I have always expressed on numerous occasions how music has helped me through so many rough patches in my life as well as a way to celebrate the good times in my life. We all have Go To Songs. The songs that no matter what mood you are in, you can listen to it and it will provide relief, comfort, energy, happiness, inspiration, courage and just about any myriad of feelings.
Growing up I even had my Go To songs. I was born in 1968 and was the youngest of 6 so I grew up listening to my older siblings’ music which I am grateful for. It led me to be have a vast appreciation of all types of music including the music of my parents’ time. When I was young preteen, I remember one of my songs being, “Fantasy” by Earth, Wind and Fire. I remember watching my older sisters getting ready for parties or going out and they would dance around and sing the song. They were so happy so it became my Go To Happy Song. Following their footsteps, I would listen to it on their old Vinyl to give me an instant “pick-me-up”. Another song that stood out for me as one of my Go To songs back then was “Miss American Pie” by Don McLean. It was a song that I would listen to when I was confused or sad and it just sort of reminded me of how fragile life was and it always regrounded me. Another one is “Hot Dog” and “Fool in the Rain” by Led Zeppelin. These songs just takes me back to the moment where I see my brother singing in his room to his hair brush and would play the whole In Through the Out Door album and this one always made me smile. I still love them and have them on my regular playlist today.
As I got older my Go To Songs changed. I remember most of my songs would be there to lift me up but then as I got older I would have Go To Songs to become a companion through a miserable or difficult time. It was almost as if I could share my every emotion with a close friend and then be able to just walk away with it and not bring up what was bothering me. So that became the beginning of the era of my Sad or Wallowing in Misery Songs. The list could be extensive for this stage; here are several “Yesterday, Once More by The Carpenters, “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word” by Elton John, “With or Without You” by U2, “In your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel, “November Rain” by Guns n Roses, “When the Children Cry” by White Lion and so many, many more.
For now I have my Go To songs for all my moods. If I am feeling defeated and need a push, I crank up “Get Thru This” by Art of Dying. This song helped me through the last few weeks of my father’s life. We found out he had cancer and within 10 days he died. I stayed by his bedside and would sneak off to listen to a couple songs that would get me through the next few hours. This song kept me sane and kept me going strong for my father. I am forever grateful for this song!
If I am feeling overwhelmed by life, I always play songs by Blue October. It gives me the energy I need to overcome the obstacles I am facing. One in particular song that stands out is “Weight of the World” and especially “Say It” which lets me release my anger at whatever is blocking me and gives me the courage to rise above. Another song by Blue October that I relate to is “Into the Ocean”. This is another one of the songs that I listened to daily when I lost my father. It just brought me back to a place where I had to just accept what was going on even if I wanted to just jump overboard and float away. Also another one that helps me when I feel despair and feel like just crawling up in a ball is “World I Know” by Collective Soul. The video is so beautiful too!
If I need a pick me up and get me going in the morning I tend to crank up my Rock and Roll and play it loud. I will start with some Slash with Myles Kennedy and the Conspirators – possibly “You’re a Lie” or “Anastasia”. Of course Foo Fighters is the band for my all time Go To Energy Songs. Listening to “Walk” or “Monkey Wrench” just gets me revved up and going.
Lastly for now all my Go To Sad songs revolve around my father and his memory. It will be one year next week on September 2nd, 2012 that I lost him. So lately I have been playing lots of these sad songs. One is one I am sure many have not heard, it is “Little One” by Bing Crosby from the High Society Movie. I grew up watching this movie with my father maybe 200 times in my lifetime. Being the youngest, I always had to find some common ground with my parents to stand out from the rest and get my one on one time. That movie was it for me. From when I was maybe 6 on up, we would watch it and we both memorized all the words and would say them at the right times. This song was a song Bing Crosby sings to the little sister of his wife to be who has a crush on him and it is about “Little One when may I marry you”. This song just reminds me of my father singing it to me and the one day that stands out from the rest is when I was maybe 14 and being the usual teenager. Not wanting to spend time at home as much, talking on the phone more than talking with my parents. Then one Sunday my father pulled out the record and said he had something for me to listen to. He told me to listen and know that this will always be “My Song” for his “Little One”. He played it and I remember running off to the restroom because I couldn’t stop crying. I loved him so much and I was just ignoring him so much those days. I remembered how that song was our song and he came to me and hugged me and told me that he knows how sometimes it hurts to love someone so much. He reminded me to remember that feeling and to always make sure that the one you love is worth that kind of love. It hurts so much because you don’t ever want to be without that love. So now I listen to it and the pain is right there. I miss him and will always be his “Little One”.
Anyway, I need to break away from this writing and sign off. Emotions getting the best of me right now and I think I need one of my Go To Songs…… Maybe it will be “Wonderful Life” by Alter Bridge.
~ Feed your soul some music today – Marisol
Here are a few videos of some of my Go To Songs…. Enjoy!!!
This is “Wonderful Life” by Alter Bridge. My son played this on his guitar at my father’s funeral.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjE1PcGmjF4
This is the song “Little One” from the Bing Crosby movie, “High Society”. I know it has an ad but it is worth it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etZzSJDiMBI
This is as my son calls my Screamer song! Gets all the frustration out! “Say it” by Blue October
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbLP8jNdR9k
The song that helped me get through losing my father. “Get Thru This” by Art of Dying.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4aaxJCqumQ
A great Led Zeppelin song! “Fool in the Rain”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgAFoyIgskY
“The World I know” by Collective Soul. This video is so inspiring for me!
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