sing-a-long-ability, and his songs are fun to listen to and fun to sing. Nothing deep here, I just like the song.
#20.Absolutely (Story of a girl) by Ninedays. This song came out when my firstborn was a baby. I used to sing it to her,: "This is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world. And while she looks so sad in photographs, I absolutely love her...when she smiles." That song is forever associated with baby Kristina, in my mind.
#19.Labour of Love by Frente. This song came out in either '94 or '95. I remember when I first heard it that it was such a fresh, unique sound for the time. They didn't sound like any other band. They were, again, just such a happy, fun sounding band. I actually wanted to play an even happier sounding song by them, called "Accidentally Kelly Street," but I couldn't find that song.
#18.Lead Me On by Amy Grant. If you read my profile, you saw that I will always adore Amy. She was the music of my heart when I was growing up. I loved all of her albums. I listened to them over and over, and I memorized all of the lyrics. I remember when the album, "Lead Me On" came out. I was 13 years old, and I didn't quite understand the meaning of these lyrics. (Even then, I was analytical.) It bothered me, and I wracked my brain trying to figure them out. At some point, it clicked that this song was about the Jews, and their struggles through history. It's a beautiful song, one of my favorite by Amy Grant. (Amy, I love you. If you ever want to sit down for coffee or a meal and a chat, I'm so down. Call me, 'k? Hugs!)
#17.Love, Me by Colin Raye. If you get to this song on my playlist, just skip it. I do. I don't know who the joker is who is singing this song, but it is definitely NOT Colin Raye. This is not the original Colin Raye singing version of the song. It's such a disappointment. I would just delete it from my playlist, but I fear that I wont be able to get the playlist back up if I do that. The original Colin Raye song is touching to my heart because of a story that I heard on The Regis and Kelly show, about a family who played Colin Raye music after their son died in a motorcycle accident. They put the lyrics, "between now and then, 'til I see you again, I'll be loving you, love me." on his tombstone. That story really got to me. The Colin Raye version makes me cry, now. On a silly note, I sing this song around the house, and my kids say "STOP SINGING!" Except for Jeremy. Jeremy laughs and sings along with me.
#16. Superman by Five for Fighting. Five for fighting has such brilliant, beautiful piano playing, paired with such beautiful, brilliant lyrics. This song is about how a person is never meant to be on anyone's pedistal, we are all just people, and it's exhausting trying to be someone's hero...this song could be about a celebrity trying to live up to everyone's expectations, or anyone trying to live up to everyone's expectations, really. The line "It's not easy to be me..." Anyone can sing that. It could be someone else who sees you as a hero, or it could be yourself trying to be a hero to those around you, and getting exhausted...this song relates to very many senarios, really. ( I think I just spelled "senarios" wrong.) All in all, a brilliant song.
#15.My Front Porch Looking In by Lonestar. One day, in the car, I was flipping through the radio stations when I happened upon this song. It was so fresh and unexpected to hear this man sing about how much he loves his family...So refreshing...and it absolutely brought tears to my eyes. I was caught off guard by this song that I did not expect! I love it now. Plus, I can totally relate to the idea of being so much more interested in seeing your family than in the scenery around you. Read my posts about nature. 'nuf said.
#14.The Older I Get by Skillet. I know this song is about a relationship that seems irreparable, or something, but it just feels so nostalgic to me. I love the lyrics, "the older I get, will I get over it? It's been way too long for the times we missed, I can't believe it still hurts like this." This song takes me right back to my sister, Marilyn. She was born when I was 3. She lived for 8 days. That's why I like nostalgic sounding songs so much; they all take me right back to Marilyn. (I plan to post about that one of these days.)
#13. Work by Jars of Clay. This band has some finely crafted songs, some great lyrics on top of fantastic music, and this song is one of them. "Do you know what I mean when I say I don't want to be alone?" and "I have no fear of drowning, it's the breathing that's taking all this work." Except that I have to admit, I AM afraid of drowning. Yes, very afraid of that. Moving on...
#12.Only Hope by Switchfoot. This is probably my favorite song by switchfoot, although I like most of their music. These guys have really fab, original lyrics. This song is brilliant, but I can't explain it. It touches me on many levels and makes sense to me in a way that I don't think I can put into words. Imagine that.
#11.Viva La Vida by Coldplay. I can only TRY to put what this song means to me into words. This is another brilliantly crafted masterpiece. These lyrics are so deep and powerful, and I love the nostalgic feel of this, song, as well. This song could relate to so many different things, like a literal king losing his throne, to anyone who has ever lost anything, to any life changing event in your life where there is definitely a "before" and "after..." like a moment of epiphany. This song could simply be about growing up and realizing that you are not the center of the universe. It is pure poetry set to music. I love the line "but that was when I ruled the world." I love this song. It reminds me of Marilyn, too. (I don't believe that "Saint Peter" is in charge of calling any names, though.)
