Here is my follow up to the 5 songs that shaped my life post. Music has always been a really big part of my life; I am a lover of words and lyrics and I find when the right ones are set to a melody it’s just magical. My taste in music is pretty eclectic (if you haven’t noticed from the five songs mentioned) and I usually am willing to give anything a listen.
I thought it would be neat to pull out my favorite lyrics from each of the five songs and then give a little blurb about why it’s important to me. So here goes!
In My Life:
All these places have their moments // With lovers and friends I still can recall // Some are dead and some are living // In my life I've loved them all
The Beatles will forever be my all-time favorite band and I couldn’t have made a list without including this gem from the fab four. It was hard for me to pick just one line from it because I think the song in its entirety is really an amazing work. The thing that sticks out the most for me about this song, and this lyric, is the idea that everything has a place and a time, and even when those things fade you still have the memories. I love that idea; when I listen to this song I think about different events that have changed my life, and different places and people that I may never see again, but will always think of fondly. It’s really just a great song.
Just a closer walk with thee:
When my feeble life is o’er //Time for me will be no more //Guide me gently, safely o’er // to Thy kingdom's shore
My great grandfather was my best friend. This sounds weird, I know, but it’s completely true. I was blessed to have him in my life for 16 and a half years and we were so close. He taught me the types of things that shape your character; he taught me to love without ceasing, to help those less fortunate, to really understand politics and stick to your convictions, and to always have faith. He had a cassette tape (throwback!) that we would listen to in his car of traditional gospels hymns and this song was on it. Every time I hear it I can’t help but smile thinking about those times spent with my best friend.
Whispers in the Dark:
But my heart was colder when you'd gone //And I lost my head but found the one that I love // Under the sun, under the sun
Mumford and Sons is my favorite current group, and has been for quite some time. Basically, I liked them before they were cool – like back in the early days of Little Lion Man. Okay, my hipster-ness is over. Their album Babel came out during a really messy break up for me, the type of break up that when looking back you wonder why you spent so much time in that awful sulky period. Needless to say, their album really helped me during all of this and managed to put my emotions into words when I couldn’t. This line from the song is a perfect representation of the year I went through.
Carolina In My Mind:
In my mind I'm going to Carolina. Can't you see the sunshine, can't you just feel the moonshine? // Ain't it just like a friend of mine to hit me from behind? Yes, I'm going to Carolina in my mind.
Despite my love of country music, and using the word y’all I’m not from the South; I was born and raised in rural Northeastern PA (but honestly, there’s not too much difference from where I grew up and the South other than the accent). But I did spend four years in western North Carolina for college, and consider myself an adopted North Carolinian. Carolina In My Mind, was my theme song for those four years; it helped ease my decision to go so far from home, it helped me when I was leaving campus for a holiday or trip, it helped curb my excitement when it was time to go back, and it continues to help me remember all the wonderful memories I have there. Seriously, I heard it on the radio in Florida a few weeks ago when I was there for work and got teary eyed in my rental car.
Parting Glass:
But since it falls unto my lot // That I should rise and you should not // I'll gently rise and I'll softly call // Good night and joy be with you all
Sorry there was such a gap in posting - life has been a little crazy lately and honestly most nights when I get home from work I don't want to be on my computer. After 8-10 hours a day on one at work the idea of straining my eyes over anything else is less than appealing. But I'm not giving up on this, I just have to be better about it.
Confession time: I am in love with Irish music, which isn’t surprising because I’ve studied a lot of 20th Century Irish history and what better way to understand the plight of a group of people than through listening to the music. The Parting Glass, similar to In My Life, is one of those songs where it’s hard to just pick out a few lyrics because it’s so powerful. But what I love the most about this song is that while it is about parting (be it death or moving on) it’s about taking those you love with you, and toasting them. The High Kings are incredible and their version of this song just gives me all the feels.
So those are my songs. Completely random, no rhyme or reason, but they have shaped my life and they will continue to. I could have easily had this be a list of top 10 or maybe 20 but limiting it to 5 really makes you stop and think. Try it! I’d love to see what your top 5 list looks like!