#10.Winter by Tori Amos. LOVE this song!!!! The piano in this song is enough to make you weep. Pair it with the sweet melody and soprano voice singing so vulnerably and you have a masterpiece on your hands. The words of this song are ALSO pure poetry. It absolutely speaks to me on many levels, and if I try to explain them all, I will just go crazy. Because there is no way I can explain it all. "when are you going to make up your mind? When are you going to love you as much as I do?" and "Things are going to change so fast; all the white horses have gone ahead." Nostalgia, for sure.
#9.Glory,Baby, by Watermark. I found this song on Angie Smith's blog, "Bring the Rain." If you are looking for a blog to earmark, that is the one to read straight through. You will not be the same. This song also reminds me of Marilyn, and also of the two babies we lost to miscarriages. Such a beautiful song.
#8. Homesick by Mercy me. This song sounds just like my grief and nostalgia feels. Some songs are meant to be about grief or nostalgia, but if you don't feel the particular song, then it doesn't work for you. The melody of this song just happens to sound like how I feel. It reminds me of other people in my life who have died, too, like Marlys. Family friend we grew up with.
#7.Baby Baby by Amy Grant. You have already learned of my lifelong love of Amy. If you are still reading this, here is a prize for hanging on so long...I am going to admit something here that I would never admit anywhere else. When my babies were babies, I held each one and played this song and danced around the room and whispered this song into their ears. Several times. It became a theme. I love that this song celebrates the life of a new baby.
#6.Who Knew by Pink This song is gorgeous. It sounds like a breakup song, but I think it's actually about someone who died. Listen closely, you'll hear it. Words like "That last kiss, I'll cherish until we meet again." and "And time makes it harder, I wish I could remember." don't sound like what you would say to someone you broke up with. I used to hear this song at the YMCA when I would walk past a particular class that was going on; it was one of their cool down songs. I thought it was pretty, but it was a while before I actually heard the lyrics, and I was hooked.
#5. Unwritten by Natasha Bedingford I love the idea of being unwritten, that each day is fresh and yet to be lived, that you can define who you want to be and how you want to live each day, and that no one can live your life for you. So wake up and go live! I love the idea of each day as a "blank page before you." And how fitting for a blog!
#4.Say by John Mayer. Speaking of being fitting for a blog...If any song is fitting for a blog, it is this song. I was telling this to Francesca, and she said "And it's just a pretty song." She's right. It's also one of my life mottos, "Say what you need to say." If more people would just put this into practice, the world would be a more peaceful place. As someone once told me, "We are only as sick as our secrets." Think about it! And then go spill, to someone who is safe.
#3. Heavenly Day by Patty Griffin. Big sigh. I love this song. It was the first dance at a wedding that we went to in May. What a perfect first dance song! I'd never heard this song before and immediately I loved it. It reminds me of all of the best days of my life, like the day I married Derek, (one of the best decisions of my life, I can tell you 9 and a half years later!) the days my children were born, every time we go to the beach... just to name a few. And I like to think that ANY day can be a Heavenly day, if you chose to see it that way. When this song comes on, I immediately start to sing it and think of the day that I am in as being a heavenly day. Beautiful attitude adjustment.
#2.100 years by Five for Fighting. You'd be hard pressed to hear a more beautiful song than this. "I'm 15 for a moment, halfway between 1o and 20, and I'm just dreaming, counting the years to where you are..." Aaaahhhhhh. Nothing else to say, this song blows me away. Too many levels to explain. You either get it or you don't. "!5, there's still time for you..."
#1.Loving a Person by Sara Groves. Another wedding, another first dance. This time it was my baby brother (he's not a baby, but I can call him that because it's MY blog! :-) but he used to hate it when I'd say that... or "little" brother. He hated that, too.) to my new sister Sara! Again, I had never heard this song before their wedding, and again, I loved it right away. If captures a marriage so beautifully.
So there you have it, these are my songs for now. I keep thinking of more songs that I would add or switch out, and maybe someday I will, when this blogging thing becomes old hat, and I get to be a pro at it. For now, just enjoy the tunes, and please let me know what YOU Think of them, and how they speak to you, or if any are particularly meaningful to you. If you are reading this, please leave a comment. I love comments. Whoever you are, I will love you and like you 20% more if you leave me a comment...Please? :-)